NSSF took over SHOT a few years back and, while they do an immeasurable amount of good for shooting, hunting and industry, they (IMO) have mismanaged SHOT by allowing any and all comers off the street.
Except with your last few words of this statement, I agree 100% and would go even further with my condemnation of their handling of S.H.O.T. Show. The rat's nest design use of the space allotted for the exhibitors is unconscionable! Now, to make matters worse, they have expanded the exhibit space to across the street.
Expanding to Caesars Forum in 2021
Next year, the SHOT Show is adding more exhibits, education, meetings and experiences in the all new Caesars Forum.
Just steps away from the Sands Expo Center via a custom-built sky bridge for attendees, the SHOT Show expansion into Caesars Forum provides more space for manufacturers and distributors to display their product lines, as well as new exhibitors from even more product categories. Plus, be ready for hands-on product demonstrations like never before.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
With the exception of the necessary construction time which started this whole abomination, SHOT Show could have stayed where they were in an exceptional space, logically laid out with exhibitors easily found.
"have mismanaged SHOT by allowing any and all comers off the street."
This is completely untrue. Here are the rules as laid out and enforced by the SHOT Show administration:
Attendee Admission Requirements
Admission at the SHOT Show is RESTRICTED to the shooting, hunting and outdoor trade and commercial buyers and sellers of military, law enforcement and tactical products and services ONLY. The show is not open to the public, and NO one under age 16 shall be admitted (including infants).
Attendees and guests seeking admission to the show must submit the following information at the time of application online. All registrants must be registered, approved and have agreed to the participation waiver by January 6th, 2021. There will be no onsite qualification or registration. These documents must be submitted for approval by uploading them during the application process:
The following
are NOT acceptable documents:
- Business cards
- Employer authorization letters
- Firearms permits
- FOIDs
- Hunting licenses
- Retired law enforcement/military IDs
- NRA or other affiliate firearms instructor permits
Applications submitted without current and valid identification AND documentation demonstrating trade or market affiliation will not be processed. Show management reserves the right to permit or deny admission to anyone based on information provided, to accept or reject information submitted, to adjust category during the auditing process, and to request additional information, at any time.
Note: Show exhibitors and media subject to different credentialing requirements.
Acceptable Documentation Demonstrating Trade or Market Affiliation
In order to attend the SHOT Show, you must qualify on two levels. (Please note we will need to see at least one documentation for both the company level and the employee level).
- Show management must be able to verify that your company is in the shooting, hunting, outdoor industry; and
- Show management must be able to verify that each person that attends works for the qualified company.
Below are the types of attendees who can potentially qualify for the SHOT Show. Please click on the category that fits your company to learn more on how to qualify. Show Management does not pre-qualify before registration. For questions, please email
regmgr@shotshow.org.
If your company manufacturers a product or supplies a service, then you must register as a Non-Exhibiting Manufacture OR a Material Supplier to Exhibitors. If it is found that you register as something else, during the auditing process you will most likely be switched to the correct category.
After reviewing the following requirements, if you feel you that you cannot provide the documents required to attend the SHOT Show, we recommend not registering because there are NO REFUNDS once the registration is completed.
General Attendance Policies
Attendance
RESTRICTED to shooting, hunting and outdoor trade professionals and commercial buyers and sellers of military, law enforcement, and tactical products and services
ONLY. The SHOT Show is not open to the general consuming public (e.g., private visitors, hunters, sport shooters, members of hunting and sport shooting clubs, etc.).
NO ONE under age 16 admitted (including infants). Childcare is not provided.
Admission to the show requires government-issued photo identification plus documentation demonstrating direct professional affiliation to the trade. Exhibitors and media are subject to different credentialing requirements.
A show badge constitutes a limited revocable license to attend the current SHOT Show. Badges
CANNOT be reproduced, transferred or resold. There is a $100 fee to replace lost or stolen badges. Limit one (1) free reprint per person. Badges are the property of the National Shooting Sports Foundation and may be revoked at any time for any reason.
NO animals except for properly identified, on-duty, ADA-recognized service animals. Service animals may not be branded.
NO Photography — Photography or video recording at the show is prohibited except by those with valid media badges or other authorized individuals.
Surveillance equipment is in use 24/7.
NO solicitation, suitcasing or outboarding.
NO personal firearms or ammunition allowed. Only firearms on display by exhibitors and whose firing pins have been removed (and have been inspected by SHOT Show safety advisors) will be permitted on the show floor.
NO loud, abusive or defamatory language, harassment, or other unprofessional or inappropriate behavior.
Show management is
NOT responsible for injuries, property damage or loss of any kind, or for any other incidents, directly or indirectly connected with attending the show. Attendees assume all business and personal risks before, during and after the show.
Attendees and their belongings may be searched at any time during the show. Attendees consent to such searches and waive any related claims that may arise. If an attendee refuses such searches, attendee may be denied entry or be removed from show premises without refund or other compensation.
Attendees grant show management permission to utilize their image, likeness, actions and statements in any live or recorded audio, video, or photographic display or other transmission, exhibition, publication or reproduction made of, or at, the SHOT Show in any medium or context without further authorization or compensation.
These attendance rules are applicable to all show “attendees” including buyers, non-buyers, exhibitors and media. Show management shall have sole discretion over admission at all times and shall strictly enforce all show rules. Attendees agree to abide by these attendance rules, as well as all other rules applicable to their badge type, which may be updated at any time. Violators risk immediate confiscation of their show badge without refund and removal from the premises. Violators will not be allowed re-entry.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
You are completely out of touch with the current actions and rules to attend SHOT Show.
Years ago, your charge was absolutely true with the general public outnumbering the industry members. Currently though, the stringency of the rules and enforcement of those rules has managed to reduce the number of usurpers to a significantly smaller quantity.
