Trailheads

The Outdoor Market Alliance (OMA) has built an incredibly strong unifying voice amidst an outdoor industry landscape that’s shifted dramatically over the past five years. Their 32,000-square-foot hub housing 25 independent rep agencies and nearly 200 brands has become the Rockies’ central meeting place for specialty retail. And now, through a partnership with Switchback, it’s extending that voice to the national stage.

Trailheads caught up with OMA President Steve Copeland to talk about how the alliance was built, why it matters for retailers and reps alike, and what the future of a unified outdoor industry could look like.

Trailheads: For retailers or sales reps who may not know much about OMA, can you start with the origin story?

Copeland: It really started in November of 2019. A number of rep agencies, about six to eight of us, were housed in the Denver Mart. We were cohabitating with jewelry, gift, and western apparel. Then the building went into foreclosure. We were given notice that we had to move out by May of 2020.

At the same time, the pandemic was beginning. It was a very difficult moment for retail and vendors. But six of us met and said, “we’re better off together than we are apart,” and we started looking for a new home. We knew six was a start, but we needed more. Once we hit eleven agencies committed to the idea, that was the key number. After that, FOMO kicked in and everybody wanted to be here.

We’ve now been in our current space for almost four years. We have a waiting list. I field calls weekly from agencies and brands who want access.

Trailheads: What does OMA look like today?

Copeland: We’re 25 independent rep agencies representing somewhere close to 200 brands in a 32,000-square-foot building. The building is open 24/7, 365 days a year.

We host four traditional market weeks annually, two footwear-focused shows, and two media events. It’s not a pop-up environment. It’s permanent. Retailers can come in on a Sunday night at 9 p.m. or Monday at 5 a.m. It feels professional, but it’s also flexible.

Trailheads: How would you explain the business model to someone outside the industry?

Copeland: How does that sleeping bag or backpack you see at your local outdoor store get there? It comes through us.

We’re the middle person between the brand and the retailer. We sit down with the store owner and help them make good business decisions. Orders are written through us, often six months to a year in advance, so that product lands in their stores at the right time.

Trailheads: OMA also has a nonprofit arm. How did that come about?

Copeland: Before we even finalized our name, there was the Marshall Fire in Boulder County. We donated a lot of product and cash to victims. It felt like the right thing to do, so we thought, “What if we formed a 501(c)(3) as part of this?”

Each year we donate $30,000 – $35,000 to local, outdoor-adjacent nonprofits. We collect nominations, vote as a group, and give meaningful checks—sometimes $20,000 at a time.

We’re not writing checks to huge national organizations. We want impact. We supported groups like SheJumps, and they told us our contribution meant keeping a staff member employed. That’s tangible. That matters.

Trailheads: Let’s talk about Switchback. How did that partnership come together?

Copeland: Everyone was hearing about the success of The Running Event (TRE). Even brands without run lines were talking about the energy there. Then Switchback launched its first show, and the reviews were fantastic. Brands were excited. It felt like new energy—like the old outdoor shows but modernized.

When the Switchback team approached us, it was flattering. We’re just Rockies reps—we don’t cover the whole country. But they saw that we had a voice.

After a few weeks of conversations, we aligned. So, we made Switchback our preferred national trade show partner. Even members who don’t have brands exhibiting were excited. They see it as the new order of things.

Trailheads: What do you mean by new order?

Copeland: We’re in the early stages of building what the outdoor industry will look like in the future. For a while, things felt splintered. No united voice. Energy scattered. Here at OMA, we created a central meeting place for the Rockies. Now we’re looking beyond that. Switchback can be that national gathering point. Channeling our energy in one direction instead of having it splintered. That’s powerful.

Trailheads: What excites you most about where this could go?

Copeland: Education.
I’ve been talking with the Switchback team about supporting the educational component—best retail practices, compensation strategies, turn ratios, open-to-buy planning, and liability insurance basics. The wheel already works. Retailers shouldn’t have to reinvent it.

If a new retailer opens in a mountain town, I want them to succeed. New – and better – retailers mean longevity for all of us.

That’s why this matters. OMA provides the regional connective tissue. Switchback can amplify that nationally. And if we do it right, we build something stronger than what we had before.

For sales reps, brands, and retailers alike, that’s something worth getting behind.

The Outdoor Market Alliance is an official partner of Switchback. Click here if you would like to read more about OMA and Switchback’s partnership.