SIA Slide and Ride Gets People On Board

Nearly 4,200 people tried new equipment for free at the festivals, four out of five said they would come back to the ski area to ride again, and retailers have the potential to sell $900,000 worth of snowboard gear.

The potential return rate is remarkable because most of the Slide & Ride participants were trying the sport for the first time. "We're really encouraged by the number of people who participated, and the majority who said they would try snowboarding again," says SIA Director of Education and Special Interests Roger Lohr. "At every event we were getting comments from people who said they loved the sport, that they would continue to snowboard, and that they would buy snowboard products."

SIA is the national, member-owned, nonprofit trade association which represents more than 1,000 snowboard, ski, and winter recreation product manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors.

In all, 4,193 people participated in the five Slide & Ride festivals with an even 80 percent saying they would ride again. Only six percent said they would not ride again, with the remaining 14 percent having no opinion or not responding to the question.

There was no charge to participants in the Slide & Ride Festivals which included free snowboard lessons and free tuning of boards in addition to trying out new snowboards, snowboard boots, and snowboard clothing. Fifty SIA member companies donated products for the festivals, while the ski areas supplied instructors, support personnel, marketing expertise, and space. Local retailers promoted the events and extended a 10 percent discount to participants.

At the end of each day, festival participants were asked to fill out a survey. A total of 2,763 surveys were collected. Here are some highlights of the five festivals and results of the survey:

-- Aspen attracted the most participants with 2,376. Loveland, Colo., had 497; Wachusett, Mass., 494; Devil's Head, Wis., 440; and Snowbird, Utah, 386.

-- A total of 1,900 lessons were given at the five festival sites, and 39 percent of participants said they would take a second lesson.

--When asked if they plan to buy snowboard equipment and clothing, 32 percent (1,347) said they would buy a snowboard; 35 percent (1,477) said they would buy snowboard boots; and 32 percent (1,359) said they would buy snowboard clothing.

--Those potential purchases are estimated to total: $437,775 in board buys; $221,550 in boots, $107,600 in bindings, and $135,900 in clothing.

--Local retailers participated at each festival. In all, 70 retailers were involved in the five festivals.

--Media coverage included stories in major newspapers such as the Rocky Mountain News, Denver Post, Houston Chronicle, Boulder (Colo.) Camera, Fitchburg (Mass.) Sentinel & Enterprise. Some prominent magazines included TransWorld SNOWboarding, Snowboarder, Pulp Magazine, and Esquire.

The Aspen event was part of a weekend of snowboarding at Aspen's Buttermilk Mountain. The area only allowed snowboarding that weekend and Martina Navratilova was among the throng that showed up to ride and party.

"The mountain was full of snowboarders, young and old," said Twist marketing director Lisa Hudson. "We were really stoked to participate. There were a lot of first-timers and they're out there in your products. Its like you have first rights in exposing your products to consumers who are potential buyers." Twist is a snowboard clothing company which also makes snowboard products under the Titan and Tuesday brand names.

Ron Shepard,of Wintersteiger, says he tuned over 200 boards at the Buttermilk Slide & Ride corral.

Plans are already underway for the 1996-97 Slide & Ride Snowboard Festivals. Lohr indicated there will be five to eight festivals next winter in various parts of the country.

For more information contact the SIA: Bill Clapper (703) 698-4422.