by The Editors on September 30, 2010
Remember Tim Pogue? He worked at Burton in the early 90s and then joined Jamie Salter to launch and subsequently take Ride Snowboards public back in May of 1994. After exiting Ride Tim launched a retail store and denim line in Seattle called Faction.
After Faction went south he sort of drifted off our radar. Apparently, he’s now the Chief Marketing Officer at Jamie Salter and Kenny Finkelstein’s Authentic Brands Group. They’re the new owners of both the ass-kicking “bad for the sport” MMA clothing brand TapouT and the mellow Bob Marley brand (which recently collabed with Burton on a snowboard).
The only reason we’re mentioning this is that Pogue was interviewed on FightHype.com regarding TapouT and Authentic Brands Group’s plans for the brand and we thought what he had to say was interesting:
We’re recreating a similar structure that Jamie and I built while we ran Ride Snowboards; a tiered branded strategy. At Ride, we had incredible demand for that brand, which is great, but if you sell your brand to every level of distribution, you won’t last long. So we started several other brands and even bought a few more to target certain levels of distribution to keep each brand clean. That’s what we’re doing here. . . TapouT is all about respect, discipline and the will and desire to train to be the best. We’re not afraid to say that we’re going right after Under Armour and Nike.
While we have absolutely no interest in MMA or MMA fashion, we’re glad to see that Tim is still hard at it.
[Link: Fight Hype]
by The Editors on September 29, 2010
If a California bankruptcy court gives the final okay, the Minnesota based Active Sports Inc., parent company of The House, Proboard Shop, etc. . . will end up paying $8 million for the Sacramento, California based Sierra Snowboard, its web site and inventory according to a story on Transworld Business.
According to court records, the purchase price includes all intellectual property, assets, good will, and none of the company’s liabilities. A payment plan has been outlined for the $8 million outlining financial milestones Sierra’s owners, Michael Anthony Management, Inc., must meet. According to Active, the Northern District Court of San Jose, California approved the sale, subject to certain closing conditions on September 28. . . Final court approval is still required.
Sierra’s self-reported 272,302 registered online community members must have factored heavily into what seems like a high sale price for a bankrupt retailer with only one location, especially considering the reported $12-13 million in “outstanding trade debt” that still has to be dealt with by someone. Then again, it’s only money, right?
[Link: Transworld Business]
by The Editors on September 29, 2010
DC Shoes announced today that they have officially passed the 1 million mark for facebook likes and they’re extremely excited about it.
“We’re excited to have grown our Facebook community to this size,” said DC’s President, Anton Nistl. “Facebook is one of the best ways to connect with consumers. It’s a simple, fast and exciting interface to which people have responded positively. We understand its importance and influence and will continue to bring the latest original and creative content surrounding our athletes, events and products to our Facebook followers.”
Kind of makes all other forms of media promotion seem kind of insignificant in comparison, huh?
by The Editors on September 28, 2010
Colin Madden, the former director of sales at Burton, DC, and vice president of sales at Neff, has joined the Holden Outerwear team, according to a release sent out today.
“Hiring Colin is the culmination of an intensive search to find the right fit,” says Holden Co-Founder Mikey LeBlanc. “We recognize that we need to do more than make a great product—we need to deliver it to the right customers on terms that are mutually profitable. We’re confident that Colin’s skill and experience will let us take this fundamental step.”
For the rest of the “Holden Transforms” info, follow the jump.
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on September 28, 2010
Seems the Bonnier Corporation (overlords of Transworld Media) is switching up nearly everything this month.
Bonnier management canned the editorial director at the Parenting Group, moved their Garden Design magazine offices to New York City, rebranded Wakeboarding as Transworld Wakeboarding magazine, and more importantly, eliminated three positions in the Carlsbad, California offices including the publisher of Transworld Skateboarding magazine, a job held by 11-year Transworld veteran Jamey Stone. Transworld Group Publisher Liam Ferguson explains:
TransWorld Media recently made a very small reduction in its workforce in an effort to cut costs, offset expenses and strategically plan for future initiatives that are currently in line for the company,” Ferguson said in an email. “In order to ensure the ongoing success of TransWorld Media, these tough decisions with our TransWorld Family were made so we can continue to provide an exceptional level of service to our audience, advertisers, and existing employees.”
Hard times, hard decisions. Jamey’s deep knowledge of skateboarding and dedication to authenticity is reportedly already being missed at the company. And, as most media companies are being forced to adjust staff sizes to meet new economies realities, the question many have is who will be next?
by The Editors on September 27, 2010
On April 19, 2008 snowboarder Amanda Yan caught an edge on the Crystal Road Run and slid off the road and then fell off a cliff resulting in traumatic injuries including dislocated vertebrae and ribs, broken leg, broken shoulder blade, kidney lacerations, and traumatic brain injury.
Now, the BC government is reportedly suing Whistler Blackcomb to recoup Yan’s heathcare costs, according to a story in The Province.
The statement of claim says that the accident was caused by the negligence and breach of duty of the defendant, named as Blackcomb Skiing Enteprises Limited Partnership, the owners and operators of Blackcomb Mountain and Whistler Mountain. . . It says the mountain created a hazardous condition and failed to erect any, or any adequate, warning signs alerting users to the presence of a sharp drop-off and cliff adjacent to the run. . . The company failed to erect a barrier that would have prevented Yan from going down the embankment and over the cliff, says the lawsuit.
If it isn’t gondola’s failing, or parts falling off chairlifts, or bolts breaking, or drive motor malfunctions on the Peak 2 Peak, or snowcats getting caught in avalanches, or foreclosure, or fires, it’s getting sued by their own government. When will Whistler Blackcomb ever get a break?
[Link: The Province]
by The Editors on September 27, 2010
Jeff Harbaugh delves into Nike’s recently reported quarterly numbers today on his Market Watch blog and sees another quarter of the “monster” is doing well on nearly all fronts; including Hurley and Converse.
Hurley, which we’d all like lots of details on but don’t get, is part of Nike’s “Other Businesses” segment. In addition to Hurley, the segment includes Cole Hann, Converse, NIKE golf and Umbro. That segment generated revenues of $693 in the quarter. Hurley revenues were up double digit, but that’s the only specific we get, and it’s not all that specific.
For the rest of Harbaugh’s walk though click the link. . .
[Link: Market Watch]
by The Editors on September 27, 2010
Tony Hawk has a new book out and this time he’s written it with his sister Pat Hawk (who has time to write their own books these days). It’s titled, How Did I Get Here? The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO.
Fast Company spoke to Tony about the book and asked him what his biggest mistake has been.
I was 18 or 19 — I was just signing my name on the dotted line everywhere I went. This one company was making Velcro wallets — really bad pink and blue ones. Probably the worst part for me was it ripped off the Vision Street Wear logo and made them say TONY HAWK GEAR. I didn’t even see them until they were in the store. That was the tipping point for me: I learned not to allow someone else to use my likeness and my name like that.
Oddly, he didn’t mention the Tony Hawk Helmet Cam deal with Prime Entertainment in which he was forced to sue for $115,000 plus punitive damages. How Did I Get Here comes out Tuesday, October 5, 2010. Click here to buy a copy.
[Link: Fast Company]
by The Editors on September 27, 2010
After three years of building elegant street courses for their Maloof Money Cups only to tear them down following the events, the Maloof family is hoping to build a permanent park in Orange County to follow through on what they’ve already done in Flushing Meadows New York, according to a story in the Orange County Business Journal.
“We just can’t afford to tear it down anymore,” Joe Maloof said. “I don’t mean that financially.” Maloof, a skateboarding fan, said that to tear it down “makes you sick to your stomach.” “I’m never tearing down another park,” he said. . . A site in Huntington Beach is looking like a leading contender for a permanent 16,000-square-foot skatepark that would host the annual contest. An environmental study is in the early stages.
Huntington Beach could always use another skatepark. We vote for one right on the sand near the pier.
[Link: Orange County Business Journal]
by The Editors on September 27, 2010
On Sunday, September 26, 2010, Protesters in Tokyo’s Miyashita Park “banged drums and waved ‘No Nike’ ” signs in opposition of Nike’s plans build a skateboard park in an area which was formerly used as a homeless encampment, according to a story on Japan Today.
Officials accompanied by police tore out the squatters’ tents from the park Friday and threw out their belongings. More than 30 homeless people were forced to vacate the area, according to Yasumasa Hioki, director of public works at Shibuya district, an area filled with fancy boutiques and young shoppers. . . “This is just an excuse to get rid of the homeless,” said protest organizer Seiji Uematsu, adding residents and visitors should decide how to use the park.
And all Nike wants to do is put in a skatepark and use a public space as an advertising venue by changing the name of the park to Miyashita Nike Park.
[Link: Japan Today and Metro.co.uk]
Remember Tim Pogue? He worked at Burton in the early 90s and then joined Jamie Salter to launch and subsequently take Ride Snowboards public back in May of 1994. After exiting Ride Tim launched a retail store and denim line in Seattle called Faction.
