SnowSports Industries America (SIA) hosted the second Snowboard Committee meeting of the year in Santa Ana, CA to discuss the state of the market and develop a long-range program to increase snowboard participants, participation and product sales.



At the meeting, members of committee members, media outlets, resorts and specialty retailers united to address four initiatives aimed at strengthening the snowboard industry by involving all stakeholders in the snowboard market; reviewing and expanding snowboard research; focusing on inspired programs and messaging; and reinvigorating the snowboard community.

 

 

“The Snowboard Committee meetings this year have proven that the industry is committed to work together to address the issues affecting snowboard participation and sales,” SIA President David Ingemie.
Committee Chair Mike West of 686 kicked off the meeting and reminded the group of the ultimate goal of gathering together.

 

“We’re all here to develop a strategic plan to increase the snowboard industry that we can implement together,” said West. “To do this, we will participate in breakout sessions about the issues affecting the growth of our market and its future.”

 

Others within the group echoed the sentiment that the stakeholders across the category need to collaborate.
“Engaging and embracing the customer will create a more symbiotic relationship. The industry needs to be a cohesive group to make people’s experience better,” commented Duke Edward of Surfside Sports.

One breakout session focused on how to build the community aspect of snowboarding.

 

“The programs that SIA organizes to increase participation do work,” commented Brad Stewart of Bonfire who led the discussion. “SIA has boots on the ground to make things happen and we as an industry need to direct them.”

 

 

Snowboard Committee members in-attendance included:

 


  • Pat Bridges of Snowboard Magazine,
  • Eric Crane of Electric Visual,
  • Sasha Dietschi-Cooper of Burton Snowboards,
  • Clark Gundlach of Quiksilver,
  • Will Howard of Dragon Alliance,
  • Jeff Kearl of Stance,
  • Dan McNamara of Mervin Manufacturing,
  • Blu Montgomery of CaPiTA Super Corporation,
  • Anthony Scaturro of Flow Sports,
  • Brad Steward of Bonfire/Amer Group,
  • Mike West of 686, and
  • David Ingemie and Dave Wray of SIA.

In addition to the committee members, last week’s meeting included Kevin English of High Cascades, John McColly of Mountain High, John Rice of Sierra Tahoe, resort consultant Andrea Kates of Andrea Kates, Inc., and Duke Edward of Surfside Sports.


 

The Snowboard Committee will move forward with its strategic plan by reviewing existing snowboard research and pursuing new data that will help the industry understand how to increase snowboard participants, participation and product sales.