Industry Day at the Range 2016 at the range this year was an awesome experience for the TFB & TFBTV. TFB was an official sponsor of the day and that sponsorship came with advanced access on Sunday, the day before the actual event. Our advanced access was how we were able to immediately start publishing blog posts and video at 8:30am on Monday, the moment the gates officially opened.

There was one funny moment during the show. Our logo being on the Industry Day Sponsor banners all over the event, and I was wearing both a bright red TFB t-shirt and bright red TFB trucker cap. Despite this Nick and I had one very bearded and overly zealous security guard take exception to us taking photos and video, much to the amusement of the Industry Day staff who had to assure him over the radio we were legit and not gate crashers wearing unfashionably red clothing (me, not Nick).

On Monday Industry Day went without a hitch. It was well organized. They have restricted entry to the event making it far more pleasant to attend than in the past (no more waiting in long queues). There was a good selection of food trucks, with a wide variety of food on offer. Media were given a food and drink voucher that could be redeemed at any truck, a nice touch. Last but not least, the weather could not have been better.

All in all, I can say this was the best Industry Day I have been to and can’t wait for next year. A big thanks to Cathy & Kelsey Williams and their team for having us along.

Next year Industry Day will be held on January 16, 2017. Registration for exhibitors opens next Month. The full press release, which mentions TFB and TFBTV is below …

LAS VEGAS – SHOT Show^® Industry Day at the Range™ wrapped up on Monday, January 18 with the highest attendance record of over 1,600 media and buyers. Even though the range has been called cold, the over 170 exhibiting manufactures continued to receive coverage throughout SHOT Show and will continue to receive additional exposure throughout the year.

Industry Day’s partnership with TheFirearmBlog.com as the official video sponsorship proved successful for our exhibitors. “TFB TV had over 650,000 video views and 2 million minutes of video watch time during Industry Day at the Range and SHOT Show. TheFirearmBlog.com and TFB TV combined had over 700,000 unique visitors and video viewers during the week of Industry Day and SHOT Show 2016 coverage.” – Stated Phil White associate editor of TheFirearmBlog.com”

Chris Dolnak, NSSF Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer commented on the value of this event “Industry Day at the Range has become an important component to the success of the SHOT Show, providing the opportunity for key industry media and buyers to test SHOT Show exhibitors’ new products before they hit the market.”

The buyers were excited about the value and opportunities Industry Day provides to them. Jack Barnes, Vice President General Merchandise Manager at Dick’s Sporting Goods said, “Industry Day was great. At SHOT Show we always get that opportunity to see and feel the product, but obviously we can’t shoot the product. On top of Industry Day being just a fun event and a great day at the range, we think it is incredibly beneficial to handle the products and actually shoot the products to know that what we put in our stores is going to end in a good experience for the customer. Industry Day also gives us additional opportunities to interact and work with our vendor partners on unique opportunities as well as exposes us to other industry professionals that we might not normally get to interact with. All of these things combined made it a rewarding and valuable day for us.”

Angela Harrell with Heckler & Koch was also pleased with this year’s event. “Industry Day at the Range was such a success for Heckler & Koch because our showcase of new products reached over 1,600 media and buyers in one day. The valuable media coverage and interaction with buyers is the reason we exhibit at Industry Day year after year.”

Safety

In conjunction with NSSF, Industry Day at the Range continues to put safety at the forefront of the event. The fourth annual Action Target Industry Day Safety Award was presented to Browning for demonstrating the highest standards of safety during the event. Exhibitors were judged on their firearms safety practices by the over 130 Range Safety Officers.

“With over half a million rounds of ammunition shot and over 3,000 industry professional, SHOT Show Industry Day proved that the firearms industry has committed itself to the education of safe firearm handling,” stated Cathy Williams co-owner of Industry Day at the Range. “In its 11th year with safety being Industry Day at the Range’s top priority gathering manufacturers, media, and buyers together for live demonstrations was once again a success.”

What’s Next?

The next SHOT Show^® Industry Day at the Range™ will take place on January 16, 2017. Registration for existing exhibitors will open March 15 and to new exhibitors on May 1. Visit www.SHOTShowRangeDay.com for details regarding exhibitor registration and to sign up to receive notification on becoming a new exhibitor.

Exhibiting opportunities are open to all members in the outdoor, hunting and shooting industry; manufacturers, conservation groups, and shooting organizations are welcome as space permits.

Attendance to Industry Day is only open to invited qualified media and buyers. Industry Day exhibitors begin gathering invitations in July. If you are a member of the media or buyer and wish to attend, we suggest reaching out to an exhibitor you work closely with to request to be included on their invitation list. Attendee invitations with registration links will be sent in September.

About Industry Day at the Range

Industry Day at the Range is owned and operated by CMG Marketing & Events and Triple Curl Advertising and PR. Held annually the day before the opening of SHOT Show^® Industry Day provides members of the press and retail, wholesale and law enforcement purchasing agents the opportunity for hands on testing of firearms, ammunition and related accessories being introduced to the consumer market during SHOT Show. The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the title sponsor of Industry Day at the Range. For more information visit www.SHOTShowRangeDay.com.

Contacts:

Kelsey Williams – (843) 410-2739; kelsey@cmgmarketingandevents.com