The show floor at the Athletic Business conference in San Diego was loaded with products related to sports surfaces, from court surfaces to fields to field coverings.
One of the companies I visited with was Regupol America, which featured a number of different colored surfaces. Regupol was touting its AktivPro tile that features an interlocking dowel tile system. Fun fact from the visit: Usain Bolt, the Olympic champion in the 100-meter dash, broke the world record in 2009 on a Regupol track surface in Berlin.
There were lots of fun games on the floor, from the free-throw contest to a mini tennis court to, of all things, trampoline cage ball. I didn't try the trampoline cage ball, but I did play my boss's boss in Racket Power, a kind of whip-around game in which you try to smack a ball across the table into the opponent's goal. He beat me 4-0. (I don't have the heart to tell him that I let him win.)
I got the general feeling that a lot of companies, especially the equipment manufacturers, are waiting to show off their new stuff at the IHRSA show in March.
Near the end of the show, I stopped by to see some folks from Lifeline USA whom I met at Club Industry in October. And sure enough, as we were talking, some folks from its competition, Fitness Anywhere's TRX, were there, too, just like last time!
I heard the Precor boat party on Thursday night was a blast. I didn't go, but a couple of my colleagues did, and since there were no reports of injury or indiscretions, I'll take that as a win.
Thanks to ICAA's Colin Milner, a former Club Industry columnist, for throwing a great reception Friday night at the Omni Hotel.
My special thanks to the folks at Fit Athletic Club for taking me on a tour. We've featured Fit a couple of times in the magazine and online. The club was right around the corner from the hotel in a great urban setting.
Before leaving San Diego, I took a tour of Petco Park, the home of San Diego Padres. The ballpark sits next door to the hotel and across the street from the convention center. I learned that Life Fitness furnishes equipment for the Padres' weight room and uses the room as a showcase for clients.
Because of that mention, my superiors have got to let me expense that tour! Right? Right?
Click here for Part I of the AB show recap.
