VSDA, ECVS CO-STAR IN TRADE SHOW VENTURE

DAN ALAIMO

LOS ANGELES -- The two largest shows in the video trade are now under common management.

The Video Software Dealers Association, here, and Advanstar Communications Inc., Cleveland, have formed a new joint venture, called Home Video Entertainment Events. It will be based in Encino, Calif., and will run the annual VSDA show and East Coast Video Show. VSDA and Advanstar will each own a 50% interest in the new company and will have equal representation on the board of directors. VSDA president Jeffrey Eves will be chairman of the new company.

The association previously owned the summer VSDA show held in Las Vegas and Advanstar produced the fall ECVS held in Atlantic City, N.J. The VSDA event is regarded as the leading video trade show in the nation, while ECVS is a very large regional event that approaches the VSDA show in terms of attendance. Advanstar also publishes a weekly trade magazine for video specialty retailers.

The new arrangement frees the VSDA from the operational and financial commitments to the big annual show while opening up new opportunities, said Eves. "We think it will give us new ways to promote the home video industry."

"The partnership with Advanstar gives us capability and the resources to be able to do things that we were not equipped to do in the past," he said.

For example, the new company might look into doing regional events like the ECVS in other parts of the country, in Canada or in other countries, said Eves. "It is our intention to either acquire or start up additional events that will give VSDA members the opportunity to network on a regional basis."

"To the extent that we can take advantage of these developments and new partnerships to promote and grow the home video industry as a whole, it will give supermarkets an increasing opportunity to be able to participate in that business," said Eves.