NMMA Changes Plans For Boat Show Season

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) announced significant modifications to its boat and sport show schedule in the first quarter of 2021. Following a thorough market-by-market analysis regarding the feasibility of producing safe and successful winter events, NMMA is canceling nine shows in the first quarter of 2021 and planning to move forward with three shows at this time, either as currently scheduled or postponed to a later date.

The modified 2021 NMMA winter boat and sport show schedule is as follows:

Proceeding as scheduled:

• Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show – February 24 to 28, 2021, with the option to delay the show to early April 2021
• Progressive Insurance Northwest Sportshow – March 25 to 28, 2021

Postponed to a later date:

• Progressive Insurance New England Boat Show – NMMA is working with the Boston Exhibition & Convention Center to obtain dates later in the first quarter or early in the second quarter

Canceled for the winter of 2021 only:

• Progressive Insurance Atlanta Boat Show
• Progressive Insurance Baltimore Boat Show
• Progressive Insurance Chicago Boat Show
• Progressive Insurance Louisville Boat, RV & Sportshow
• Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show
• Progressive Insurance Minneapolis Boat Show
• Progressive Insurance Nashville Boat Show
• Progressive Insurance New York Boat Show
• Progressive Insurance St. Louis Boat & Sportshow

For the three shows currently proceeding as scheduled or postponed to the spring, plans will be guided by NMMA’s ‘health and safety first’ principle and are subject to change. NMMA will continue to closely monitor the situation in each market and work with federal, state, and local authorities on those events.

In a strategic change to NMMA’s boat and sport show roster that is unrelated to the modified 2021 winter show schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an agreement was finalized this week to transfer ownership of the Kansas City Boat & Sportshow, Chicagoland Fishing, Travel & Outdoor Expo, World Fishing & Outdoor Expo, and Saltwater Fishing Expo to Sportshows LLC. An update on the acquisition is being shared with those exhibitors, and an announcement from Sportshows LLC will be made in the coming days.