2011 Sports Card Industry Summit
March 20-23 – The Orleans Hotel – Las Vegas, NevadaThe Las Vegas Sports Cards and Collectibles Industry Summit is an annual event that gathers businesses from across all segments of the market into one location. Many of the top manufactures have company employees who will give presentations and provide question and answer sessions.
As of March 1st, over 100 independent hobby shops have registered and will be attending. Here is a schedule of events for the Las Vegas Industry Summit. We will be attending this event and will be providing insight into what takes place – stay tuned during and after the Summit for full write-ups and special editions of the Sports Card Show about this event.
Sunday March 20, 2011
3 PM – 6 PM – Registration & Welcome Reception
2nd floor Conference Center – The Orleans Hotel and Casino
5 PM – 7 PM – Annual Retailer Meeting
This is a key part of the Summit where retailers can help set the agenda for the coming days. With over 100 hobby shop owners in attendance, it should make for a great mix of ideas and discussion about where the industry is headed in 2011 and beyond.
Late Night – Business Meetings – Dinners – Vegas Night Life
Monday March 21, 2011
8:00 – 8:45 AM – Social Media and Your Business
Panini’s Hobby Marketing Manager Tracy Hackler and Upper Deck’s Media Man Chris Carlin give insight into using social networks like Twitter and Facebook to help grow your business. The key to social networking is to continue to utilize it over a long period of time and don’t expect quick results. Stick to it – and it will pay off and help grow your business. I would imagine Carlin and Hackler will touch on this and also have many other great insights.
9:00 AM – Industry Report Card
Summit host Kevin Isaacson gives an overview of the state of the industry since the 2010 Vegas Summit.
9:30 – 10:15 AM Solution Session I
Here are the topics being covered at the solution sessions. These are small group discussions with 8-12 members of the industry. The Las Vegas Summit staff will provide a write-up of all the sessions since it’s impossible to take part in each one.
10:30 – 11:30 AM Solution Session II
- What If: Get crazy and come up with ideas and thoughts to expand the collecting universe.
- Redemption Roundtable: All things redemptions – how do they hurt the customer? What can manufactures, distributors, and collectors do to make the process easier and less painful?
- Distributors in 2012 and Beyond: In this ever changing landscape of buying wholesale, what are some of the things to expect in the future and changes to the current business model are discussed.
- Maximizing Promotions: All things promotions – making them work for your business as well as new thoughts and ideas.
- Release Date Discussion: Product release dates change all the time, what can businesses do to make it more user friendly for the customer.
- Private Signings: Expanding consumer confidence in the new autograph market to include a network of trusted private-signing specialists by implementing a simple but consistent COA criteria that collectors can understand.
- Past and Present Market: Two growth opportunities are reaching past collectors and babies. How to market to these groups and profit.
- Close-Out Prices: How to take advantage of close-out opportunities in the sports collectibles business and it’s impact on the industry.
- Online Selling Strategies: Sell online to boost sales.
11:30 AM – 12:45 PM The Magazine Exchange Lunch
One of the top distributors will host a lunch for retailers.
12:45 PM – 2:00 PM Panini America Summit Address
Top players from Panini America to discuss the hobby and business going forward.
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM Topps Summit Address
Much like the Panini Address, this will also have a Retailing For Success Seminar hosted by Alan Narz.
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Topps 60th Anniversary Party
Retailers and invited guests get to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Topps Trading Cards in the Stardust Suite of the Orleans Hotel.
Tuesday March 22, 2011
8:00 – 8:45 AM Measuring Brick and Mortar Success
Use metrics and product diversification to help grow your business. Find un-tapped revenue streams in your market and boost sales.
9:00 AM – 9:50 Panel Discussions
Panel TBA
10:00 AM – 10 Questions with TriStar
Jeff Rosenberg, CEO of Tristar Productions answers 10 key industry questions.
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM Panel Discussions
Forecasting the future of brick-and-mortar hobby stores in an increasingly online world.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM NHLPA, UD, Panini Presentations.
Over a working lunch employees from the NHLPA, Upper Deck and Panini America will give fast paced presentations about how they can help grow your business.
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Upper Deck Summit Address
Upper Deck officials discuss the hobby and business going forward.
1:30 PM – 5:30 PM Meet the Industry
Get introduced to the people in the sports card industry – here are the companies available for meet and greet sessions.
NBA Properties – Historic Autograph Company – Leaf Cards – Beckett Media – In the Game – All Sports Marketing – Southern Hobby Supply – GTS Distribution – Onyx Authenticated – Heritage Auctions – Rittenhouse Archives – Sports Images Distribution
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Silent Auction Ends – Trade Night
Bring your singles to our Main Meeting Room to swap with retailers from across the U.S. and Canada.
Wednesday March 23, 2011
8:00 – 8:50 AM 10 Ways for Hobby Shop Success
10 unique ways to neasure success in a brick-and-mortar collectibles store. A must-attend seminar for everyone in the sales business. Moderator: Kevin Savage. Panelists: Steve Dickler, Gary Mills.
9:00 AM Agenda Update
Summit host Kevin Isaacson gives an overview of the agenda that was covered.
9:15 AM – 10 Questions with Special Guest
Guest TBA
9:45 AM – 10:30 AM Micro Market Cards
Top executives from micro-market card and memorabilia companies share their success secrets and offer a unique take on the future of the sports, gaming and entertainment collectible business. Panelists include: Leaf Cards Brian Gray, Famous Fabrics Dr. Brian Price, Steve Charendoff, DJ Kazmierczak.
10:45 AM 5 Minute Idea Exchange
Each attendee is encouraged to share his or her best idea – including promotions, marketing tactics, business operations or anything else that can translate into success for an independent hobby business.
12:00 PM – 2 PM Business Builder
Online selling with Rob Veres and Don Joss, grading with Mark Anderson (BGS), auction consignment with Kevin Savage, leveraging promotions with Daryl McKay, lease and vendor negotiation with Gary Brison and much more.
NOTE: Stay tuned during and after the Summit for full write-ups and special editions of the Sports Card Show about this event.
