Big changes?

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Looks like Warrior Lacrosse (whose parent company is New Balance) is looking to get into hockey in the worst way...they've managed to land three product managers from Easton (stick, skate and protective guys) AND also is acquiring a certain stick brand (I'm sure you can figure out who.) Details to follow soon.

[asdfa 0]

uh, is the stick brand "Black Beauty"?

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Innovative.

[whbd18 0]

so is warrior gonna have skates, ops,protective and stuff like that ....so innovative is no more..........

freakin shoe companys tryen to get in the hockey business

[dddatsyuk--48 0]

so is warrior gonna have skates, ops,protective and stuff like that ....so innovative is no more..........

freakin shoe companys tryen to get in the hockey business

ummm....reebok....

[whbd18 0]

i dont really like how the shoe companys are in the hockey business but i like rbk for some reason...i have their(jofa) 5k shinguard,6k shoulder,5 k glove,pro stock 6k ops,8k helmet,5k elbow,and im getting the 8k skates,,,,i love the equipment but that may be because they are made by jofa and jofa makes good protective

[kosydar 0]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see why this is necessarily bad. The one problem with Inno is its lack of distribution. Having a parent company buy it out would most likely help solve this.

[PH_Hockey2 4]

I have a bad felling about this one...

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

You've got some big names jumping ship to them...

[hockechamp14 0]

what's going to happen to bauer vapor sticks?

[seanmccann 3]

I have a bad felling about this one...

I am too. Reebok played it very smart to use Jofa, CCM, and Koho's products, put both brands on them but still keep letting THC put out product under their own names.

New Balance is already getting off on the wrong foot with me and I have not seem a single peice of product.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Um, where did I say it was going to be called New Balance?

[seanmccann 3]

Um, where did I say it was going to be called New Balance?

Regardless of what the name of product will be, it will be New Balance in a sense putting the money out for it, am I correct?

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

I don't understand what point you are trying to make. If there is one company that needs to be bought, it would be Inno. But the thing is, they are starting a new brand and have gotten some pretty big names to do so.

[Karly14 21]

I dont see how this is a bad thing. the more companies the more selection for us, and like jr said, inno needs better distribution

[seanmccann 3]

I dont see how this is a bad thing. the more companies the more selection for us, and like jr said, inno needs better distribution

Yes true, I guess it means more selection and competition which in turn means lower prices. Hopfully Innovative will still keep their name on their product.

[hockechamp14 0]

How does everyone think the skates are going to be? New balance makes some pretty awesome specialized cross trainers, hopefully they can do some good things in designing and creating skates with the product manager they got.

[warrior37 0]

warrior makes a quality lacrosse product id like to think they will take their time and use the knowledge from the easton people and innovative, the best sticks in the world in my opinion, to make some solid hockey gear. id like to see no change made to the stick line, maybe adding models but not taking any away or cutting corners on quality. i also hope if they change the graphics and such on the 1100s that there will be a drastic price drop in the "older inno" models

[Jim A 4]

I don't think Warrior has much day to day dealings with NB on the corporate level..they just seem to let Gait do his thing...and he does it well...

From past experience..NB seems to let their people do the work that needs to be done and stay out of the way, have you ever thought to yourself "Wow..I like that 990 running shoe..but New Balance is so oversaturated and overbranded, I can't support them"? Of course not..

I'd like to see what Warrior can bring...being that most lacrosse gear is about protectiveness yet freedom and range of movement...of course..hopefully they redesign the helmet..haha...

Never mind some of the people they've brought on board...serious stuff...

[warrior37 0]

im pretty sure the gait bros kinda bought out debeer lacrosse, mark millon is warriors big name. any idea when warrior will launch a product line?

[sherwood21 0]

Well, I can't see Warrior redesigning helmets, seeing as that is Cascade's job in the lax industry. But maybe they will get into that too? I like this idea, I have almost everything Warrior for lacrosse so I bet I could be picking up a few things if this ever gets rolling.

[Dangles 0]

ummm....reebok....

I was hoping they'd come out with a G-Unit skate

[jimmy 194]

I dont see how this is a bad thing. the more companies the more selection for us, and like jr said, inno needs better distribution

Inno isn't made in China is it??? If not, it will be.

[mik3 1]

Warrior has pretty much shot up to become one of the biggest names in lacrosse, hell even SI just did a big story on them. I feel they'd bring innovation to hockey (pardon the pun). I'd like to see some stuff that breaks the mold, but not just for the sake to be different. How many people have brought up in the past few years how they'd love a glove that had the mobility of a lacrosse glove with the protection of a hockey glove? Well, here will probably be your chance.

And, the more competition the better it is for the consumer.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Anytime theres new junk to try out I get excited :). I just hope they give me something to look forward to. If they make a quality product thats great, if not, I doubt they'll last very long.

I'm guessing if this pans out, we'll be waiting about a year - two years for them to put something out?