Reed Exhibits has postponed the huge Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show — albeit using language so slimy the company should run for office. While they call it a postponement, there’s no date for a redo, so for now it’s an outright cancellation.
Sez Reed’s official announcement:
It has become very clear to us after speaking with our customers that the event could not be held because the atmosphere of this year’s show would not be conducive to an event that is designed to provide family enjoyment. It is unfortunate that in the current emotionally charged atmosphere this celebratory event has become overshadowed by a decision that directly affected a small percentage of more than 1,000 exhibits showcasing products and services for those interested in hunting and fishing.
ESS has long been proud to participate in the preservation and promotion of hunting and fishing traditions, and we hope that as the national debate clarifies, we will have an opportunity to consider rescheduling the event when the time is right to focus on the themes it celebrates.
Nooooooo, we didn’t cancel it because more than a quarter third of our vendors and about 70 of our celebrity guests & speakers were boycotting us. We didn’t do it because some of those boycotting vendors were so huge our hall was going to be half empty. Or because both vendors and ticket holders were threatening to sue our weasely, politically correct, anti-gun asses.
We cancelled because you people have a lousy, family-unfriendly attitude! And if we just wait a while, we expect you to shape up!
After all, our decision to ban ugly guns only affects a few people nobody really ought to care about — only those silly Americans who cherish freedom.
Those brave exhibitors who stood strong for everyone’s rights — even when their own economic well-being was at stake — should get all their money refunded now.
Here’s my first prediction for 2013:
The executives of Reed Exhibits now confidently expect the issue to go away. They do not intend to refund anyone’s money, of course, because none of this is their fault.
They are then blindsided by an endless barrage of blog excoriations and lawsuits.
This is caused entirely by unreasonable gun owners.
(full disclosure: My predictions are invariably wrong.)
If I had the money to bet, I’d buy food. If I had food money, I’d bet that Reed’s position on refunds will be that the boycotting exhibitors caused the cancellation and so are not entitled to refunds. They’ll probably sue boycotters for sabotaging the show. And they’ll probably take essentially the same tack with ticket holders.
Joel, It seems like you’re still batting 1000 with your predictions -chuckle-
From the comments at PAgunblog
“I work with a vendor who cancelled his booth two days ago. Reed gave them a full refund” and ” Now, getting hotel refunds is proving to be more of a challenge. Of course, his staff that was flying here from South Africa is SOL on airfare(I guess you can figure out what business they’re in).”
I think Reed realized that defending against hundreds of small claims court cases wasn’t worth it. I suspect that there will still be some lawsuits filed.
Ah. Missed Joel’s comment. Sadly, my optimistic predictions typically fail. My doom-n-gloom prophecies tend to be spot on.
Hilarious that they blame “the current emotionally charged atmosphere” when they were the ones to let their emotions direct their ridiculous actions in the first place. No one was “emotionally charged” beforehand.
Typically the MSM is blaming the NRA as if they were solely responsible for the boycott. By my unofficial estimate over 200 vendors pulled out BEFORE the NRA did, including Cabela’s.
The last biggie was a boat company that usually had a rather large display of power boats at the show, they don’t sell guns but decided to boycott anyway.
This was a real grassroots boycott that had nothing to do with the NRA except that they went along with it.
The MSM cannot get away from their absolute pathological hatred of the NRA, and in doing so miss the real story here, that this was started by a bunch of little guys and caught on with the big players.
Geoff Ross Say:“The MSM cannot get away from their absolute pathological hatred of the NRA”
I beg to differ. The lamestream muddia and the NRA are locked in a perpetual 69 lovefest orgy. They live for each other. The NRA provides a boogieman for newsies to demonize for ratings and ad revenue. Newsies oblige, and the NRA then uses the free advertising (notice how they always get the above-the-fold credit for anything, even court cases tehy tried to kill?) to scream, “Your rights are threatened! Wayne needs a new limo! Send donations to protect your right to keep and bear arms
except in NRA-approved gun-free victim disarmament zones, after passing an NRA-approved background check, and only bearing some arm the NRA didn’t suggest banning… SEND MONEY!”.Whereupon the muddia writes more revenue-generating articles about the evil NRA raising money and increasing membership.
I agree with both Geoff and Bear. 🙂
For sure, the NRA and the media are locked in a profitable embrace. (Um … nice image there, Bear.) But on the media’s part, I don’t think journalists and their editors are expressing pathological hatred. I think they’re a) too lazy to do real research on anything to do with firearms or gun politics; b) and happy to have one convenient villain for their narrative.
God forbid they should ever admit, “Um … actually, the gun rights movement isn’t just one monolithic lobby, but hundreds of small groups, thousands of businesses, and millions of individuals.”
“(Um … nice image there, Bear.)”
Sorry. It comes from having met LaPierre, and dealing with too many reporters.
Reed also puts on the SHOT Show for the NSSF.
Care to bet whether NSSF finds another contractor for that gig next year?
They’re at least thinking about it: http://mynortheastoutdoors.com/nssf-statement-on-the-esos-reed-may-lose-shot-show-rights/
I expect their members have some strong opinions about switching vendors right at the moment.
It’s a “celebratory event”?
Huh? Did I miss something, I thought it was a boat and gun show?
“themes it celebrates” ? wHAt the heck does that mean?
Is there glitter involved, and party hats?