by The Editors on July 29, 2011
Action Industry veteran Matt Patterson has reportedly signed on as VP of Marketing and Business Development for SponsorMe. Here’s what Matto has to say about his new employer.
“SME is positioned perfectly to assist action sports brands to bridge the gap between their core and non-core audiences seamlessly and with all the credibility and authenticity they are known for,” said Patterson. “We are living in interesting times, very few small brands have survived this recent economic torpor and most of the exciting new developments are coming from the big guys these days. Red Bull, Monster and Nike are the labels kids are in to and we are finding an ever expanding group of influential taste-makers and culture-vultures that are okay with this new twist. It’s no-longer a sin to be successful and the action sports industry needs a platform that can speak with credibility to this group.”
We’ve never been able to figure out exactly what SponsorMe business model is, and Matto’s explanation doesn’t help much. Follow the jump and see if you can figure it out. [click to continue…]
by The Editors on July 25, 2011
The mad hatters at New Era have announced that they are piling on their “expanding accessories business” to the company’s Orange County, California action sports office, according to CEO Chris Koch.
“It’s imperative that we continue to build a strong bond with our consumers and deliver a cohesive message across current and emerging markets,” Koch said. “We have an aggressive growth plan in motion to cultivate our business beyond our core competencies and in turn better position ourselves as an international lifestyle brand.”
Guess the crew in OC have been doing things proper lately. Follow the jump for the rest. [click to continue…]
by The Editors on July 25, 2011
Thanks to all manner of political intrigue (coups, changing laws, etc. . . ) one of the best waves in the world hasn’t hosted the world’s best surfers for the past three years. Now, thanks to the Volcom Fiji Pro Cloudbreak (and/or Restaurants) will be back on the ASP World Tour starting in 2012 and running through at least 2014.
“We are all very excited about the opportunity to host our first ever ASP World Title event in Fiji,” Richard Woolcott, Volcom CEO, said. “Having the competition at Cloudbreak, or even Restaurants, is a perfect fit with Volcom’s long history with Tavarua. This is a major step in our surfing program and it’s great to be able to support the tour and its athletes with an event in world class surf.”
No major label CEO has spent more time shacked and charging Tavarua’s waves than Wooly so this partnership is the perfect fit. Plus, it will be great to see these waves back on tour where they belong. For the official word, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
by The Editors on July 24, 2011
In the “Legal Proceedings” section of Skullcandy’s final prospectus filed with the SEC before the company went public last week, there was a little bit about settlements for “an immaterial amount” made to three employees relating to alleged “improper workplace conduct by Rick Alden, our former CEO” in March 2011.
Our board of directors conducted an independent investigation regarding these complaints, discussed the facts and circumstances with the individuals involved, and ultimately determined to settle each complaint for an immaterial amount.
Not surprisingly, Rick Alden stepped down on March 23, 2011. And, if we’re not mistaken, wasn’t the Transworld Snowboarding Industry Conference in March as well? Oh, the ides. . .
[Link via Shop Eat Surf]
by The Editors on July 20, 2011
After seven months of news and S-1 additions and revisions action electronics company Skullcandy (SKUL.O) finally opened today (July 20, 2011) on the NASDAQ.
According to Reuters, Skullcandy raised $188 million dollars and is now valued at $535.6 million. With an IPO price of $20 the stock opened 17 percent up at $23 a share, but by the afternoon it was back down to the $20.30 range.
Rick Alden must be so proud and busy counting all that money. Then again, he may be bummed that that his stock just sat and didn’t triple like Zillow did today.
[Link: Reuters]
by The Editors on July 19, 2011
by The Editors on July 15, 2011
According to a story on MarketWatch.com, Greek Investments, an Athens, Greece based investment group run by Jorge and Panayotis Constantino now owns 30.45 percent of Pac Sun. But that’s not all.
The firm is now the biggest single shareholder in sun-and-surf-inspired teen retailer Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. and home-furnishings retailer Pier 1 Imports Inc., and is the second-largest in dining chain Ruby Tuesday Inc., according to FactSet Research. It also holds substantial stakes in restaurant chain Cosi Inc. and bank-holding company BFC Financial Corp. (BFCF).
They really know how to pick ’em, huh? Add this to the list of things we’ll never understand about PacSun.
[Link: MarketWatch]
by The Editors on July 14, 2011
Converse is getting global press heat for the way its Indonesian contractor Pou Chen Group treats its workers, according to a story in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Workers making Converse sneakers in Indonesia say supervisors throw shoes at them, slap them in the face and call them dogs and pigs. . . One worker there said she was kicked by a supervisor last year after making a mistake while cutting rubber for soles. . . “We’re powerless,” said the woman, who like several others spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisals. “Our only choice is to stay and suffer, or speak out and be fired.”
While Nike has reportedly worked to tidy up their sweat-shop footwear production (where workers earn 50 cents a day), it appears that corporate profits remain their number one priority, even if it means dumping “heavy metals and hazardous, hormone-disrupting substances” into the rivers of China.
[Link: San Francisco Chronicle and Reuters]
by The Editors on July 13, 2011
As should surprise no one Frank Delgadillo, the co-founder of Comune (and Ambiguous) who left with many of the Comune staff on June 17, 2011, is launching a new clothing brand called Chapter, according to a story in Apparel News.
The brand’s headquarters will be located in Costa Mesa, Calif., on the grounds of the former Comune offices. Chapter’s first collection will debut in a soft launch for Spring/Summer 2012. A full collection of men’s and women’s fashions will hit stores for the Fall 2012 season, according to a press release from the new brand.
Maybe Delgadillo will hold on to 51 percent of this company for his third time around, or maybe he just enjoys launching successful brands and then handing them over to investors just when they’re about to go huge.
[Link: Apparel News]
by The Editors on July 12, 2011
Put him in a house with no corners and tell him to . . . Turns out the PAS House that etnies founder Pierre-André Senizergue set up at the Public Domaine show at La Gaîté Lyrique in Paris wasn’t just an architectural fantasy after all. According to a story in Curbed LA the designs are for a real house that Pierre-André is planning to build in Malibu, California (see model above). Quoting the A | N Blog Archpaper.com:
The project, located at the top of Las Flores Canyon in Malibu, will by sometime next year be the home of skateboarder Pierre Andre Senizergues (hence the name PAS), a former world champion skater, and owner of skateboard company Sole Technology. It’s being created by designer Gil Lebon Delapointe and LA architect Francois Perrin, who for the prototype of the living area bent plywood, previously soaked in water, using a traditional skateboard ramp fabrication technique.
Now it’s all beginning to make sense.
[Link: A | N Blog via Curbed LA]
Action Industry veteran Matt Patterson has reportedly signed on as VP of Marketing and Business Development for SponsorMe. Here’s what Matto has to say about his new employer.
