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Old     (jamesruberti)      Join Date: Nov 2012       02-01-2016, 2:42 PM Reply   
Noticed oakley dropped their wakeboard team on their website and Harley picked up a new eyewear sponsor. Pretty sad since they had a pretty stacked team a couple of years ago.
Old     (ironj32)      Join Date: Jan 2007       02-01-2016, 3:22 PM Reply   
I've heard rumors of a lot of companies dropping out of wake. Monster only has Henshaw and Harley listed on their team roster now, for wake. Pretty sure they had Watson, Harf, Reed, Shane, and a few others.
Old     (boardjnky4)      Join Date: Dec 2011       02-01-2016, 3:35 PM Reply   
I heard Monster pulled the plug on a bunch of wake related sponsorships. I don't think you'll be seeing their logo alongside any LF events this year.
Old     (501s)      Join Date: Feb 2010       02-01-2016, 3:43 PM Reply   
It is pretty sad to see sponsors leaving the sport. It won't be easy to get them back.
Old     (xstarrider)      Join Date: Jun 2007       02-01-2016, 3:46 PM Reply   
As much as it pains me .....competitive Wakeboarding is dead. There's no money in the sport and the comps are few and far between. It's been that way for while. Personally I think the new boat prices are part of the reason. Crowds at events are pretty much negligable.

Companies just see this. At the end of the day it's all about profit margins.
Old     (behindtheboat)      Join Date: Aug 2006       02-01-2016, 4:25 PM Reply   
The industry mostly pushes wakesurfing now, taking focus and interest away from the competitive side. Not worth the investment to an outside the industry company.
Old     (dyost)      Join Date: Jan 2007       02-01-2016, 7:20 PM Reply   
Man thats a bummer....

Seems they had a lot of riders not all that long ago right?
Harley, Shota, Steele, Hampson, Nick Taylor, Amber Wing

The more sponsors that pull out, the harder it will be for riders to make a living at wakeboarding. I agree with Swat and A-dub, and I see this whole industry (inboard tow boats) slowly fading from an action sport (wakeboarding) to a rich, old guy's hobby (wakesurfing) and more of a leisure boaters market than being sports driven.

I can't put my finger on why either... you would think with all these wicked boats out there that these guy's kids would be all about riding. Also, nothing is stopping the 20 yr old crowd from buying a used early 2000s VLX or 205V for $20k and loading that bad boy down.... But you don't see that on the lakes. Most of those guys seem to be beer drinkers and surfers also. I think part of it is that these kids don't want to learn to ride (surfing is easier). And in many cases the boat dad bought to surf is the worst thing for a beginning wakeboarder (wake too big, wake too wide, can't make a wake at slow speeds without crumbling), these kids are getting broke off a couple times and quitting, again, surfing is easier.

When I was in my 20s there were tons of guys out wakeboarding in the Kansas City area, on all the lakes. Now you just don't see it...
Cable seems to be alive and well, really think that will be the future of the sport if things don't change. Glad to have one relatively close to me....
Old     (get_sum)      Join Date: Jun 2012       02-01-2016, 7:36 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by dyost View Post
wake too big, wake too wide, can't make a wake at slow speeds without crumbling)

My Axis A24 has a great small wake empty and a huge wake weighted. Clean down to 16/17 mph. My 10yr old son rides well on it and his confidence is building. He's taken a few hard falls but with the right amount of encouragement at the proper time works.

Now, back on topic, yes numerous sponsors are pulling out, however it's happened with water skiing as well, just a long time ago. Things will always find a happy medium and natural balance.
Old     (behindtheboat)      Join Date: Aug 2006       02-01-2016, 7:41 PM Reply   
Happy medium? There are 5 skiers that make a living skiing. Cable will save wake.
Old     (get_sum)      Join Date: Jun 2012       02-01-2016, 8:15 PM Reply   
Happy medium to what the market will support. Supply and demand. Same with anything consumer based.
Old     (stevo8290)      Join Date: Sep 2008       02-01-2016, 8:36 PM Reply   
Even WAKEBOARD boat companies are dropping some of the best if not the best wakeboarders in the game to pick up more surfers. Companies make surf boats now. In ten years it will all be about wake dragging anyways so whatever
Old     (markj)      Join Date: Apr 2005       02-02-2016, 12:04 AM Reply   
I dropped Oakly ten years ago so no big to me. As far as other sponsors pulling out and wakeboarding's general decline, my two cents is that after 20 years of growing popularity, people (especially ones who have done it awhile) now know about the propensity for injury and have lost interest because of it. Most of us have either had a serious injury or know someone who has had one from this sport. If not, you're probably younger than 25-30, but just wait. You'll get there if you like to push the envelope. My first major injury came at 30 years old.

Surfing on the other hand, fixes all of that by being low impact and not taking much talent so us old farts can still feel good about participating in a water sport that won't kill or maim us. (I use the term water sport lightly). Having said all that, my generation has all the money now since we're in our prime income earning years and we want to still be out there, but don't want to kill our careers (incomes) with a serious injury. That's why the boat manufactureres cater to us. The end.

Last edited by markj; 02-02-2016 at 12:09 AM.
Old     (VinnyA)      Join Date: Aug 2011       02-02-2016, 6:07 AM Reply   
^I think this narrative is the exact reason why I hate wakesurfing & most boat companies.
Old     (markj)      Join Date: Apr 2005       02-02-2016, 7:06 AM Reply   
You can hate all day long if you want. It ain't changing a thing.
Old     (skiboarder)      Join Date: Oct 2006       02-02-2016, 7:16 AM Reply   
Wakeboarding is the biggest that it has ever been. Oakley was nothing but a fair weather friend from the beginning. Oakey never gave action sports a chance until they saw the growth. They've profited from it and now they are moving on. Publicly traded companies need growth. Now that skate, surf, wakeboarding (sports where you don't actually wear sunglasses while doing) are saturating, they will just pull right back out and spend the marketing dollars to capture the next rising thing. I am thankful for huge companies that pay wakeboarders a livable salary, but none last forever.

Wake surfing cannot and will not ever replace wakeboarding--they will both co-exist and both benefit from the business relationship. The move of boats into this new 5000#+ class built around wake surfing has been a watershed moment for wakeboarding. The sport, after a decade lull, is exploding and progressing even on the highest end. My LSV is an insane wakeboard machine and with the press of a few buttons, I'm wake surfing. Times will change. Wakeboarding will evolve and pass, but wake surfing is not its replacement. Plus, if it is all just a popularity contest--the tube market rules us all.

Also, writing surf on the side of a boat doesn't make it less of a wakeboard boat in any way. If anything, wakeboarders should be thanking wakesurfers for funding their advancement.
Old     (markj)      Join Date: Apr 2005       02-02-2016, 7:38 AM Reply   
^^^ That's a pretty accurate perspective.
Old     (boardjnky4)      Join Date: Dec 2011       02-02-2016, 7:42 AM Reply   
So regarding Oakley, I bet that most people probably don't know/realize that Oakley is now owned by Luxottica, which is an eyewear conglomerate. They make 90% of all eyewear products, own a vision insurance company AND they own Sunglass Hut and some other eye glass chain.

Basically, Luxottica is a bully in the eyewear arena and Oakley had no choice but to sell out to them. As I mentioned, Luxottica also owns sunglass hut, and Sunglass Hut had a pricing dispute with Oakley and dropped them out of stores. Oakley kept the doors open for another 10 years, but in 2007 they sold out to Luxottica.

So, to me, it's no surprise that Oakley's parent company wants to cut out these sponsorship costs. And for me personally, I'm glad to have an Italian Eyewear Conglomerate out of the game. I would never purchase sunglasses that are owned by a Luxottica company.

If you want the full lowdown on Luxoticca, watch the following. Then you will likely join me in saying "good riddance"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDdq2rIqAlM

Last edited by boardjnky4; 02-02-2016 at 7:46 AM.
Old     (migs)      Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: SF Bay Area       02-02-2016, 8:28 AM Reply   
NoDoz should sponsor wakesurfing. Match made in heaven.
Old     (CHUCK_K)      Join Date: Aug 2015       02-02-2016, 8:47 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by migs View Post
nodoz should sponsor wakesurfing. Match made in heaven.

☝🏼😂😂😂
Old     (markj)      Join Date: Apr 2005       02-02-2016, 11:38 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by migs View Post
NoDoz should sponsor wakesurfing. Match made in heaven.
Okay, that was funny.
Old     (tjb1080)      Join Date: Jun 2010       02-02-2016, 1:14 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by migs View Post
NoDoz should sponsor wakesurfing. Match made in heaven.
I couldn't agree more!
Old     (wakeworld)      Join Date: Jan 1997       02-02-2016, 3:06 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by dyost View Post
I can't put my finger on why either... you would think with all these wicked boats out there that these guy's kids would be all about riding. Also, nothing is stopping the 20 yr old crowd from buying a used early 2000s VLX or 205V for $20k and loading that bad boy down.... But you don't see that on the lakes.
I think you did put your finger on it. I've said this before, but back when I was coming up, wakeboarding behind a top-of-the-line "wake boat" was not a necessity. We rocked a Glastron and a Sea Ray and we never thought twice about it. Sure we dreamed of one day owning a brand new Malibu or Nautique, but the fact that we didn't have access to one never deterred us from getting out on the water. You just don't see that anymore.

Somewhere along the line, the attitude of young riders changed to where you either ride behind a top-of-the-line "wake boat" or you don't ride at all. We need to get back to where young riders who cannot afford a top-of-the-line "wake boat" go out and get what they can afford and make the most of it until they can fulfill their dreams by getting a "wake boat." I'm not sure how we do it, but this forum can probably have some effect on that. I like the threads that feature I/O rides and things like that. It brings me back.
Old     (the_bum)      Join Date: Jul 2008       02-02-2016, 3:57 PM Reply   
I am the odd man out here on Lewisville rolling around in my 05' Team, sadly there are plenty of riders out here who turn their nose up at one of the greatest boats of all time because it is not a G but 4000 pounds in the 210 and a gas gauge that doesn't move nearly as fast as theirs proves my point everytime. Grew up riding riding just about every boat that would pull us even a pontoon from time to time. My first boat was a 89' Ski Nautique 2001 with a pylon that we had to hope would stay running long enough for us to ride when I first got it, interior was so far gone that it was mulch that would be flying out of the boat cruising across the lake. Multiple times people would pull up in a new big boat and be like "man that isn't even a wakeboard boat and you guys are out here crushing it" It is all in your mindset of just making due with what you have and going for it. I would still be rolling around in my 89' everyday if I did not find such a steal on my 05' and never thought that boat I dreamed of as a kid and teenager would be sitting in my driveway. But it is really sad that on most days it is a chore to find more then 3 people who want to come out and ride because the wake is not all there.
Old     (stevo8290)      Join Date: Sep 2008       02-02-2016, 9:44 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by the_bum View Post
I am the odd man out here on Lewisville rolling around in my 05' Team, sadly there are plenty of riders out here who turn their nose up at one of the greatest boats of all time because it is not a G but 4000 pounds in the 210 and a gas gauge that doesn't move nearly as fast as theirs proves my point everytime. Grew up riding riding just about every boat that would pull us even a pontoon from time to time. My first boat was a 89' Ski Nautique 2001 with a pylon that we had to hope would stay running long enough for us to ride when I first got it, interior was so far gone that it was mulch that would be flying out of the boat cruising across the lake. Multiple times people would pull up in a new big boat and be like "man that isn't even a wakeboard boat and you guys are out here crushing it" It is all in your mindset of just making due with what you have and going for it. I would still be rolling around in my 89' everyday if I did not find such a steal on my 05' and never thought that boat I dreamed of as a kid and teenager would be sitting in my driveway. But it is really sad that on most days it is a chore to find more then 3 people who want to come out and ride because the wake is not all there.
Definitely the attitude now. I love riding a sacked out boat but another thing a lot of people don't understand is a huge wake will not always help you. We take "mini sets" all the time, no weight pull the rope in to work on stuff. This summer I learned switch blind 1s and switch toe 3s on a mini set. In all honesty there aren't many tricks if any I need a huge wake for. People have done 7s behind jetskis, insane. People gotta just get out and go for it. Half the time the G's don't even ride. There's this G I see on one of the lakes I go to all the time and once we asked if he'd pull us and he said no set the tube up for the ladies.
Old     (stevo8290)      Join Date: Sep 2008       02-02-2016, 9:48 PM Reply   
Sick video btw. Back 5 was nuts, still haven't landed one of those
Old     (markj)      Join Date: Apr 2005       02-02-2016, 9:54 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by the_bum View Post
I am the odd man out here on Lewisville rolling around in my 05' Team, sadly there are plenty of riders out here who turn their nose up at one of the greatest boats of all time because it is not a G but 4000 pounds in the 210 and a gas gauge that doesn't move nearly as fast as theirs proves my point everytime. Grew up riding riding just about every boat that would pull us even a pontoon from time to time. My first boat was a 89' Ski Nautique 2001 with a pylon that we had to hope would stay running long enough for us to ride when I first got it, interior was so far gone that it was mulch that would be flying out of the boat cruising across the lake. Multiple times people would pull up in a new big boat and be like "man that isn't even a wakeboard boat and you guys are out here crushing it" It is all in your mindset of just making due with what you have and going for it. I would still be rolling around in my 89' everyday if I did not find such a steal on my 05' and never thought that boat I dreamed of as a kid and teenager would be sitting in my driveway. But it is really sad that on most days it is a chore to find more then 3 people who want to come out and ride because the wake is not all there.
Didn't watch the video, but your negative opinion of your OG 210 is all in your head. That is by far the best wake boat per gallon or per dollar than anything. Those peeps who you think are turning their noses up can suck it. Trust me. No one is looking at you with anything but respect when you're in that boat and if they aren't, they're in their dad's boat. Not their own. It's a hard core workhorse of a wakeboarding boat that still stands the test of time even today. And you don't need 4000 pounds to make it that way either. Rock on as long as you can. I know I would be if I hadn't wrecked my body so bad already. After that, welcome to surfing. Lol
Old     (the_bum)      Join Date: Jul 2008       02-03-2016, 4:04 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by markj View Post
Didn't watch the video, but your negative opinion of your OG 210 is all in your head. That is by far the best wake boat per gallon or per dollar than anything. Those peeps who you think are turning their noses up can suck it. Trust me. No one is looking at you with anything but respect when you're in that boat and if they aren't, they're in their dad's boat. Not their own. It's a hard core workhorse of a wakeboarding boat that still stands the test of time even today. And you don't need 4000 pounds to make it that way either. Rock on as long as you can. I know I would be if I hadn't wrecked my body so bad already. After that, welcome to surfing. Lol
Oh I am defiantly not complaining about it. It amounts to a lot more ride time for 3 then ending up having a full boat. And we do drain some weight pull it in and work on some fundamentals. Got everybody in the boat to have switch ts week last year and had a bunch of stuff come down because of it.
Old     (behindtheboat)      Join Date: Aug 2006       02-03-2016, 6:02 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by boardjnky4 View Post
So regarding Oakley, I bet that most people probably don't know/realize that Oakley is now owned by Luxottica, which is an eyewear conglomerate. They make 90% of all eyewear products, own a vision insurance company AND they own Sunglass Hut and some other eye glass chain.

Basically, Luxottica is a bully in the eyewear arena and Oakley had no choice but to sell out to them. As I mentioned, Luxottica also owns sunglass hut, and Sunglass Hut had a pricing dispute with Oakley and dropped them out of stores. Oakley kept the doors open for another 10 years, but in 2007 they sold out to Luxottica.

So, to me, it's no surprise that Oakley's parent company wants to cut out these sponsorship costs. And for me personally, I'm glad to have an Italian Eyewear Conglomerate out of the game. I would never purchase sunglasses that are owned by a Luxottica company.

If you want the full lowdown on Luxoticca, watch the following. Then you will likely join me in saying "good riddance"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDdq2rIqAlM
Is that just for sunglasses, or apparel and everything else as well? I believe years ago optical was separate from clothing and apparel. I actually quit wearing anything but their optical because of some company culture issues I was made aware of on the apparel side.
Old     (boardjnky4)      Join Date: Dec 2011       02-03-2016, 6:22 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by behindtheboat View Post
Is that just for sunglasses, or apparel and everything else as well? I believe years ago optical was separate from clothing and apparel. I actually quit wearing anything but their optical because of some company culture issues I was made aware of on the apparel side.
I'm not sure, that's unclear to me.
Old     (biggator)      Join Date: Jul 2010       02-03-2016, 7:02 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by behindtheboat View Post
Happy medium? There are 5 skiers that make a living skiing. Cable will save wake.
Funny.. I think exactly the opposite. The sport is losing sponsors left and right, the pro tour dropped women/juniors... and cable has exploded over the last 10 years. It doesn't seem to be saving the sport - it seems to be making it much less interesting to watch.

A casual observer doesn't like watching a nose press to 270 out on a rail.. they like seeing someone do the 'huge superman jump and the flippy spinny things'. Cable is as exciting to watch as wakeskating to everyone who doesn't actually participate.
Old     (jarrod)      Join Date: May 2003       02-03-2016, 7:19 AM Reply   
All I know is back in the early 2000s The Reno tour stop used to be packed! It felt like you were at a major sporting event. Year after year the crowd thinned out. It seems like the people that were into wakeboarding back then eventually moved on, and the new crowd never stepped into the scene to backfill the earlier riders and fans that left.

I still feel like we're seeing more people/boats on the water than ever, so I'm not convinced that it has much to do with boat sales.

About half of the boats out are surfing, but again, there were are a lot more boats out in 2015 then back in 2005. I want to say that even if I moved to surfing strictly (which will never happen) I would still have an interest in attending Wake events.

It just seems like....for some reason....water sports enthusiasts are less interested in live events. Maybe they would rather be on the water?
Old     (boardjnky4)      Join Date: Dec 2011       02-03-2016, 8:11 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by jarrod View Post
All I know is back in the early 2000s The Reno tour stop used to be packed! It felt like you were at a major sporting event. Year after year the crowd thinned out. It seems like the people that were into wakeboarding back then eventually moved on, and the new crowd never stepped into the scene to backfill the earlier riders and fans that left.

I still feel like we're seeing more people/boats on the water than ever, so I'm not convinced that it has much to do with boat sales.

About half of the boats out are surfing, but again, there were are a lot more boats out in 2015 then back in 2005. I want to say that even if I moved to surfing strictly (which will never happen) I would still have an interest in attending Wake events.

It just seems like....for some reason....water sports enthusiasts are less interested in live events. Maybe they would rather be on the water?
I think you're getting to the root of the issue... It's just not that interesting to watch a wakeboarding competition. Frankly, I think that all judged sports suffer in that area.

Also, wakeboarding and water sports in general will always be popular at some level (mostly recreational) within the boating community. And competitive people will always want to compete. But add it all up and you'll see why there aren't a ton of serious and good wakeboarders out there:

- Requires expensive boat
- Requires relatively calm body of water
- Requires a lot of time behind the boat to get GOOD
- Requires warm weather

Now look at how the above affects participation:

- Requires expensive boat

Many riders can't afford a boat or rely on parents/friends. So to ride, you're at the behest of other people. So maybe you wakeboard once or twice a week? Maybe you only wakeboard once a month when you're invited.

- Requires relatively calm body of water

Coastal waters are not going to work. So you need to be within reach of a lake. How long will it take to get there? Will it be super crowded and choppy? Can you and your crew get there early enough to ride and practice for a while? Remember, one rider at a time and limited calm water = rushed sets. How many people in the US even have this accessible as an option?

- Requires a lot of time behind the boat to get GOOD

Do you have a driver and crew that will tow you for extended periods of time to practice new stuff? If you're on the boat with 5 people and each person takes a 30 minute set, that's 2 hours of waiting for 30 minutes of riding.

- Requires warm weather

Live in Canada, Michigan, Wisconsin? You're seasons are only going to last 1/4 of the year. Half the US is in climates that has a less than 6 month season really. The off-season is very long and it's hard to get momentum getting really good.


So really, is it that surprising that you see more newbies, wakesurfers and just generally occasional wakeboarders out there? As opposed to serious core riders who are pushing themselves? Not really, it's so hard to find the time to get out and learn.
Old     (dyost)      Join Date: Jan 2007       02-03-2016, 8:58 AM Reply   
Some excellent points Tom...

I guess I never really considered those perspectives because I love the sport and there's really not much I would rather be doing (my wife says I have a problem....). It's hard for me to fathom that someone who tries wakeboarding doesn't want to spend every waking moment out there on the lake.

But I've definitely felt that frustration in finding people to ride with.
Old     (wakemitch)      Join Date: Jun 2005       02-03-2016, 9:22 AM Reply   
Warning: I’m a sociologist and love trying to figure this stuff out.

My thinking behind the decline in wakeboard and wakeskating participation/growth has to do with people not wanting to push themselves and are not willing to face bodily risk.
Whether I'm on the delta or at the cable parks, the riders I see pushing it and supporting the scene are generally the same ones I've seen since the early 2000s. The scene is growing older, not growing in size.

So my hypothesis is that in 2016, action sports largest target (12-25 years old) are less willing to put themselves at risk. This may be from medical research, parents telling them not to, ect. It's probably smarter.

Many of us on this forum got into action sports in the 90s/early 2000s during the peak of the X games. Everything possible was labeled "EXTREME!" All of the sports being pushed at that time were all "go big, or go home". Free style motocross blew up, Tony Hawk was one of the biggest celebrities, every action sport even had a video game, and as we know wakeboarding was in its heyday. Every sport was about going as big as possible, and of course this made the sports very dangerous. (I know I broke way too many bones during this time haha). But for many of us, the risk was part of the fun. We wanted the challenge. We wanted the adrenaline.

I teach at the High School where most Discovery Bay (big water sports community on the CA Delta) residents go and I even started a Wake Club at the school. Talking to many kids, they tell me that wakeboarding is something their dad’s do and that they don’t like it that much.

My theory is that the craving for risk and adrenaline has faded in our culture. I'm sure this is cyclical and in a few years a new version of action sports will come around, but for now action sports aren’t worth the risk for many people. The people that were part of the "extreme generation" are still doing their sports if their bodies will allow, but age, injuries, and risk have turned many away. While teaching middle school and high school students these last few years, I have been very observant about his change in teenage culture. I have noticed that many teenagers do not care much about action sports and don’t want to do them.

For people just getting into modern "action sports":
  • Skateboards have turned into penny boards and other cruisers. No more tricks, just riding.
  • Snowboarding has turned into a leisure activity and more people are snowskiing.
  • Wakeboarding was turned into wakesurfing. Take out the risk and the learning curve.
Possible reasons for this change:
  • Parents don’t want their kids to get hurt because action sports are dangerous and scary. (Yet I see waaayy too many kids with torn ACLs because of soccer and football!)
  • The increase in ADD and ADHD diagnoses. Getting kids treated and on drugs to mellow them out may be making it so kids don’t need to do crazy things to get their energy out and get that adrenaline fix. I'm sure many of us could possibly be ADD, but we were diagnosed like kids are now. (Whether doctors are over diagnosing ADD/ADHD and/or parents don’t know what to do with hyper kids is another discussion)
Again, I think this is cyclical and will come back around. I don’t want to be an old guy saying my generation was better (Generation Generalization )

Note: since writing this, I really want to do the sociological research to find out what is going on. I’m teaching Sociology next year and may have to do it.
Old     (501s)      Join Date: Feb 2010       02-03-2016, 9:59 AM Reply   
There have been some excellent points and theories on here about why wake boarding is on the decline. I think the new generations are missing out, but of course that's just my opinion. Anyone on here who has been wake boarding for while can tell you landing your first W2W or your first invert behind the boat is one of the best feelings out there.

I hear people say time and time again that "Cable parks are the future and will save wake boarding". here is my problem with that:

When was the last time your wife and kids said let's invite the cousins over and all spend the day at the cable park? For us, never. Spend the day on the boat? Always! Boating is a family activity and it lets everyone spend time together and participate in various activities. Families have been enjoying the boating lifestyle for many years and I don't think it will change, but the activities (surfing) change to suit what people enjoy and what is hot at the time.

Cable parks are for the kids. OK I said it. YES YES there will be exceptions of older guys who ride and push themselves even at a cable park (at 39, Im one of them) but most parents don't have any interest in spending a day riding in circles hitting plastic sliders. So cable parks turn it from "a day on the water with friends and family" to more of a "day at the skatepark". If I was 16 I'd probably want to live at a cable park, but I'm not and I don't. I like being away from crowds and just spending time on the water.
Old     (skiboarder)      Join Date: Oct 2006       02-03-2016, 10:17 AM Reply   
Mitch, The only thing I disagree about is that the rise of wake surfing is related wakeboarding. "Wakeboarders" and "wakesurfers" are two totally different types of people. The people who transition from wake to surf, probably weren't really the wakeboard type to begin with (or they got old, injured, etc). I think it is troubling that a 17 year old able-bodied kid would pick up a surfboard as a first choice, but I'm saying that kid probably would have never got into wakeboarding in the first place. So it is great, he will probably buy a wakeboard or two in his life as well. There are as many or more Killer wakeboarders out there than ever--Just go to a cable park. After a couple of rides these guys are wake killers too. Consider what is happening off the wake today vs. 10-20 years ago. It is absolutely insane.

There are only so many Killers in the world and those with wake access are still doing it and doing it on a level never seen before. Boat companies have to grow. Wake surfing is a way to attract the Non-Killers. As for sponsors and such, I see more wakeboarders making a living at it than ever. Companies like Oakley come and go.
Old     (migs)      Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: SF Bay Area       02-03-2016, 10:24 AM Reply   
When people see a SAN210 they better Bow down & kneel to greatness
Old     (wakemitch)      Join Date: Jun 2005       02-03-2016, 10:31 AM Reply   
Justin, I related wakesurfing to wakeboarding because teenagers and kids who have the opportunity to go behind boats are more likely to become wakesurfers currently.

There will always be the niche that wants to push the limits and is willing to put in the effort and risk, but what I'm theorizing is that the percentage of the [teenage] population in that category has decreased.
I spend every weekend at the cable park (even in the winter) and I haven't seen the number of kids flocking to it as I assumed.
The level of riding is progressing fast, but the amount of new participants each year is falling I'm speculating.
Old     (bftskir)      Join Date: Jan 2004       02-03-2016, 1:33 PM Reply   
I see a very similar pattern that has happened to barefoot waterskiing. For the exact same reasons. I think economics plays a big role. The change in sport boat size, the expectation of having all of your friends out on the boat...10 12 16 person capacity? Why? no one can get any good at anything then...thus The Tube...no skill, gets 4 or 5 out in the water for a pull...everyone goes home happy.

For us it was a core group who would meet and go out in any weather under any conditions split costs bought all necessary gear and pushed each other to get better. Thats hard to put together.
Old     (02byerly132)      Join Date: Jan 2003       02-03-2016, 6:56 PM Reply   
In regards to wakesurfing directing the market...95% percent of the people that come into my store to look at "wake boats" want to know if they surf well/ have a surf system. That goes for both new and used. It has been way harder to sell 2000-2012 model year boats due to the lack of surf systems.

The people who come in to look at these "wake boats" that have never owned a boat before/ never owned an inboard, all say they want to surf. They say: "I saw some guy surfing on the lake and it looked so fun! I want to do that." They'll spend $600 on a surfer no problem, but balk at paying $399 for a wakeboard combo.

Which leads board companies to make big changes. Have you taken a look at all the wakeboard manufacturers lineups/teams for 2016? They are shrinking. Period. Less pro model wakeboards, more surfer models. Look at the marketing campaigns. Each pro wakeboarder now has a wakesurfer associated with their name. Look at Grubb and Harley for an example.

It's a very small (and dare I say aging) consumer base to sell to, therefore, companies are putting their advertising dollars elsewhere.

Wakeboarding will always be around, but I think it will exist in a completely different form than we have known it in the past. I think in the not too distant future the term "Pro Wakeboarder" will slowly fade into something akin to a timepiece ambassador. (You can already see that happening with MC and The Godfrey Clan and Malibu with Jake Owen)
Old     (tommyg)      Join Date: Apr 2002       02-03-2016, 7:10 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by markj View Post
I dropped Oakly ten years ago so no big to me. As far as other sponsors pulling out and wakeboarding's general decline, my two cents is that after 20 years of growing popularity, people (especially ones who have done it awhile) now know about the propensity for injury and have lost interest because of it. Most of us have either had a serious injury or know someone who has had one from this sport. If not, you're probably younger than 25-30, but just wait. You'll get there if you like to push the envelope. My first major injury came at 30 years old.

Surfing on the other hand, fixes all of that by being low impact and not taking much talent so us old farts can still feel good about participating in a water sport that won't kill or maim us. (I use the term water sport lightly). Having said all that, my generation has all the money now since we're in our prime income earning years and we want to still be out there, but don't want to kill our careers (incomes) with a serious injury. That's why the boat manufactureres cater to us. The end.
As an old guy (45), I agree with you except for the fact that I got my worst injury getting up and running on the surf board. With slack in the rope, back arm slipped inside the small handle when I fell...and now i have a titanium forearm!
Old     (dyost)      Join Date: Jan 2007       02-03-2016, 8:51 PM Reply   
Justin / Mitch....

You guys are so right. There is definitely something different about kids in that age range now days. Most are more interested in their iPhone than anything. I think any type of active leisure outside of organized team sports (which IMO are getting way to serious and too demanding on the kids) is just long gone. I saw a news story a while back that reported a survey 14-17 yr old kids resulted in many saying they would rather have an iPhone than a car. I'll see if I can find the thing and post a link. 20 yrs ago when I was 15 a car was freedom, a car was a way to hang out with my friends. Now, they do that via text and whatever else so the phone is their thing.

It's kinda like one extreme or the other. You got some kids that do nothing, and I think a lot of the active kids are too tied up with their team sports even in the summers (club teams, traveling teams, etc...) to have any time for the lake even if the family does have the means. My neighbor's daughter plays HS volleyball, and even in the summers they have a tournament they travel to almost every single weekend. While not part of the HS program technically, the overly involved parents coach the team and the HS coach knows who plays and who doesn't. Neighbor says it's pretty much an unwritten requirement than if you want to play during the sanctioned HS sports season, you have to be on the summer traveling team playing and developing skills like the rest of the girls. His next younger one is in soccer, in middle school and same thing, they juggle the soccer with her and the vball with the older one all summer. That family could never go to the lake, and those kids will never get any time off from their sports, and will probably wind up burned out on them before junior year of HS.

I was fortunate that we didn't have those pressures. We did have a summer HS basketball league that we were expected to play in. It was Sunday evenings. Many a time after a long weekend at the lake, when my family would be on the water on Sunday afternoon, I was always given the choice - you wanna pack it in and go play BBall or stay at the lake. About 30% of the time I would elect to wakeboard the evening glass and skip bball. My parents never pressured me, but did make the call the coach and tell him why I wasn't coming. They were so cool about it.... even though it was always my choice though you could see the sighs of relief when I chose to stay at the lake and we didn't have to pack it in early for them to watch yet another HS Bball game in an un-airconditioned gym in July.
Old     (dyost)      Join Date: Jan 2007       02-03-2016, 8:58 PM Reply   
Tommy,

That's why the only surf rope I'll use on my boat it the T-handle with lots of knots.
I talk a lot of ***** on surfing, but I do do it on occasion. Like jet skiing, find it fun for about 5 mins.

My 3 and 5 yr old girls do love to ride on the board with me. At 225 lbs I can Surf an 89 Sunsport on a 5ft board with a 35lb 5yr old standing between my legs, all without the rope. How is it the G's cruising my lake everyone is still pulling around holding the rope. People are really terrified of falling.... that or those massive surf boats cost $20 in fuel eveytime you pop a surfer up from a deepwater start is all I can figure?
Old     (stevo8290)      Join Date: Sep 2008       02-03-2016, 9:37 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by 02byerly132 View Post
In regards to wakesurfing directing the market...95% percent of the people that come into my store to look at "wake boats" want to know if they surf well/ have a surf system. That goes for both new and used. It has been way harder to sell 2000-2012 model year boats due to the lack of surf systems.

The people who come in to look at these "wake boats" that have never owned a boat before/ never owned an inboard, all say they want to surf. They say: "I saw some guy surfing on the lake and it looked so fun! I want to do that." They'll spend $600 on a surfer no problem, but balk at paying $399 for a wakeboard combo.

Which leads board companies to make big changes. Have you taken a look at all the wakeboard manufacturers lineups/teams for 2016? They are shrinking. Period. Less pro model wakeboards, more surfer models. Look at the marketing campaigns. Each pro wakeboarder now has a wakesurfer associated with their name. Look at Grubb and Harley for an example.

It's a very small (and dare I say aging) consumer base to sell to, therefore, companies are putting their advertising dollars elsewhere.

Wakeboarding will always be around, but I think it will exist in a completely different form than we have known it in the past. I think in the not too distant future the term "Pro Wakeboarder" will slowly fade into something akin to a timepiece ambassador. (You can already see that happening with MC and The Godfrey Clan and Malibu with Jake Owen)
When they finally get their first "surf" boat they will be extremely disappointed when they see how boring it is... my .02. I hate to be a hater but I can't get over how boring surfing is to watch. When i have newbies on my boat everyone wants to surf, but they want to watch the experienced guys and I wakeboard. So I'm cool with letting people surf, but when I do it I like shotgun a beer and try 3s at the same time But hey, its all fun and games, I'm bitter because wakeboarding is my thing and it getting overshadowed by a new thing, doesn't mean I'm going to stop doing it. If you like to surf, do your thing. I always joke about how easy it is but I'v never done a 3
Old     (fly135)      Join Date: Jun 2004       02-04-2016, 7:32 AM Reply   
The silver lining to this cloud is that "wake surf" boats are the best wakeboard boats ever.

I'm not disputing the value of practicing fundamentals on a small wake or that individuals with natural talent can do most anything even on a small wake. But I'm horrible at practicing fundamentals and nothing gives me confidence to try things like a huge wake.
Old     (boardjnky4)      Join Date: Dec 2011       02-04-2016, 8:17 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by fly135 View Post
The silver lining to this cloud is that "wake surf" boats are the best wakeboard boats ever.

I'm not disputing the value of practicing fundamentals on a small wake or that individuals with natural talent can do most anything even on a small wake. But I'm horrible at practicing fundamentals and nothing gives me confidence to try things like a huge wake.
I couldn't agree more.

With skiing/barefooting, the capabilities and needs of the boat are so different from wakeboarding that they don't jive well. With modern surf systems, you can go from surfing to boarding instantly and everyone can have some fun in whatever way they choose.
Old     (501s)      Join Date: Feb 2010       02-04-2016, 9:52 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by dyost View Post
Justin / Mitch....

You guys are so right. There is definitely something different about kids in that age range now days. Most are more interested in their iPhone than anything. I think any type of active leisure outside of organized team sports (which IMO are getting way to serious and too demanding on the kids) is just long gone. I saw a news story a while back that reported a survey 14-17 yr old kids resulted in many saying they would rather have an iPhone than a car. I'll see if I can find the thing and post a link. 20 yrs ago when I was 15 a car was freedom, a car was a way to hang out with my friends. Now, they do that via text and whatever else so the phone is their thing.

It's kinda like one extreme or the other. You got some kids that do nothing, and I think a lot of the active kids are too tied up with their team sports even in the summers (club teams, traveling teams, etc...) to have any time for the lake even if the family does have the means. My neighbor's daughter plays HS volleyball, and even in the summers they have a tournament they travel to almost every single weekend. While not part of the HS program technically, the overly involved parents coach the team and the HS coach knows who plays and who doesn't. Neighbor says it's pretty much an unwritten requirement than if you want to play during the sanctioned HS sports season, you have to be on the summer traveling team playing and developing skills like the rest of the girls. His next younger one is in soccer, in middle school and same thing, they juggle the soccer with her and the vball with the older one all summer. That family could never go to the lake, and those kids will never get any time off from their sports, and will probably wind up burned out on them before junior year of HS.

I was fortunate that we didn't have those pressures. We did have a summer HS basketball league that we were expected to play in. It was Sunday evenings. Many a time after a long weekend at the lake, when my family would be on the water on Sunday afternoon, I was always given the choice - you wanna pack it in and go play BBall or stay at the lake. About 30% of the time I would elect to wakeboard the evening glass and skip bball. My parents never pressured me, but did make the call the coach and tell him why I wasn't coming. They were so cool about it.... even though it was always my choice though you could see the sighs of relief when I chose to stay at the lake and we didn't have to pack it in early for them to watch yet another HS Bball game in an un-airconditioned gym in July.
I couldn't agree more with all of this. Well said Dustin.

We have a lot of friends who's kids play hockey and for 8 months of the year, EVERY weekend is tied up travelling to tournaments, every single weekend. that means no snowboard trips or getaways. And with our economy in Alberta a lot of these folks don't have the funds for all the travel but they do it anyway, perhaps because they think when their kid makes it to the NHL they will get "paid". oh ya, than come summer these kids are in summer leagues and hockey school. I guess if I loved team sports like hockey as much as wake boarding than I might be right there with them, but the fact is if a kid has the talent to make the NHL (NBA, etc...), and the drive to do so, I don't think over involved parents are the secret to their success. It always comes down to the individual.

And with regards to kids and cars, I have friends who's kids are now 19. From the time they were 16 all they had to do was get their license and their parents would BUY them a car and they still don't have their license. Seriously? I wish my parents offered me that. But I had to work for my first car. To me, that is ridiculous. How can a phone be better than a car? how?
Old     (behindtheboat)      Join Date: Aug 2006       02-04-2016, 10:06 AM Reply   
It's the lack of drive to do anything, they just want the easiest, most convenient route. Our luxuries have become their conveniences, they idolize laziness (Pewdepie, Kardashians). Why get a license when they can bug mom until they get a ride, or have something to complain about while being bored. I blame the television shows that are raising the kids these days, parents need to monitor that.
Old     (wakemitch)      Join Date: Jun 2005       02-04-2016, 10:20 AM Reply   
There were actually studies done about the lack of motivation for modern teenagers to get their license. A lot of it boils down to a car not being a necessity anymore. Before cell phones people had to meet up with their friends to have fun with their friends. getting a license meant that you could do that almost any time you wanted. Now, teenagers are able to be in constant contact with their friends through their phone (texting, snapchat, facetime, ect) and they can even play video games together without being in the same room. For many of them, they dont see the need to get hurry up and get a car, especially with current laws where you have to have your license for a year before driving with people under 23 (in california). I definitely think that law which went into effect in 2005 or so had a big effect on teens wanting to drive.

Times change. Every generation is different from their parents' generation in some way. It's not good or bad, it's just different. It is just very had for many people accept that young people are not growing up liking and doing the same things as them. Go back hundreds of years and they had the same complaints about the new generations.
Old     (ottog1979)      Join Date: Apr 2007       02-04-2016, 10:45 AM Reply   
^ Word.
Old     (markj)      Join Date: Apr 2005       02-04-2016, 12:35 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by behindtheboat View Post
It's the lack of drive to do anything, they just want the easiest, most convenient route. Our luxuries have become their conveniences, they idolize laziness (Pewdepie, Kardashians). Why get a license when they can bug mom until they get a ride, or have something to complain about while being bored. I blame the television shows that are raising the kids these days, parents need to monitor that.
...And that's why you see the popularity of Sanders. Why get a job when you can vote your way into having other people's money handed to you? Boy, this thread really segued.
Old     (fly135)      Join Date: Jun 2004       02-04-2016, 2:04 PM Reply   
The popularity of Sanders also appeals to people who think the best way to motivate people to work is to not make them compete with impoverished labor. Or those who know that it's a flawed economic model to have an economy that leaks like a bucket with a hole in it, and the only available preventative mechanism is a govt that borrows to refill it. All the while having a segment of the population that is still able to siphon off the top while complaining the the govt is borrowing to refill it. Or those who have been priced out of and/or denied HC because of both the discriminatory and inflationary policies that govt has enacted even before the ACA, while observing HC in other countries provide it to all at 1/2 the cost per capita of the US without discrimination.

But free stuff is definitely the "go to" conclusion if you don't want to think about things too much.
Old     (timelinex)      Join Date: Oct 2014       02-08-2016, 2:19 PM Reply   
I just started wakeboarding in the last year and I think the reason for it not being more popular has been repeated multiple times in this thread.

The minor reasons being:
- It's expensive
- Finding calm water is difficult

Then the most important reason is:

-it's HARD & injury prone. Unlike many other sports, there is nothing intuitive about many of the fundamentals of Wakeboarding. It's such a hard learning curve to finally getting it right. There's a reason why everyone starts by trying to jump off the wake, which actually robs them of their pop. I see people that have been doing it for YEARS and still have wrong form (turn and burn, bending knees at the wake, not edging through the wake, etc...). So what this leads to is weeks of frustration because you can't even do a W2W no matter how hard you try or you weight the boat heavily and up the speed. The frustration usually leads to quitting and the bigger wake/speeds lead to much higher chance of injury.

I can't believe how many people weigh their boats so heavily and are going 23+ mph. Unless you doing crazy stuff, stock ballast systems and slower speeds produces big enough wakes to do most tricks, including inverts.

I've introduced atleast 5-10 people to the sport by taking them on my boat and they all had fun and were excited to try it. Everyone actually does thing the sport is 'cool'. But at the end of the day, none of them are breaking down my door to take them again so they can practice.

Now, this level of difficulty is actually what makes me love the sport. I'm competitive by nature (with myself) so it being hard make's me want to keep doing it over and over till I get it. As we all know though, this type of outlook is rare these days.

P.S. I'm not sure why Wakesurfing gets so much flak. It's definitely a FUN thing to do every once in a while. It's not extreme but it has it's place. We all obviously hate the noob that produces huge rollers in a calm lake, but blame the guy not the sport!

Last edited by timelinex; 02-08-2016 at 2:24 PM.
Old    mojo1127            02-12-2016, 7:26 PM Reply   
wakeboarding is still basically a side show act in the eyes of "the masses." a lot of companies who used to support the industry have left. oakley,vans, reef, dvs, red bull dropping many of it's athletes, and others. as others have stated it just a return on investment that isn't worth it. sad about oakley because they did a lot for the sport.
Old     (kenv)      Join Date: May 2002       03-03-2016, 7:58 AM Reply   
My 2 cents. I've always viewed Wakeworld as a site geared toward wakeboarding...but also boating and water sports in general. I've always thought it was a great site, still is. But like all things, times change and sports change and evolve. When I was younger, in the mid 80's and early 90's, we ONLY had combos, a slalom, and a kneeboard. My group of friends became some of the best kneeboarders in South Texas. We could throw everything that the pros were throwing at the time. Even did some comps in Austin with the best in the nation. Best times of our lives. Fast forward to now...being a dad with a 10 and 15 year old, they have only been exposed to wakeboards, tubes, and now the surfboard. Nothing wrong with that....just different. Everyone always says..."They need to learn the basics on combo skis before they wakeboard". NO....not really. Most kids don't want to "ski" and if they know no different....they start on a wakeboard. I don't get the people that say surfing is boring. Yes....when you get really good...maybe...but to the kids starting out, it's just another watersport that gets them behind the boat having fun. That's what my boating experiences are all about. Fun for everyone that comes out. We tube, wakeboard, get out the combos, surf and even pull the kneeboard. I'll tell what,, like others mentioned above, surfing is a whole lot less taxing on the older bodies AND....when the lake is a mess after noon and you can't board at all.....you can always surf a little. As far as surfing being boring, You can wakeboard and just hold on to the rope straight behind the boat and that would be "boring " also. It's when you throw in the jumps, front to backs, side slides that kick it up a notch. Same with surfing. Not everyone can do 360s the first few times out and that's what makes it appealing to a lot of folks....because there is room to personally grow to do all the tricks that can be done on a skim/surf board. I want my time on the water to be fun...but not hardcore. That's why I have a G21...so i'm not messing with bags, weights, or any other crap in the boat. I don't have to list it, slam it, or modify it. I can pull a wakeboarder, bring him in and be surfing the next rider in about 1 min. Plus, boating is so much more that just the 'PULL". We love hanging out, cruising around, swimming off the boat, fishing a little, etc. Also, yes, kids have changed but so have the things available to them to have fun on the water. Wakeboarding may not appeal to them, but maybe a crazy ride on top of a tube will give them a smile. It all boils down to this....I'll always have a boat, and always enjoy it...whether Oakley supports the sport or not. BTW....I'm 51 and can still do a front flip on the kneeboard....just don't tell the kneeboard i'm old....lol
Old     (CALIV210)      Join Date: Jun 2015       03-03-2016, 12:01 PM Reply   
In my opinion there is a few issues killing a lot of sports . For one the population of wussified computer video game dork kids is through the roof . All the kids are some kinda screwed up now like its the thing to be like its cool to be weird . Most kids don't even play outside anymore . How can kids learn to be brave and try new sports from the couch or computer desk ? I make sure my kids are outside . Take a look at pop warner football . No parents are encouraging kids to play anymore heaven forbid they could get hurt . Kids need to be told when they've done well or need to be trying harder candy coated kids grow up to be idiots . Its a society issue with all this feel good participation trophy nonsense why do you think we got so many Sanders voters everyone wants to be equal and the world just doesn't work that way .

The second issue is the price of boats is freakin stupid . I have a 20 year old boat and I have a good job . No way am I financing a new boat my kids are gonna go to college someday .(i hope)
Old     (theloungelife)      Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Salt Lake City, UT       03-04-2016, 8:43 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by dyost View Post
Man thats a bummer....

Also, nothing is stopping the 20 yr old crowd from buying a used early 2000s VLX or 205V for $20k and loading that bad boy down.... But you don't see that on the lakes.
Ha this is me. There's a few of us. I ride with a crew of about 10 people (ages 25-41) and there are 3 02-03' VLX's, 1 02' SAN, and an 07' LSV between us. Definitely a sweet spot in the bang for the buck category.
Old     (fly135)      Join Date: Jun 2004       03-04-2016, 9:03 AM Reply   
"I don't get the people that say surfing is boring."

My take on that is in wakesurfing taking it to the next level involves a lot of falling and trying again. In wakeboarding taking it to the next level involves wondering if you will still be in one piece and functional after your next attempt.
Old     (theloungelife)      Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Salt Lake City, UT       03-04-2016, 9:20 AM Reply   
I really like Mitch's analysis. Times have changed and it's a new generation. Sadly, I think the new generation is way to technology reliant, but I can't totally blame them. Iphones offer instant social contact without even talking. Video games are all encompassing experiences. Just wait for quality VR to saturate the market. People won't even go outside then... Probably some sci fi movies about this. The social consequences will be interesting though.

It doesn't surprise me that some brands are divesting, based on these changes. What brand of shades is not owned by Luxotica, supports wakeboarding, and offer high quality optics? I've been an Oakley head for awhile, but this makes me interested in buying something else next time.
Old     (wazzy)      Join Date: Nov 2001       03-04-2016, 9:48 AM Reply   
>>People won't even go outside then... Probably some sci fi movies about this.<<
Ever seen Wall-E??? Just saying....
Old     (biggator)      Join Date: Jul 2010       03-06-2016, 7:00 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by theloungelife View Post
What brand of shades is not owned by Luxotica, supports wakeboarding, and offer high quality optics? I've been an Oakley head for awhile, but this makes me interested in buying something else next time.

I've become a huge fan of SPY. Amazing products, amazing customer service.. and they support snow/wake.

http://www.spyoptic.com/family/wake/

Last edited by biggator; 03-06-2016 at 7:01 AM. Reason: blah
Old     (boardjnky4)      Join Date: Dec 2011       03-07-2016, 5:55 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by biggator View Post
I've become a huge fan of SPY. Amazing products, amazing customer service.. and they support snow/wake.

http://www.spyoptic.com/family/wake/
Also check out Kameleonz. They are "sponsoring" Steel Lafferty. AND they have floating sunglasses at a reasonable price.

I also really like Knockarounds. For $15 or $20 you can get a decent pair of polarized sunglasses. If you like the Frogskin or Wayfarer style, they're awesome.

http://kzgear.com/

http://knockaround.com/
Old     (TC_Mastercraf_X5)      Join Date: Feb 2013       03-07-2016, 6:55 AM Reply   
As for the two running topics of this thread I believe there are 2 different crews of boarders. There are the people who started out with I/O and have slowly crawled up the food chain and people who started out with a loaded boat. I started out with an outboard starcraft then moved to MC X5. Finally jumped into an 07 VLX and could no be prouder of it. I ride behind my buddies 210 and would get one yesterday if they had more space; however, happy wife happy life.

I have like 6 pairs of Spy glasses in my boat. They are reasonably priced and as mentioned before they are pretty darn durable. I also get bright colors so i know if somebody forgets to leave a pair and is rocking them off the boat
Old     (adam_balon)      Join Date: Jul 2003       03-12-2016, 5:31 AM Reply   
its not boat prices nor the economy. its that the wake industry, its image is lame and not evolving. pair that with massive overproduction, ridiculous retail pricing, clearouts, discounting and direct sales the industry has suffocated itself. it is the reality.

mags continue to get thinner before finally dropping off & videos have disappeared due to instant online gratification, you continue to order boards from bobs discount boards online rather than walking into a shop..... dealers, mags, videos were the backbone of what was holding up this small industry. its gone for the most part and its collapsing. sometimes one needs to look from within to change the problem.
Old     (poon)      Join Date: Dec 2001       03-13-2016, 11:38 PM Reply   
I am sure I will get some backlash from this... I don't mean for it to sound harsh but I honestly don't know how else to say this.

Can't blame the companies for dropping out of wakeboarding. It is expensive and takes a lot of time to go ride... that alone makes it hard for most people to get into the sport. Wakesurfing is the same obviously. Don't get me wrong, both of these board sports are great and a lot of fun, but really tough for outside companies to make money and even hard for real pro riders to make money. I think one big issue is that everyone is a "Pro" Wakeboarder or "Pro" Wakesurfer. Really?

Think about what this does for the industry as a whole. When you have all these people claiming to be "Pros" it is ruining it for the riders who are actually Professionals and making a living from it.
Old     (biggator)      Join Date: Jul 2010       03-14-2016, 5:19 PM Reply   
For anyone whining about boat prices killing the sport... it seems it's less the boats, and more the sport itself. Some of snowboarding's biggest names without sponsors - iPod, Vito, Parrot, etc:
http://www.grindtv.com/snowboarding/...mRzvqTfyddG.97
Old     (solo)      Join Date: Oct 2001       03-17-2016, 12:28 PM Reply   
SPY dumped wake also. Sad...
Old     (biggator)      Join Date: Jul 2010       03-17-2016, 12:33 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by solo View Post
SPY dumped wake also. Sad...
?? Still up on their website. http://www.spyoptic.com/family/wake/
Old     (solo)      Join Date: Oct 2001       03-18-2016, 10:11 AM Reply   
Maybe they dumped everyone but Bob and Daniel? They used to support Harf, Watson, Marquardt and a few others. I don't think Grace is the team manager anymore. On the flip side, I just did an AD for http://www.hovenvision.com/ They are picking up some wake athletes. At least there are a few companies still supporting Wake.

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