Is Warrior loosing it's grip in NHL?

[Rubo 0]

Is it me or have their numbers dropped when it comes to how many pros and stars are using their stuff? 5 years a go I saw tons of sticks, gloves, protection is much harder to detect if they had significant presence or not, but now its mostly Bauer and CCM.  What about retail have you guys noticed a drop at retail?

 

And is there a direct connection to having a custom division in North America or not having a custom division. I don't recall them having custom division in North America for sticks, but gloves we just learned they moved to overseas. I know teams can spend a lot but if you have to pay overnight shipping from Asia vs NA and then if you need tweaks, mods, revisions....all this shipping over the continents drags time and players need things fast and on the spot, one would think that having significant presence in the show in a long run would be better for a brand VS.  less presence with bigger profit margins.

 

 

[flip12 717]

They have a stick factory in Tijuana, Mexico, IIRC.

[Zac911 317]

I think you might see more Warrior and some other players in the NHL this next year.  That said NHL exposure is not the end all be all.  Those are very small numbers and only part of marketing / exposure for manufacturers.  

 

The real story is what is selling through for dealers.  What are dealers having to discount to move it off the shelf.  

 

With etailers and retailers having to heavily discount the " most in demand " products in hockey that is very scary.  It's a short term win for the consumer;  however,  large corporations faced with the demand of shareholders to grow profits will be forced to cut corners somewhere.  

 

Corporate Greed in a sport like hockey where we are not truly growing at the rate at which shareholders demand is bad for our industry.

[the_game 452]

Warrior moving their glove manufacturing overseas is old news, everyone has known about that since the news came out.  While there was a small audience that voiced their displeasure with this move (guilty) it also spawned Pat's Custom Pro repair for pro's and schmoes to get their gloves repaired or modded. And I don't think the regular joe schmoe consumer at retail worries about where their gloves are made, which is probably most important. 

 

 

[GreatestAmericanBeardo 258]

you're completely over looking the Vulcan market.  Hockey (and Warrior) is HUGE in Shi'Kahr.. 

 

 

 

seriously tho, Google: "Pat's Custom Pro repair" and check out their photos.

 

Heck, i'll do it for you: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x4cc911a778cf9835:0x544ab85863604d18!2m5!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i100!3m1!7e1!4s//plus.google.com/photos/photo/101845131243267805881/6171458141062665714!5sPat%27s+Custom+Pro+repair+-+Google+Search&imagekey=!1e3!2s-_gz95K0o0DQ/VaVse0Q7lfI/AAAAAAAAAF4/fEP8P2BU_v4&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjQ9t6-kfjLAhVLWD4KHZPIABAQoioIZjAK

[Bbd94 26]

Sticks? Maybe.  But it's largely because the market in sticks has seen some new competitors like TRUE and STX.

 

Gloves? No. I've been seeing more and more players pop up in Warrior gloves, especially AX1s. 

[Rubo 0]

I always believed in trickle down effect in hockey, If company's aim is low grade product with low price (Walmart / Canadian Tire) then yes trickle down effect is negligible. But if you're competing in the top price point / quality category the trickle down effect is critical at surviving long term not short term. Unless revolutionary technology comes into play. Warrior / NB is privetly owned company so I don't see the pressure of shareholders there. That's why I asked the question,...... short term they were hot, but now it seems on the pro level not so much with sticks specially, which is  bread and butter category. When I talk to parents of some pros all I hear is stories of screw ups, with sticks, curves, flexes, lies.....gloves.. and not Warrior in particular it's across the board, but I would think if you had a factory close by even if a screw up happens you can quickly fix the issue, after all if you don't have revolutionary technology your only hope is quick and responsive customer service and marketing, which comes back to having as many top pro's using your product. I understand the economics of overseas, but sometimes you have to break even in one category to stay in the game long term and keep your brand alive.