When trade shows are successful, they are an efficient marketing format, bringing together many vendors and many buyers in one place.
Trade shows come in a variety of sizes.
These include regional shows staffed by regional sales reps and shows for buying groups. These include major shows featuring product lines for just one or two sports. The 1997 show had 900 companies and 21,000 attendees. These are multi-sport shows. But the bigger they get, the harder it is for buyers to see everything and for small exhibitors to stand out.