Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Keuka Lake, NY
    Posts
    7,692

    Default End of wake boarding?

    Smart money may think so...

    From wakeworld.

    MasterCraft Withdraws Sponsorship of the Pro Wakeboard Tour
    Author: MasterCraft Press Release9-16-2014Categorized in: Articles, News
    Share
    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on myspace More Sharing Services
    Vonore, TN - MasterCraft Boat Company announced today it has chosen to withdraw its sponsorship of the 2015 Pro Wakeboard Tour season, opting out of the final year of its contract with World Sports and Marketing, the event-marketing firm that activates the PWT. MasterCraft and World Sports & Marketing have over 25 years of bringing pro watersports and its pro athletes to fans all over the country. However due to the ever changing landscape of wakeboarding, event marketing, athlete and fan expectations, MasterCraft has chosen to move forward with a new direction for the 2015 summer season.

    "MasterCraft thanks the team at World Sports for over 25 years of making the Pro Tour such a highly regarded event," said Aarne Clow, MasterCraft team and event manager. "Despite our wonderful history, there have been so many changes to the wake scene over the last few years that have resulted in the slow decline of attendance and participation, we felt it was the right time to go back to the drawing board, work with our team of world class athletes and deliver a different experience for 2015 and beyond."

    While details of MasterCraft’s forthcoming event is still under lock and key, its goal remains to bring a premium experience that progresses and exposes the sport, improves the life of the athlete and rejuvenates the fans of wake sports. More information will be coming out in the early spring of 2015.

    About MasterCraft
    MasterCraft strives to deliver consumers the ultimate water sports experience by designing and building the world’s highest quality, best performing sports luxury boats in every significant inboard niche. Tours of MasterCraft’s world headquarters in Vonore, Tennessee, are available Monday-Thursday from 2pm to 4pm.

    Share
    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on myspace More Sharing Services
    Comments (0)

    Please Login to Comment
    A Day at the Lake...Priceless
    A Day in Powder...Endless


    Joe V
    2012 Möbius XLV~ Loaded & Exiled
    2007 Outback V ~ sold

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Arkansas
    Posts
    3,952

    Default

    That's crazy it has been 25 years!

    It sounds like MC has plans in place, though. I wonder if surfing will be involved?

    I think owners events would be easier to put on and reach out to far more potential customers. It has become a boating lifestyle, not a pure wakeboard tool. It will be interesting to see what MC does.
    Last edited by KG's Supra24; 09-16-2014 at 11:02 PM.
    2016 Moomba Mojo
    2006 Supra 24SSV - Traded

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Skiatook Lake Oklahoma
    Posts
    545

    Default End of wake boarding?

    It's been a long time coming. Same thing has happened with motocross/supercross.

    The boat/Watersports industry is too small to survive without industry outsiders getting involved. Need title sponsorship money from business outside the industry. Ie energy drink, beer, cell phone etc. that can still co-mingle with the actionsports lifestyle.

    World Sports and Marketing needs to have major emphasis put on venues. For example, although not an actual PWT event the Nationals were held at BSR in Waco Texas. Excellent venue to hold both cable and boat events but it's out in the middle of nowhere, there is no one to buy tickets and the attendance showed. If you didn't have child or family member competing you probably wouldn't even have known it was going on there. Not too mention the heat was absolutely brutal. The temperature would not have changed but the event should have been in Dallas to capture major metropolitan area for ticket sales.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Todd
    2017 SUPRA SA450

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    253

    Default

    Just because something is no longer on TV doesn't t mean it's dieing. My 15 year old daughter wanted to learn how to slalom ski this summer. She dropped once then deep water started and was out side the wake on her second time in the bindings.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Clermont, Fl
    Posts
    586

    Default

    Couple years ago Kyle Schmidt told me (and I paraphrase) "I'm 30 years old now and I'm to old for this sport".

    I bet $1 "the world class athletes" who attract the crowds are aging and feel the same way - they are tired of the injuries and the training....and the next generation of popular pro wakeboarders have yet to come forward.

    Heck even The Wakeboard Camp where many of the Supra and Moomba team athletes honed their skills no longer exists - now an empty ugly blue shack
    Last edited by slipperyrockTKE300; 09-17-2014 at 05:28 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Clermont, Fl
    Posts
    586

    Default

    in addition....I think Malibu will be stepping up and taking over the PWT sponsorship.

    Looks like they are throwing big bucks into promoting their product - at least in Central Florida. The new dealership in Clermont is HUGE - I'm amazed at the size of their inventory.

    Just recently one of them huge Prevost luxury motor coaches with a total Malibu theme wrap appeared out front.

    It's gonna be going places and it will be noticed!
    Last edited by slipperyrockTKE300; 09-17-2014 at 05:47 AM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Skiatook Lake Oklahoma
    Posts
    545

    Default End of wake boarding?

    Quote Originally Posted by cornrickey View Post
    Just because something is no longer on TV doesn't t mean it's dieing.
    The king of wake is on TV on NBC Sports network. The Nationals will air on Sept 20th.


    Quote Originally Posted by slipperyrockTKE300 View Post
    Couple years ago Kyle Schmidt told me (and I paraphrase) "I'm 30 years old now and I'm to old for this sport".

    I bet $1 "the world class athletes" who attract the crowds are aging and feel the same way - they are tired of the injuries and the training....and the next generation of popular pro wakeboarders have yet to come forward.

    Heck even The Wakeboard Camp where many of the Supra and Moomba team athletes honed their skills no longer exists - now an empty ugly blue shack
    Darin Shapiro returned to the sport this year and he's 40 and killin it!

    The "world class athletes" of the sport are now younger than ever. Multiple time KOW just turned 21 on Sunday ( Harley Clifford). Mike Dowdy, tony Iaconni, Corey Teunissen, are even younger than that. Sam brown who just won worlds in boys is 11 and doing tricks that were "wildcard" tricks in the earlier days of the sport.

    The wakeboard camp still exists. It's now on the west shore of minnehaha. The blue building owner sold the building so they had to move.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Todd
    2017 SUPRA SA450

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Henderson, NV
    Posts
    7,020

    Default

    it'll go in cycles. surfing is the latest craze. wakeboarding is just going thru a lull right now. how many boat manufacturers are touting new surfing systems in the last 3-4 years and how many are touting new wakeboard initiatives?

    it's happening in golf as well. viewership is down, new club sales are down and iirc, for the last 7-8 years more courses are closing than opening. with tiger out of the picture(I say for good), there is not a single dominant force that is drawing crowds. someone will fill that bill, as I'm sure someone/something will be that next big wakeboard thing.


    perhaps a 3-event competition... surfing/boarding/slalom. that would be interesting to see..
    '06 Supra Launch 20SSV-gone but never forgotten

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Arkansas
    Posts
    3,952

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by tnbrooks01 View Post
    World Sports and Marketing needs to have major emphasis put on venues.
    I've never searched out PWT events but I would have thought, as someone interested in the sport and living near some of the (arguably) best lakes in the country, I would have seen them come through at some point. Brostock came close by but I don't recall ever seeing a PWT event.
    2016 Moomba Mojo
    2006 Supra 24SSV - Traded

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Skiatook Lake Oklahoma
    Posts
    545

    Default End of wake boarding?

    PWT was at Branson 2 years ago on Table rock the week before Brostock at the Ozarks. Conditions were horrible and attendance sucked. No one that is going to Branson to see the Baldknobbers or Shoji cares about wakeboarding.

    Need to go back to Texas Mastercraft in the dfw metro area, the Oklahoma River in the middle of downtown OKC. The river where the university of Temnesee is. etc. go back to the metro areas and advertise the hell out of it in large metro areas.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Todd
    2017 SUPRA SA450

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •