EVENT PREVIEW: SPORTS MERCHANDISE AND LICENSING SHOW Right: The popular one day show is held at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium.
Bridge building Now in its 10th year, the popular Sports Merchandise and Licensing Show (SMLS) returns to Stamford Bridge on Monday 14 October, and will once again welcome a host of companies that work across all aspects of the sports sector – from licensees through to service companies and suppliers.
A
fter months of planning, Mark Bell, licensing manager at SMLS organiser Chelsea FC, and his team are looking forward to kicking off the 10th annual Sports Merchandise and Licensing Show with a celebratory party the night before the event. “We host our exhibitors and a selection of visitors the night before the show itself for entertainment, food and drink – it’s an informal way for everyone to network before the show, and it will be great to have the chance to catch up with many familiar (and new!) faces,” says Mark. “We’re really looking forward to seeing the show come to life.” Catering to everyone in the sports industry, SMLS is a one-stop shop for retailers exploring licensed ranges to stock, organisations looking to elevate their brands by securing key licences and clubs aiming to source new products for their stores. This year’s exhibitors range from the multinational to the niche, and include 20 first-timers, many of whom are from Europe – which is testament to the event’s wide reach, says Mark.
48
“We’re proud of how far SMLS has come over the past 10 years, so much so that we’ll be re-opening the second exhibition hall this year to welcome even more exhibitors. We have 118 stands in total this year, with just a very few left available. The fact that we are in two halls and there were only a couple of companies that have not come back this year shows how much SMLS is growing year on year.” Mark and the team work to ensure that each year’s show has a selection of both returning and new exhibitors, in order that the event offers a fresh look and feel every time. “We also want to ensure that we have as many Below: The show will have a mix of returning and new exhibitors across a broad spectrum of sports.
LICENSING SPORTS BOOK 2024
LSB_AUTUMN24_48-49_SMLS.indd 48
13/09/2024 14:02