Feature Story

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What’s a hockey parent to do?

Changes in the hockey equipment industry mean different options for the consumer. But is your local retailer offering a full range of hockey products?

By Wally Shaver

Let’s Play Hockey Columnist

As the cost of playing hockey continues to escalate, it has forced many consumers to be much more diligent in their equipment purchases. Yes, sticks in the $110-200 range and skates in the $250-600 range are ludicrous. That’s why a company like Christian Brothers (see page 4) just may have the right formula in re-launching their wooden sticks – they cost a lot less to buy.

Consumers are already putting more pressure on local hockey retailers. Many folks are delaying the more expensive purchases, buying less expensive equipment, doing more research on retail options and pursuing purchases on the Internet.

The component that intrigues me most is hockey consumers doing more research on retail options. And for good reason – the hockey equipment landscape has changed considerably over the past six months.

Back in May, hockey’s largest equipment company, Nike, sold off their Nike Bauer hockey division for around $200 million after paying $400 million for it a dozen years ago. The new ownership group of Bauer purchased Mission-Itech a couple of months ago. Bauer will keep the Mission inline product mix as they are the No. 1 brand in inline roller. They will also keep the Itech helmet and face protection line intact, as well as the goalie line where Bauer has been rather weak.

Sher-wood, makers of wood and composite sticks went into bankruptcy and emerged with new financing and ownership. Part of their restructuring plans was to acquire a couple of other companies. They just closed on the purchase of TPS Louisville, improving their market share in the stick market. So did Warrior Hockey by purchasing Montreal Hockey.

Goalie company Vaughn, acquired Brian’s a couple of years ago and just added Eagle to their repertoire of hockey names.

On the surface, a consolidating industry appears to allow fewer options for consumers. But does it really?

Many of our retailers here in the upper Midwest carry just four or five brand names such as: Bauer, Rbk-CCM, Easton, Mission-Itech and Sher-wood. However, those consumers who do their research know there are many more brand names and equipment options available to them. If you are just visiting your local retailer, you’re missing the lion’s share of manufactured hockey products.

Besides publishing this newspaper, Let’s Play Hockey produces the world’s two largest trade shows for the hockey and skating industries. Many of you are already familiar with our consumer Let’s Play Hockey Expo held during the boys’ state high school hockey tournament that attracts more than 30,000 consumers to the free two-day show.

We also produce the Let’s Play Hockey International Expo, which will be held in late January in Las Vegas. This Expo is closed to consumers, open only for retailers to come in and check out all the manufacturers who are exhibiting a vast array of hockey products. Right now, we have over 135 different companies exhibiting at the show. That’s a whole lot of companies making products for the hockey industry and probably a lot of them of whom you’ve never heard.

Unfortunately for you consumers, many of our retailers in this area, do not attend the show in Vegas. Consequently, you are stuck with buying options limited to what your local store stocks on their shelves and inevitably, it’s just the four, five or six big name companies.

You don’t get to see the many other protective options, the skate options, the stick options and the plethora of accessories for hockey players. That is unless you do your research, or suggest to your local retailer to expand their offering of hockey products. There are a ton of good ones out there and many of them at very favorable price points for both the consumer and the retailer.

No wonder more and more consumers are using the Internet to research and buy hockey products.

Let’s Play Hockey wants to publish your hockey stories. From tournament reports, to feature stories on teams, players or coaches, to opinion pieces on the game of hockey, Let’s Play Hockey accepts submissions from readers throughout the hockey community. To submit your hockey story and/or photo(s), e-mail us at editor@letsplayhockey.com.