THE MEETING: Skiers and snowboarders converge for preseason summit in Aspen
It’s official. Lips are chapped and The Meeting in Aspen wrapped up this past weekend signaling the start of winter. Or it could have been the convergence of skiers and snowboarders, photographers, industry types and fans watching 12 new ski and snowboard films, partying into the early October mornings, attending meetings discussing the current state of the industry, ogling over the first snow of the year to fall in town that kicked off the season. Regardless, it feels like winter and The Meeting arguably acts as the preeminent fall festival providing the winter stoke.
Now in its third season, The Meeting, set amidst beautiful Fall colors and snow-capped peaks of the Maroon Bells, brings together anyone actively involved in the ski and snowboard industry to generate ideas and strategies for the upcoming season by hosting conferences, showing ski and snowboard films from Eric Iberg’s Idea to Mack Dawg Productions Picture This, and a bunch of fun activities.
The weekend commenced last Thursday with the NEPSA (hint: Aspen backwards) Amateur Video and Art Awards at the Wheeler Opera House in downtown Aspen. Actually, the event started earlier in the day with a round of golf for those who showed up on time. Notwithstanding, once a group of seminal judges voted a winner for NEPSA, a weekend of winter partying and high-fives started at the Belly Up with an Aspen-style fashion show.
Rally-car racing welcomed Meeting attendees on Friday, which provided banter for the rest of the weekend as the first professional films of the weekend showed that night. It could have been the courtesy Red Bull and Vodka, but the lame rivalry between skiers and snowboarders seemed nonexistent throughout the weekend as everyone marveled at the skills of both athletes and filmmakers in respective disciplines.
In addition to the films and Belly Up parties, The reunion, ahem Meeting, hosted three super informative seminars—the Snowsports Competition Forum, Sponsorship Symposium focusing on non-endemic companies, and Music Licensing 101. Nearly everyone involved in the ski industry—including, Tanner, Sage, Seth, Pep, Sammy and Simon, Luke Van Valin, Greg Strokes, Eric Pollard, Andy Mahre, Johnny Decesare, Dirk Collins, Flip McCririck, and many more—attended the Snowsports Competition Forum. ESPN’s Winter X Games GM Chris Stiepock discussed the future of both sports in regards to TV ratings alongside USSA VP of Events Calum Clark and Zach Crist representing what is now the former Honda Ski Tour. Such topics as the inclusion of Ski Halfpipe in the 2010 Winter Olympics (doesn’t sound promising for 2010), the union of The Honda Ski Tour and the Jeep King of the Mountain spearheaded by Kipp Nelson’s purchase of Eclipse television, and TV ratings for skiing and snowboarding dominated the discussion. Although most skiers left that particular meeting with a taste of frustration left in their mouths, the conference educated and informed the industry on several important topics.
And once the white stuff fell like big ol’ teardrops on Saturday night, the best fall festival in the biz felt complete. Parties at The Sky Hotel poured out from the lobby to poolside to random rooms and hallways. As rumors of Mike Douglas shredding blower pow at Whistler spread amongst the various parties, long-time friends and first-time acquaintances, and skier and snowboarders laughed and howled in unison for the beginning of the ’07-08 season. Much thanks to the Aspen Skiing Co. for organizing and hosting such a fun-filled event.
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