JEFoot
Registered: Nov 02, 2009
Posts: 1
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Reply with quote | #1 |
Ok, I just read the announcement about BFC and Eagle canceling their
sponsorship with the Germans and I am wondering if there is more to this
story then what Chuck has chosen to post. In fact it seems that Chuck
is trying to justify the canceling of the sponsorship. In the
announcement Chuck stated that Eagle and Barefoot Central were
sponsoring the team with suits, heater shirts, padded shorts, ropes and
handles. It was never mentioned that the sponsorship included training.
Do all of the Eagle and BFC sponsored skiers have to let Chuck know
where they are choosing to go for training/coaching? Last I knew BCF
and Eagle did not own a barefoot ski school and so why would the German
team have to check in with Chuck before booking training? Does Chuck
hold a grudge against KSO because of a failed prior business
relationship? Is that the real reason why the sponsorship was canceled?
I bet that if the German's were to post their side of the story it may
paint a different picture. |
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I12Foot
Registered: Nov 02, 2007
Posts: 86
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Reply with quote | #2 |
Interesting reading; I am not sure I agree with everything said and I am sure there is more then one side to the story as there always is when two parties are involved.
It does not appear that Chuck holds a grudge against KSO, WBC or Small because it looks like he encourged the Germans to pursue that option and now it appears that the WBC is sponsoring the World Championships.
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barefootcentral
Moderator
Registered: Aug 29, 2007
Posts: 656
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Reply with quote | #3 |
Mr Edwards "JEFoot" looks to know more than he's letting on. Or maybe he is just trying to stir up some bad press for BFC on behald of KSO and Small. For the record, I have no ill feelings for Keith over the Germans. If you read my release, it stated the agreement had no training site requirements. It did however have an unwritten handshake agreement to respect and be as upfront with each other as possible. All part of personal meetings with their organizing committee in New Zealand. And I also don't fault the entire German team. The team members were not involved in negotiations with Eagle or BFC. Many are good customers and members of BFC.
This deal was primarily an Eagle sponsorship on the suit side and Eagle has a network of dealers that they support. The Germans knew we had a dealer in Winter Haven, and made no attempts to contact that dealer or Eagle about any visit, even after we let them know of the conflict this would cause. And to pretend they didn't know of such relationships is foolish. Hilmar has been in the industry for over 20 years and knows the landscape of the sport as well as the players. He makes it a point to tell you so. In this situation, he just chose to ignore those relationships and do his own thing. As owner of Eagle, I'd rather loose an event than loose the respect and support of a key dealer (Ron Scarpa Watersports) in the barefoot market. As owner of BarefootCentral.com, I'd rather loose an event than loose a good working relationship we've just recently established with Ron Scarpa Watersports. Ron and Paul have been participating in Freestyle and working to co-promote and help build that new sport together. So that relationship is what we determined was most important to us.
Skiers don't have to worry, the money is still slotted to go somewhere in the sport, just not to that event in 2010. If I'm a betting man, I'd say it might go to Freestyle 2010. But you never know. At the end of the day, Hilmar got what I think he wanted all along. He got another sponsor, hopefully plenty of free stuff for the team, and a site to train on. WBC gets the opportunity to call themselves sponsors of the next Worlds, to choose the rope and handle Keith and David prefer, and chance to hopefully give back financially to the sport, which at the end they should, they've been promoting they're doing so much. This is just a good way for them to show it. It's a win for all.
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"Whoa..I don't get no respect" Rodney Dangerfield |
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barefootfan
Registered: Aug 28, 2008
Posts: 88
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Reply with quote | #4 |
All I know is that if I had a grudge against someone I sure as heck would not have a link to their site on mine... 
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