Confluence Press Release:
“Wave Sport’s 2014 Sponsorships Show Commitment to Whitewater Kayaking Community”
I’m a bit shocked by this press release put out by Confluence Watersports about its commitment to the whitewater community by its whitewater brand Wavesport. This is a pathetic list of supported efforts in the whitewater world! I’m not saying the things on the list are in any way pathetic, as they are very worthy sponsorships, but that the depth/quantity of things on the list is well below efforts in the past and what many smaller companies are currently doing to support the community. Is this just corporate mentality showing through at Confluence, or is this a sign of the greater health of the whitewater kayak industry?
I personally really like the designs that Wavesport has been coming out with and believe that Dagger/Wavesport offer some of the best kayak outfitting currently available on the market. The company also supports some truly talented athletes who are great ambassadors of the sport; like Bryan Kirk, Tyler Curtis, Kim Becker, Devon Barker and others.
Why is one of the leading whitewater kayak manufacturers showing such lack of support for the community and putting out press releases touting such meager support? Besides being a poor PR move on Wavesport’s part, I believe that it is a bigger sign of the troubles in the whitewater kayak industry. I like to use the example of boat prices to illustrate an area that might be detrimental to the health of the industry. When was the last time boat prices went up? Material, labor and overhead costs have continued to climb while whitewater kayaks have stayed in the $900-$1300 range for well over a decade. Does this type of business model support our industry?
What is your take on this press release and the current health of the whitewater industry?
I wrote this article a week or so ago and today it was announced that Confluence Watersports was bought out by a private equity group and is now called Confluence Outdoors, as it is looking to expand into other areas of outdoor recreation. You can read the press release on the sale HERE.
How will this development effect the paddlesports industry?
