No Spring Break Nationals This Year

It’s been a spring rite for 32 years, but this year the Spring Break Nationals (SBN) Car Audio Expo will not take place.

Event founder Paul Papadeas said SBN was cancelled this year due to problems finding a new venue, after troubles at the previous venues due to vandalism and Pro Audio demos that were simply too loud.

This would have been the 33rd year for the event, which, in it’s Hay Day, attracted over 20,000 people and nearly 100 industry exhibitors.  While the event continued to draw crowds and competitors, industry exhibitor participation had dwindled considerably in recent years, said Papadeas.

Also, generally, many large car audio competition events are on the wane, although the smaller events remain popular, he said.

The long-time industry promoter said he will continue to shop for new ways to cross promote car audio with other types of automotive and related events to introduce new audiences to car audio.

“With the demographics changing and products changing to high-end, quality products, and safety devices, we need to reach a different audience.  On the retail side, the boom cars aren’t happening,” he said.

SBN was long held at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, but complaints of high noise levels led the event to move to the Daytona International Speedway as part of the Turkey Run car show.  Last year, two individuals indulged in vandalism, which caused SBN to be removed from that venue.

“The lack of respect and behavior demonstrated by some participants had been growing over the past several years from those who care nothing about rules, competition or awards. We will assess these matters and determine the direction moving forward in good time,” Papadeas said.

In addition, Papadeas recently moved his Soundcrafters car audio shop to a new, larger location in South Daytona and he now holds competition events in the location’s 160,000 square foot parking lot each month. He said his retail business is booming in the new location.

Competitors will be able to accrue points at other events and Papadeas will allow competition organizations in addition to IASCA (which he runs) to hold events on his lot at no charge.

He will continue to seek ways to promote the industry and attract new audiences.

Papadeas said, “I choose to believe and feel strongly that SBN has had a very positive impact on our industry for over three decades. We sincerely appreciate the support that the allied associations, dB Drag Racing, MECA and ISPLL who share our mission, along with manufacturers, the industry press and consumers have given us in the past.”

He said, “This decision was a tough one.”

Here is the official press statement from SBN:

Daytona Beach FL – January 15, 2019

Today, SBN founder Paul Papadeas announces the decision to forego SBN 2019. “After last year’s incidents, which included complaints of excessive volume with occasional explicit content, and skateboarders (reportedly from the SBN constituency) caught riding on the track, it was their contemptuous disrespect for Security and the action of the throwing drink cans at Track Officials that prompted the immediate expulsion of SBN from the Daytona International Speedway. The lack of respect and behavior demonstrated by some participants had been growing over the past several years from those who care nothing about rules, competition or awards. We will assess these matters and determine the direction moving forward in good time”.

Papadeas goes on to say, “The Turkey Run Event group we partnered with are great people, but they do not own the Speedway. Fortunately, the pivotal incident occurred at the tail-end of the event and the SPL award ceremony had to be moved from Victory Lane to the Gate 40 parking lot. We attempted to rebuild the relationship to no avail. We proposed to host the event outside the Speedway gates but that didn’t fly either. There is no suitable location available for 2019 to host SBN within the first quarter timeframe and even slightly beyond”.

These concerns and other matters prompted the action. “As the owner of SBN, Soundcrafters and IASCA”, cites Papadeas, “this decision was a tough one as it impacts each faction. Several priorities had to be addressed. Our move to a new retail location just a year ago, along with our recent expansion into the One-Stop-Shop platform has skyrocketed our business”. Attention to our ‘day jobs’ must be attended to”. Papadeas is now focused on his partnership with other sizeable events including non-endemic events held in Daytona Beach that will introduce manufacturers to new consumers.

IASCA SQ and IDBL competitors vying for points will have the opportunity to do so well before Finals according to IASCA Director of Worldwide Operations Moe Sabourin. “We have 160,000 square feet of lot at Soundcrafters new shop location that we can host competitions at”. The car audio industry has changed and so has our demographics. SBN was always will be a consumer-oriented event. It’s our goal to continue the IASCA mission of industry proliferation by producing venues that enlightens new consumers to the Vehicle Sound and Safety products our industry now offers. Plans to continue this mission with pledged industry support will manifest itself in good time, however, the event that targeted the youthful demographics at Spring Break is no longer effective”.

Papadeas goes on to say, “I chose to believe and feel strongly that SBN has had a very positive impact on our industry for over three decades. We sincerely appreciate the support that the allied associations, dB Drag Racing, MECA and ISPLL who share our mission, along with manufacturers, the industry press and consumers have given us in the past”.