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Outdoor Retailer’s Big Shake-Up: Instant Reaction!

Outdoor Retailer’s Big Shake-Up: Instant Reaction!

Update: 2025-10-03
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Today on The Rock Fight, Colin and Eoin Comerford break down the breaking news about Outdoor Retailer’s big shake-up. After years of controversy, shrinking attendance, and competition from upstart shows like Switchback, OR has announced a dramatic reset.

Colin and Eoin debate whether these changes are enough to reestablish OR as the national gathering for the outdoor industry, or whether the momentum has permanently shifted away from the iconic show.

Guests Sunny Stroeer and Lindsay Hubley (Emerald Expositions) join to explain the vision behind these moves, why Minneapolis won out, and how they plan to attract retailers, brands, and groups like the OIA and Conservation Alliance back into the fold.

Topics Covered:

  • Why August makes strategic sense for buyers and brands
  • The role of emerging brands in reviving OR’s relevance
  • How nonprofits and advocacy groups could bring back OR’s “soul”
  • Whether lifestyle and run trends are a blind spot for the show
  • What success in Minneapolis would look like

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Outdoor Retailer’s Big Shake-Up: Instant Reaction!

Outdoor Retailer’s Big Shake-Up: Instant Reaction!