Sher-Wood .....Again

[DarkStar50 679]

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/legend-reborn-story-rebranding-brendon-arnold
 

So what’s happening ? 

[the_game 452]

Oh but they're setting out to 'disrupt' the industry...marketing buzzword bingo has commenced! 'CODE' series, doesn't Tour Hockey have a 'CODE' Line of equipment?

 

[Miller55 333]

6 minutes ago, the_game said:

Oh but they're setting out to 'disrupt' the industry...marketing buzzword bingo has commenced! 'CODE' series, doesn't Tour Hockey have a 'CODE' Line of equipment?

 

This. And also, I heard this top end code stick shoots like crap

[Hills 712]

55 minutes ago, Miller55 said:

This. And also, I heard this top end code stick shoots like crap

It is so meh it isn't even funny but they decided to raise the price...

[nutters 218]

13 minutes ago, Hills said:

It is so meh it isn't even funny but they decided to raise the price...

I'm sure getting influencers (vomits) to say this is the coolest looking stick and how this new tech is amazing will be enough for kids to get their parents to buy them a Code V.

[OldCY 94]

Interesting he uses medical analogies to describe the condition of the company when he took over only to call the new product "code." 

[BenBreeg 493]

so...lots of obvious truths in the article but what wasn't mentioned was what consumer persona they are targeting, what the vision is, what the gap they hope to fill is, and how they are going to fill it...

Disruptive...in truth not a marketing buzzword but it has been commoditized as to have become meaningless...

[Hills 712]

13 minutes ago, nutters said:

I'm sure getting influencers (vomits) to say this is the coolest looking stick and how this new tech is amazing will be enough for kids to get their parents to buy them a Code V.

Hey I got sent one 👀... but every comment I heard so far from the people with the boxes has been pure praise.

Sherwood also sent me the protective line... I just found out the Senior Large elbows they sent me are actually mislabeled senior Smalls 🤦‍♂️

[nutters 218]

28 minutes ago, Hills said:

Hey I got sent one 👀... but every comment I heard so far from the people with the boxes has been pure praise.

Sherwood also sent me the protective line... I just found out the Senior Large elbows they sent me are actually mislabeled senior Smalls 🤦‍♂️

I know you got one😄 but at least you were the only honest person talking about that stick. 

With the forearm portion, are they standard smalls, or do they fit a bit bigger?

[Miller55 333]

On 8/24/2020 at 7:34 AM, Hills said:

It is so meh it isn't even funny but they decided to raise the price...

Didn't realize they raised prices. It's also hideous. 

It's a shame because Sher-Wood is awesome. The m90 is a great stick and a great value. The BPM 120 glove was great all around. Sherwood could honestly do great business by just being good and a bit cheaper

Edited August 27, 2020 by Miller55

[caveman27 208]

I bought a BPM150 years ago that was on clearance at hockey monkey. I like it a lot. It's no longer made. Not sure if others had issues with it and it wasn't selling well or what. The grip surface is nice. I like the amount of launch I get with slap shots, but I also cut about 6 inches off due to my height, so the kick point is higher-ish.  

The article didn't talk much about technological changes in their sticks, more marketing direction changes. If they are going to be back in the NHL, I wonder which players they are going to endorse. The current big names are already taken by Bauer, CCM and Warrior. I used to buy Sher-wood goalie sticks back in the 80s and 90s. Not sure if they are going to try to get back into that. I don't want to sound like a jerk, but they could just hire Don Simmons Hockey to reverse engineer a Bauer 2X Pro and make the 2X Pro Code. 😄 (that was a joke)

Edited August 24, 2020 by caveman27

[Hills 712]

50 minutes ago, nutters said:

I know you got one😄 but at least you were the only honest person talking about that stick. 

With the forearm portion, are they standard smalls, or do they fit a bit bigger?

 

I've never worn small elbows so I can't really say... I grabbed a pair of mediums to see if going down a size would make them work better and realized they were bigger than what was sent to me. I am just going to swap a small for a large at my local store.

 

41 minutes ago, Miller55 said:

Didn't realize they raised prices. It's also hideous. 

It's a shame because Sher-Wood is awesome. The m90 is a great stick and a great value. The BPM 120 love was great all around. Sherwood could honestly do great business by just being good and a bit cheaper

 

The price is one of my big issues with this stick. While I love the M90 it isn't as good as the big companies low kick sticks, it is decent but doesn't have that "kick" that the other brands have. The Code 5 being $300 CAD means it is more expensive than last gen clearance and FT2 is miles ahead of it.

 

19 minutes ago, caveman27 said:

I bought a BPM150 years ago that was on clearance at hockey monkey. I like it a lot. It's no longer made. Not sure if others had issues with it and it wasn't selling well or what. The grip surface is nice. I like the amount of launch I get with slap shots, but I also cut about 6 inches off due to my height, so the kick point is higher-ish.  

The article didn't talk much about technological changes in their sticks, more marketing direction changes. If they are going to be back in the NHL, I wonder which players they are going to endorse. The current big names are already taken by Bauer, CCM and Warrior. I used to buy Sher-wood goalie sticks back in the 80s and 90s. Not sure if they are going to try to get back into that. I don't want to sound like a jerk, but they could just hire Don Simmons Hockey to reverse engineer a Bauer 2X Pro and make the 2X Pro Code. 😄 (that was a joke)

 

Their taper is pretty unique in being super long. Which is something I missed in the video I made. They are going back in the NHL and already have Conner Brown and most likely Trouba and a few others.

[Miller55 333]

28 minutes ago, Hills said:

The price is one of my big issues with this stick. While I love the M90 it isn't as good as the big companies low kick sticks, it is decent but doesn't have that "kick" that the other brands have. The Code 5 being $300 CAD means it is more expensive than last gen clearance and FT2 is miles ahead of it.

I agree it isn't the same as the bigger brands, but I thought it was pretty close at a significantly lower price point. I will always appreciate Sherwood for the BPM 120 le tan leather gloves, but I think this is going in a weird direction

[stick9 891]

Man, one of these smaller companies needs to get their crap together and start making gear exclusively adults playing beer league. No one under 35 gives two craps about Sher-Wood. There is however an entire segment of the market that wants old school gear from an old school brand like Sher-Wood. 

When it comes to sticks it's about value and durability. Make a decent performing stick that hold up reasonably well and sell it for $149. Hell, I'd buy one just to try it.

In other words, do something different. I don't understand why they don't get it.

[Miller55 333]

1 hour ago, stick9 said:

Man, one of these smaller companies needs to get their crap together and start making gear exclusively adults playing beer league. No one under 35 gives two craps about Sher-Wood. There is however an entire segment of the market that wants old school gear from an old school brand like Sher-Wood. 

When it comes to sticks it's about value and durability. Make a decent performing stick that hold up reasonably well and sell it for $149. Hell, I'd buy one just to try it.

In other words, do something different. I don't understand why they don't get it.

Basically yeah. They could be the beer league heroes

Edited August 24, 2020 by Miller55

[VegasHockey 1280]

54 minutes ago, stick9 said:

When it comes to sticks it's about value and durability. Make a decent performing stick that hold up reasonably well and sell it for $149. Hell, I'd buy one just to try it.

 

This dude does exactly that and his stuff is amazing. 

https://prostockhockeysticks.com/

Not like these other "black label" brands. His stuff is atually legit. 

 

[DarkStar50 679]

I've been in the Pro Shop in a 4 rink building since 2001. Locally beer leaguers are tape, sharpening and a only if necessary new stick types. Not universal for all areas of course. I do agree BLers don't care about latest newest gear when it's time for the replacement purchase of totally dead gear. 

[BenBreeg 493]

I don't get that site though.  They have 8 sticks, nothing in stock.  Or you can order 5 at a time, mix and match specs.  A few months ago it looked like you could order singles but that disappeared.  I think for most people you can find a $150ish stick that is a good balance.  I'm looking forward to seeing what the FT3 Team is like.

[VegasHockey 1280]

1 minute ago, BenBreeg said:

I don't get that site though.  They have 8 sticks, nothing in stock.  Or you can order 5 at a time, mix and match specs.  A few months ago it looked like you could order singles but that disappeared.  I think for most people you can find a $150ish stick that is a good balance.  I'm looking forward to seeing what the FT3 Team is like.

FT3 Team is very nice for the price. 

I think he ran into some ordering/inventory issues due to COVID. Saw something he posted on Instagram about finally get in new stock.  

Edited August 24, 2020 by SkateWorksPNW

[colins 246]

On 8/24/2020 at 4:05 PM, stick9 said:

Man, one of these smaller companies needs to get their crap together and start making gear exclusively adults playing beer league. No one under 35 gives two craps about Sher-Wood. There is however an entire segment of the market that wants old school gear from an old school brand like Sher-Wood. 

When it comes to sticks it's about value and durability. Make a decent performing stick that hold up reasonably well and sell it for $149. Hell, I'd buy one just to try it.

In other words, do something different. I don't understand why they don't get it.

 

I think you could be missing something here.

Surely Sher-wood has to be one of the largest hockey equipment manufacturer in the market right now? Like any reboot I'm sure they'll have some missteps, but I wouldn't count them out by any means.

FGL Sports who owns the Sher-Wood brand also controls ProHockeyLife, Canadian Tire Corporation and SportChek. That gives them a huge percentage of Canadian hockey equipment sales and retail market right off the bat.

While Bauer continues to raise prices on their high end gear while cutting corners on materials/quality, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sherwood brand become a legit player that if nothing else, should help keep CCM and Bauer honest.

Edited August 26, 2020 by colins

[boo10 323]

5 minutes ago, colins said:

FGL Sports who owns the Sher-Wood brand also controls ProHockeyLife, Canadian Tire Corporation and SportChek. That gives them a huge percentage of Canadian hockey equipment sales and retail market right off the bat.

*Slight correction, Canadian Tire is the parent company, not FGL. 🌝

[chippa13 1844]

No chance Sher-Wood becomes relevent again. 

[stick9 891]

8 hours ago, chippa13 said:

No chance Sher-Wood becomes relevent again. 

Unfortunately, yes.

The problem I see with the Sher-Wood's of the industry are the products they are bringing to market. They're neither compelling nor different and they're pricing is on par with their competition. So why am I buying a Sher-Wood...?

 

[BenBreeg 493]

38 minutes ago, stick9 said:

Unfortunately, yes.

The problem I see with the Sher-Wood's of the industry are the products they are bringing to market. They're neither compelling nor different and they're pricing is on par with their competition. So why am I buying a Sher-Wood...?

 

Exactly.  If they identify a problem and can fill a void, fine.  I think True has an opportunity delivering their top-tier retail skate at a super competitive price point but as far as other equipment, I don't see the opening.  I can get clearance, pro stock, etc. that is more than sufficient.  Red ocean is what I see.

[colins 246]

47 minutes ago, stick9 said:

Unfortunately, yes.

The problem I see with the Sher-Wood's of the industry are the products they are bringing to market. They're neither compelling nor different and they're pricing is on par with their competition. So why am I buying a Sher-Wood...?

 

That can change over time with the right team making the product decisions.

If you're Canadian Tire, SportChek & ProHockeyLife, and your in house brand can provide you with product to compete up and down the lineup vs. the inventory you buy from CCM/Bauer/etc, it's a huge advantage. They'll having staying power and supply chain advantages, at least for like 3/4s of the Canadian market, that should keep them afloat and relevant for years.

I don't think they should be thought of as a small player these days - they have a huge financial backing and competitive advantage by being the house brand for CTC corp now. They just need to hire the right team.