Business news : Sram in Asia: New people, new tasks

Leo Xu, SRAM’s new OEM Account Manager

In recent months, U.S. size Sram components has made some new hires in Asia and restructured the local sales and marketing functions ...

Immediately following employees are responsible for the following tasks: Eric Chin greets as Market Manager China, Leo Xu as OEM Account Manager China and Fangjie Xu as a marketing manager in China. Are responsible for the Asian market now Bill Yu as Director Sales Asia and Ian Wang as Market Manager Asia.

While the three former from the headquarters of Sram China in Kunshan near Shanghai work out, Yu and Wang sitting in Sram Taiwan office in Shengang in Taichung.

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Web news : Johnson Outdoor's Announces New AdventureOnTheWater Website.

Johnson Outdoors Watercraft, home to multiple brands in the paddle-sports industry, has rolled out a new website.

AdventureOnTheWater.com, is designed to help people discover the possibilities, fun and adventurous world of paddling and kayak fishing.

Through the site, the Johnson Outdoors Watercraft (JOW) brands, including Necky Kayaks, Ocean Kayak and Old Town Canoes & Kayaks, will feature its products, Pro-Staff and Adventure Team members to help engage the kayak fishing community and promote canoeing and kayaking as a whole.

The site will feature videos, photos and stories, created and curated by a roaster of athletes and industry experts, across all three brands.
Through this content, consumers will be directly connected to featured products, brand websites and highlighted ambassadors.

“We’re excited about the potential that Adventure On The Water brings us in terms of building our online audience, showcasing our incredible pro-staff and exposing the public to the joy and adventure paddle-sports can offer,” says Luke LaBree, marketing communications manager for Johnson Outdoors Watercraft. “The team populating the site is incredibly diverse and covers a range of locations, personalities and skill sets, so Adventure On The Water will have a little something for everyone to explore.”

Designed to be an interactive and easy to navigate open forum, users can tap Adventure On The Water to follow team members in their region, get news about local and regional events and connect to the Johnson Outdoors network.

With content aggregating from a network of over 60 team members, the site will have a decidedly educational bent as well. Consumers can learn about different boats and their applications, how to rig a kayak for their local waters, fishing and paddling techniques and much more.

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Business news : Electric Visual Announces New Collaboration With Repop MFG

SAN CLEMENTE, CA – Electric announced today the release of their debut Repop Mfg collaborative line.

Jamie Mathis, creator of Repop, is a master craftsman. In an industry diluted with imitation and cheapened through outsourcing of disposable accessories, Jamie continues to remain authentic and true to his craft. Originally hailing from Huntington Beach, CA and now residing in Oceanside, Jamie honors the time-honored tradition of leatherwork and metal casting by designing and selling original U.S. made hand-crafted accessories.

Repop Mfg is entirely made in the USA. From inception to execution, by keeping the fabrication process local, Jamie maintains complete control over the design process and quality control, a badge of honor not many brands can wear.

“Your grandfather’s change dish, that’s where you can always find unique nostalgic pieces that with-stand the test of time. Repop and Electric both strive to create timeless accessories that want to live in that dish.” – Jamie Mathis, Repop Mfg

“We had been working with Jamie on a snow goggle for this season through his friendships with Jesse “Sketchy Tank” Dawber and Kip Arnette when we decided to take the relationship a step further and expand the offering in to a line of U.S. made small leather goods that celebrates our shared inspiration of timeless style and craftsmanship.” – Eric Crane, Electric CEO

Electric X Repop MFG

Brought together by a mutual respect, it was the right time for the Electric and Repop collaboration. The collection will showcase each brand’s individual style while also celebrating their mutual passion for quality and pure aesthetic.

“I respect the recent Electric changes, I think the brand is taking a chance to do something different in the industry.” – Jamie Mathis, Repop Mfg

Available now, the Electric x Repop snow goggle collection will be complimented by the Electric Repop Mfg debut capsule featuring fine leather wallets, card holders, eyewear cases, phone cases, watch straps and key rings. The small leather collection releases November 2013 and the second drop of the collection will debut with new styles for Spring 2014.

ABOUT ELECTRIC

Electric is a global, premium sport and lifestyle accessory brand rooted in Southern California’s rich action sports, music, art and customization culture. Electric designs and markets an extensive line of watches, sunglasses, snow goggles, snow helmets, bags, apparel and accessories throughout the globe. In 2011, Electric became part of the Kering group, a world leader in apparel and accessories.

For more information on the Electric Repop Mfg collaboration please visit: electricvisual.com/repop-mfg

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Corporate social responsability : Columbia Germany provides warmth

Columbia Germany invites on December 4th, in beer garden of the Hofbrauhaus Munich cellar all to a barbecue. For every ten participants in the outdoor specialist donates a heat pack for Munich homeless.

The donation package consists of functional underwear and a sleeping bag with the heat-regulating Columbia technology. Beneficiary is jasmine Irl, founder and organizer of the Munich cold bus. The nonprofit project helps homeless people of Munich since 2012 on cold winter nights. With the Kältebus volunteers are traveling at night and distribute hot drinks, clothing, blankets and sleeping bags to the needy. Overall, Columbia goods worth over 13,000 euros agency ready.

At the cookout Free mulled wine and sausages are ready to be grilled by prominent people of Munich. On 4 December from 18:30 clock to fire these at the Viennese court to the grills.

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Tradeshows : Nautic Paris boat show, Le Nautic is in 5 days!

Nautic - Paris International Boat show , opens in 5 days and must be a rich news and entertainment edition , despite the large economic time and work in the Parc des Expositions at Porte de Versailles.

First boat show in the world in terms of visitors number , the 2013 edition will be the true organ of all water disciplines developed.

Many new


First certainty , Nautic 2013 will be rich in new boats and innovations. Concerning the global leader Beneteau of course, but also all other brands, such as Dufour present a dignified but ultramodern successor L'Arpege , Fora Marine who also put the dishes in the main baptized for the highly anticipated RM890 , Wauquiez, J Europe , Dehler , Hanse , Bavaria , all new sail will be there.

Concerning motorboats, Beneteau launch in Paris a whole new generation of boats, Jeanneau Prestige and still present an impressive array of new features and all players in the market will do the same as Sunseeker , Cranchi , Rhea Marine , Chris -Craft , XO Boats , Boston Whaler , and Ocqueteau White Shark who returns to the front of the Seine.

Then if it sells fewer boats in a decidedly still difficult economic context, the practice does not drop the contrary. We must therefore maintain, renovate , renewing a fleet of nearly 500,000 boats in France . OEMs , electronics hardware and even the sail makers , will all be in Paris to unveil their latest innovations.

The design put forward

City of Design, Paris and leading nautical lounge should reward the finest powerboat designs creating Nautic Motor Boat Design Award. Motor boats representing the vast majority of the world market , this award honors new high series for a wide and international distribution. In this spirit , people were invited to vote online , then visit the five pre-selected boats will be exhibited at Nautic . Finally , a prestigious jury chaired by Odile Decq , architect and designer of the year 2013 , supported by Philippe Starck , French national design monument and boat lover , Cédric Ragot , a new star designers , journalists Motor Boat Magazine, Neptune Yachting and Boating European press and finally by the FIN and Reed Exhibitions will select the winner on December 13 at 19h on the Scene Nautic .

Still more emotions

Finally and most importantly, Nautic will always be the first appointment of all passions, all events and trends .

Stand Up Paddle becoming an essential discipline , Nautic opens this year crossing of Paris Sunday, December 8 300 competitors BNF docks bleach , the first SUP race in Europe. Toshiba joins Naish , Windows Phone and the lifeboat as a partner in this spectacular event , organized by the exhibition opening Nautic for the fourth consecutive year.

Kitesurfing continuing its conquest of a still wider and international audience, all champions will be gathered on the Spot Nautic Friday 13 to honor the best performers of the year.

Wake -boarding and wake- surfing becoming universal practices , Nautic holds regular demonstrations pool Spot thanks to a new generation of winch that promises spectacular tricks styles by the greatest champions of the discipline.

MACIF faithful partner Nautic , is again the mastermind behind a series of animations on the pool spot, ranging from percussion gear to rescue the initiation of public dinghy and new practices gliding .

Full of memories

There is 50 years old , Eric Tabarly won its first Transat , raising a wave of enthusiasm in France , probably one of the triggers of the exceptional French nautical activity . The boat of this victory , Pen Duick II , will be exhibited in Hall 1 and a film will be projected on the Scene Nautic . Then how we grasp the approach Tabarly influenced and permeated generations of riders , but also architects and boat builders ... Other giants of the sea , adventure ship built in Pays de la Loire. An exhibition immerses visitors into the world of the legendary transatlantic , with the latest technologies of virtual reality .

Full of events

Nautic remains the first crossing of the race, with the presence of all major events : Awards Mini Transat presentation Transquadra , the Solitaire du Figaro, the female crew of the next Volvo Ocean Race , returns to the 2013 season with projections of François Gabart , the Transat Jacques Vabre , the Défi Wind and a series of events and races. Not to mention the surprise announcements of projects and the participation of all the major stars of the race, as Franck Cammas, Michel Desjoyeaux and François Olivier de Kersauson Gabart .

Full backgrounds

Nautic is still the only place where all the offers and ways together to prepare for the big departure , whether it is a holiday week or shipping around the World. Brittany, land of great events and innovation in the Mediterranean, Mare Nostrum many boaters , to the Pacific and Indian Oceans , offers new horizons of navigation are endless at Nautic . And great expeditions always make us dream, like Tara who will review his season on the Scene Nautic .

For those whose horizon is primarily that of their screen, and they are very numerous, the Nautic Transat is iodized for their pixels. This race operated by Virtual Regatta leaves Newport Friday, December 6 at 19:30 to arrive before the end of the Nautic, maxi trimarans on virtual but very real weather ! The winner will be invited to the VIP stage of the Volvo Ocean Race Lorient.

Micro inland sea pool model allows to find the eyes of children of all sailors to a model, it floats or not. And because more and more boats spend the winter on a trailer , Jeep organizes animation to train his team to operate in all conditions (water, sand, earth ... ) with radio-controlled models , Hall 4

Finally, the price Martime Book L'Express / Le Nautic will honor the most beautiful book of the year sea on Friday 13th, a lucky day. The jury is chaired by Didier Decoin this winter , which has put the Goncourt prize which he was secretary general and former winner .

Poster Triptych 2013 Nautic is an already broken promise : all practices, all water world and all passions are in Paris, Porte de Versailles from December 7 to 15 for the general public and from 6 December for professionals and press.

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New product : Hopkins Golf introduces CJ-1 wedges in new Black Satin finish

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Hopkins Golf is introducing their CJ-1 wedges in a new Black Satin finish. The original CJ-1 wedges were offered in Tour Raw, which are made with un-chromed carbon steel, because that's what the vast majority of tour players prefer. The lack of chrome on Tour Raw wedges allows for great feel and rusting to reduce glare and, potentially, increase spin.

"We received emails, calls and Facebook posts from folks saying they wanted us to offer wedges that don't rust," said Greg Hopkins, Chairman and CEO. "Black Satin is a great option because it looks cool and will stay that way for a really long time."

The base price for Black Satin wedges is $109.99 each and , like all Hopkins Golf products, come with the company's 30 Day Money Back Guarantee. Interested consumers can click http://hopkinsgolf.com/cj1-select-set.php to see the new wedge offering.

Also, from now through Christmas Hopkins is giving away a free tour authentic golf towel to anyone who purchases a wedge or wedge set. Purchasers must enter the code TURKEY at checkout to receive their free towel.

About Hopkins Golf

Headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., Hopkins Golf, Inc. makes tour authentic equipment at factory-direct pricing. Its current tour staff includes Champions Tour players John Huston, Don Pooley, Wayne Levi, Gene Sauers, Bill Glasson, Dan Pohl, Chien Soon Lu, Roger Chapman, Gene Jones, Jim Thorpe, Vicente Fernandez and Calvin Peete.

Contact:
Randy Romberg, VP of Marketing /  randy@hopkinsgolf.com / Office: 949-673-1326
Cell: 714-476-2996

Business news : Youth Sports and Sports-Related Travel Deemed Recession Resistant

The Sports Facilities Advisory Deems Youth Sports and Sports-Related Travel “Recession Resistant”—Youth Sporting Events Create $7 Billion in Economic Impact 

Clearwater, FL November 25, 2013 

In tough economic times, people tend to scale back on excess spending—in September, 2013, consumer spending, which accounts for 70% of U.S. economic activity, only rose 0.2%, despite a personal income increase of 0.5% (1). But throughout the nation, youth sports and sports-related travel have remained steady, despite the Great Recession.

According to Sports Travel Magazine, 27% of all trips taken last year were for the sole purpose of attending an organized sporting event, a number that increases to more than 90% when all trips involving some sports activity are considered. The Sports Facilities Advisory (SFA), a leading resource for new and existing amateur sports complexes and recreation centers, says the trend is likely fueled by numerous factors, including parents’ desire to see their children succeed and, surprisingly, by the distressed economy, itself.

SFA’s CEO and founder, Dev Pathik, attributes the growth of youth and amateur sports to parents’ devotion to securing their children’s futures. Per Pathik, college scholarships and professional athletic careers are also a motivating factor because more parents today worry about the cost of education or that their children will face a future of stagnant wages and blunted careers (2).

Nationwide, 53 million traveling athletes participate in youth sporting events, generating an estimated $7 billion of economic impact (3). Florida-based SFA says that the potential financial impact of youth sports participation and sports-related travel brings the most benefit to communities.
Case in Point:

Over a five-day period in July, 2011, college basketball scholarship hopefuls stopped in DuPage County to show off their skills for coaches from all over the country at the Nike Tournament of Champions.

The kids, their parents, coaches and tournament organizers stayed in area hotels, ate at area restaurants, filled their cars with gas and shopped to the tune of $6.8 million in economic impact (4).
In addition to securing a financial future, Pathik says that parents are also driven to help their children stand out by the fear that their kids will otherwise get involved in unhealthy activity – many parents largely feel a need for children to participate in sports because at a sociological level, they feel as though there is a lack of safe outlets for kids today.

Pathik encourages the act of improving communities, as well as the economy, by making recreational activity more readily available to children with the addition of youth and amateur sports complexes and recreation centers.

“Parents want their kids to be involved in structured sporting activities that offer a positive environment,” said Evan Eleff, SFA’s Vice President of Client Services. “And throughout the recession, as sports-related travel continues to grow, more communities are recognizing this enormous opportunity to fill their hotels on weekends with youth and amateur sporting events.”

SFA assists clients throughout the nation in planning, funding and managing sports and community recreation centers. SFA’s portfolio includes more than $3.5 billion in planned and operational facilities, as well as being the industry leader in the managing of such complexes. The company will assist in opening more than 1.5 million acres of additional indoor facilities, as well as 600 acres of outdoor facilities, within the next year.

For more information about the Sports Facilities Advisory and its suite of planning-funding-opening-management services, visit http://www.sportadvisory.com/home.html.

About Sports Facilities Advisory:

The Sports Facilities Advisory (SFA) is a leading resource in sports facility planning and management. The Sports Facilities Advisory has helped to plan, fund, open and manage dozens of multimillion-dollar sports complexes in communities throughout the USA and internationally since its founding in 2003. The company serves public and private clients. Its services fall into four main categories: plan, fund, open and manage, which encompass every phase from early stage feasibility studies to preparing financing documents, overseeing development and opening and full-time management services. SFA’s success depends on its mission to dramatically improve communities through the opening or optimization of sport and recreation centers.

For more information, visit http://www.sportadvisory.com/home.html.

1.“U.S. Consumer Spending Tepid as Households Boost Savings.” Reuters.com. N.p., 08 Nov. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. reuters.com/article/2013/11/08/us-economy-consumer-idUSBRE9A70L720131108.
2.Cook, Bob. “Youth Sports Arms Race Reflects Successful Exploitation Of Reasonable Parental Anxiety.” Forbes.com. Forbes Magazine, 27 Nov. 2012. Web. 08 Nov. 2013. forbes.com/sites/bobcook/2012/11/27/youth-sports-arms-race-reflects-successful-exploitation-of-reasonable-parental-anxiety/.
3.Lane, Matthew. “Youth Sports Could Have $10 Million Impact in Model City in 2013.” Timesnews.net. N.p., 05 Aug. 2013. Web. 08 Nov. 2013. timesnews.net/article/9065811/youth-sports-could-have-10-million-impact-in-model-city-in-2013.
4.Kennedy, Kristy. “Youth Sports Tournaments May Be Recession Proof.” Youth Sports Tournaments May Be Recession Proof. Youth1st.com, 19 Oct. 2011. Web. 08 Nov. 2013. youth1st.com/blog/232-youth-sports-tournaments-may-be-recession-proof.

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Webnews : Shoebuy.com Relaunches Website

Shoebuy.com relaunched its website with an updated look and feel for its web properties, designed to bring more streamlined and visually appealing shopping to its customers. The new Shoebuy.com and mobile site feature clean visual designs with less text and larger images, as well as easy navigation for more intuitive shopping. The new sites are now available for customers to enjoy, right in time for the holiday season.

"Our new web and mobile sites deliver a refreshed user interface so that our customers can easily navigate, browse and shop for whatever they're looking for," said Shoebuy.com CEO Mike Sorabella. "We recognize that today's shoppers have many options to choose from. We aim to not only provide our Shoebuy.com customers with the products they want, but to also ultimately create a shopping experience that thrills them every time they come to us, regardless of the channel.  In today's increasingly competitive online environment, our focus is on building loyalty."

For nearly 14 years, Shoebuy.com has provided customers with an extensive collection of shoes, clothing and accessories from more than 1,300 leading brands. The new Shoebuy.com upgrade and new mobile site are key components of the company's strategic commitment to its customers and its brand partners. Shoebuy.com will also deliver a new tablet site and mobile apps soon to ensure customers have an enhanced shopping experience wherever and however they choose to browse and shop. Customers will be able to shop across the sites from their Shoebuy.com account, so they can start and finish their shopping however they choose.

Throughout the development, Shoebuy gained deeper insights and ensured that customers' needs were brought to the forefront by leveraging A/B testing and user feedback extensively.  "The new sites and apps are the first step to improve our customers' experiences with Shoebuy.com. Our sites will continue to evolve over time to best meet and hopefully exceed our shoppers' needs and expectations," said Kavita Baball, Shoebuy.com SVP, Customer Experience and Retention.

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Sport event : AVEX Sponsors 2013 Beaver Creek World Cup

CHICAGO (Nov. 26,2013) – AVEX®, makers of superior performance water bottles and travel mugs, is set to sponsor the two 2013 FIS Beaver Creek World Cup race weeks – known as Birds of Prey – November 29-December 1 and December 6-8. Demonstrating its outdoor industry commitment and investment yet again, AVEX will provide product to VIP attendees throughout the races.

Held over two weekends in Beaver Creek, Colo., the Birds of Prey downhill is recognized as one of the most challenging races on the FIS calendar. This year’s FIS Beaver Creek World Cup is the only World Cup stop in the United States for 2013, and as the premier North American ski race this season, the event promises to be a hub of outdoor sports competition, fun, and celebration.

Unlike the FIS events in Europe, Birds of Prey is free for the public. There is a festival-like atmosphere that surrounds the event, offering an inclusive and unique opportunity for spectators to get out and experience world class racing right here at home. Joining in the festivities, AVEX will have a tent set up to showcase, sell, and raffle off products to attendees in addition to providing event-branded Highland AUTOSEAL Thermal Mugs to VIP guests.

“We are thrilled to partner with such a storied and highly-anticipated event,” said Klara Nowak, senior marketing manager for AVEX. “AVEX’s products are perfect for a variety of outdoor activities, and skiing is at the top of that list. As a growing brand in this market, we are continuing to invest in the outdoor industry, and the Birds of Prey event is the ideal platform to demonstrate that commitment, support these athletes who train so hard and exemplify the outdoor lifestyle, and have a little fun along the way.”

For more information about Birds of Prey, visit www.vvf.org. For more information about the AVEX brand and products, visit www.AVEXSport.com.
  
About AVEX®

AVEX® thermal mugs and hydration bottles are designed specifically for sport and outdoor enthusiasts.  Many feature the revolutionary AUTOSEAL® patented technology—a press-to-sip, release-to-seal button that automatically seals between sips—while others offer the patent-pending AUTOSPOUT® technology—a press-to-release button that opens a drinking spout.  Many AVEX products feature a spout shield that covers and helps protect the spout from dirt and germs as well as a clip-on handle, making them perfectly suited for the outdoor consumer.  AVEX is a brand of Ignite USA, a company with a passion for great products.  For more information, visit www.AVEXSport.com.

Media Contact:
Claire Rabun / Verde PR & Consulting / crabun@verdepr.com

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Business news : Snowsports Industry Gets Behind Goggle Gap Project

The Goggle Gap Project, initiated by a collaboration of snow sports industry manufacturers and associations, was recently adopted by SnowSports Industries America (SIA) to address the issue of correct helmet fit.

Launched this week, the campaign is aimed at increasing kids and pre-teens awareness as well as their parents with supportive materials that demonstrate correct sizing, fitting and adjustments for helmet + goggle systems in a fun and memorable way.

When a helmet and goggle system doesn’t fit well together, it can leave a portion of the forehead exposed creating Goggle Gap. The space on your forehead, or Goggle Gap, can be left completely bare due to a poor-fitting helmet and goggle system, becoming severely sun or wind burned or exposed to frostbite on cold days. With 1.5 million goggle units and 1.1 million helmet units purchased in the 2012/13 season, the goggle gap could impact many of the 4.4 million youth that participated in snow sports in 2012/13.

“Like with any sport, there are many details to consider when purchasing ski and snowboard gear, the Goggle Gap Project is just another way that equipment manufacturers and specialty retail stores are collaborating to educate parents, teens and really everyone on the importance of proper fitting snow sports headgear,” says David Ingemie, SIA’s president.

For a proper fit, the brim of the helmet should be flush with the top of the goggles. Any space larger than 1/4 inch means your helmet and goggle setup does not fit properly, 1/4 inch or is probably acceptable only if the liner materials of the goggle and helmet cover all skin areas.

“With so many choices in goggles and helmets - there’s really no reason not to have a system that works great and looks great as well,” added Ingemie.

To fix the dreaded Goggle Gap, consumers can find information on helmet/goggle proper fit in the KidZone section of SIA’s consumer website Snowlink.com or bring their helmet/goggles into a snow sports specialty retailer and try different combinations with the help of an expert.

Resorts and retailers are encouraged to download the Goggle Gap posters on outlining the do’s and don’ts of helmet/goggle fit - perfect for displaying in ski school buildings, rental shops, retail shops, and the base lodge.

More information about the Goggle Gap Project is at Snowlink.com/gogglegap.

Other snow sports industry involved in promoting the Goggle Gap Project include the National Ski Patrol (NSP), Professional Ski Instructors of America and American Association of
Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI) and National Ski Areas Association (NSAA).


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