Do you think it's only a matter of time?

[pmr149 0]

Its not reebok, it's RBK. Reebok is now adidas.

Personally, I've argued more than once that CCM and RBK should be left as separate brand names, because that allows them to have two different lines of equipment to reach two different markets... many of those buyers of those lines don't know that they are the same company. I'd rather see the RBK 9k, CCM Pro Tacks and CCM Vector 10.0s instead of the RBK 9k, RBK Pro Tacks(YUCK! How bad does that sound?!), and RBK Vector 10.0.

Sure, it costs them more to keep both names and market them both BUT look at Ovie and Crosby... Ovie lovers hate Crosby and Crosby lovers hate Ovie, these young players see Ovie in CCM and Crosby in RBK. They buy what their favorite players are wearing/using and there you go, two markets with one company.

Now, you have old schoolers and guys that are all about tradition. They see brands like RBK, CCM, Nike/Bauer, Easton, Mission, TPS, Warrior, Sherwood, etc... Well, what brand names have history? CCM and Bauer, the Bauer name has been tarnished with "Nike" so what's left? CCM. There's another market.

A LOT of people buy products just for the name on it, I myself used to stay away from Mission because it wasn't one of the big boys. Now I know that they make some really nice products. I'm a CCM guy, but if RBK discontinued the brand name I would still be willing to buy it but there are plenty that wouldn't.

Great points,you should consider going into the marketing business. I've never thought of how rbk has crosby and ovechkin basically because they own ccm. That alone is great reason to keep the ccm name...

Another reason I think it would be wise for nike and rbk to keep bauer and ccm name is because it symbolizes an old school type of hockey. Back in the day when it was bauer with those 3 swoosh things under it and all the old school ccm stuff. It would be taking away from the older hockey playing community.

In 10-20 years I can see a monopoly or ogopoly form in the hockey manufacturing world. RBK and Nike...or just RBK

[Chadd 916]

The Big 3 do work to improve their product every year. They are competing with each other!!

As far as little companies go, name three in protective. 10 to 15 years ago if I couldn't get protective in season from Cooper, CCM, Koho, or Jofa, I could always get something just as good without the total brand recognition from Canadien, Louisville, or Vic. Those strong second level brands are gone. The marketplace is changing in ways many do not realize.

Excellent point. The new little guys are just taking share from those second level vendors and the big guys are mostly untouched.

Great points,you should consider going into the marketing business. I've never thought of how rbk has crosby and ovechkin basically because they own ccm. That alone is great reason to keep the ccm name...

Another reason I think it would be wise for nike and rbk to keep bauer and ccm name is because it symbolizes an old school type of hockey. Back in the day when it was bauer with those 3 swoosh things under it and all the old school ccm stuff. It would be taking away from the older hockey playing community.

In 10-20 years I can see a monopoly or ogopoly form in the hockey manufacturing world. RBK and Nike...or just RBK

The older community doesn't spend anywhere near as much as the kids do and they don't care about tradition. In a decade CCM and Bauer will be SMUs for big box stores.

[G.M. 0]

A decade? Try 3 years tops! I heard rumor on the latter this weekend while at a Thanksgiving tourney in California.

The older community doesn't spend anywhere near as much as the kids do and they don't care about tradition. In a decade CCM and Bauer will be SMUs for big box stores.

[mojo122 541]

Back in the day when it was bauer with those 3 swoosh things under it and all the old school ccm stuff. It would be taking away from the older hockey playing community.

Not exactly sure what you mean by "back in the day"? To me that means the 70's. DarkStar's going to have to help out we with this, but back then Bauer was a skate company (You either wore Supremes or Tacks), while CCM and Cooper were the big 2 names supplying protective equipment.

[DarkStar50 679]

Thanks for the flashback: the three swooshes below the Bauer on my old all leather Supreme 92s. That was the 70s. Just the two brands in skates: Bauer Supremes and CCM Tacks(with the long "T" over the top of acks!). Cooper and CCM were the main players for equipment. Somehow there was enough choice and selection, though. The second level Canadian companies were around: Winnwell, D & R, Louisville, Vic, and Sher-wood(just sticks at the time). Koho and Jofa were starting their North American migration by the early and mid 70s, too. Things opened up in the 80s full blast with the USA Olympic team in 80 and then the Islanders and Oilers Cup dominance in the NHL. Those two NHL teams fueled the fire for equipment in both countries. The industry was changing by the time the 90s rolled around. The kids do drive the business these days for purchasing. What will they remember in 20 years from now? "Remember the first OPS, Synergy?" "Yeah, it was only $150!"

[trevor13478 1]

the nike/bauer products are still the bauer products with an updated logo. its the same performance, maybe even better. i would never buy nike equipment because nike makes shoes, not hockey equipment. Nike/bauer however is bauer equipment, the same company that made those skates that we all remember. its not like because a big company puts its name in front of bauer, the product sucks, its all marketing, we need to just get used to companys names changing. the products will stay the same however

[jjtt99 0]

One name that hasn't come up yet is Itech/Mission. These guys are in that funny middle ground -- not really a small shop, but far from being one of the fat cats. It made a lot of sense for Itech and Mission to merge. These guys are another group I'm cheering for.

Yeah, I know it's one thing to cheer, it's something else to put your money where your mouth is. I've never used a Mission anything as I've always seen them as a roller company, but I do have an Itech bucket and visor. Tried Itech gloves a while back, but they weren't working for me.

[G.M. 0]

It's much more than that. Both NBH and RbK are bringing "new blood" into the hockey division and they will slowly but surely grow away from the Bauer and CCM names; it's only a matter of time. NBHs first move was bringing in a non-hockey person to run the division after Zimmerman bolted to the Canucks.

I disagree with you that products are staying the same. The PUMP skate was something that gave CCM many headaches in the 90s and they went away from it, only to come back to it because RbK now owns the company. sure, they most likely perfected the PUMP, but, you would have NEVER seen it make a comeback otherwise.

To prove that NBH is slowly migrating towards their products not being the same, I prove it with one product...Vapor XXXX skate. If it looks like a Nike, maybe it is a Nike?

the nike/bauer products are still the bauer products with an updated logo. its the same performance, maybe even better. i would never buy nike equipment because nike makes shoes, not hockey equipment. Nike/bauer however is bauer equipment, the same company that made those skates that we all remember. its not like because a big company puts its name in front of bauer, the product sucks, its all marketing, we need to just get used to companys names changing. the products will stay the same however

[DarkStar50 679]

You have been fooled by pictures of the XXXX. Once you hold the skate in a LHS, you will know its still a Vapor skate, NOT a Nike skate.

Zimmerman came from Nike Golf. There is no MBA school for hockey executives. As in most corporate situations, CEOs crossover from many different businesses. The hockey world has usually pulled in corporate people outside the small world of the hockey industry. They have had to.

[G.M. 0]

I've actually seen one up close. I guess my point was that the stylings are certainly that of a Nike product. Construction wise, I'd agree.

You have been fooled by pictures of the XXXX. Once you hold the skate in a LHS, you will know its still a Vapor skate, NOT a Nike skate.

Zimmerman came from Nike Golf. There is no MBA school for hockey executives. As in most corporate situations, CEOs crossover from many different businesses. The hockey world has usually pulled in corporate people outside the small world of the hockey industry. They have had to.

[HabsAsap 0]

there are so many companies now its gonna b hard for competitors i think it is safe to say that no matter who comes into the bussiness CCM is defiantely safe considereing they have been around for awhile. PLus Reebok is doing great things for them and the players they sponsor are the next superstars of the league. ON the other hand small companies like jofa who specialise in protective gear are in trouble. They at least have rbk to support them but soon enough i feel as though it will just turn into reebok and the jofa will be dropped. Nike/Bauer is pretty safe....when u combine two of the top names in hockey your bound to have good things. Mission/itech im not sure how they will do it seems as though mission has been slowly declining (correct me if im wrong) and itech (ill b honest never used anythin itech soo i don't no if its quality stuff) but we shall c. The companies that specialise in certain parts of gear liek easton with their sticks and eagle with gloves will definately survive...I mean look at oakley....they went off the rader so quick. I was at my local sports store and all oakley glvoes were 60 percent off....tells you something...plus correct me if im wrong but MIA can either make somethin out of themselves or bust.

[martywest 0]

It's all going to boil down to $$. If a company like RBK feels the CCM name can still make them money as a separate entity, then they might keep them as a separate division, with their own line; for now anyway. However, as the younger kids grow up, and the older guys who grew up with CCM stop playing, CCM will most likely go away. It's kind of odd how RBK and CCM are developing new products. On one hand, RBK is keeping it old school by basically putting their name on the Jofa line, but they're also going new tech with the skates, helmets, and gloves. CCM, which is as old school as they come, is slowly phasing out the Tacks line, and trying to go new and improved with the Vector line. You would almost think that RBK would be all flash and balls, while CCM would be old school. Nike/Bauer on the other hand I think will just continue putting the NBH name on all of Bauer's products, while probably not putting out any Nike specific stuff for a while. It is probably easier and cheaper just to put a Nike swoosh on Bauer's stuff than it is for RBK to keep a separate line with CCM alive.

[westcory 0]

Its not reebok, it's RBK. Reebok is now adidas.

Personally, I've argued more than once that CCM and RBK should be left as separate brand names, because that allows them to have two different lines of equipment to reach two different markets... many of those buyers of those lines don't know that they are the same company. I'd rather see the RBK 9k, CCM Pro Tacks and CCM Vector 10.0s instead of the RBK 9k, RBK Pro Tacks(YUCK! How bad does that sound?!), and RBK Vector 10.0.

Sure, it costs them more to keep both names and market them both BUT look at Ovie and Crosby... Ovie lovers hate Crosby and Crosby lovers hate Ovie, these young players see Ovie in CCM and Crosby in RBK. They buy what their favorite players are wearing/using and there you go, two markets with one company.

Now, you have old schoolers and guys that are all about tradition. They see brands like RBK, CCM, Nike/Bauer, Easton, Mission, TPS, Warrior, Sherwood, etc... Well, what brand names have history? CCM and Bauer, the Bauer name has been tarnished with "Nike" so what's left? CCM. There's another market.

A LOT of people buy products just for the name on it, I myself used to stay away from Mission because it wasn't one of the big boys. Now I know that they make some really nice products. I'm a CCM guy, but if RBK discontinued the brand name I would still be willing to buy it but there are plenty that wouldn't.

Reebok is not Adidas and RBK is Reebok. Check out both companies, one is on the New York Stock exchange and one is on the London stock exchange.

[DarkStar50 679]

Adidas owns RBK.

[jmiro 55]

i just returned to hockey after about an eight year layoff. Wow things changed. I like all the competition. It means I can buy stuff on close out. What I dont like is every time i find something I like it is discontinued. As for sherwood I dont know what will happen if the 5090 coffey is discontinued. Over half the guys in my beer league use them.

I know one thing the prices have really soared since i used to play. 215 for a stick, over a hundred for a good pair of gloves, and my favorite 500 for skates. I could never afford to out fit a kid.

[GH_ID 0]

Reebok and RBK is exactly the same brand! And Reebok is part of the Adidas group.

[trevor13478 1]

yes, reebok and RBK are the same brand, the higher end equipment and sticks say RBK and the lower end says reebok. they are not different companies.

[TBLfan 25]

RBK was Reebok's sport brand. It's a brand name of Reebok, which was bought out by adidas.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Actually, RBK was their "urban" brand when it came to shoes, and now is their highest-end equipment line.

[stick9 903]

I've always bought what I thought offered the most protection or best fit and had the greatest value. If that meant Nike or RBK, then so be it. When Nike first came out I bought a pair of Nike skates. I didn't do it because they said Nike or because they looked cool. I did it because they fit good and were very comfortable. The following year I bought some Nike gloves, which I still have and are in great shape. The reason I bought those, they were simply the best glove for the money. I've since change to Eagles and ditched the Nike skates for Grafs which were replaced by RBK's earlier this year. Was I hesitant about buying RBK skates, yeah I was. That went away once I hit the ice. My Grafs are sitting there collecting dust.

I really don't care what brand I wear or what it looks like. Give me the best fitting and most comfortable skate at a good price. I probably wouldn't care if it said Fisher Price.

[TBLfan 25]

Actually, RBK was their "urban" brand when it came to shoes, and now is their highest-end equipment line.

I've noticed that... but I talked to a rep(no idea what his name was) earlier this year and he told me exactly what I've been saying on here.

From what I understand, basically RBK was introduced as an urban brand(good way to put it). Reebok used this name in the NBA and then the NFL, it took off. They started putting it on just about everything, including hockey and lacrosse. As it seems they have started branding their high end products with the RBK logo(although I haven't discussed it with anyone at the company).

And to say it again because I've been getting pms that seem like they don't understand what I'm saying; RBK IS a brand name or "division" of reebok. I did NOT mean that RBK was not a reebok division, I meant that RBK didn't mean another name for Reebok. You aren't going to buy a Reebok 9K skate, it will be a RBK 9K skate. Oh and I'm willing to bet that in another two years "Reebok" as a brand name will no longer be used, it will either be adidas or RBK.

Just look at any RBK product, you'll be hard pressed to find "Reebok" on it. It's almost like Nike and Jumpman, except nike puts their logos on everything(best example I can think of right now).

[Chadd 916]

RBK IS a brand name or "division" of reebok. I did NOT mean that RBK was not a reebok division, I meant that RBK didn't mean another name for Reebok. You aren't going to buy a Reebok 9K skate, it will be a RBK 9K skate. Oh and I'm willing to bet that in another two years "Reebok" as a brand name will no longer be used, it will either be adidas or RBK.

If you are talking about a line, it is different than a separate entity. It is not a different company or division, just different branding. Think of it like Tacks vs Vectors. Same company, different line.

[TBLfan 25]

That's almost exactly how I've been explaining it(through pms) but apparently no one is getting my point. *shrug* Sad thing is I really don't care and it's a stupid thing to argue about. I was splitting hairs 3 pages ago and someone brings it up and the pms start rolling in.

I mean just think about it the Vectors and Tacks name isn't interchangeable, right? The only difference between the two is that instead of CCM Tacks and CCM Vectors; Reebok happened to be the parent company's name when it started and RBK was the other brand.