AXPONA SHOW NO INTEGRITY?? You Decide!

$8,950.00 for 1 Show Directory advertisement and 4 Elevator Wrap Ads ??

Munich, RMAF Denver, LA Show, all shows Refund Monies to Exhibitors.

Axpona Keeps monies!

MARK FREED

Remember this:

Dear AXPONA Exhibitors and Sponsors;

We at AXPONA wish you all the very best during these COVID-19 disrupted times. We care most about the health and safety of you and your loved ones. So many businesses are hurting, the future is unpredictable, opinions are mixed and emotions on all sides are strong. Ultimately we must err on the side of caution and the concern for human safety so it is with a heavy heart for us to announce that AXPONA 2020 has been cancelled.

We know everyone is hurting right now. Many businesses in many industries are being hammered by the impact of this pandemic. JDE in particular is facing a financial calamity due to the disastrous impact on tradeshows. So I need to be transparent with you about the current position of JD Events and AXPONA:

• JDE does not carry business interruption insurance that covers communicable diseases. In fact I am not aware of any US organizers that do. So our losses are not covered.
• We are not a public company, owned by a venture fund, a large media firm or a trade association with deep pockets. We are a small privately held business, operating shows in two other industries which, like AXPONA, are both in peril. Like many of you we are applying for the PPP and disaster relief loans available through the SBA for a temporary lifeline as well as pursuing all other avenues of raising capital.
• High end audio shows are not highly profitable. To do them right they are cost and manpower intensive undertakings. That is why you have never seen a large tradeshow organizer invest in building a show to serve the needs of this industry. JDE however chose to invest boldly in the outlier idea of building a world-class event comparable to Munich in North America.
• We made large investments in multi-platform attendee marketing campaigns, signed a long-term commitment to make the Schaumburg venue AXPONA’s permanent home, hired professional and passionate full-time event management staff, developed and deployed customer satisfaction programs, and so much more that goes on behind the scenes at JDE, all designed to create the best possible customer experience and ROI environment for our exhibitors. We have not yet come close to recouping those investments
• Our exhibit space contract language does not obligate JDE to pay refunds if the event is cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. The pandemic could not have hit JDE at a worse time. Virtually all deposit monies were spent on producing and marketing the April show, including salaries, overhead and other service providers. Due to the havoc wrecked upon AXPONA and our entire business, JDE is simply not in a position to pay out refunds.

I know everyone would like specific answers now but we need some time to fully assess the current damage to JDE and to pursue additional sources of funding to help us bridge the gap to 2021 and beyond. Over the next several weeks we will be devising a plan for all 2020 exhibitors to rebook their same space, advertising and sponsorship positions in the 2021 event by rolling a portion of their 2020 deposits forward. The amount that we can offer to roll forward will depend on our ability to strengthen our financial position in the weeks to come.

There are no easy decisions in this time. JDE has let good people go and slashed salaries in order to stay afloat. We are deeply invested in and committed to this industry long-term. I hope you appreciate my candor even if you don’t like what you hear and we hope you are willing to work with us as all industry stakeholders must do in hard times. Even though this is a time when we are required to be distant from each other I believe in the long run that this experience will bring us closer together.

On a positive note, we are excited by the response to the “AXPONA Livestream” event on what would’ve been our April 17 opening day. We plan to conduct more virtual events in the coming months to keep the community connected and to provide value at no charge to our exhibitors during this down time.

It remains our pleasure to serve this great industry. Thank you all for your understanding and your support.

Sincerely,

Joel A. Davis

Founder & CEO

JD Events

Sincerely,

Mark Freed

Direct 203-416-1927

Mobile 203-895-1656

WeChat: willieMays1965

AXPONA – Audio Expo North America

August 7-9, 2020 – Chicago

Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center

www.axpona.com

Open Letter to Joel Davis of JD Events – Email – Monday 4-27-2020

Open letter to Joel Davis of JD Events

Hi-Fi Shows have long been an important and familiar part of the audio landscape, as important to manufacturers and magazines as they are to consumers. But the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic has clearly altered that landscape out of all recognition.

Large segments of the US (and World) population are enduring limitations on travel and social interaction. Governments and city administrations are banning audiences from sports and cultural events, with many major festivals and conferences that were scheduled between now and the end of the year already choosing to cancel. Public willingness to travel or attend live events is dramatically reduced, and the health risks of doing so are well documented.

Unfortunately the conclusion is as inescapable as it is serious. With no widespread testing or vaccine in sight, there will be no quick return to normal. According to economics experts, the economy is nowhere near re- opening, and we are all looking down the gun barrel of a recession.

The postponement of AXPONA from April to August this year partially recognizes this reality, but we do not believe it truly reflects the gravity of the situation faced by your exhibitors. Any suggestion that the industry want and broadly support the idea of a show in August is also wide of the mark.

Far from supporting your exhibitors, clinging to the prospect of holding AXPONA in August is actually making their situation worse. Facing the almost total loss of at least three-months’ revenue, the resultant drain on available cash and the additional costs of re-starting supply and production, many companies are facing a critical cash-flow crisis.

Even once business re-starts, consumer confidence is likely to be cripplingly low, directly impacting revenue

for the rest of the year. The risks of social interaction and communication, as well as the substantial additional costs, make attending any show in an effort to stimulate sales a very real threat to both exhibitor and business health.

Visitors (and please remember that many audiophiles are in the most vulnerable demographic groups) will have similar health concerns, especially as regards the risks of travelling to and attending such an event, with the small rooms and crowded nature. Press will be similarly inhibited, and the prospects of a positive visitor experience, decent levels of attendance, or coverage are clearly minimal.

The whole world is facing a health and economic crisis – and the audio industry is no different. Supporting the industry that AXPONA serves means helping hard-pressed companies by cancelling the show and releasing the money they paid in advance for an event that will not now happen.

Under the circumstances we feel that it is no longer reasonable or responsible for JD Events to try to use the promise of a postponed AXPONA show to withhold exhibitors’ (in many cases desperately needed) funds, and we urge you to follow the lead of other events and announce the cancellation of the show immediately.

Even if you do not cancel, the fact that you simply cannot deliver the show as originally sold (in terms of attendance or coverage) means that all exhibitors should be offered the option of withdrawal and an immediate refund.

We are confident that this would be as widely welcomed as it would be appreciated, a genuinely positive step towards preserving your exhibitors and the possibility of next year’s event.

Yours Sincerely,

Jim White, Aesthetix

Daniele Coen and Paola Arduini, Alsyvox Audio

Peter Wellikoff, Andover Audio

Cristian Anelli, Aqua Hi Fi

Ralph Karsten, Atmasphere

Frank Van Alstine, Audio by Van Alstine

Dave Gordon, Audio Research

William E. Low, The Quest Group (dba AudioQuest and Golden Ear)

Ron Hoering, Auranas

John-Paul Lizars, Aurender USA

Conrad Mas, Avid

Jolanta Conti, Basis Audio

Zoltan Bay, Bays Audio

Bob Visintainer, Rhapsody Audio Elliot Goldman, Bending Wave USA Kurt Denke, Blue Jeans Cable

Jay Rein, BlueBird Music Florian Cossy, CH Precision Rob Robinson, Channel D

Irv Gross, Constellation Audio

Lou Hinkley, Daedalus

Andy Regan, Dan Clark Audio

Vinh Vu, Ginko Audio

David Kasab, David Michael Audio

Greg Hovsepian, DH Labs

Don Better, Don Better Audio

Scot Markwell, Elite AV Distribution Jean-Pascal Panchard, Stenheim Sandy Gross, Golden Ear

Sebastian Schmidt, Goya Acoustics

Alvin Lloyd, Grand Prix Audio

Paul Manos, High Fidelity Services

Amelia Santos, Nuno Vitorino, Innuos

Jeff Rowland, Jeff Rowland Design Group

George Vatchnadze, Kyomi Audio Brian Tucker, Lateral Audio Stands Adam Johnson, Brian Kane, Madisound Peter Mackay, Magico

EveAnna Manley, Manley Labs Jeremy Bryan, MBL North America Mike McGary, McGary Audio Merrill Wettasinghe, Merrill Audio Dan Wright, Modwright

Drew Baird, Moon Audio

Leland Leard, Music Hall

Carl and Marilyn Marchisotto, Nola

Dave Cope, Old Forge Marketing Philip O’Hanlon, On A Higher Note Ulrik Madsen, Organic Audio Andreas Koch, Playback Designs Steven Norber, PranaFidelity

Paul McGowan, PS Audio

Ze’ev Schlik, Pure Audio Project John Stratton, Pure Fidelity Dave Thomson, Raven Audio

Roger Gibboni, Rogers High Fidelity

Chris Seymour, Seymor Screen Excellence

Caelin Gabriel, Grant Samuelsen, Shunyata Research Donna Bodinet, Christan Griego, Sota Turntables Mark Gurvey, Source Systems

Clayton Shaw, Spacial Audio Lab Charlie Schnyder, Stereo Haven Paul Wakeen, Stillpoints

Tony Crocker, Swan Song Audio

Dan Eakins, SweetVinyl

Stephen Daniels, The Sound Organization

Francisco Jileta, Eliseo Vega, Troy Audio

Kevin Deal, Upscale Audio

Richard Vandersteen, Vandersteen Audio

Njoo Hoo Kong, Venture BVBA Todd Sutherland, Vivid Audio Inès Adler, VOXATIV

Mat Weisfeld, VPI Industries

Luke Manley, Bea Lam, VTL

Daniel Weiss, Weiss Engineering Ltd

Jeff Wells, Wells Audio

Lily Luo, XLO International

David Komatz, Dick Diamond, Kerry St James, YG Acoust