Licensing Expo 2017 to Be Held in May

SANTA MONICA: UBM and the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) have revealed that next year’s Licensing Expo will take place from May 23 to 25, a month earlier than usual.

The new timing is meant to allow exhibitors and attendees to better capitalize on the time of year and the proximity of Licensing Expo to Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) in October. The move provides an additional month of business opportunities between UBM licensing events around the world, bringing the total number of days to nearly 140. Licensing Expo 2017 will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jessica Blue, the senior VP of licensing at UBM Americas, commented: “Following feedback from the industry and partners, Licensing Expo is moving to May 23 to 25 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. The new time slot ensures a consistent date for UBM Licensing customers around the world and puts some much-needed distance between Licensing Expo and E3 while providing additional time between our sister shows.”

Charles Riotto, the president of LIMA, added: “We are excited for this move and see it is a positive for our industry. Our members have expressed the need for timing that better fits the global business cycle, and we are pleased to be able to offer them a solution that is beneficial to the licensing community.”