WSA August 2006 Show Sells Out Space in Athletic and Outdoor Sections

ENCINO, Calif. (July 20, 2006) – Building upon momentum established this past February, the WSA Show, the world’s largest, most comprehensive footwear and accessories trade show, announced today that it has sold out all 225,000 square feet of available space in the athletic and outdoor categories, representing a 10% increase in square footage over the February 2006 show.

“The WSA Show has become the critical forum for athletic and outdoor footwear brands to reach the world’s most important buyers,” said Diane Stone, chief operating officer at WSA. “These brands bring excitement to the exhibit floor at the Sands Expo with their new technologies, booth events and hot styles and colors. The August show provides buyers an outstanding opportunity to see the latest styles and technologies in one place at one time to ensure they stock their stores with the styles and brands their customers want to drive their businesses.”

“We go to WSA to see what’s happening in the industry,” said Eli Amzaleg, co-owner of the Los Angeles-based sneaker store Sportie LA. “We check out new brands, visit with those brands we have relationships with and seek out opportunities for collaboration.”

Participation in athletic and outdoor activities is growing, helping fuel footwear sales in these categories. Exercise walking is up 1.5% and running/jogging is up 9.5% (2005 over 2004), according to the National Sporting Goods Association. Research from the Outdoor Industry Association shows that participation in hiking and trail running is also up, 5% and 4.8% respectively, from 2003 to 2005.

To reinforce the importance of the athletic category in this show, WSA has
partnered with Runner’s World magazine to host the Red Rock Ride & Run, a fundraising event to support the footwear industry’s Two Ten Footwear Foundation. Participants will bike the 13-mile loop or run the trails in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, 13 miles outside Las Vegas on Thursday, August 3. For more information, contact Laura Woodward at Two Ten at (781) 736-1528 or e-mail lwoodward@twoten.org.

About the World Shoe Association (WSA):
Twice a year in Las Vegas, WSA simultaneously hosts the WSA Show, the world’s largest and most comprehensive marketplace for the footwear industry, and The Collections at WSA, the world’s largest luxury footwear event. Featuring over 6,000 brands and nearly 36,000 participants, these combined events offer an unmatched opportunity for manufacturers to showcase their products and for buyers to discover the latest trends. The WSA Show is the must-attend event for anyone involved in the footwear and accessories industry. For more information, please visit www.wsashow.com or www.thecollectionsatwsa.com.

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