[oucorry]

How bad is the economy when Okc has to cancel its tackle show. It has been going on forever!!

[shortbus]

Is that the reason they canceled? We went last year and really enjoyed it. It was the first time I'd been to the Oklahoma Fish and Tackle show in probably 20 years.

[D Winkler]

I would think alot of small businesses would need this show to survive.

[shortbus]

I know the guide services really benefit from it.

[oucorry]

Outdoors: Economy’s latest victim: tackle show
By Ed Godfrey



For the first time in 30 years, there will be no Oklahoma Tackle Show at State Fair Park. The slow economy forced cancellation of this year’s show, originally scheduled Feb. 12-15.

The annual Oklahoma Tackle Show, billed as the largest tackle show in the Southwest, has been cancelled for 2009.


The downturn in the economy forced cancellation of the show, said Todd Jameson, the show’s producer.

Always held the second weekend of February at State Fair Park, this would have been the 30th consecutive year of the Oklahoma Tackle Show.

"The decision to cancel was extremely difficult because it has been a fixture for many families throughout the southwest for the past 29 years,” Jameson said.

The difficult economic conditions has forced many exhibitors to cut back on marketing and promotional show budgets, he said.

Chuck Devereaux, who appears at the Oklahoma Tackle Show each year with his Bass Tubs of Oklahoma, said many of the major fishing retailers are pulling out of tackle shows around the country.

"A lot of the big tackle dealers were not going to be (in Oklahoma City),” he said. "If you don’t have the exhibitors, you can’t put a show on. It’s unfortunate it’s come to that. That show is something people looked forward to every year.”

Devereaux, who works tackle shows across the country, said another producer canceled a show in North Carolina while others have reduced the size of their events.

Jameson said he hopes to bring the tackle show back to Oklahoma City next year.

[D Winkler]

I guess I would have thought the tackle show would be worth the marketing money spent. Shows what I know.

[oucorry]

One bright spot, It probably saved me about hundred bucks!

[birdman]

It's not necessarily the cost for companies to participate in the show, but rather the return on your investment (i.e. attendence). I just got back from the International Feed Expo last week and attendence was down 30-35%.

[Marvin]

I just got back from the International Feed Expo last week and attendence was down 30-35%.

So it was down from 3 people to 2?

Sorry birdman, couldn't help it.

[oucorry]

Ouch, Marvin that's not nice.