Outdoor Amusement Business Association

What Outdoor Amusement Business Association does

The Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA) is a Massachusetts-incorporated nonprofit trade association founded in 1965 that exclusively represents the U.S. outdoor amusement industry — traveling carnival companies, circuses, mobile food and game concessionaires, agricultural fairs, and ride/equipment manufacturers and suppliers. With approximately 2,500 members and a rotating Board governance structure, OABA operates three primary product lines: (1) the VOLT (Virtual Online Training) Learning Management System, a proprietary platform offering 40+ online courses including NAARSO-certified ride safety content, delivered free to member carnivals through a partnership with McGowan Allied Specialty Insurance; (2) the Circle of Excellence (COE) program, a three-year designation requiring independent on-site audits against a comprehensive industry standards checklist covering operations, training, drug testing, and crisis management; and (3) Showtime magazine, the association's monthly print and digital industry publication. The COE credential is gaining third-party gatekeeping status, with Eastern States Exposition (The Big E) now requiring it in all future carnival contracts.

OABA generates revenue through three streams: annual membership dues (subscription, tiered by member classification and payable in advance for a 12-month period), voluntary donations across multiple fund vehicles including a Political Action Committee, an H-2B Fund ($40 per H-2B employee request), and scholarship/donation funds, and advertising sales across Showtime, Xtra, Midway Marquee, and oaba.org. The association maintains a Washington DC lobbying operation that consumes over $500,000 annually — approximately one-third of total operating expenses — focused on H-2B visa cap relief (the congressionally mandated 66,000 annual cap constrains the seasonal labor the industry depends on) and the 2025 CARE Act (HR2729) and Ride Act (S1281). Distribution is delivered through direct membership engagement, the OABA website (with Wild Apricot member platform backend), mail/print distribution of Showtime, and on-site consultant-led COE audits. Customer segments span five horizontal sub-industries, with carnival owners and circus operators as primary targets and concessionaires, fairs, and suppliers as secondary segments.

Name

Outdoor Amusement Business Association

Legal name

Outdoor Amusement Business Association, Inc.

Website

https://oaba.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

OABA is the sole U.S. national trade association founded in 1965 representing the outdoor amusement industry — carnivals, circuses, concessionaires, fairs, and suppliers — through lobbying, the VOLT training platform, the Circle of Excellence certification, and the Showtime publication for approximately 2,500 members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

West Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: OABA generates revenue through annual membership dues from its ~2,500 members, which include carnival owners, circus operators, concessionaires, suppliers, fair associations, and associate members. Dues are set at the highest classification for which a member qualifies and are payable annually in advance.
2. Donations and PAC Contributions: OABA collects donations through multiple fund vehicles including PAC (Political Action Committee) contributions, H-2B Fund donations, MAI (Duke-Smith Memorial Scholarship) Fund contributions, and general donations. These support lobbying, legislative advocacy, and scholarship programs.
3. Publications and Advertising: Revenue is generated through advertising in OABA publications including Xtra, Showtime magazine, Midway Marquee, and on the OABA website. Members in good standing receive printed copies of Showtime by mail.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

OABA is a national nonprofit trade association that represents the outdoor amusement industry — including traveling carnivals, circuses, concessions, fairs, and equipment manufacturers/suppliers. Its core offerings include legislative advocacy (notably on H-2B visas), a proprietary online training platform (VOLT) for ride operator safety and compliance, the Circle of Excellence operator credentialing program, industry publications such as Showtime magazine, and recognition programs including Hall of Fame and Industry Pioneer awards.

Product overview

The Outdoor Amusement Business Association offers a portfolio of member-focused services centered around advocacy, education, and industry standards. The primary digital product is VOLT (Virtual Online Training), an online training platform for ride operators with 40+ courses including NAARSO content. The Circle of Excellence Program provides a three-year designation for operators meeting OABA standards through independent audits. Showtime Publication serves as the association's official monthly magazine covering industry news. These products support OABA's mission of representing carnival, amusement, concession, and fair industries for over 50 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VOLT (Virtual Online Training) A proprietary Learning Management System delivering 40+ online courses on ride operator safety and compliance, including NAARSO-certified content. Features digital training logs per employee, group administration capabilities, and reporting dashboards. Provided free to member carnivals through partnership with McGowan Allied Specialty Insurance.
• Circle of Excellence Program A three-year designation program involving independent on-site audits by OABA consultants to verify carnival operator adherence to industry standards covering operations, training, food and ride safety, staff accommodations, drug testing, labor, professional appearance, and crisis management planning. Conferred reduced insurance rates through McGowan Allied Specialty Insurance and is now required in contracts by major fair venues.
• Showtime Publication

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% return rate on H-2B foreign guest workers — industry enjoys near-perfect retention of returning seasonal workers who become part of the 'family' atmosphere
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fiesta ShowscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2022Fiesta Shows (Seabrook, NH) was the first carnival to fully implement OABA's VOLT training platform for its 2022 season across two operating units. Fiesta Shows collaborated with OABA to design bite-sized learning paths and an offline group training process.
• JKJ Workforce AgencycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJKJ Workforce Agency is the largest supplier of seasonal guest workers (H-2B visas) to the mobile amusement industry, having facilitated approximately 7,000 foreign guest workers. JKJ is a visible sponsor of OABA and works closely with the association on H-2B advocacy and policy efforts.
• McGowan Allied Specialty InsurancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMcGowan Allied Specialty Insurance is a platinum sponsor of OABA and provides the VOLT training platform free of charge to all member carnivals through a partnership arrangement. They also offer reduced insurance rates for operators holding the Circle of Excellence designation.
• EZY Mail ServiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEZY Mail Service is a sponsor of OABA, providing mailing and correspondence services support to the association.
• EZY Payroll ServiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEZY Payroll Service is a sponsor of OABA, offering payroll services to member companies.
• CloverminorGTM or Marketing PartnerClover is listed as an OABA sponsor and member benefit partner, likely offering payment processing or point-of-sale services to member carnivals.
• Craftsman/SchantzminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCraftsman/Schantz is an OABA sponsor, presumably providing insurance or financial services to members.
• NAARSOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAARSO (National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials) provides certification content for OABA's VOLT training platform, with dozens of courses included in the platform. OABA's Education and Safety Committee supports NAARSO certification programs.
• Eastern States Exposition (The Big E)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEastern States Exposition requires the Circle of Excellence designation in all future carnival contracts, endorsing OABA's COE program as a standard for selecting midway providers. President & CEO Gene Cassidy has publicly supported the program.
• International Association of Fairs & Expositions (IAFE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAFE President & CEO Marla Calico has endorsed OABA's Circle of Excellence program, recommending that fairs incorporate COE designation as a priority in carnival selection and contracting processes.
• AIMS InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOABA's Education and Safety Committee provides scholarships for industry safety seminars and certification programs, including AIMS International programs alongside NAARSO.
• Pierce Adventure LawminorGTM or Marketing PartnerR. Wayne Pierce of Pierce Adventure Law has endorsed OABA's Circle of Excellence program and offers discounted legal fees for COE members as a member benefit.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials (NAARSO): Non-profit organization certifying ride inspectors for the mobile amusement industry. Direct peer to OABA: both focus on the same operator base, share training content (NAARSO courses are embedded in OABA's VOLT platform), and operate overlapping safety/education programs.
• World Waterpark Association: International trade association for the waterpark industry, representing owners, operators, and suppliers. Direct peer to OABA: similar non-profit membership model, shared focus on safety standards and operator education, though serving a different attraction segment.
• Showmen's League of America: Chicago-based fraternal and charitable organization for outdoor showmen, carnival owners, and concessionaires founded in 1910. Direct peer to OABA: represents an overlapping outdoor amusement/carnival operator membership base with social, welfare, and community functions.
• International Association of Fairs & Expositions (IAFE): Trade association representing agricultural fairs and expositions in North America. Direct peer to OABA: both serve adjacent constituencies in the carnival/fair ecosystem, run annual conventions, and are formal partners (IAFE endorses OABA's Circle of Excellence program as a contracting standard).
• International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA): Global trade association for the attractions industry, including amusement parks, water parks, and family entertainment centers. Most direct peer to OABA: both are membership-based trade associations serving overlapping (though not identical) outdoor amusement operator constituencies, with advocacy, training, and industry events as core services.
• AIMS International: Amusement Industry Manufacturers & Suppliers International, a non-profit association of ride and attraction equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and operators. Direct peer to OABA: both represent stakeholders in the mobile amusement equipment supply chain, with overlap in safety certification and educational programs.
• Themed Entertainment Association (TEA): International non-profit association representing the themed entertainment industry, including designers, producers, and operators of themed attractions and experiences. Direct peer to OABA: both are membership-based trade bodies serving the broader experience/entertainment industry with events, recognition programs, and education.

Regional players

• Outdoor Amusement Equipment Association (OAEA): Association focused on outdoor amusement ride operators and equipment safety standards. Peer to OABA in scope but distinct in mission, primarily focused on ride-operator certification and ASTM standards rather than full industry advocacy.

Emerging players

• National Independent Venue Association (NIVA): Trade association representing independent live entertainment venues. Adjacent peer to OABA: operates a similar non-profit advocacy model targeting policy issues (notably COVID-era Shuttered Venue Operators Grant) and could be compared as an analog for how associations scale policy advocacy and member services.

Others

• Circus World Museum: Wisconsin-based museum and historical institution preserving circus heritage, including the Ringling collections. Adjacent to OABA: not a trade association, but operates in the same broader circus/amusement ecosystem OABA's circus members inhabit, and was referenced in OABA's recent leadership-change news.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oabainfo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/OABAinfo
• Facebookfacebook.com/OutdoorAmusementBusinessAssn
• Instagraminstagram.com/outdooramusementbusinessassn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/outdoor-amusement-business-association-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Outdoor Amusement Business Association