2024 PCA Post-Game Report: Day One

Today, we recap Day One of the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. Going into this year’s Trade Show, there were two significant changes: 1) The Move to the Spring and 2) The Move to the Las Vegas Convention Center. If Day One is an indication of things, the PCA gets high praise for making both moves.

As someone skeptical of whether the PCA Trade Show would thrive in the spring, I was proven wrong. The excellent attendance during Convention Day activities carried over to the opening of the Trade Show on Day One. The crowds were definitely back at the three Big Four companies that are back at the show: Altadis, General, and Drew Estate.

As far as the Convention Center move goes, I haven’t heard any complaints at all. The other notion that “March Madness” crowds would make smoking difficult has turned out to be false.

Two big things happened on the show floor. First, former Heavyweight Boxing Champion Mike Tyson was at the Gurkha booth. Tyson recently signed a project with Gurkha Cigars, the Tyson 2.0 Undisputed line of cigars. Undoubtedly, Tyson is one of the biggest celebrity names on the planet. Tyson’s presence on the Trade Show floor generated interest, excitement, and a whole lot of lines.

Tyson wasn’t the only champion boxer who was at PCA 2024. Former undisputed welterweight champion Zab Judah was on the show floor.

The other big story was the unveiling of the Padrón 60th Anniversary Cigar. This was a special cigar released for Padrón to commemorate 60 years since the late José O. Padrón founded Padrón Cigars. Padrón announced the cigar on the eve of the Trade Show. Convention Day gave a little peek at the cigar, but it was opening day when the world got to see it.

There also was an unveiling at the Padrón booth by S.T. Dupont for a set of accessories for the Padrón 60th Anniversary.

As we bring our 2024 PCA Post-Game Day One report to a close, check back over the next few weeks as we bring you product and booth reports from what we saw on the Trade Show floor.

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop