Bauer Experience store in Burlington, MA

[SCBlueLiner 19]

My parents sacrificed a lot so I could play hockey because it was expensive. That in the early days of composite-everything taking over the equipment market. It just seems like it's twice as expensive now, which is a shame.

Disagree. I grew up playing hockey from the late 70's to the early 90's. Relatively speaking, that means taking inflation into account, equipment now is as cheap as it ever was, and so much better. I remember paying upward of $400 for a pair of CCM Tacks, and that was in 1989 dollars. How much would that be today? You can buy a mid level pair of Tacks for that kind of money in today's dollars and the skate will be 10 times the quality of the old leather ones I had. Protective equipment is the same way, it is pretty reasonably priced, taking inflation into account, and the quality is so much more advanced. I will agree with you on sticks, the costs of those things have gone crazy, however, I used to buy wood sticks by the bundle and would go through them pretty quickly because the blades would split and turn to mush. Couldn't practice my slapshit too much because my dad would get mad about the number of sticks I went through. A decent mid level stick these days is better quality than the old woodies and some can actually take some abuse.

I think it is all what you buy and what you prioritize as far as equipment. Friend of mine just spent $400 on a new Bauer hlemet and cage for his kid. Crazy. I bought mine the CCM 100 with cage for $100. It's a nicer brain bucket than anything I ever had.

For kids starting the game today most associations, I know ours is this way, are flush with equipment from USA Hockey and we rent the stuff out for free, all the way down to the sticks. Kids only need to get their own skates. USA Hockey, and the local associations, are going out of there way to make it very cheap for kids to try and get starrted in hockey. Now, we all know that once you get older it gets a little more spendy. By that time the kid is hooked.

Ohand to get back on topic, with the excpetion of Warrior gloves and Reebok skates, my kid is head-to-toe CCM gear, even has a CCM bag. When it's time to upgrade those items he'll be total CCM. The Bauer store is definitely an opportunity for CCM to increase their shelf space at the LHS.

[IPv6Freely 2082]

When it's time to upgrade those items he'll be total CCM.

I hope you meant he'll be total whatever fits him best...

[SCBlueLiner 19]

Great points, but to expand on it a little bit more...

Majority of the young players are dropping out when introduced to checking. If I remember correctly, USA Hockey allows full body checking in Bantham leagues. The problem USA Hockey is finding is that there are huge height and weight differences at that level. So, you have a child who looks like he's 14 and a child who looks like he's 8 (size to height ratio). As a result, you're seeing more drop outs. They were talking about introducing checking earlier, but there's a huge risk: concussions. A child is 4 times more likely than an adult to get a concussion because their brains are still developing and growing. So... it's a hard thing to balance.

In addition, you're finding parents driving their children to an "elite" level ealier. It no longer becomes about having fun, but about being the best and eventually making the big money. In fact, I often see parents yelling at their children through HEADSETS... yes, microphones in their helmets/ears, to criticize a certain play or move and have them practice over and over. I'm sure this sort of behavior has been around for ages, but I think it's becoming more prevalent with a changing economy. In other words, BIG MONEY at stake from both sides (corporate and family life).

You have got to be kidding me, HEADSETS? If that happened with any of the players I coach there would be an immediate sit down. I've already done it with parents who talk to their kids between periods when they come off the ice. During that time they are mine, leave the kids alone and let them play.

Agreed, I'm in the market for some breezers and find it silly I always see pants on store sites...

Anyway, being from Minnesota, I'm looking forward to checking the store out when it opens. I wonder where it will be, before reading the article I figured they were going to put a large store in the Mall of America or something. With a rink of some kind, I'm assuming a suburb and a bigger location similar to a Cabelas or something like that.

I don't know how it will affect the local shops around here, but I'd guess that after the new factor wears off, it will be back to normal. I'd guess the local places will do some creative things to compete with the try before you buy stuff too, which will be good for everyone.

Put it in the Mall of America and no out-of-towner is going anywhere near that place. The traffic on 494 in that area is a mess and nobody likes to deal with it. Of course that would put it right near Total Hockey and Hockey Giant, so having three stores in the immediate area might make it worth the trip. They'd be better off trying to locate it near the Super Rink or over by Vadnais Ice.

I hope you meant he'll be total whatever fits him best...

Gloves are gloves, skates are the most important thing for fit. He's worn Reeboks for years which will soon be CCM. He'll be ok with the fit.

[Chadd 916]

Disagree. I grew up playing hockey from the late 70's to the early 90's. Relatively speaking, that means taking inflation into account, equipment now is as cheap as it ever was, and so much better. I remember paying upward of $400 for a pair of CCM Tacks, and that was in 1989 dollars. How much would that be today?

I don't recall Tacks being that expensive around here. Adjusted for inflation $400 in 1989 is $763 and change.

For kids starting the game today most associations, I know ours is this way, are flush with equipment from USA Hockey and we rent the stuff out for free, all the way down to the sticks. Kids only need to get their own skates. USA Hockey, and the local associations, are going out of there way to make it very cheap for kids to try and get starrted in hockey. Now, we all know that once you get older it gets a little more spendy. By that time the kid is hooked.

Around here, that is not an option at all. There are no free or rental gear options for kids trying out the sport. There has also been a reduction of youth hockey in this area by about 40% over the last 15 years.

[raganblink 82]

Very good thing for any retailer not within an hour's distance.

Meh to horrible for Total, Pure, ProHockeyLife (in time it'll go to Canada), Monkey & Giant. If one goes into Detroit (certainly has to?)/Dallas/Colorado, it will suck for Players Bench/Peranis.

I will be 3-4 hours away from the MSP store - we're happy its going in. When we're in the cities we can go screw around there, and we know we already lose some business to Total,Giant and some other shops in the cities (which is probably the most saturated market in the world for hockey stores), so its okay.

As long as the Bauer store sells at MSRP (Which it will) than small shops will be fine.

[flip12 699]

Disagree. I grew up playing hockey from the late 70's to the early 90's. Relatively speaking, that means taking inflation into account, equipment now is as cheap as it ever was, and so much better. I remember paying upward of $400 for a pair of CCM Tacks, and that was in 1989 dollars. How much would that be today?

That's a good point. I didn't start until the late 90's and by then the price of top of the line skates were around $400-US IIRC, back when the exchange rate was around 1 CAD to 0.70 USD? Maybe the Canadian price point reflected higher sales tax? Anyhow, it seemed to stay closer to that until the sudden jump in price with the one90's hitting the market...but that mid-2000 era I don't remember that well, because I was in college and not playing competitively anymore. There are definitely people here who know those exact prices much better than I can fuzzily recall from my teenage years. Still, I like the inflation point. Also, there's so much available for great discounts at the end of product cycles now. Over here, you can get Reebok protective equipment for 50% off. Now that so many products have been improved in terms of mobility and other bang-for-your-buck performance measures, that can be considered a bargain compared to the same category of equipment from 20-25 years ago.

[DarkStar50 679]

SCBlueLiner, where do you live that USA Hockey has all this free gear for kids?

[benson 8]

My local association does free registration for your first year for kids 9 and under and also does used equipment drives to help kids that can't afford the gear. They also get free gear from Total Hockey for 10 kids.

With all that, enrollment is still down.

[MN old and slow 92]

Metro MN is great. I have never paid more than 200 even for latest top end sticks. Tent sales, pre season, mid season sales,etc. One north metro chain had a great sale this weekend.

There was artice on the bauer experience store in this weeks lets play hockey rag.

Free market works, the best or best connected stores will succeed and the weakens ones will fail.

[mcne0101 16]

Metro MN is great. I have never paid more than 200 even for latest top end sticks. Tent sales, pre season, mid season sales,etc. One north metro chain had a great sale this weekend.

There was artice on the bauer experience store in this weeks lets play hockey rag.

Free market works, the best or best connected stores will succeed and the weakens ones will fail.

Thats my point. If they don't offer the sticks at the MN market price people like me will show up try them out then go to another retailer to purchase.

[chippa13 1844]

And then we'll see the advent of the stick testing fee to go along with the fitting fees that currently exist.

[mcne0101 16]

And then we'll see the advent of the stick testing fee to go along with the fitting fees that currently exist.

And then the Bauer experience will offer no value to me and I'll go about my business with the LHS by my house.

[SCBlueLiner 19]

I should clarify that the equipment doesn't come direct from USA Hockey but it may as well have come from them, also we are talking about starter equipment for U8 players. Our association participates in the 2 on 2 Challenge and every other grant program, etc. that USA Hockey puts on. Most of the stuff is from the One Goal program. We have bags of starter equipment that we rent out for free each season and most if it is equipment we have received through these USA Hockey programs. We actually have an excess in the smaller equipment and a shortage in some of the larger stuff needed for 8 yr olds. When that happens we just order it from Total Hockey for those kids and add it to our stock. The only thing we don't provide is skates, though we do have some older pairs in stock that we have rented out to those kids who need them and if they fit reasonably well.

Associations can buy bags of starter equipment that they can then loan out at a relatively cheap price if they need to. We do it here because equipment is a barrier to getting kids involved in hockey. We remove that barrier in order to help with recruitment and get more kids involved in the game.

[DarkStar50 679]

Again, where is "here"?

[chippa13 1844]

I'm guessing South Carolina based on the username.

[SCBlueLiner 19]

Again, where is "here"

Iowa, which is why I know so much about the MN Metro area as that is where we travel to play most often.

[chippa13 1844]

I wasn't even close.

[Stewie 721]

meh, they are only a few inches away on a map =)

[DarkStar50 679]

Thanks, SC, I didn't want to guess South Carolina as Chippa did. That's good that the heartland is trying to get the kids started at little to no cost. Here in metro NYC most Learn to Play hockey equipment for the beginners has to be purchased by the parents. Maybe when Bauer opens the NYC Bauer Experience shop in Messier's Kingsborough Arena, they will give all the starter equipment out for free. They should have a lot of the Prodigy gear for beginners to give away. Hey, two sizes fit all!

[SCBlueLiner 19]

I can't imagine any program that is in metro NYC and involves Messier won't have some sort of equipment loaner program. That hockey program meets all the qualification USA Hockey looks for, urban/diverse market, high profile program, NHL legend involved, that USA Hockey looks for when pumping up a "model" program. The opportunities for them to hype the success of the program are endless, from how to grow youth hockey in a nurban area, to how to run a low cost equipment program, to their ADM model of development. I bet the propoganda, and I do mean propoganda, will be rolling out of USA Hockey Magazine about the NYC program there in a couple of years.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

Maybe when Bauer opens the NYC Bauer Experience shop in Messier's Kingsborough Arena, they will give all the starter equipment out for free. They should have a lot of the Prodigy gear for beginners to give away. Hey, two sizes fit all!

Ok.. not to beat a dead horse or hijack the thread but what makes you think they will open a NYC BE in Kingsbridge? The market just is not there!!! There are no big box hockey retailers in NYC, one on LI and two in NJ. No way it opens in the Bronx.

Edit..... Just remembered that Bauer pledged 4 million to the project. Still... I don't think it will ever happen. The major funding source already dropped out once. They got another 30 mill pledged but I still think it will never happen.. certainly not as planned!

[DarkStar50 679]

Messier joined Bauer when Cascade was bought by Bauer. He has been part of the Bauer team since that acquisition. The $4mil pledge by Bauer was a drop in the bucket in the big picture financially of the Kingsbridge project but it did open the door for Bauer as the first vendor in to support the project financially. This Messier/Bauer link through that pledge puts Bauer at the front of the list for vendor services. Messier's sister, Mary-Kay, is leading a Hockey Canada/Bauer initiative to enroll kids in hockey across Canada called The First Shift. Mary-Kay is employed by Bauer and is part of the team launching the Youth Prodigy equipment line for 2015. This protective line is specifically aimed at making the first experience at the rink in hockey a positive one for both player and parent. Bauer will bring this First Shift project to Kingsbridge in a New York minute!

As for the market in metro NYC not being "there", Pure has set up for the long haul in metro NYC(have you heard their radio commercials on WFAN?) and Bauer is more than willing to set up shop in a 9 rink facility. If Bauer is going to metro Boston in Pure's same venue, they have no fear. If they are ready to land in metro Minneapolis and fight the fight, they have no fear. Certainly, Bauer has done more than their due diligence before making these decisions. While you and I may not see the logic, we are not privy to know what they know behind the curtain. I have had conversations with people consulted in Kingsbridge and while what may look like fool's good to some, it is not to those with pockets deep enough to absorb the cost. After all 18 years ago people said a 4 rink facility in northern NJ would never work and every day I go to work there proves them wrong.

[DarkStar50 679]

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/bauer-banking-on-shoppers-hitting-the-ice-in-store/article23772497/?service=mobile

With roughly 700,000 registered players in Canada and 500,000 registered players in the US, Bauer must be hoping that is the only brand they will ever wear. And I thought the rent and overhead on the big box boys in my neighborhood was crazy.........

[the iceman 132]

This year in Canada, we've had the closing of all the Target stores and the Future Shop stores either closing or re-branded under the Best Buy name. Interesting to see if there is room for a Bauer store.

[IPv6Freely 2082]

I'm so happy target is gone. All I ever heard about it was complaints. Not really sure why (the Orillia ON store I visited while in Canada visiting family was IDENTICAL to our local store in California... Same layout, mostly the same products, and about the same prices, converted of course). I think they were expecting it to be cheap like Walmart? I really don't know.