by The Editors on February 2, 2010
When the Snow Industries of America announced it was moving the SIA Trade Show to Denver after a few decades in Las Vegas we were not happy about it. In fact, every time we thought about making travel plans for SIA 2010 we remembered where it was being held and put it off to another day.
Having spent part of a late January in Denver in the past, complete with 30 below zero temps and 50 mph winds nearly blowing us off the highway, we weren’t looking forward to making the trek. No matter how many times C3 Worldwide president and SIA Board Secretary Bob Gundrum listed the reasons why the show would be better without the all-night partying and drinking that Vegas delivers, all we could think about was those $49 flights, $35 hotel rooms and nights at the Hard Rock’s Center Bar. After 20 years in Las Vegas we had it down and weren’t into everything changing.
But that was before the show. Now, at the other end of four days with friends in one of the nicest, cleanest, convention centers in the world, we’ve mostly forgotten about the rest. And there was a lot to forget. Police storming our hotel the night before we arrived, the drug dealers who said “Hey,” as we walked down the street, the pimp having words with two of his employees in the lobby of our hotel, bums fighting in McDonald’s at 8 in the morning, and Denver’s general urban-blighted-ghetto feel faded into the background. We left town with a much more positive view of the SIA venue change and it seems we’re not alone.
Follow the jump for the rest of the story or click the links for photos: People : Booths : Product : Parties
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by The Editors on February 2, 2010
According to ActionWatch December 2009 comps in core shops were up over October and November, but closed out the quarter 13 percent down, according to a post on Transworld Business.
This number gives the fourth quarter first prize in lowest sales declines of the year for the shops on the panel, but by a very small margin,” said Cary Allington. “Also, Q4 2009 had the “easiest” comparison of the year since that quarter was so bad in 2008, so we were actually expecting (or at least hoping) for an even smaller comparative sales decline.”
So that means it’s not getting worse, worse. It’s getting better worse. And that’s good.
[Link: ActionWatch via TransWorld Business]
by The Editors on February 2, 2010
In a handful of Schedule 13gs filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday (January 31, 2009) investment firm BlackRock Inc. reminded us all that they own action fashion. After they purchased Barclays Global Investors from Barclays Bank PLC on December 1, 2010 they own just over five percent of the shares of Volcom, Quiksilver, VF Corp, and Pac Sun.
In fact, with 1.5 million shares of Volcom, 9.6 million shares of Quk, 6.4 million shares of VF Corp and 3.4 million in Pac Sun they’re in to action fashion for over half a billion dollars. . . that’s swinging some pretty large . . . shares.
[Link: SEC]
by The Editors on February 2, 2010
Chris Nieratko, shop owner, writer, porn reviewer has a solid little round-up of the skateboard economy in his latest column for ESPN/Action titled Skate of the Union.
I, for one, am glad to say goodbye to 2009 and pray 2010 is a better year for skateboarding. Like most every facet of our nation’s economy, skateboarding took a big hit in in the past year. It may not appear that way from the outside, what with the biggest contest purses in history and big budget Nike commercials on television featuring Paul Rodriguez and Ice Cube, but trust me, things ain’t pretty in Skateville.
Follow the jump for comments from Jamie Thomas, SPoT’s Barak Wiser, Nocturnal’s Mark Brandstetter, Deluxe’s Jim Thiebaud and others.
[Link: ESPN/Action via Skate & Annoy]
by The Editors on February 1, 2010
Fortress Investment Group, the parent company of Whistler-Blackcomb owner Intrawest, is reportedly trying to fight off foreclosure by offering cash to lenders, according to sources quoted in the New York Post. On top of that, they’re trying to get $90 million which they say the Canadian government owes them.
Fortress says it is negotiating with the Canadian government, which it says promised to make it whole for the time Whistler/Blackcomb mountain is used for the Olympics. Intrawest is trying to get roughly $90 million, and wants to be paid before the Games start on Feb. 12, a source said. . . If it does not get paid, Fortress plans to start legal proceedings, the source added. It is unclear if that could disrupt the Winter Olympics.
It appears that even the Winter Olympics have some high hurdle events.
[Link: New York Post]
by The Editors on January 28, 2010
In a filing today with the SEC among the list of purposes for Quiksilver’s next shareholders meeting (March 26, 2010) was item number three (directly following a proposal to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock by 100 million):
3. To consider and vote upon a proposal to approve the grant of 3,000,000 shares of our restricted common stock to Kelly Slater as part of his sponsorship agreement;
Getting Kelly Slater to buy-in on the future of the company is a pretty good idea, actually. Few things are more motivating than the idea that you could make $20 million (or more) in the next couple years if Quik’s stock ever climbs up out of the dumps. Nice thinking.
[Link: SEC]
by The Editors on January 28, 2010
Eddie Wall has signed with Bond Outerwear and Weekend Snowboards according to an announcement that went out last night just in time for day one of SIA Show in Denver.
“Our whole philosophy with our brands is to work with people, whether they are reps, riders, or our accounts, that get what we are doing and have the same passion for it that we do,” stated Dan McNamara, co-Founder of Bond Outerwear. “Eddie is a great fit for us because he is one of us, and having him as part of the family means the world to Christian and I.”
Eddie joins Heikki Sorsa and TJ Schneider on Bond and Mark Carter and Heikki on Weekend Snowboards. Sounds like the Laguna Beach, California scene is back on the up.
Follow the jump for all the details.
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by The Editors on January 27, 2010
For the past 20 years brothers Tim and Tracey Canaday have been making snowboards in Denver, Colorado. When Snowsports Industries of America decided that 37 years in Las Vegas was enough Canaday and the rest of the Never Summer Industries crew thought the show was finally going down in the right town, according to a Colin Bane story in Denver’s WestWord.
“I think a lot of people in the industry see leaving Las Vegas and coming to Denver as a sign that the party’s over, and maybe that’s a good thing,” Tracey Canaday says. “Vegas is a great place to have a show, for obvious reasons, but I would love for it to work and be successful here in Colorado. It makes sense on a lot of different levels to have the SIA show here. It’s a lot cheaper for our company, for one thing! But it’s also the perfect place for the snow sports industry to get down to business.”
For the rest of the Never Summer and Denver SIA story, click the link.
[Link: Westword]
by The Editors on January 26, 2010
Seems everyone just got back from a SIMA Surf Summit, but that’s not stopping anyone from getting back on track. This year’s Surf Summit, scheduled for May 12-15, 2010, will be for both surf manufacturers and retailers (if there are any left).
This year the annual Surf Summit conference will be taken to the next level by unifying the SIMA and BRA conferences into one event that will truly encompass and showcase the entire surf industry. With a larger manufacturer and retailer presence and a stronger representation of the industry’s top leaders, Surf Summit 13 will be a more complete union of the tribe. . . “Surf Summit can only be made better by including the Board Retailers Association members and staff,” said Doug Palladini, SIMA President and VP of Marketing for Vans. “I’m really pleased that the BRA leadership agrees in all the mutually beneficial gains that can be generated by combining our forces for this important leadership event going forward.”
Wonder if they’re going to invite any members of the independent boardsports media? Follow the jump for more info.
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by The Editors on January 26, 2010
Verizon Wireless has signed on as title sponsor of Fuel TV’s Daily Habit according to a press release.
Aside from “branding in all show graphics, as well as online banners and a unique brand page on the FUEL TV website” the company is also buying lots of coverage for their athletes.
Many of Verizon Wireless’ sponsored athletes will appear on “The Daily Habit,” including surfer, musician, and “Drive Thru” star Donavon Frankenreiter; surfer and “New Pollution” host Matt Beacham; surfer Sterling Spencer; freestyle motocross rider and three-time X Games Gold Medalist Kyle Loza, six-time X Games Medalist Todd Potter; three-time X Games Silver Medalist and 2008 Red Bull X-Fighters Series champion Mat Rebeaud; legendary skateboarder Omar Hassan; two-time X Games Gold Medalist and three-time AST Dew Tour winner BMX pro Daniel Dhers, and others.
We’re having a hard time getting used to the new face of sponsored editorial, but it looks like it’s here to stay.
[Link: Fiercewireless]
But that was before the show. Now, at the other end of four days with friends in one of the nicest, cleanest, convention centers in the world, we’ve mostly forgotten about the rest. And there was a lot to forget. Police storming our hotel the night before we arrived, the drug dealers who said “Hey,” as we walked down the street, the pimp having words with two of his employees in the lobby of our hotel, bums fighting in McDonald’s at 8 in the morning, and Denver’s general urban-blighted-ghetto feel faded into the background. We left town with a much more positive view of the SIA venue change and it seems we’re not alone.
