Reebok leaving the hockey business to focus on CCM?

[giogolf 9]

Hey all,

Finally had a real fitting for skates! Tried everything on that was within the spec of my foot profile. I am the proud owner of Reebok 14k skates... Ah finally no pain with a secure fit...

Any way the sales guy at the LHS said that Reebok was leaving the hockey business to focus all their attention on CCM? Said that he was told they arent profitable enough to support 2 brands with Bauer having 80% market share.

Now this all conjecture at this point, right? Reebok site claims to have significant market share in the NHL with their protective equipment and dont they have the Jersey rights as well?

So to the insiders on this forum, is there any truth to this?

[romdj 26]

That's very very interesting, maybe all the rbk lines will be converged into 3 separate lines in order to have 3 competitors in bauer, adidas and easton-bell

[AIREAYE 248]

The insiders have been hinting at this for a while.

I've been hearing it through the grapevine as well through other sources.

I believe you might find some posts in here (http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?/topic/60364-ccm-making-a-comeback/) but I apologize if not as I didn't go through it to make sure.

[lennyboi 9]

i read somewhere (can't recollect where) that reebok will be exiting hockey at some point but I didn't think there was too much truth to it at the time as the 20k stick was released shortly afterward.

So if reebok does leave the hockey equipment manufacturing industry, I guess this would mean Crosby will be the new poster boy for CCM?

[Ralphiv#13 0]

Would all the designs for protective equipment also switch to CCM too or would they just not offer their Jofa designs?

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

If they were leaving the hockey business, they wouldn't be focusing on CCM because they've left the business, no? And offering one brand instead of 2 isn't going to make a difference in market share when they can have two different lines/brands and claim both under the same umbrella.

I hear, at the very least, 2 rumors a week about possible brand consolidations. If I started a thread on them, I'd have no credibility :) Is that rumor new? No. But you won't catch me trying to confirm anything that's been said here - I know better than that.

[raganblink 82]

the sales guy at the LHS said that Reebok was leaving the hockey business to focus all their attention on CCM? Said that he was told they arent profitable enough to support 2 brands with Bauer having 80% market share.

Actually its closer to 40%. Reebok/CCM is a close second with roughly 28%.

Now this all conjecture at this point, right? Reebok site claims to have significant market share in the NHL with their protective equipment and dont they have the Jersey rights as well?

Its complete conjecture on his point, he's pulling things out of his butt. Reebok does have significant market share in the NHL w/ protective equipment, but that doesn't mean anything. The kids can't see that stuff underneath their jerseys. Those jerseys are the main reason this rumor has been going around for a couple years. Their contract comes up after the 2014 season? (source?), and there is great speculation now that Bauer has bought Inaria (jersey company) that they are going full out to bid and win the contract win it comes up, essentially hurting Reebok in an area where they are already hurting (jersey sales, because Nike bought the NFL contract) and therefore possibly considering Adidas group to cut Reebok from hockey all together.

JR is right however, all there is right now is speculation by people who have no idea what they're talking about.

In business sense there is means where it makes sense for them to get out - however, there are also more and important reasons for them to stay in the game. It doesn't make much sense to kill off the brand - they'll still have to manufacture the gear, stamp it the same, market it the same, etc.

[giogolf 9]

Well for selfish reasons alone, I hope they stay in the skate business. I tried on every skate in the store outside of Graf and they fit my feet the best :)

As for Reebok making claim that majority of the NHL uses their protective equipment.... are they counting all the guys still using old jofa gear as well?

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

Reebok really doesn't claim that as much as Jofa did; they have head-to-toe guys for marketing purposes, unlike Jofa which was strictly protective.

I edited your signature; no need to use color. Nobody else does LOL

[giogolf 9]

On their home page one of splash adds shows shoulder, shin, and elbow broken out in % total used by the NHL.

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

I understand what you are saying, however, the point I'm trying to make is that it's not the main marketing talking point for them.

[jimmy 194]

My theory is they entered the hockey business to buy CCM who had just nailed a 10-yr NHL licensed apparel contract. This is where the $$$ are made. I think they will exit when they no longer have this contract .It's getting close.

[giogolf 9]

I guess we will stay tuned and see what happens... No one really knows except the Reebok insiders at this point.

[Cove 38]

Isnt Adidas ending Rebook worldwide?

[shafted 6]

i read that reebok recently let go many of its staff worldwide. hope they keep the ccm line going and keep investing in new r&d. bauer getting a bigger and bigger market share is not a good thing for the consumer. hopefully other companies like warrior can step it up with new products etc to give us more choice and compete against bauer.

[The MAD Line 2]

Would it make sense that Reebok is using their name behind the training aspect and CCM the on ice?

Not that I've heard this, but I've heard that Reebok is making a big push in the off-ice training department with featured athletes, etc. Sort of like Nike has been doing.

[Wolfpack_1986 146]

You can make many arguments for Reebok folding the Reebok product lines under the ccm brand... You'd have two skate lines, and three stick lines, and a two protective lines (I think I'm remembering right)... No different than Bauer or easton... They'd just be able to claim all Reebok and all ccm players as being ccm. (Claim 20% instead of 10% this 10% that)....

Which, I think is why these rumors have legs. But being believe able doesn't make them true.

Conversely, you can make the argument that reeboks apparel business will do better with a Reebok hockey line. For example, you can get a whole bunch of Adidas apparel, but youth teams don't order Adidas warm up suits, and jackets with the same regularity as brands that are associated with hockey as being hockey brands. Yes I know Adidas owns Reebok, yes I know Adidas makes some jerseys... But you're a hockey player.... Bauer jacket or mizuno jacket?

[TeamHonda401 54]

I wouldn't mind a Mizuno warm up suit. I've had a couple of their baseball gloves over the years, and they make some really good golf clubs/balls. To each their own.

[Chadd 916]

If they were leaving the hockey business, they wouldn't be focusing on CCM because they've left the business, no? And offering one brand instead of 2 isn't going to make a difference in market share when they can have two different lines/brands and claim both under the same umbrella.

I hear, at the very least, 2 rumors a week about possible brand consolidations. If I started a thread on them, I'd have no credibility :) Is that rumor new? No. But you won't catch me trying to confirm anything that's been said here - I know better than that.

In the last year I think I have heard that everyone is either buying someone or being bought out by someone.

[hb4167 6]

We can't honestly begin to talk about the difficulties in having 2 companies under the same umbrella competing with each other being that much of an issue, when Bauer is finalizing its release of its THIRD line of equipment. Reebok has one fit, CCM another. Reebok stepping away from hockey wouldn't make sense. At least not now, because, I cannot imagine they would honestly expect to maintain their sales numbers because "our reebok users will just switch to ccm!" If anything is happening I think its the posturing of CCM for a sale. Like many have been theorizing about for a little while now. (Especially with the ccm goalie equipment blasting its way into the market). It will be interesting to see what happens once the RBZ skates release and CCM has nothing left for 2013.

[Chadd 916]

We can't honestly begin to talk about the difficulties in having 2 companies under the same umbrella competing with each other being that much of an issue, when Bauer is finalizing its release of its THIRD line of equipment. Reebok has one fit, CCM another.

Because all Bauer product uses the same brand, any marketing done for one line has a secondary effect for the other lines. That is not the case when you have two different lines under two different brand names. An ad for the Bauer Supreme series, an ad for the Bauer Vapor series and an ad for the Bauer Nexus series all promote Bauer. Promoting the RBK K series product does absolutely nothing for the CCM U+ CL series product or CCM RBZ product.

[hb4167 6]

Because all Bauer product uses the same brand, any marketing done for one line has a secondary effect for the other lines. That is not the case when you have two different lines under two different brand names. An ad for the Bauer Supreme series, an ad for the Bauer Vapor series and an ad for the Bauer Nexus series all promote Bauer. Promoting the RBK K series product does absolutely nothing for the CCM U+ CL series product or CCM RBZ product.

Totally understand that Chadd. Let me preface this post with stating that while writing that, I was at the tail end of an awful internet binder that including the watching of countless "funny cat" videos in the dark hole of youtube. So it's easy to say that upon posting my mental capacity was that of a goldfish.

At any rate, I guess my point/question I was trying to raise was this: I understand that just because CCM and Reebok are under the same umbrella, does not mean that if one makes money they both become more profitable. However, is it safe to assume that if Bauer were to say, cancel or remove one of their current lines, does it mean that all of the users of that one particular line would just opt to remain with Bauer? I feel like the answer is no. Some would stay, sure. However, I feel they would lose more people looking to replace the fit and feel with something most similar.

Which brings me back to Reebok. It wouldnt make sense for them to completely remove themselves from the game when they just got done spending a ton of time and money promoting the brand. A sale of Reebok would be more logical than a complete cancellation. Additionally, if Reebok was hypothetically shut down, there is absolutely no certaintey that the loyal Reebok fan base would jump to CCM.

[EvilPepe 24]

However, is it safe to assume that if Bauer were to say, cancel or remove one of their current lines, does it mean that all of the users of that one particular line would just opt to remain with Bauer? I feel like the answer is no. Some would stay, sure. However, I feel they would lose more people looking to replace the fit and feel with something most similar.

Don't underestimate the willingness of the general buying public to use something based on name or perceived value while sacrificing proper fit. That would be a safe assumption to make if you were asking about people who, say spend time on ModSquad, but I don't think it would hold for most people purchasing gear.

[Chadd 916]

Totally understand that Chadd. Let me preface this post with stating that while writing that, I was at the tail end of an awful internet binder that including the watching of countless "funny cat" videos in the dark hole of youtube. So it's easy to say that upon posting my mental capacity was that of a goldfish.

At any rate, I guess my point/question I was trying to raise was this: I understand that just because CCM and Reebok are under the same umbrella, does not mean that if one makes money they both become more profitable. However, is it safe to assume that if Bauer were to say, cancel or remove one of their current lines, does it mean that all of the users of that one particular line would just opt to remain with Bauer? I feel like the answer is no. Some would stay, sure. However, I feel they would lose more people looking to replace the fit and feel with something most similar.

Which brings me back to Reebok. It wouldnt make sense for them to completely remove themselves from the game when they just got done spending a ton of time and money promoting the brand. A sale of Reebok would be more logical than a complete cancellation. Additionally, if Reebok was hypothetically shut down, there is absolutely no certaintey that the loyal Reebok fan base would jump to CCM.

If the RBK product were moved to CCM entirely, I would expect most of the people that used the gear to continue using it, assuming they were happy with the product. If RBK were to shut down and no similar product emerged from CCM, I wouldn't expect a significant percentage to migrate over. People that buy for fit will likely continue to buy for fit and people that buy whatever is new and has the best marketing will continue to do that. In the end, it's all speculation and we won't know what people will do until well after it happens.

[TBLfan 25]

Idea based on the CCM RBZ:

Reebok reverts back to the RBK name. RBK's product line becomes "CCM" so you can buy the RBK CCM skates/sticks/protective. CCM renames all their products "RBK." So you buy the CCM RBK whatever. Then the customers would be soo confused no one would notice if Reebok pulls out of the hockey market.

C - "I'm looking for a fit similar to the CCM tacks"

SP - "Ok, you want RBK"

C - "What about CCM?"

SP - "Yeah those"

C - "You said I wanted RBK?"
SP - "Yeah, you do. You want RBKs"

C - "But you just said CCM"

SP - "Yeah, you want to wear the CCMs"

etc..