Companies changing pro sticks, skates, gloves

[jeffw 1]

Is it just me or is anyone else annoyed that companies do this? Gloves, skates, sticks made up to look like something they're not so unsuspecting players will go out & buy the stuff their favorite player is using when it's not that at all. It's unethical and borders on false advertising, IMO.

If you frequent a board like this then you know that this goes on but probably 95% of fans have no idea.

For instance...

[B-Nads 0]

Is it just me or is anyone else annoyed that companies do this? Gloves, skates, sticks made up to look like something they're not so unsuspecting players will go out & buy the stuff their favorite player is using when it's not that at all. It's unethical and borders on false advertising, IMO.

You have to remember the pro players are these companies' #1 advertising medium - each sponsored pro is a living, breathing billboard. If you take a player like Sakic, for instance, he has a certain model of skate that he prefers - 8090's if I'm not mistaken. While I'm not condoning the act of cosmetically changing a model to look like the newest, there is little gain for NBH in having a marque player showing off an old, discontinued model. The assumption is that that people buying the top-end stuff will research and buy what fits them best. There is little point in basing a purchase on what your favorite player wears - it might not fit you, or might not be suited for your level of play. In most sports, the stuff the pro's use is not what you get retail anyway - buy based on what works for you, not what works for a pro.

In this, I would have to say what is most irritating is the habit the stick makers have of releasing different variations of the same pattern on different sticks. I ordered a Bouchard blade based on the curve I saw on a RM9 OPS - got it come and it is nowhere near the same pattern.

[DEATHTRON 19]

I dont think its that big of a deal. The hockey players are creatures of habit for the most part, and the hockey companies have to come out with something new every year to make money....like B-Nads said, what good does it do them to have a player sporting skates that are decades old (Modano, Chelios, Afinogenov, Kovalchuk)? Instead, how about give the player what he wants, then shape the equipment up to help their sales? It is a necesary action.

Zach

[theWB 2]

Two questions, hopefully someone can answer.

1)What is the model name of the skate shown above?

2)What kind of skates does Kovalchuk wear?

Thanks

[greech 4]

Two questions, hopefully someone can answer.

1)What is the model name of the skate shown above?

2)What kind of skates does Kovalchuk wear?

Thanks

1.) NikeBauer S9, it's a pro-only skate.

2.) Pretty sure its an old vapor 10 dressed up like a flexlite.

[ScottMan 0]

I tend to agree with the OP. It doesn't anger me, but it's a bit silly IMO. If a marquee player wants to skate in old Tacks and an old school Ultralite then he should. I just think it's rather underhanded to make an old pair of sticks look like a new pair.

I also think the recent rebadging of a completely different brand is pretty silly too. :shrug:

[TBLfan 25]

It doesn't bother me unless I'm buying a stick and it's not what it is described do to a mistake or otherwise... You should definitely find what works for you best as opposed to buying what your favorite player uses.

Lecavalier is my favorite player, I'm almost head to toe in NBH. NBH puts out products that work best for me and my taste.

[Chadd 916]

I don't buy things just because a pro uses them so it really doesn't make a difference to me. Buy things for a good reason and it doesn't impact you.