2024 Toronto Power Sports Show

[1049]

40 minutes ago, Sksman said:

The show needs to find a way to reduce the vendor booth costs.  It’s crazy what the space costs at the International center.

 

They need to find a new venue.  Even if they have to move a little further out.

 

 

I enjoyed it a lot more when it was at the Markham fair ground .

[signfan]

6 hours ago, stoney said:

Ya, I know the local business sponsor them, or used too......just was not sure if that normally covered the entire cost and who made up the difference when the cost was not covered, I would assume the clubs vs. the OFSC office - with tougher times now more so than ever before for the system, this is one more thing that can be done without really.

I have not used a trail map in years now that I think about it, here or in QC.

If done right it’s a fundraiser.  Ran by the districts.  Like any business venture onus is on the district to produce a profit or loss with little head office involvement.  In the past Ontario tourism bought ads from every district map.  Lots to go into it.  How many ads sold.  What price to sell various ad spaces, How much artwork has to be produced, what printer to use, is someone hired to sell ads, etc.  Ofsc has had best practices guidelines to follow.

[stoney]

3 hours ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

It was the clubs years ago then went to District maps . In our area the clubs still sold map advertising on behalf of the district. Not sure if that is still how it works or not. Over the years I spent a lot of time through late October and November pouring over paper maps picking our trip routes and calculating mileage for fuel stops and daily totals and often used them for finding accomodations. For me it was part of the fun of sled trips.

 

Do you still plan trips, if so, I assume using the app instead now - do you find it enjoyable using the "new" method?

I know for me when I planned trips, even the app does not show you all the possible accommodations, gas or places to eat so I always found myself resorting to google maps and street view to locate various stops.

[Spiderman]

20 minutes ago, stoney said:

 

Do you still plan trips, if so, I assume using the app instead now - do you find it enjoyable using the "new" method?

I know for me when I planned trips, even the app does not show you all the possible accommodations, gas or places to eat so I always found myself resorting to google maps and street view to locate various stops.

Paper rules.

Fu k all these gizmos.

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

1 hour ago, stoney said:

 

Do you still plan trips, if so, I assume using the app instead now - do you find it enjoyable using the "new" method?

I know for me when I planned trips, even the app does not show you all the possible accommodations, gas or places to eat so I always found myself resorting to google maps and street view to locate various stops.

No long trips anymore. The 4 of us that have ridden together since the late 80' now range in age from 69 to 83 so our 7 day saddlebag trips are over. Fortunately one of the guys has a cottage on Lake Nosbonsing so we have been going up there and day riding for 3-4 days each year. I have never used the app. I use the ITG and paper maps when I need them. I / we have been pretty well everywhere we ride now previously so don't need maps to much.

[stoney]

2 hours ago, Spiderman said:

Paper rules.

Fu k all these gizmos.

Lol, I beg to differ - plotting your trip and following the gizmo works pretty darn good!
Sure it was fun to stop at many intersections pull out the paper map, wonder where you were, make wrong turns, circles back and roll into gas station on fumes too 😂

[mach Z]

Sell permits there...................

[Spiderman]

10 hours ago, stoney said:

Lol, I beg to differ - plotting your trip and following the gizmo works pretty darn good!
Sure it was fun to stop at many intersections pull out the paper map, wonder where you were, make wrong turns, circles back and roll into gas station on fumes too 😂

 

All part of the adventure and all part of what we have gotten away from - not just in sledding though.

 

I don't even smoke, but I miss "smoke breaks", jaw jacking, talking crap about who almost did what, looking at the map, figuring out where we are, etc. etc. - that's part of it.

 

 

[stoney]

36 minutes ago, Spiderman said:

 

All part of the adventure and all part of what we have gotten away from - not just in sledding though.

 

I don't even smoke, but I miss "smoke breaks", jaw jacking, talking crap about who almost did what, looking at the map, figuring out where we are, etc. etc. - that's part of it.

 

 

Oh I agree 110%, those trips were some of the great memories talked about on more than one occasion, but now with more “experience” under my belt, I appreciate rolling into our destination with time to spare and some gas still in the tanks, and while the sun is still up…lol

but those memories are great ones and would be a shame for someone new to the sport to not have a chance to experience them or never have.

[Spiderman]

5 minutes ago, stoney said:

Oh I agree 110%, those trips were some of the great memories talked about on more than one occasion, but now with more “experience” under my belt, I appreciate rolling into our destination with time to spare and some gas still in the tanks, and while the sun is still up…lol

but those memories are great ones and would be a shame for someone new to the sport to not have a chance to experience them or never have.

 

I am 14 - my dad takes me and 2 of my buddies on a trip with him and 2 of his buddies

We are staying in Sudbury - we go out for dinner.

On the way back, us young guys were screwing around doing whatever - eventually head to our room - to find giant chunks of plowed snow from the parking lot in our beds.

 

Grown adults laughing their asses off at us.

 

Well, we took the chunks outside - and quietly opened the hoods on their sleds and un-did all their spark plugs.

Seeing them pulling their sleds over and over the next morning until they figured it out was awesome.

 

That's the kind of stupid stuff I like to remember about going sledding.

 

The riding is amazing - the nonsense in between is what ties it all in.

 

 

 

[Strong Farmer]

On 10/27/2024 at 6:47 PM, Blackstar said:

Hardly anyone there today. We arrived at 10am and the parking lot wasn't even 25% full. We left at 2pm and it was maybe 75%.

 

No crowds inside and all the both people we talked to said it was a slow show.

 

My buddy and I had a great time. You could walk into any booth and ask questions. Everyone was happy to talk.

 

 

I paid $10 for a large lemonade.....lol

 

 

I havent gone in years either. Dealers do open houses and oem have online coupons to create dealer traffic too. 
I have gone to rv show at bingemens too and it can be slow too. Everything just slowing down. 

[stoney]

Ran into a sledding buddy yesterday and he brought up the home shows where he has a booth and commented how fruitful it is which results in lots of business.

I wonder how the boat shows are these days.

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

57 minutes ago, stoney said:

I appreciate rolling into our destination with time to spare and some gas still in the tanks, and while the sun is still up…lol

 

 

 

That's how we planned the days. Get into town, fill the gas tanks, hit the Beer Store if necessary and park/unpack the sleds before dark.

[crispy]

I too was very sore about the lack of club presence and no maps. I pay good money to go to the show to get all the kit I want/need. I aint a tech bro im a map and go kind of man. That was a fail and I was going to mention in my first post but thought I would be alone on the map issue. Its nice to see Im not the only one.

 

Make a Map great again 🤓

 

 

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

3 hours ago, crispy said:

I too was very sore about the lack of club presence

The clubs do not have the money any more to have their own booths. It's a District world now. The Districts who have a booth likely let any of their clubs that wish to, help man the booth.

[LuvMyViper]

7 hours ago, crispy said:

I too was very sore about the lack of club presence and no maps. I pay good money to go to the show to get all the kit I want/need. I aint a tech bro im a map and go kind of man. That was a fail and I was going to mention in my first post but thought I would be alone on the map issue. Its nice to see Im not the only one.

 

Make a Map great again 🤓

 

 

 

Maps Rule!!!

[mach Z]

On 10/28/2025 at 8:50 AM, mach Z said:

Sell permits there...................

100,000 permit sold,

One stamp is $1,44.........

even if you only 25000 rolled through the show ........big savings

 

would it increase the draw to the show? Maybe

[Strong Farmer]

1 hour ago, mach Z said:

100,000 permit sold,

One stamp is $1,44.........

even if you only 25000 rolled through the show ........big savings

 

would it increase the draw to the show? Maybe

Ship has sailed on selling permits in person. That's never coming back. 

[mach Z]

32 minutes ago, Strong Farmer said:

Ship has sailed on selling permits in person. That's never coming back. 

Thats my point. If its tied to a provincially monitored database..........................our system should work a lot differently

[crispy]

The marketing draws for the show are lackluster as well. Advertising permits at a solidly discounted rate for attending the show would probably double show attendance. Run it one year to prove the attendance gains then work a formula on ticket price towards the club to offset the lower permit prices. Doing this builds excitement and brings out more vendors which brings out more money which grows the sport which sells more permits.

 

[Sksman]

2 hours ago, crispy said:

The marketing draws for the show are lackluster as well. Advertising permits at a solidly discounted rate for attending the show would probably double show attendance. Run it one year to prove the attendance gains then work a formula on ticket price towards the club to offset the lower permit prices. Doing this builds excitement and brings out more vendors which brings out more money which grows the sport which sells more permits.

 

Your theory only applies if OFSC getting revenues from sledshow.  Otherwise it’s a discount on OFSC permits to promote a private entity business.

 

[stoney]

37 minutes ago, Sksman said:

Your theory only applies if OFSC getting revenues from sledshow.  Otherwise it’s a discount on OFSC permits to promote a private entity business.

 

Technically, they are - permit sales = revenue.

The hopes is an increase in sales with a by-product of growing interest in the sport, the business' attending that need support to help the sport, us the riders, etc.....

[Sksman]

1 hour ago, stoney said:

Technically, they are - permit sales = revenue.

The hopes is an increase in sales with a by-product of growing interest in the sport, the business' attending that need support to help the sport, us the riders, etc.....

But don’t we already have a revenue problem?  
We need to increase permit prices.

So more discount takes more money from snow?

 

How about the show negotiates a better rent for the building or finds a better / cheaper venue and can charge vendors less for a booth and can lower the price for attendees?

 

How many people do you think who attend the snowmobile show don’t buy a permit?

 

 It would be interesting to know if there could be a benefit to OFSC.

[stoney]

12 minutes ago, Sksman said:

But don’t we already have a revenue problem?  
We need to increase permit prices.

So more discount takes more money from snow?

 

How about the show negotiates a better rent for the building or finds a better / cheaper venue and can charge vendors less for a booth and can lower the price for attendees?

 

How many people do you think who attend the snowmobile show don’t buy a permit?

 

 It would be interesting to know if there could be a benefit to OFSC.

Yes, there is - but the mindset was to increase interest in the show that helps the sport by way of offering permit sales at a discount.

Already a discount offered for a permit that gets mailed at a cost, that adds up to fair amount when you do the math that I think is captured by a "processing" fee.

I am not trying to devalue the permit, its already low enough, just saying the thought crispy had could be a win/win for multiple groups.

I would have to think most that go to the show buy permit(s) - have a passion for the sport, why else go to the show.

 

The location for sure can be changed - talked about for years, but still at he same old place....

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

22 minutes ago, Sksman said:

But don’t we already have a revenue problem?  
We need to increase permit prices.

So more discount takes more money from snow?

 

How about the show negotiates a better rent for the building or finds a better / cheaper venue and can charge vendors less for a booth and can lower the price for attendees?

 

How many people do you think who attend the snowmobile show don’t buy a permit?

 

 It would be interesting to know if there could be a benefit to OFSC.

I haven't been to the show for a few years but I thought it has also been an ATV show for a number of years. If that is the case, there are likely lots of people who go to it that aren't sledders and aren't buying permits.