Pocket Outdoor Media (POM) announced the acquisition of Big Stone Publishing (BSP), the publisher of Rock & Ice, Trail Runner, and Gym Climber magazines.
The BSP brands join POM’s existing stable of active lifestyle brands: Climbing, Backpacker, Women’s Running, Triathlete, Yoga Journal, Clean Eating, VeloNews, SKI, and Warren Miller Entertainment, among others.
“This acquisition significantly strengthens our ability to engage with outdoor enthusiasts across all of the seasons and sports that live at the intersection of adrenaline and adventure,” said Robin Thurston, CEO of Pocket Outdoor Media. “By merging Rock & Ice into Climbing, we’ll be better positioned to deliver exceptional content and cover all of the sport’s disciplines—trad, sport, gym, and alpine climbing—in ways not possible before. Similarly, Trail Runner broadens our running portfolio, adding the dominant title in the sport’s fastest-growing discipline.”
“After getting to know Robin and the team, it was clear that we’d found the perfect home for brands we’ve nurtured into category leaders,” said Duane Raleigh, president of Big Stone Publishing. “We’re closely aligned on quality and authenticity being central to our mission, and the combination of our teams will be a classic case of one plus one equaling three. It’ll be an editorial and sales powerhouse perfectly situated to take advantage of recent participation surges in running and climbing.”
