President's Message: The Name on the Front of the Jersey or the Back?

With the annual “March Madness” of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s basketball tournaments about to get underway, I’m sure you are all furiously researching the odds of who will win and filling out your brackets for the home, office or friend pool. It’s become probably one of the most popular and collective sports activities next to watching the Super Bowl.

You can just about guarantee I’ll have at least one pool filled out and sitting on my counter as I wait to see who wins and loses and whether or not the champion I’ve chosen gets knocked out early or makes it to the Final Four. This year, I actually have to confess I filled out five of the doggone things. I went with some conventional picks as winners in some and on a couple I just went crazy and chose a bunch of long shots. Seems like you just never know how the tournaments are going to shake out.

I hope you all get the win! Unless you are in the same pool as me, then I hope you get second! :)

FEATURED ARTICLES

WEBINAR: What’s the Demand for Guns, Ammo and Optics in 2024?

Do you believe demand for firearms, ammo and accessories will increase, decrease, or be flat for 2024? What are your assumptions driving this forecast? Do you know the impact on your profits if you are somewhat or very wrong?

Through an on-line webinar, NASGW, along with Growth Strategy Partners, will share with you their demand forecast for 2024, their assumptions driving this forecast, and how being somewhat incorrect, OK wrong, will cost you.

Webinar Details:

• Date: March 28, 2024
• Time: 12 – 1 ET (targeting 45 minutes)
• Cost: Free to NASGW members, $25 non-members

NSSF’s Protect Liberty PAC Announces Major Contribution From NASGW Ahead of 2024 Election

The NSSF’s Protect Liberty Political Action Committee (Protect Liberty PAC) received a major contribution from the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) that will be utilized to help identify and support the election of candidates who are dedicated to preserving and protecting liberty, freedom and the Constitutional rights of all Americans. The $25,000 contribution from NASGW will buoy Protect Liberty PAC’s efforts ahead of the November 2024 election to ensure voters in key battleground states and congressional districts across the country are informed about candidates who will fight for their Constitutional rights and not carry out a “woke,” progressive, far left political agenda that threatens those rights.

The Future of Retail: Where Are We Headed?

The novel ways of conducting business a few years ago are now the norm thanks to the quickened pace of the evolving retail environment. Setting yourself apart from the competition today requires new and innovative ways of engaging with customers and closing sales.

To start the year off right and highlight potential, let’s explore the opportunities and challenges for 2024 and the direction retail is heading.

Biden Admin. 'Open Border' Funding Illegal Firearm Trafficking That Mexico is Suing Over

Mexico’s $10 billion lawsuit against U.S. firearm manufacturers has a sick and twisted wrinkle. The Biden administration’s “open-border” policy is funding the same violent narco-terrorists that plague Mexico with violence, murders, corruption and sending illicit drugs into America.

Mexican officials claim that U.S. firearm manufacturers are trafficking firearms south, which arms these murderous cartels. That’s an absurd allegation. Yet, a cursory look at how the cartels are expanding their illicit enterprises to include human trafficking shows how the open-border policies are fueling not just rampant crime in Mexico but also the illegal firearm trafficking that’s arming the cartels.

Anti-gun Democrats Seek to Undermine Law Passed to Protect Veterans’ Rights

Last week we reported on a major breakthrough on behalf of veterans who risked losing their Second Amendment rights because of a long-running scheme by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report certain beneficiaries to the federal background check database as prohibited “mental defectives.” As we noted, a rider in the “minibus” appropriations package to fund various federal agencies prohibits use of funds for such reporting unless a judge has found the veteran to be a danger to self or others. Despite the provision having been openly negotiated, passed with bi-partisan support, and signed into law by Joe Biden, a partisan coalition of anti-gun Congressional Democrats – all but two of whom actually voted for the spending package – is now leaning on the VA to ignore or undermine the rider. In doing so, they are using the usual anti-gun tactics of fearmongering, misinformation, and gaslighting.

Firearms Shipments

Ammunition Shipments

Optics Shipments

ARTICLES OF INTEREST

• NRA slams Biden's SOTU speech as attack on 'the very fabric of American freedom'
• Predator Calls Lure in Customers
• Supply Chain Woes Spur Domestic Manufacturing Boom
• Federal Judge Strikes Down California Gun Sale Rationing Restriction
• Winning Contractor Business: A Guide for Distributors
• February retail sales up 0.6%
• Most Execs Eye Supply Chain, Manufacturing to Cut Costs

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 28, 2024

WEBINAR: Demand in 2024

Online - Register

May 7, 2024

NSSF Marketing & Leadership Summit

Ponte Vedra, FL

May 14, 2024

Congressional Clays Competition

Glenn Dale, MD

May 17-19, 2024

NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits

Dallas, TX

July 30, 2024

NSSF Annual Import/Export Conference

Washington, D.C.

October 15-18, 2024

NASGW Expo

Kansas City, MO