by The Editors on November 26, 2008
In another reminder that skateboarding over death-defying gaps on gut-wrenchingly huge megaramps can be dangerous, Danny Way has reportedly broken two vertebrae during practice last week for an even in Brazil (click here for the video), according to an Adam Sullivan story on Transworld Business.
While he will make a full recovery, doctors say Way will be sidelined for up to 6 months—which could be anywhere from 3-4 months in Danny Way time.
He came up a little short, just barely caught the knuckle, and took one big bounce. The guy is too tough. We wish him a speedy recovery.
[Link: Transworld Business and SouthOfTheNorth]
by The Editors on November 25, 2008
The Extreme Group just bought up the UK’s online action sports retailer UrbanSurfer.co.uk adding a decidedly stylish well-designed property to their already turbo extreme business.
Al Gosling, chief executive officer for the Extreme Group, said UrbanSufer.co.uk is another win for Extreme and adds to the extensive portfolio of products and experiences the company already offers consumers. . . “We are continually looking for ways we can further enhance and spread the core messages of Extreme and this website was the perfect fit. At Extreme we live by the philosophy of passion, vision, freedom and irreverence; this is radiated through everything we do, and now UrbanSurfer will be included in that mix,” he said.
Who said the word “extreme” would kill an action sports business?
[Link: Fashion United]
by The Editors on November 24, 2008
We know we said we were done, but: today Jake and Donna “Burton” Carpenter appeared on Vermont Public Radio (on whose board Donna is a member) to “respond to criticism of the graphics on some of their boards.” (Click here for the MP3 version)
Jake Burton Carpenter and Donna Carpenter said that for them, the controversy and stories in the media have been hurtful and out of line.
“Hurtful” and “out of line”? Really? Guess everyone is a victim in this love story. Here are a couple more quotes from snowboarding’s first family. First off, Donna is fine with the Playboy boards:
When I first heard about the Love board – I heard the idea that we were putting Playboy centerfolds on the boards and I said, you know, ‘no way.’ And honestly, I was totally prepared to fly off the handle. . .
But she didn’t because after seeing the designs she thought they were tasteful and had a sense of humor. She added that:
The young women that I speak to are not offended by these images at all. They’re really not. I’ve actually had women in the U.S. but also around the world who are buying these boards because they think the images are beautiful.”
And when asked if Burton would create boards like these in the future Jake said, “Yes.”
There might be some moms out there that are part of this, that aren’t going to buy a Burton for their kid. But we’ve never been the brand that builds our graphics about what mom wants. And that was a conscious decision that we made years ago… we make the product and design the product for the person who’s going to use it.”
We guess the bigger question is was all this really worth it? Our answer would be no, but VPR didn’t ask that one.
[Editors’ note: For a longer, nicer interview with Jake and Donna check out Transworld Business.]
[Link: Vermont Public Radio]
by The Editors on November 24, 2008
Many in the action sport media business have been asking what Wasserman Media Group was doing spending so much money on their Sportnet property. It appears someone inside the company asked the same question and answered by cutting 41 percent of the staff.
Twenty-eight of the group’s 68 employees were laid off late Friday, including Gabe Huerta, VP-product development, and a number of others from product development and support.
An email to Luke McDonough, the former president of Studio 411 was returned with the following message: As of November 21st 2008, Luke McDonough is no longer an employee at Wasserman Media Group/Sportnet.” And the recently launched Snowboarder.com has cut recently hired editor James Sullivan and is reportedly being run by a “project manager” at the company.
Some would say it was only a matter of time.
[Link: Paid Content]
by The Editors on November 24, 2008
Snowboarder Magazine and Mountain High have invited the action sports industry to “ditch work and spend the day doing what we are supposed to do–snowboard” on December 11, 2008. Free lift ticket, lunch, and $1.00 beers are all the reason you should need.
To RSVP email ljohnson@mthigh.com or call 760/316-7830 (all you need is a business card or a pay stub from an approved company.)
[Link: Mountain High via Transworld Business]
by The Editors on November 24, 2008
Joplin, Missouri based American Ramp Co., makers of mostly steel, wood, and composite skateboard ramps is busily consolidating the pre-fab skateboard park manufacturing business, according to a story in the Joplin Globe.
About four months ago, American Ramp acquired Solo Ramps, a Canadian company that specializes in prefabricated concrete ramps. . . ARC also recently acquired a competing business, Sk8parks International.
Apparently, there is a huge market out there for funky, pre-fab parks. “Last year, the company built about 130 parks and made almost $12 million. It employs about 80 people.”
[Link: Joplin Globe]
by The Editors on November 24, 2008
Coaches from the eight teams playing in the EA Sports Maui Invitational college basketball tournament pose with large colorful (and remarkably light) planks that they’re not really sure what to do with. Maybe they have something to do with those necklaces. . . surf’s up, bros.
[Link: Rumor and Rants via Deadspin]
by The Editors on November 24, 2008
Lately we’ve been sitting in on quarterly conference calls and at first when we heard that the market was “getting extremely promotional” we didn’t know exactly what they were talking about.
Then, last week, week when PacSun’s CEO Sally Frame Kasaks said they were going “aggressively clear inventory while holiday traffic is available,” we began to understand.
Looks like PacSun isn’t the only one. Here is a perfect example of what we’re calling “extremely promotional” on a flyer someone sent us from SoCal’s 10 store retailer Sun Diego.
President Dave Nash is not fooling around. On the biggest shopping weekend of the year, his crews are knocking prices down by 20 to 50 percent. Notice the extra savings? Shoppers who get to the store between 7 and 9 AM on Black Friday get an extra 10 percent off on the the low end.
Happy Holidays.
by The Editors on November 24, 2008
Ever since the Bush family marshaled in the re-militarization of America, we’ve seen Oakley product here and there on soldiers around the world. But we never knew how deeply the company went in building products for men and women at war.
At Oakley’s official military and goverment sales website US Standard Issue they have pretty much every accessory needed for the stylish, well-dressed freedom enforcer.
Traveling the world to kill people has never looked so cool.
[Link: US Standard Issue]
by The Editors on November 24, 2008
Surfers Chris Nel and Neels Engelbrecht thought they were going to get some good waves at Namibia’s Cape Cross, but ended up with more and 100 stitches after they were attacked in the lineup by a crazed seal.
They were about 600 metres offshore when Nel heard Engelbrecht scream and saw that a seal had grabbed him by the head. . . . “I quickly swam towards him and saw the seal attacking him continuously, jabbing forward with its head, jaws snapping at his face and body. . . .I was just praying to God, begging Him to spare Neels’s life,” Nel told The Namibian from his hospital bed in Swakopmund.
According to Engelbrecht, he had hardly time to breathe: the seal just kept on attacking, ripping part of his ear off, biting him on the head, arms and legs. “I just shouted to Chris that I couldn’t go on. I was tired and in pain, and the seal would not stop. I thought this was the end of my life,” he said.
The seal then went on to attack Nels, too, as the men struggled back to the beach.
[Link: Namibian.com.na]
In another reminder that skateboarding over death-defying gaps on gut-wrenchingly huge megaramps can be dangerous, Danny Way has reportedly broken two vertebrae during practice last week for an even in Brazil (click here for the video), according to an Adam Sullivan story on Transworld Business.
