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Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show Continues to Grow in Size and Influence
New Venue, New Exhibitors, New Owner...It's All Good

With the 2013 Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show in the rearview and the event's new owner — the Nielson Retail Sports Group — already focused on 2014, the mood in these two dynamic industries is upbeat and prospects for a healthy and happy new year seem better than ever. The show's growth continued in 2013, while its distinguishing features (including the LOGO Style Show, the TIA Luncheon Panels, the Ultimate Tailgate Party, the Rising Star Awards and the License to Buy Show Specials Program) remained extremely popular with attendees.

The show was bigger physically (by nearly 20 percent), with more than 300 exhibiting companies occupying roughly 600 booths. Prior to the show's opening, an attendance bump of approximately 5 percent was expected based on pre-registration. However, there were more "walk-ups" seeking admission than usual, including lots of day badges for manufacturers "scouting" the show as potential exhibitors.

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Phlippin' Fun
Phloops Brings a Phresh Spin to Tailgating

Michigan fans take their sports seriously. That includes what goes on before and after the game. For Steve Bommarito and Steve Goebel, the founding partners of Phloops, their love of the Maize and Blue got them thinking about how to improve their tailgating experience.

"People were getting tired of cornhole and other games," says Bommarito. "There had been nothing new introduced to the marketplace for years."

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On Point
Point Pong Emerging As Serious Family Fun

When we first covered Point Pong in April of 2012, Kevin Brown had just introduced his clever spin on beer pong to the industry. He was learning as much about retailers, buyers and consumers as they were leaning about his company. In the 12 months since, Point Pong has emerged as a product with an amazingly diverse appeal.

"We've been doing really well," says Brown. "Point Pong is now sold through more than 30 major websites, including one of our more recent additions, Brookstone. We've also seen great interest from the swimming pool industry. That has opened the door to international vendors, including one in Canada."

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Sunny with a Chance of Big Sales
Goal Zero Transforming the Tailgate Industry with Solar Power

There's no mistaking the noise of a rocking tailgate party—beers cracking open, food sizzling on the grill, fans getting pumped for the game…and a generator grumbling in the background. Goal Zero, an eco-friendly outdoor brand that harnesses the power of the sun, is helping tailgaters keep the party going, just at a lower decibel level.

"The tailgating marketplace is a ripe market for us," says Joe Atkin, Goal Zero's President and CEO. "We're enabling people to create new experiences with our solar powered generators, like watching a TV in the wild. The possibilities are endless."

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Let the Good Times Roll
Q&A with Cullen Tate, Inventor of the DewDrop Trailer

Tailgating is about bringing the party with you wherever you go. That makes the DewDrop trailer an indispensable part of the action. With its 40 cubic feet of storage space, the DewDrop has plenty of room for virtually any tailgating need. Its aerodynamic shape means there's never a problem towing it behind a car of any size. Cullen Tate introduced the DewDrop to rave reviews at the 2013 Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show. Now he's ready to take the next step.

LOGO: The DewDrop made its debut in Las Vegas. What did you hear from retailers and buyers?

Cullen Tate: They were excited about all the possibilities the DewDrop offered, and loved the fact that they could keep their tailgate party stored right in the trailer, ready to go. And they really liked the fact that with the optional folding tongue, the DewDrop could be stored right in their garage, against a wall, taking up very little space. As a first-time vendor in Las Vegas, we felt welcomed and very well received.

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Hot Wheels
Full Moon Wheels Debuts Hubgloves

Sports fans always want to look the part when they show up to tailgate. So why shouldn't their vehicles? That's where Full Moon Wheels enters the picture. A relative newcomer to the tailgating marketplace, the company makes customizable wheel covers with a patent-pending design, including its signature product, Hubgloves.

"We believe that appearance is very important to a tailgater, not only personally but for the vehicle," says Full Moon's owner Dan Bell. "A set of Hubgloves with a team name or logo completes the outfit of a well-dressed vehicle and makes it stand out from cars with ordinary alloy wheels."

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A Bright Idea
LiddUp Lights the Way to the Cooler
March 18, 2013

Innovation has become a staple in the tailgating and licensed sports marketplaces. So how is it that the cooler fell through the cracks? Indeed, since Richard C. Laramy of Joliet, Illinois, filed for a patent for his portable icebox in 1951, the basic design and function of the cooler hasn't changed much. That was until Jayson Sandberg came up with the idea for LiddUp, a portable cooler with patented built-in LED lighting on the inside and outside.

An avid camper, Sandberg was on an annual trip with his family a few years ago in Lee Canyon, Nevada. As he reached his hand into the icy water of a cooler in the middle of the night, he wondered to himself why getting a drink had to be such a hassle. Sandberg was instantly hit with the inspiration for LiddUp.

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Sitting Pretty
Q&A with Mark Schulenberg of PTF Sales

The tailgating marketplace continues to attract innovation and functionality. Consider the case of PTF Sales. Mark Schulenberg, an accomplished wood craftsman, started the company in 2004 to create unique furniture designs for RV users. But the crossover to tailgating became obvious, and PTF now has a collection of items for that industry. We talked to Schulenberg about where his company is headed.

LOGO: You made your debut at the recent Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show. How did that go?

Mark Schulenberg: We had a great response from buyers. As it was our first appearance at the venue, we weren't sure what to expect, and were very pleased with the Show results.  

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No Spill Zone
The Drinkin' Partner Keeps the Party Going

Of all the party fouls, is there anyone more egregious than a spilled drink? Jeff Schmidt doesn't think so. That's why he's so excited about the Drinkin' Partner, one of the newest entries to the tailgating marketplace. The company made its debut at the Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show in January. According to Schmidt, the response to Drinkin' Partner was phenomenal.

"Retailers were amazed by how simple and practical the Drinkin' Partner is," he says. "We get that reaction all the time."

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You've Got a Friend
Keg Buddy Proving to be a Perfect Tailgate Companion

"Tailgaters are the heartbeat of our country." So says Tom Napoli, the inventor and founder of Keg Buddy. If he's right, then his product is making sure the nation's tailgating tickers are pumping to full capacity.

Napoli's patent-pending Keg Buddy is a waterproof cup holder with weatherproof straps that holds more than 50 18-oz cups. Despite the product's name, what he discovered is its applications are endless. "The Keg Buddy works on water coolers, pop-up tents and chairs," says Napoli. "You can strap it to anything."

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Lighting the Way
Gentech Taking Cornhole to the Next Level

There is no doubt that cornhole has become America's favorite tailgating game. But more than that, it is transcending the sporting goods marketplace. Cornhole is now viewed as good family fun. It is played in backyards, at cookouts and on weekend getaways. Nothing could be better news to the folks at Gentech Cornhole.

"Our goal is to take cornhole to another level," says Perry Segretto, who co-founded Gentech with Mike Koczor. "Mike's background is in production and operations. I'm a mechanical engineer. We're bringing innovation to the game."

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Dear John
Party Privy Offers Tailgaters a Clean Spin on Public Toilets

What's the one thing that a tailgater fears more than forgetting the beer? Using a dirty, smelly public portable toilet. No one knows this better than Dan Neal, the owner of Privacy Shelter, LLC. Neal is no stranger to tailgating. He is a football season-ticket holder for Kansas State and also a big fan of the Chiefs and Royals.

Neal is also familiar with the trials and tribulations of using the facilities while tailgating. In fact, that's what led him to the idea for the Party Privy.

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Hey, My Drink is Up Here!
Boobzie Gives Sports Fans a New Way to Enjoy the Party

"Wow, check out that set of … cans!" That's becoming a standard reaction to the product line from Boobzie, a new exhibitor at the Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show in January. The company launched a year ago with a collection of can covers in the shapely form of a potential bikini model. According to Debbie Clark, the reception has been great.

"We got our first big break when the Hooters restaurant chain featured the first-ever Boobzie throughout their 460 locations," she says. "Our Sin-City 'Welcome to Las Vegas' Boobzie soon followed. It was commissioned by the Marshall Retail Group for their hugely popular souvenir shops. The success of our two custom designs prompted us to finalize the patent and brainstorm a number of new designs."

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