CEIR Joins Go LIVE Together Coalition

Organizations Rally for Aid to the Trade Show and Live Events Industry

DALLAS, 21 May 2020 – The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announces its support for Go LIVE Together, a coalition of 80 founding partners – representing over 4,000 companies with U.S. operations – who have joined forces to support legislative actions that will aid the industry’s recovery from COVID-19.

“CEIR is proud to contribute $50,000 in support of this industry-wide campaign to obtain relief from the effects COVID-19 has had on trade shows and other live events,” said CEIR CEO Cathy Breden, CMP, CAE, CEM. “Federal aid would provide a much needed boost to our industry as we work our way back to the upward growth we have experienced for many years prior to this health crisis.”

CEIR’s mission is to provide industry-leading, objective research on the exhibitions and events industry. The economic impact data CEIR produces is more important now than ever, and the insights garnered from the research provides exhibition industry professionals with perspectives on trends that impact their businesses.

The Go LIVE Together Coalition is bound together by the belief that nothing in the world will ever replace the power and need for trade shows and live events. Events serve as a massive incubator for innovation and economic growth. Advocating for recovery funding will be essential – not only to the events industry – but to the healing and recovery efforts of the global economy, because:

  • Live events contribute nearly $1 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, with events touching every major sector that makes up the U.S. GDP.
  • In 2019, the events industry employed 3 million workers directly, with a total impact of close to 7 million jobs.
  • The live events industry employs millions of union workers, general laborers, strategists, marketers, concession stand workers, entertainers, riggers, project managers and more.
  • Over 80 percent of the companies that serve the live events industry are small, with many being women- and minority-owned businesses.

CEIR extends its sincerest gratitude to its supporting organizations and individuals:

Contributions of $100,000 or More
Association of Equipment Manufacturers
GES

Contributions of $40,000 or More
Freeman
National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)

Contributions of $20,000 or More
National Shooting Sports Foundation
New Orleans & Company/The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
Shepard

Contributions of $10,000 or More
ASM Global
Choose Chicago
Consumer Technology Association/CES
Promotional Products Association International (PPAI)
Orange County Convention Center
Reed Exhibitions

Contributions of $5,000 or More
Access Intelligence
Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau
Experient, a Maritz Global Events Company
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
Map Your Show
NYC & Company
Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Nashville Music City Center
VisitDallas
Visit San Antonio

Additional Contributors
Sharon Baird
Chris Brown
Cathy Breden, CMP, CAE, CEM
Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters
Tom Cindric, CEM
David DuBois, CMP, CAE, FASAE, CTA
Experience Grand Rapids
Chuck Grouzard
HFI Event Services (Sue McCart)
IAEE Midwestern Chapter
Rick Jennings, CEM
Michael McMahon
National Automobile Dealers Association
Susan Schwartz, CEM

About CEIR
The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) serves to advance the growth, awareness and value of exhibitions and other face-to-face marketing events by producing and delivering knowledge-based research tools that enable stakeholder organizations to enhance their ability to meet current and emerging customer needs, improve their business performance and strengthen their competitive position. For additional information, visit www.ceir.org. The annual CEIR Predict Conference will be held 21-22 September 2020 at the MGM National Harbor, just outside Washington, D.C. Predict will provide insights into the performance of the exhibitions industry and a forecast through year-end, along with an economic presentation by Alex Chausovsky of ITR Economics discussing how world events are expected to impact the global economy. Registration for the CEIR Predict Conference is now open, complete details are available here.

About Go LIVE Together
Go LIVE Together, in partnership with Freeman, the global live events company, comprises a coalition of 80 founding partners representing over 4,000 companies with operations in the U.S. and 112 other countries. The coalition has assembled to ensure that, when the health crisis is over, the voices and concerns of the live events industry are addressed in local, state and federal recovery funding related to COVID-19. The live events industry is a diverse, valuable and vibrant ecosystem that contributes nearly $1 trillion to the U.S. economy and employs millions of workers. Visit www.golivetogether.com to learn more and support this initiative. Engage with us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn using #GoLiveTogether. Contact media@golivetogether.com for more information.

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Media Inquiries:
Mary Tucker
Sr. PR/Communications Manager
+1 (972) 687-9226
mtucker@ceir.org