RBK 9k O-Tech Stick (pics added by JR)

[TBLfan 25]

that would be the opposite of the very popular low kickpoint stick that everyone is using. I don't believe that one bit, because that's one common thing that every stick maker has found that works across the board.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

And it didn't work for the Flyweight?

Stiffer down low - less lag.

[TBLfan 25]

yeah it did... but wasn't not clear on what he meant. I completely over looked what he said about the flyweight. That's where I got the complete opposite of the low kickpoint. I thought he meant that it was a ummm guess we'd call it a high kickpoint that would be basically like a synergy II flipped around.

Don't mind me, I'm really tired. In fact, I'm going to bed.

edit - wow, I can't type or construct complete sentences.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Might see that Metamorphic shape in the future

[DamnLocust 0]

don't tell me that JR, it's just an excuse for me to buy one of the new fuel sticks.

[DarkStar50 679]

Here is my question for the vendor lurkers on the board: why would the #3(if that, behind Easton and NBH)player in the OPS market, offer a new OPS at the highest price point yet in the market? They are having a tough enough time getting shelf space and they decide to go even higher at retail with a new OPS? I am not knocking the technology, the R & D, or the product. I'm thinking from the marketing point to increase your sales units of your OPS, not your $. The more RBK OPS in players hands on ice at the rink, the more exposure/sales for RBK OPS.

[Snapcat 0]

Any word on price for the 9k?

our rep said "$245... and up." so pretty general..

I'd get out my drill before I paid that much for a stick. One homemade 9k O coming up.

[chk hrd 164]

Here is my question for the vendor lurkers on the board: why would the #3(if that, behind Easton and NBH)player in the OPS market, offer a new OPS at the highest price point yet in the market? They are having a tough enough time getting shelf space and they decide to go even higher at retail with a new OPS? I am not knocking the technology, the R & D, or the product. I'm thinking from the marketing point to increase your sales units of your OPS, not your $. The more RBK OPS in players hands on ice at the rink, the more exposure/sales for RBK OPS.

they could be going by the "It" factor. This stick is the new big deal in sticks and there are alot of people who want it just to say they have it.

[TBLfan 25]

Here is my question for the vendor lurkers on the board: why would the #3(if that, behind Easton and NBH)player in the OPS market, offer a new OPS at the highest price point yet in the market? They are having a tough enough time getting shelf space and they decide to go even higher at retail with a new OPS? I am not knocking the technology, the R & D, or the product. I'm thinking from the marketing point to increase your sales units of your OPS, not your $. The more RBK OPS in players hands on ice at the rink, the more exposure/sales for RBK OPS.

they could be going by the "It" factor. This stick is the new big deal in sticks and there are alot of people who want it just to say they have it.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking... PLUS, maybe are going to buy it because "for this price it has to be the best!"

This stick may or may not be something revolutionary but regardless they're going to sell it, whether it's $100 or $300.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Had a chance to see it today, but shooting for it to be at the MSH skate on Saturday.

[Chadd 916]

Here is my question for the vendor lurkers on the board: why would the #3(if that, behind Easton and NBH)player in the OPS market, offer a new OPS at the highest price point yet in the market? They are having a tough enough time getting shelf space and they decide to go even higher at retail with a new OPS? I am not knocking the technology, the R & D, or the product. I'm thinking from the marketing point to increase your sales units of your OPS, not your $. The more RBK OPS in players hands on ice at the rink, the more exposure/sales for RBK OPS.

Hockey has become a game of haves and have nots. There are a significant number of people who will buy it simply because it is new and more expensive, therefore it has to be better.

[DamnLocust 0]

Hockey has become a game of haves and have nots. There are a significant number of people who will buy it simply because it is new and more expensive, therefore it has to be better.

Therefore it will make me better.

eh. if it gives you a confidence boost and you're not late on any rent payments because of it, have at it.

[Chadd 916]

Hockey has become a game of haves and have nots. There are a significant number of people who will buy it simply because it is new and more expensive, therefore it has to be better.

Therefore it will make me better.

eh. if it gives you a confidence boost and you're not late on any rent payments because of it, have at it.

Yeah, but I get sick of the douchebags who have the money to buy whatever they want ragging on the kids who don't. The class divisions are pushing kids out of hockey.

[DarkStar50 679]

Chadd, you're late for the party. Hockey has always been a game of the haves and have-nots. However, as someone who started in the game as a have-not, a thick skin and some mental toughness will get anyone through the tough times if they want it bad enough.

My original question was not about who would buy the stick but why make it so expensive given the vendor's position in the marketplace. The "it" factor works for about a week among the kids and then its old news quickly. Put something in the marketplace with staying power(for example, Stealth OPS), make it affordable given your market share and desire to gain market share, and see where it takes you. RBK OPS will never get to Easton's position, yet that is where they aim their product price points. And before everyone goes nuts, I know the Stealth is the upper end of OPS price points.

[Deano11 0]

I don't work for The Hockey Company, but if I were to speculate on why they are positioning this stick at a top price point, I would suggest the following:

1) The stick is probably more expensive to produce than any of their existing models, and they are attempting to maintain a margin standard.

2) They are trying to create the perception that the stick is better than anything else on the market, and feel that pricing it higher will achieve that.

3) As DarkStar pointed out, THC is at best #3 in the OPS market. If they can create a buzz with this "ultra-premium" stick, they should be able to translate that into sales at the lower and mid-range sticks. I would look for a lower priced O-tech stick to follow in mid to late 2007.

Compare this situation to the car market. Chrysler was not a significant player in the premium/luxury car market, yet they introduced the Dodge Viper and it's ridiculous price tag. They didn't do it with the intent to sell huge volumes and make a lot of money, but instead to create a buzz around the brand and get people talking about Dodge. Perhaps THC is hoping this stick will do the same for RBK.

[G60 0]

Compare this situation to the car market. Chrysler was not a significant player in the premium/luxury car market, yet they introduced the Dodge Viper and it's ridiculous price tag. They didn't do it with the intent to sell huge volumes and make a lot of money, but instead to create a buzz around the brand and get people talking about Dodge. Perhaps THC is hoping this stick will do the same for RBK.

this is absolutely correct. in the auto industry it's called a 'halo' model. they produce a car out of most any consumer's price range, amid alot of publicity in order to produce brand recognition and boost sales of ALL models across the board.

the consumer says (and don't overestimate the average consumer, they are, for the most part stupid) "dodge made the viper, so that means my cheap neon/nitro etc must have SOMETHING in common with it, therefore making it better than any competitor's car"

every company tries to market their brand so it stands on their own. people will want a BMW no matter what, despite the fact makes such as Infiniti and Audi produce better cars for the money. you just don't impress as many people saying 'i drive an infiniti' as you do saying 'i drive a BeeEmmDoubleYoo'

i don't think RBK is trying as hard to cut into the sales of Easton as they are NBH. RBK's (owned by Adidas, the #2 maker of sportswear behind Nike) competition is NBH.

[Chadd 916]

Chadd, you're late for the party. Hockey has always been a game of the haves and have-nots. However, as someone who started in the game as a have-not, a thick skin and some mental toughness will get anyone through the tough times if they want it bad enough.

My original question was not about who would buy the stick but why make it so expensive given the vendor's position in the marketplace. The "it" factor works for about a week among the kids and then its old news quickly. Put something in the marketplace with staying power(for example, Stealth OPS), make it affordable given your market share and desire to gain market share, and see where it takes you. RBK OPS will never get to Easton's position, yet that is where they aim their product price points. And before everyone goes nuts, I know the Stealth is the upper end of OPS price points.

It has gotten worse over the last couple years and is accelerating. Most kids aren't mentally tough, look at the helicopter parents phenomenon at colleges for an example of that.

Most RBK products are overpriced given their features, why would this stick be an exception? Having a looser margin also gives them the chance to make up for some lost sales. All of that said, if someone came out with the best OPS on the planet and retailed it for $99 a lot of people would write it off because it was only a $99 stick.

[jimmy 194]

Market share means nothing. Look at the Hummer, what's it's market share? Miniscule. But the botom line is it's a presitgious vehicle that everyone druels over. Perhaps this is the direction RBK is going with this stick. Who knows. Pricing is not even available yet, so no reason to get panties in a bunch. The stick is still in prototype so no reason even talk about durability yet. What I'm waiting for it the hype behind the product and some sort of proof as to why it is better if they claim it's better. As of now we know NOTHING.

[mm705 0]

it should be an interesting experiment when it comes out as far as seeing what people will actually pay for a stick. i think this may be the one that has surpassed the line (at least for me) in terms of what i can spend in a single trip to my lhs without leaving there feeling like i have to go to confession. while im sure there will be a few little mites out there whos mommys buy them these sticks, im not sure i could bring myself to buy one if it is above 200 dollars us, which is already asking quite alot, especially considering that a good slash will leave you 245+ dollars in the hole in 31 days...

[LkptTiger 1]

Ha...Chadd said "...only a $99 stick." If you think about it, that is kinda funny.

I was pretty young at the time, but I do remember the buzz that the SyNergy created when it was first released. $150 for a one-piece stick? That's outragous!

Yet people bought them. Personally, I didn't buy into the whole one-piece thing until I was about fifteen (I loved the Z-Bubble for the longest time, but once I got bigger, I started breaking them left and right). But once I got my hands on my first couple SyNergies, I was hooked.

Now, years after much of the hockey world vowed never to spend $150 on a hockey stick, I, and many others, are routinely buying $200 sticks and snapping them with sickening regularity.

Of course, some of you that claim you'll want nothing to do with the stick upon it's release will, most likely, stick to your word and never so much as touch one. There is another contigent of you that is going to, eventually, give-in and buy the stick: Hell, you already pay $200 - once you get to that point, what's another $50-$60?

As much as I would like to say "$260? Fuck that!" I'll be more realistic and tell you that if I hear good things, chances are I'll be carrying a couple around...and, depending on my personal impression of the stick, buying more when I break them.

[The Webster 0]

imagine how much this stick is gonna be when it comes to the uk, i feeling around £800 easy

[Chadd 916]

Ha...Chadd said "...only a $99 stick." If you think about it, that is kinda funny.

I was pretty young at the time, but I do remember the buzz that the SyNergy created when it was first released. $150 for a one-piece stick? That's outragous!

I remember when the Busch sticks first started coming over to the US. People thought $150 was too much for a stick but once Easton did it, then it was ok. Lemmings, people are lemmings.

[usahockey22 0]

$260 for a damn hockey stick? A few years ago you could get top of the line skates for that amount of money...you have to wonder if the little kids, whose parents will surely run out and buy them one of these upon release, will be thinking about how they don't want to break their fancy new stick when they wind up for a slapshot...it's like buying an expensive pair of shoes, or an expensive watch, but only wearing it for the casual affairs, when you KNOW nothing will happen to your investment. Hockey is too brutal and unpredictable to simply be snapping sticks that cost this much. But I'm sure they will be popping up in the hands of kids everywhere soon...

I'm going to stick with my t-flex and z-bubble, and when those break, I'm just going to get wood sticks from then on...the rest of you have fun breaking the bank and then breaking the stick!

[DamnLocust 0]

you have to wonder if the little kids, whose parents will surely run out and buy them one of these upon release, will be thinking about how they don't want to break their fancy new stick when they wind up for a slapshot..

The kids whose parents buy the stick won't care about breaking them, mommy will buy them another one, because mommy loves them, right?

[Quintin 16]

imagine how much this stick is gonna be when it comes to the uk, i feeling around £800 easy

I know the prices for equipments here are obscenely ridiculous but come on. Probably going for £280-£320