Closing the book on ATA 2019, it’s safe to say that after a couple of tough years, the archery business is quietly optimistic going into 2019. And it seems the decidedly up-tempo ATA Show that wrapped up Saturday may have a lot to do with the increased enthusiasm.

The Archery Trade Association’s new administration is a year into the job, and new President & CEO Matt Kormann’s leadership style seems to have reinvigorated not just the staff, but the Show itself. Showing off a new logo, ATA 2019 seems to have gotten it just right, combining plenty of useful information with a brighter, more member-focused outlook. Having not been to an ATA in a few years, the differences were noticeable. That made me wonder if I had simply misread the earlier visits.

The ATA Show isn't just the place to see the new products for the coming year, it's where much of the selling for the year happens. Many of the groups I spoke with told me things were decidedly looking up. OWDN photo.

Talking with longtime show attendees, I was pleased to note their absolute willingness to admit the differences. “Please don’t quote me directly,” one veteran with more than two decades of archery experience asked, “but I’d have to say that this show -by itself- might do more to encourage retailers than anything else we’ve done in a long time. It’s a positive vibe- and something we haven’t had in a while.”

If you were a retailer looking for both new products and new ideas, the ATA Show had plenty in the way of encouragement, from early morning seminars on anything from point-of-sales systems to social media. And if that wasn’t enough, a large section of the exhibition area was designated for ATA Coffee Talks- a series of sessions where you could take a break from walking the aisles, listen to ATA staffers and experts talk about the “new” ATA and how it could help members open new recruitment and participation opportunities in their communities, federal excise tax questions, and how to better engage with customers online.

The ATA's "Coffee Talks" gave members the chance to hear from "their" trade association- while taking a break and having a cup of coffee. OWDN Photo.

There were plenty of opportunities for attendees to see new products from established companies and innovators, and unlike SHOT Show, ATA, while being a significant show, is considerably more intimate and lower pressure. That size means attendees have a real opportunity to see, touch - and in some instances, try- new product. The sound of arrows impacting targets along the firing lanes bring home the fact that archery retailers, especially those in small retail locations, aren’t just dealers, they’re participants in the sport.

Crossbows are a large component of today’s archery business- but as the Ravin R26 shows, (above) crossbows are getting both smaller and faster, making them more versatile. For some exhibitors, like Millennium Treestands, it was possible to make a point about the comfort of their hunting seats (below) while offering a break from the pace of ATA 2019. OWDN Photos.

Archery Wire editor Michelle Scheuermann and I had the opportunity to sit and talk with ATA President & CEO Matt Kormann during the show. I’m not going to go into detail on that conversation (that material will be in this week’s edition of The Archery Wire), but it was a conversation that left a very positive impression. Kormann and “his” staff are all-in on a member-focused approach to every question. When I asked him how the Wires might work to help the ATA, he smiled and said, “I’d answer that with the same question I ask ATA members when I meet them - how can we help you. That’s our goal.”

Kormann went on to explain that the Archery Trade Association wasn’t just reinvigorated, it was refocused on their mission: to inspire growth, increase participation and preserve the sports of archery and bowhunting.

To reach that goal, ATA has eleven clearly defined strategic priorities for 2019, and Kormann says they’ll be working to stay focused on helping ATA members and consumers, whether they be longtime participants or newcomers.

From working for passage of the Pittman Robtertson Modernization Act to exploring whether the archery will be grow more efficiently as a sanctioned high school sport or as a “sport activity” the 2019 strategic action plan is looking for actions, not theories.

As the year progresses, we’ll check back…and we’ll keep you posted.

—Jim Shepherd