Any updates on the sale of NBH?

[shooter27 116]

Was just doing some research (yeah, I'm bored at work today). When Nike bought Canstar, it was doing $205 million in revenue. I thought I saw someone say that NBH is doing $160 million in revenue today. Is that really the case? Is NBH smaller than Canstar was?

[BigDipper 0]

Canstar then..owned Cooper, Bauer, TUUK, daoust,FLAK and micron. The way I see it is this. Revenue was higher due to lower production costs from lack of technology as well as keeping it within North America. In the modern era not only are there now generally fewer big name brands, but the shift towards advance in technology and marketing for one, have driven Bauer's revenue down. Regardless of what most people think, RBK has done what no other brand in history as done, and they have done it right. Nike/Bauer could have, and did have that oppurtunity but did not take advantage. The bauer name will always be synonomous with excellence and will always sell. Hopefully whoever steps up will make a big push to compete back to the level they were once at.

[Chadd 916]

Canstar then..owned Cooper, Bauer, TUUK, daoust,FLAK and micron. The way I see it is this. Revenue was higher due to lower production costs from lack of technology as well as keeping it within North America. In the modern era not only are there now generally fewer big name brands, but the shift towards advance in technology and marketing for one, have driven Bauer's revenue down. Regardless of what most people think, RBK has done what no other brand in history as done, and they have done it right. Nike/Bauer could have, and did have that oppurtunity but did not take advantage. The bauer name will always be synonomous with excellence and will always sell. Hopefully whoever steps up will make a big push to compete back to the level they were once at.

Lower production cost has nothing to do with revenue in this case. Revenue = total income

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenue

[sdcopp 1]

it's the whole shelf space issue again. Why stick with one brand when you can sell two and have more shelf space in a shop or on a website?

[shooter27 116]

I was just really surprised by this. Think about it from just the inflation angle. Brand new top end skates in 1994 ~$300. Brand new top end skates 2008 ~$500. Top end sticks 1994 ~$80 (aluminum stick + wood blade). Top end sticks 2008 ~ $200. That is roughly a 2x increase in selling price, for revenue to go from $200 million to $160 million, the number of items sold would have to decline by more than half.

[BigDipper 0]

I agree completely and personally I only think it will only get worse. Sticks have gotten completely out of hand. To the point of ridiculousness, but people will still buy them. I just think in general nike really screwed up bad with bauer. But then again, in Nike's eyes you cut your losses. For a company who is worth billions, what the hell would you care about Bauer for. Nike could have used them to for lack of better term "break into the market" but Nike flopped with its gear completely. Someone decent will buy them I'm sure and bring it back to the old school way.

[Aussie Joe 0]

If we could just get Bauer back, cut off the Nike parts and get the company back to its roots. No flashy come get me skates and sticks, just good old fashioned hockey gear that performs, lasts and most of all doesn't look like its been designed by Dolce & Gabbana.

[TBLfan 25]

Yeah, Bauer would do great without a financial backing of a company like Nike. You guys have must have no idea how much Nike has helped the innovation of hockey equipment.

[sdcopp 1]

Nike marketing has no doubt been a boon for the NBH brand, much like RBK has boosted CCM/RBK as a brand. Some interesting sales numbers, both estimates at this point for 07:

NBH - 215.7 mil

CCM/RBK - 190.5 mil

given that the parent companies are multi-billion dollar industries, these are drops in the big corporate bucket. However, these are not piddly numbers by any means in themselves and could sustain decently as stand alone companies if run effeciently.

[Aussie Joe 0]

Yeah, Bauer would do great without a financial backing of a company like Nike. You guys have must have no idea how much Nike has helped the innovation of hockey equipment.

Like their Roller gear for eg.

[BigDipper 0]

I disagree. I don't feel Nike has done anything for the innovation of hockey equipment. Not even close.

[TBLfan 25]

I don't really care what you think of their roller hockey equipment or their equipment in general. How much does the equipment we have now compare to what was had before Nike/RBK got into the game?

When someone comes in with financial backing like that, other companies take notice and raise the bar. Look at Mission this year, they have the TI pro stick, a 60 warranty with performance superior than any composite of the era before the big boys arrived. There's reason behind the saying "When companies compete, you win."

[Chadd 916]

I disagree. I don't feel Nike has done anything for the innovation of hockey equipment. Not even close.

What color is the sky in your world?

[sinkhole84 0]

I don't really care what you think of their roller hockey equipment or their equipment in general. How much does the equipment we have now compare to what was had before Nike/RBK got into the game?

When someone comes in with financial backing like that, other companies take notice and raise the bar. Look at Mission this year, they have the TI pro stick, a 60 warranty with performance superior than any composite of the era before the big boys arrived. There's reason behind the saying "When companies compete, you win."

i thought it was banks. BTW

[Chadd 916]

Nike marketing has no doubt been a boon for the NBH brand, much like RBK has boosted CCM/RBK as a brand. Some interesting sales numbers, both estimates at this point for 07:

NBH - 215.7 mil

CCM/RBK - 190.5 mil

given that the parent companies are multi-billion dollar industries, these are drops in the big corporate bucket. However, these are not piddly numbers by any means in themselves and could sustain decently as stand alone companies if run effeciently.

That's true, but the ROI in hockey a hockey company isn't even close to what it is in many other industries. Someone purely motivated by dollars and cents would never look at hockey as a "growth" industry like Nike did all those years ago. Also, since they're already number one in sales and market share, there isn't any room to grow the company and resell at a higher price. Whoever comes in will likely have some experience in the industry, god help us all if they don't.

[TBLfan 25]

I don't really care what you think of their roller hockey equipment or their equipment in general. How much does the equipment we have now compare to what was had before Nike/RBK got into the game?

When someone comes in with financial backing like that, other companies take notice and raise the bar. Look at Mission this year, they have the TI pro stick, a 60 warranty with performance superior than any composite of the era before the big boys arrived. There's reason behind the saying "When companies compete, you win."

i thought it was banks. BTW

Regardless of who uses that tagline it still holds value.

Gorillas have been taught sign language. That doesn't mean that sign language is only used so you can communicate with gorillas.

[BigDipper 0]

Explain to me what Nike did and innovated.

[Aussie Joe 0]

I disagree. I don't feel Nike has done anything for the innovation of hockey equipment. Not even close.

I may agree with you to a certain extent Dipper, care to elaborate more however?

I don't really care what you think of their roller hockey equipment or their equipment in general.

Nice, makes me want take you seriously now moreso then ever.

[VakarLajos 5]

Explain to me what Nike did and innovated.

It's not Nike itself so much as the money Nike brought to relationship. This thread will soon deteriorate into people bashing the Swoosh and saying how much better the HH5000 is than the HH5500

[BigDipper 0]

First off, they neglected to hold any value regarding endorsement/sponsorship contracts with any leagues. They had the CHL and bowed out. They used Bauer's gear, slapped thier check on it and made god awful equipment that was generally scoffed at in the hockey world. When that failed the joined their names together. All the while Bauer still using thier name, thier product and thier team. The only thing they may have done was generate a different interested in the equipment markey...solely because of the name, but other than that, I don't think they have done close to anything to "innovate" the game. Easton or RBK deserve wayyyyyyy more credit than Nike.

[Aussie Joe 0]

I once worked for a company that had a great core value...

"Where there's customer feedback, there's room for improvement."

Just curious, but, RbK innovated what in hockey...

I thought the same question SRI.

[BigDipper 0]

I agree..holes in a stick, some ridiculous moisture wicking jersey and a pump in a skate is all unbelieveably laughable. However. Easton revolutionized it by taking the OPS to new levels, which obviously has impacted the game unlike nothing else. I'm sure even you use them. And RBK solely contributed to the game at all levels, bringing exposure and brand recognition back to a sport that desperately needed it, not to mention promoting and marketing arguably the "face" of hockey in the modern era in Sidney Crosby. My point in all of this is that NIKE had it..and they let it slip away. I think bauer would have grasped hold if it wasnt for nike holding it back. Bauer should have been alone and seized the chance to take hold in the market. There's no logical answer why they couldn't have done what easton, or RBK has done. Not one.

[BigDipper 0]

Good point with the skates. That's why it sickened me with the new XXXX. Going to the 'flashy" look. Someone will step up and bring them back to status again. I mean Bauer going under would be like Chevy going under. Just can't happen.

[TBLfan 25]

I don't really care what you think of their roller hockey equipment or their equipment in general.

Nice, makes me want take you seriously now moreso then ever.

Why? because I don't care if you like something or not? Just because you don't like Ferrari doesn't mean it's not more advanced than a model T. Opinion is opinion and fact is fact. You should learn to separate the two.

I dislike RBK sticks, so what? That doesn't mean that the company is complete crap and they have done nothing for the hockey industry.

[Law Goalie 147]

RBK has made a couple of reasonable advances in goalie gear, too. Their replaceable-blade cowlings (admittedly licensed from Belfour) and thinner goalie steel (top-notch material) are pretty significant contributions, and the design they put forward on behalf of Michel Lefebvre for the RBK pads was innovative as a flat-pad design but most significant in its elegance. Ask even goalies who hate the Premiers (I do), and they'll still admit that they're incredibly well-made and have perhaps the best-designed knee ever.

The Nike Flexlite is a pretty respectable skate, even if it looks a little silly; ditto the V-series. At least they brought a couple of unusual lasts to market, and the 'GameReady' fit was a decent attempt at something new.

Anyway, Bauer needs to be bought by someone who will be satisfied with steady profit rather than insane, cancerous growth, and who has the sense to put hockey people in place and let them run the show.