Smith & Wesson® Withdraws from Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show

Great posting. Hats off to S&W for taking a stand!

Quick update.... The NRA has announced that they are pulling out as well.
 
Last edited:
I am a little more proud to own some S&W products. I will continue to show my support with my wallet. Pass the news along, S&W deserves the publicity and our support. I also emailed them.
 
Looks like I'll have to pick up that S&W M&P9 that the wife has been eyeballing sooner than later. Glad to hear that all those companies listed have shown solidarity as they should on this issue.
 
Sadly, I do not own any S&W products. Clearly, I'll need to rectify that situation.

Good for S&W!

When I looked yesterday, there were ~1100 total exhibitors. If they've lost ~200, that's going to have a noticeable impact on the show.
 
Very happy that a lot of those brands depend very little on non-hunters but still showed solidarity. Leupold is a great example. Probably 90%+ of their sales would be untouched by an AWB, but they still did the right thing. Getting that VX-series scope for sure now.
 
I live in eastern PA, and it was all over the news last night. Although they were mainly focused on Cabela's pulling out. The news story was the first pro-gun leaning story that I have seen on the news in a long time. They had four people expressing their disdain and pulling support from the show, and one woman talking about how the show was right to ban the displays because they aren't necessary for hunting. Usually the ratio is tilted in the opposite direction. They even had one of the four refute the woman's statement.
 
Instead of copying in the entire list every time it's updated, please go here to see the list:

http://mynortheastoutdoors.com/esos-boycott-supporters/

It is being updated severa times a day.

At this point nearly 25% of the vendors and nearly all of the celebrities have withdrawn.

That's nice, but to REALLY force the point home it needs to hurt Reed Expo in the pocket, and you don't do that by getting vendors to withdraw.

You do that by getting people to NOT attend the show.

Most, if not all, booth fee money paid by vendors goes to securing the hall and all of the associated activities.

There's almost no profit to be made there. The profit comes from people like you and me queueing up and paying our $14 or $20 or whatever it is now days .

You cut into the show's attendance, and that's when you start hurting the promoter.

Oh, and in case anyone is interested?

The show's promoters? It's a BRITISH company. They've issued a statement saying "we support the Second Amendment."

Bull. They don't even know what it means.

But now is the time to teach them what it means.
 
I am glad to see Ruger also on the list, along with many others. I think the list is a clear statement of the resolve of the American people, and American manufacturers of sporting goods and firearms when it comes to the 2A.

Mike regarding the 2A and and the Brits I think you are absolutely right: Most do not understand our commitment to a principle that is outside of their experience. I hope the lack of crowds at this show sends this message...
 
Last edited:
The show's promoters? It's a BRITISH company. They've issued a statement saying "we support the Second Amendment."
Click to expand...
I hope the people remember Reed next year when it's time for the SHOT Show.
That's another Reed Exhibitions production.
 
That's nice, but to REALLY force the point home it needs to hurt Reed Expo in the pocket, and you don't do that by getting vendors to withdraw.

You do that by getting people to NOT attend the show.
Click to expand...

But you DO get folks to not attend when most of the vendors they wanted to see aren't going to be there. I am not personally familiar with this show, but with over 110 dropping out (the last list I saw), you are saying there are still over 300 that will be attending? that is some show
 
There are roughly 1,100 vendors and exhibitors at an Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show.

So far about 250 of them have backed out.

That's still a lot of draw.
 
One of the (many, many) things I don't know about this is the fee structure between exhibitors and organizers. I suspect that exhibitors pay a fee to get a table. With ~25% of the exhibitors bowing out, some of them will (almost undoubtedly) decline to pay their fee (if they have not already), or start looking for ways to get it back (if they have). It's one thing to tell (the entirely fictitious) "Billy Bob's Bang Sticks" from Oil Trough, Arkansas, that you won't issue them a refund. It's another to tell S&W or Ruger that.

Regardless of how that shakes out, visitors aren't going to be happy with 25% of the building being empty. That's not good for the show's reputation.
 
The celebrities backing out will hurt attendance, probably worse than the vendors doing so.

I'm amazed at the number of archery companies that have pulled out. Bear, Hoyt, and PSE are the ones I noticed. An AWB would in no way affect their business and yet they are standing with us.
 
Last edited:
Something doesn't smell right.......REED can't be that tone deft to not see the financial repercussions this show and future shows will have. I suspect some very wealthy donor or Insurance company is underwriting the losses. Follow the money........
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top