The 2016 Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show (SLTS), to be held Jan. 24-26 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, is the premier event for brand owners, licensors, licensees and retailers in the licensed sports products world, and is on track to set a record for total number of exhibiting brands with 85% of the floor space already sold out.
With about six months until the event, more than 220 companies have committed to exhibit, and will showcase everything from apparel, souvenirs, housewares and leather goods, to musical instruments and shoes. More than 20 of the companies will be new to the show, including: Pan Pacific Plastics Mfg. Inc., Audio Icons LLC, Rhino Rugby, Applied Icon, Inc., Summit Sportswear, Rhinestone U Inc., CollegeGuitars.com, Bruzer, Fast Asleep LLC, Cozy Cover, Diehard Scarves/Promote Your Team, FiveLo Sports, MV Sport — The Game and Nordic Co. Inc.
“The Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show has shown positive growth over the past three years, and 2016 is forecasted to welcome more leagues, agents, brands and buyers than ever before,” says Liz Crawford, show director. “This show is truly an order-writing, relationship-building and marketing-planning show. Brands and retail buyers can be confident that they will get business done with a positive return on investment.”
NASCAR, the auto-racing giant that sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 states, as well as Canada, Mexico and Europe, will join the fold for the first time this year, while the NFL Players Inc. (NFLPI), the licensing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association, also will return.
Other exhibiting leagues and agencies are NBA Properties Inc., which is the merchandising arm of the National Basketball Association (NBA); the National Hockey League (NHL), the premier professional ice hockey league in the world; the Collegiate Licensing Co. (CLC), which represents almost 200 of the nation’s top colleges, universities, bowl games, athletic conferences, the NCAA and the Heisman Trophy; and Learfield Licensing, a licensing firm that has helped hundreds of colleges, universities, athletic conferences and special properties achieve greater brand awareness and royalty revenues.
Attendee registration will open in early September 2015. For more information or to join the mailing list, visit sportstailgateshow.com.