Executive Summary
Irwin Sports has a great product with the launch of the Cover Up pad. The key success factors include the lack of competition, the growing market of individuals playing hockey; whether ice or roller, as well as the unique qualities that Cover Up pads have. The problems begin when the issue of price and channeling arise. Even though the issue of price kept re-emerging, Irwin Sports Director of Marketing, Greg Anger stands behind the retail selling price of $195.00 and $179.00 for Ice and In-line Cover Ups respectively. This price is still very much reasonable in comparison to the alternatives of buying new or used pads or painting and repairing older pads. The challenge of channeling is to conquer the Southern United States. The goal is to imprint the WinnWell name into the minds of as many hockey players as possible, especially goalies. This can be done by mass sponsorship to ensure that the WinnWell name will be present at as many functions as possible where perspective customers will be. The Cover Up pad is a product like no other and in order to obtain the recognition it deserves, it will only happen through physical interaction with the customer. The ease and benefits of this product will not be sold in a print ad. The Cover Up pads has to immerse themselves throughout the market in order for people to see how beneficial this product really is. Whether it is amateur hockey tournaments, or the Chicago City Fair, WinnWell representation must be present to further expand the Cover Up pads market.
Company/Product Audit
Company Background
Irwin Sports (IS), a division of Irwin Toy Corporation of Toronto, is following a similar marketing strategy to that of Irwin Toy by marketing and distributing many leading brands, Cooper Baseball, as well as its own line of products, the WinnWell line. The WinnWell line is IS's ice hockey equipment line and offers everything except for skates, helmets and goalie equipment. IS recently introduced a brand of in-line hockey equipment called Redline under the WinnWell line. IS mostly targeted high volume sales through big accounts such as Wal-Mart and Zellers with substandard products and equipment. IS distributed most of its products throughout Canada and the US and achieved an international market by offering products to 35 other countries. Approximately 1200 Canadian retailers, and 2200 US retailers carried IS products, however, Cooper baseball accounted for most of the sales.
As stated in my thesis statement, the sport of hockey has been forced to compete with the growing mass popularity with other sports such as basketball and football. There once was a point in time where hockey had just as much popularity as those sports but because people are finding more interest in those sports, the National Hockey League found itself in a “drought” of unimportance with other sports. With not televising the sport as “commonly” as other sports.
In the article “ With player safety preeminent in college football and the NFL, more attention is on helmets” Lee Hanson the founder of the invention “Guardian Cap”, a padded cover that goes over the football helmet to help reduce the risk concussions for football players wants to spread Guardian caps to football athletes
In “Its Time to Think About Visors,” Dryden exposes the fact that the stereotypes of risk in sport have pushed athletes to continue to compromise safety even with advancements in equipment worn. Dryden first explores this while talking about players from the minor leagues who have worn visors for all of their lives reaching the NHL and then stopping, stating, “Then most decide to play as they had never had before, with no facial protection at all.” This shows that even with athletes that have had this safety all of their lives they decide to stop when they reach the NHL because they see the stereotype created by the fans watching that push these players to risk their safety in order to bring a new excitement to the game. Even though the new rookies have been protected by visors the amount of influence of the huge fans of hockey pressure into danger that before they were safe from. In addition to this Dryden adds how there is appeal towards the dangers of life expressing, “People are attracted to risk. Near misses are thrilling.” This demonstrates that audiences don’t want to see players seriously injured but instead the close calls that come with sport and the smaller injuries that some equipment has gotten rid
Injuries are common in most sports that have a contact component attached. Whether it’s at a professional level, or a school level, injuries are always bound to occur in contact sport. This analysis will look into the role headgear could, should and would play, and debates whether it should be made mandatory. Olympic sports such as Ice Hockey, Bicycle Riding and Baseball are just some examples that currently require athletes to wear a form of headgear. However, Australian contact sports such as AFL and Rugby give the option for players to wear headgear for protection. In 2011, 14 year old Ben Robinson was hospitalised after being treated 3 times in a game for head blows in a rugby game . In 1994, professional boxer Bradley Stone died from head injuries whilst boxing against Richie Wenton . Examples like these show the brutality of contact sports. Because of this, my paper will look at the issue of headgear in contact sport and will particularly look at this issue at junior sports level.
hardly get hurt in hockey. People can get get hurt using paper, so are those people going to keep
PIAS has a grasp on their external and internal environments, and it clear to see as to why they have some 330 stores.(playitagainsports.com) Their vision clear in that of, they are here to help save their customers money by providing them with the best used sports equipment possible for them. They may have to reconsider their external environments in the future as sport retailers like Dicks Sporting Goods and Sports Authority expand their business, but their internal environments are solid in that they understand and follow their company vision.
Mihoces, Gary. “More padding the issue of concussions and better helmets.” USA Today Sports. 23 August 2013. Web. 29 November 2013.
Lacrosse is a fast-growing American high school sport and becoming very successful within the past few decades, so it’s important to analyze how lacrosse has gotten to where it is today and what impacted the spread. The research question is: How has lacrosse changed over the years, and what impacted the spread? Research shows that lacrosse is becoming more popular every year, and many more people are becoming aware of this sport so the history behind what is known as ‘America’s first sport’ should be known. According to the National Federation of State High School, between 2009 and 2013, participation between high school boys and girls has increased for a total of 34%. Today, over 1400 high schools in the US include
The NFL is looking into Advanced Technology to assist in creating a safer game. To encourage more development of new technology and products to address concerns with player safety the NFL has created a system that incentivizes developers. We have created a “Engineering Roadmap” by bringing together people from academia, industry, government, and the NFLPA to determine the most pressing needs of our players. Helmets, Artificial Turf and the Ahead 3000 are the top developments in progress.
...ed like an air ride truck the air padding inside the helmets keep the players safer.
Cotsonika, Nicholas (2009, Jun 9). Sponsor logos may show up on practice jerseys. Retrieved July 15, 2009, from www.freep.com
Over the next twenty years, the Adidas brand grew as a staple in the athletic community. Adidas made a name for itself by associating itself with notable athletic figures and events. One example is the Franz Beckenbauer tracksuit model in 1967. In addition to associating itself with famous athletes, Adidas aligned itself with highly visible sporting events. In 1970, Adidas provided the official ball, TELSTAR, for the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Adidas made another showing for the 1972 Olympic Games in Germany. Adi Dassler’s success ...
There are many types of grips using in field hockey such as rubber composition grip, cord grips, synthetic grip, leather grip, elastomeric grips, and air cushion grip. In addition, using chamois grip (chamois leather) is the best material for enclose the hockey stick handle. Why using leather grip it’s called “best of the best” but almost extinct? This is because expensive cost, and extended time required to produce its. Chamois leather is made up from sheepskin or lambskin where the grain is removed and tanned by marine fish oil. What makes chamois leather so special? As in daily life, the leather is used to rubbing down the fogged on windscreen on a cold day, cleaning and waxing As its natural product, the pores can stretch and expand to fit the water absorption and also synthetic leather replicate to make same as natural leather (Halpin, C. ,2010).
In 1996, Under Armour,Inc. (UA) was founded by Kevin Plank as a former University of Maryland football player. Kevin Plank started his business with the idea of alteration athlete’s T-shirt. The shirt uses moisture-wicking fabrics to keep athletes cool and dry, and worked in a body to regulate temperature for enhancing athlete performance (Under Aumour, “About Under Armour” n.d.). Under Armour’s mission statement is to make all athletes better through passion, design and the relentless pursuit of innovation (Under Aumour, “Brand Mission”n.d.). Under Armour has developed different product for athletes to use in different seasons for men, women, and youth such as HeatGear that is designed to be worn in high temperatures, ColdGear, which is designed to be wore when the body circulate body heat from hotspot to the normal body temperatures, and AllSeasonGear, which is designed for wearing in changing temperatures (Under Aumour, “About Under Armour” n.d.). Under Armour develops, markets, distributes its apparels, footwear, and accessories for using in the athletics in various continents such as North America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It is looking for expanding market in the future (Under Aumour, “Shop of Under Armour”n.d.). Under Armour’s headquatered is in Baltimor, MD. Moreover, it also operates in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and other 80 countries (Under Aumour, “Find a Retailer”n.d.). It distribute its products through retail stores and online.
One of the rising debates in the Major League Baseball (MLB) Association is the safety of the fans. Over 100 fans are either struck by foul balls or broken bats each year and are seriously injured. It’s the MLB’s responsibility to protect those fans. One the most effective ways they can do this is by putting up extra netting along the foul pole line at every MLB field. This will help to prevent fan injuries and the long-term effects that follow such injuries such as medical bills and law suits.