Athletic Business Conference & Expo 2027

Major trade show for athletic, fitness, and recreation facilities, focusing on equipment, facility management, and programming.

AB Show 2027 in New Orleans

AB Show moves to the New Orleans Convention Center in 2027. The conference runs November 2–4, 2027, and the expo floor is open November 3–4.

What it is

AB Show is the conference and trade show of Athletic Business, produced by AB Media Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin, publisher of Athletic Business magazine. It is aimed at athletics, fitness, recreation and military professionals: facility owners, managers and program directors. The organiser describes 100+ educational sessions covering topics from leadership and people management to facility programming and design, and a show floor of more than 200 exhibiting companies with equipment, technology and day-to-day operational products.

Planning notes

• Conference first, then expo. The conference opens a day before the trade show, and in 2026 the first day was given over to pre-conference workshops and tours.
• Partner association sessions. MFA, AORE, NIRSA, NAYS and IAPPF sessions run inside the conference and are open to paying AB conference attendees.
• Guests. Expo-only badges are sold on-site for spouses and guests aged 18 and over; guests are not allowed in seminars.
• Credits. Continuing education credits (CEUs/CECs) are available; the organiser's CEUs page lists the providers.
• Dress. The organiser recommends casual dress and comfortable walking shoes.

The 2028 show returns to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, with the conference on November 15–17, 2028.