Why doesn't LINE sponsor more pros?

jacobski

jacobski

Member
I remember when I bought my first pair of LINE chronics, Mike Wilson rode for them. Over the yrs, they've dropped Wilson, Skogen Sprang, and Ashley Battersby, without picking up more pros. Why not? I now LINE is active in the AM scene, and Pollard reps and designs most of their skis, but why not sign or retain more pros? I saw Levinthal in an interview once after they dropped everyone but Pollard a few yrs ago say that they were looking for the industry's "next big talent" to come along. Why, so they could sign them for a yr then drop them too? I don't get it. Pollard is the master, but it just seems like a way to save a buck to not keep more pros on the team.

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So is that the only reason? It seems like that would increase their marketing and sales to have more pros rep them.
 
J Lev knew what he was doing, and still does. It seems he's more focused on grassroots and getting the smaller names involved, and more of them. More people = more exposure, and when they don't give them anything besides skis and some clothing, it would seem it saves them money as well.
 
ah yep, for example - the 2 juniors Chris Laker and Miles Honen are sick skiers and really chill kids, so what Melvs is saying is right on IMO..
 
Well i guess you could look at it in a lot of ways. The first way is that LINE isnt a huge company, supporting pros (at the time) wouldve been hard. Then next thing is mainly opinion. I feel that the people have have the most influence on skiers in buying goods would be people you can relate to. If you see a really good amateur skier rocking skis, they arent on a "godly status", they are more like you and it presents the ski in a different way, one in which the product is more open to you. You can also talk to an am more than a pro without feeling discomforted, find out more about the product. Then theres jason's idea of giving back to the ski community, bringing up the next talent on LINE. Since LINE is mostly AMs as of now, the riders have a lot of say in the company. It's not just up to the pros, its an even playing field within the company. These concepts really bring LINE's rider to be loyal to the company and build up a friendship. I used to ride for dynastar, had no say in the company, hardly even had the chance to talk to the people giving me skis because they didnt care about me, only the pros. I didnt feel like i was a part of dynastar. Now im on line and i feel like im a part of something. I almost feel like im doing a constant representative job for line, answering kids questions and marketing the skis. im a part of something that is growing.
 
Ya, of the people I know on their 'mc' team, they're all far above average skiers who kill it day to day. They're the kids who you see at mountains and are impressed by, but not big name pros.
 
Also I think that the level the sport is at right now, its a lot hard/more work/more money to have a lot of pros, than back in 2003.
 
line are sick in what they are doing, they see potential and pick it up quick so they can help them progress.

and also i like how someone said you can relate to them better so you buy the product.
 
Now, i dont know much about the industry and how it works and even less about LINE, but could they just be making alot of pros, and just trying to progress the sport through taking in ams?
 
Line isn't going anywhere but forward, and forward looks very good indeed for them. Why their company should be structured like everyone else's, I don't understand. Is there any particularly compelling reason for it?
 
a big part in being noticed is to ride for someone, it seems like there giving mad kids the opportunity to be a part of something, wich seems real dope.
 
honestly its budget, if line could have kept their team the year when they were dropped all of em they would have. Now that k2 bought line you may see them begining to sign more pros but they need a chunk of change. Without scrillz they cant pay for movie segments for their athletes, travel budgets, not to mention the ridiculous sums of money "the best" people are demanding
 
Sicker they hook up AMs rather then pros. Alot of the people on line now are doing things alot of pros arent, and killing it just as hard.
 
i agree that with the k2 backing, they will be able to afford some pros. If they still don't sign pros we'll know that they really stand by the whole AM thing, which is sick.
 
it all comes down to who/what makes you want to buy their skis.

Do pros make you want to buy their skis?

for that matter do I make anyone want to buy line skis? ha

buahaha, who the hell cares skiings fun, fuck the rest

 
That was an ignorant statement. Only the 05/06 and 06/07 invaders were crap and the 06/07 bacons had problems with binding plastic to plastic (tip&tail), which didn't work out too well.

Aside from that, all their other skis are solid and no I haven't ridden all of them but from all the people I know who have a pair ranging from chronic blends to prophets to EP 1s, they hold up pretty well.
 
True. When the world ends and the sun swallows the solar system, all that will be left of earth are scattered pairs of unsratched Chronics floating in space. Fact.
 
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