MasterCraft pulls PWT Sponsership

[wakebrdr94]

What say you all? Bad venues? Not including the women? Who will step up? Malibu or Nautique? I actually see Nautique coming in, but would like to see Malibu take it.

Vonore, TN - MasterCraft Boat Company announced today it has chosen to withdraw its sponsorship of the 2015 Pro Wakeboard Tour season, opting out of the final year of its contract with World Sports and Marketing, the event-marketing firm that activates the PWT. MasterCraft and World Sports & Marketing have over 25 years of bringing pro watersports and its pro athletes to fans all over the country. However due to the ever changing landscape of wakeboarding, event marketing, athlete and fan expectations, MasterCraft has chosen to move forward with a new direction for the 2015 summer season.

"MasterCraft thanks the team at World Sports for over 25 years of making the Pro Tour such a highly regarded event," said Aarne Clow, MasterCraft team and event manager. "Despite our wonderful history, there have been so many changes to the wake scene over the last few years that have resulted in the slow decline of attendance and participation, we felt it was the right time to go back to the drawing board, work with our team of world class athletes and deliver a different experience for 2015 and beyond."

While details of MasterCraft’s forthcoming event is still under lock and key, its goal remains to bring a premium experience that progresses and exposes the sport, improves the life of the athlete and rejuvenates the fans of wake sports. More information will be coming out in the early spring of 2015.

About MasterCraft
MasterCraft strives to deliver consumers the ultimate water sports experience by designing and building the world’s highest quality, best performing sports luxury boats in every significant inboard niche. Tours of MasterCraft’s world headquarters in Vonore, Tennessee, are available Monday-Thursday from 2pm to 4pm.

Edited September 16, 2014 by wakebrdr94

[bcoppess23]

Location seems to be the issue for a lot of these events. Insurance to host, etc.. small crowds.

[MalibuTime]

Sarcasm on / So they have recognized that they had their 15 minutes of fame with the orignal X-Stars and it is now really about rich kids. / Sarcasm off

[BlastRlxi]

Wonder if this is a sign that wake boarding is dying off. When wake boarding became popular, some predicted it would be the end of slalom skiing. While it definitely wasn't, it did take away some of its participants. Has surfing done to wakeboarding what wakeboarding did to slalom?

[isellacuras]

I think it's a weird sport for spectators. I think most of us would rather be out "doing" rather than on the shore "watching". At least that's how I feel about it.

[TallRedRider]

Wakeboarding is a terrible spectator sport except for the few people inside the boat. That is why it never really flew with the Xgames either.

[Durty_Curt]

Been to a few events and it's kinda like watching golf. Not as fun to watch, yes in both sports they're better than you and that's pretty cool. But we all would rather be doing then just watching

[Bturner]

When I first started wakeboarding I was attracted to the idea that you brought a bunch of friends out to make the wake bigger and cheered each other on to make progress. You didn't need a $100K boat and the focus was on having a good time. It was, in a way, a team event. This was completely opposite to the slalom mentality that had developed and that I was a part of where riders would complain about the boat speed, where people were sitting in the boat or didn't want anyone in the boat at all.

Unfortunately wakeboarding seems to have developed into this same type of pattern. Boats cost a fortune, you have to do inverts to be considered a wakeboarder in many circles and as others have mentioned it's pretty much turned into a rich kid sport. Add to all this that rope lengths have gotten longer and boat speeds have increased which means the learning hurts much more which takes a lot of the fun out of the sport. Don't get me wrong I love watching these talented kids ride but add all this together and you've pretty much taken the sport out of the reach of the mainstream. Without adding new riders to the sport interest soon dries up. When interest dries up the spectator crowds dry up.

I've only gone wakeboarding three times this year. We instead have filled our time on the water getting back into slalom with some close friends not interested so much in chasing balls and surfing. The surf scene right now reminds me a lot of how wakeboarding was 15 years ago when it was about getting out and having a good time. Where being with friends and cheering them on to do something new was the goal for the afternoon. It also helps that the falls in either recreational slalom or surfing are no where near as bad as some of the falls I've taken wakeboarding. Also when we take kids out on the boat these days they are typically much more interested in learning to surf that wakeboard. This should tell you something about where wakeboarding is going.

Not sure how surfing would be as a spectator sport. As with any of these types of activities it's very difficult to see exactly what's going on without being in the boat.

[Indyxc]

A couple comments:

Mastercraft pulling out of the PWT tour is bad news for the tour. I don't think anyone will take their place, and that will mean the end of the tour most likely. The problem with wakeboarding is as mentioned it isn't a spectator sport. Even when the boat/rider are close by, the majority of the tricks look exactly the same to the average person. Even as someone who wakeboards, all the spins and flips begin to look the same. A flip and spin is a flip and spin.

Wakesurf- Yawn. Only positives are the social aspect, and anyone can do it.

[longbeard]

I am just kind of disappointed. We went out to Acworth this year and watched. My son and daughter both loved it. It was a chance for them to see all the top riders in one location. My son got to kind of hang around with Parks Bonifay and Darin Shapiro, he had an awesome time. To me it was more about the social aspect of it, all the top riders gathered so that you could meet them, and then they put on a little expo of riding.

[Pointman99]

Not to derail, but does any individual water sport draw anyone other than it's participants well?

I do a little of everything(mastered zero) and have no interest in attending any tournament at any level. Maybe if it happens in conjunction with a larger festival it'll get passing attention from me.

[85 Barefoot]

I think the tour decline is frankly because the pros are so much better than they used to be. Hear me out: 20 years ago it was awesome going to a wake event because you could go and realistically learn their runs in a reasonable length of time. You may not go as big, tweak your crail tantrum like Cobe, or style out a Pete Rose like Byerly, but the runs weren't in and of themselves that hard overall. This gave spectators "hope". They would go, get fired up, tell themselves "they too" could be on the tour, go ride, and have a blast. Heck, in the first or second year of the Xgames Hunter Brown was in the finals and I could literally do his entire run. It was "encouraging" not "discouraging" going to a contest and seeing "I can do that". It "inspired" people. As time went on, the kids just got so ridiculously good, I think a lot of people, me included, didn't search out opportunities to be reassured that our potential careers are over by going to contests. Now, in reality, I would have never had a career, but it was fun reasonably believing you could and confirming that by watching contest runs. I just saw trick of the year announced to a kid I've never even heard of who did a grabbed double tantrum to blind....seriously? That's nuts. There are so many flips and twists that people can watch before they get bored if they're not "engaged" IMO. Wakeboard contests don't feel as engaging to me anymore though I have tremendous respect for the current riders who are doing things that Eric Perez HAS to be shocked at.

[Falko]

I like to sit on the dock after riding for a while and watching another boat go by with a good boarder. It is inspiring and all. But to go and sit and watch a full event of it? Not that interested. I view watching wakeboarding like watching snow boarding, it all looks the same to me. These types of events are really side shows, not much of a main event.

I think watching sports is a dying phenomenon in general. Even the big three (or four) are losing viewers, people just have other interests. Now take a sport where you had limited exposure to begin with, it is going to be hurting. And really, how much exposure and revenue does it make Mastercraft? Probably not much especially given what they put into it.

[2008vtx]

Mastercraft pulling out of the tour is great, Phil Soven was fined for openly bashing the wake on the XStar and that boat has been getting tons on complaints with the riders. Glad to see some change and a little shake up. I hope they bring the tour back to Portland was always big crowds and tons of fun. Really hope to see a new boat company step up and make this a great event again. This was great exposure for riders, board companies and local boat dealers at these events. I'm sure Malibu , Nautique and Supra could all provide a great boat to go faster than 11.2 MPH....

[h2o_nhk]

For all the entrepreneurs out there this begs the question if wakeboarding is on its way out and surfing eventually follows similar trends (hypothetically speaking), what is going to be the next big water sport activity boom and who's going to be the first to market?

[Bturner]

Slalom. The circle of life thing.......

[aggie08]

I think the tour decline is frankly because the pros are so much better than they used to be. Hear me out: 20 years ago it was awesome going to a wake event because you could go and realistically learn their runs in a reasonable length of time. You may not go as big, tweak your crail tantrum like Cobe, or style out a Pete Rose like Byerly, but the runs weren't in and of themselves that hard overall. This gave spectators "hope". They would go, get fired up, tell themselves "they too" could be on the tour, go ride, and have a blast. Heck, in the first or second year of the Xgames Hunter Brown was in the finals and I could literally do his entire run. It was "encouraging" not "discouraging" going to a contest and seeing "I can do that". It "inspired" people. As time went on, the kids just got so ridiculously good, I think a lot of people, me included, didn't search out opportunities to be reassured that our potential careers are over by going to contests. Now, in reality, I would have never had a career, but it was fun reasonably believing you could and confirming that by watching contest runs. I just saw trick of the year announced to a kid I've never even heard of who did a grabbed double tantrum to blind....seriously? That's nuts. There are so many flips and twists that people can watch before they get bored if they're not "engaged" IMO. Wakeboard contests don't feel as engaging to me anymore though I have tremendous respect for the current riders who are doing things that Eric Perez HAS to be shocked at.

I don't agree with this at all. Every popular professional sport currently in existence consists of fans watching the highest caliber of athletes doing things they can't even dream about. They watch to see the truly gifted stand apart even from their elite peers. They watch to see the sport progress. Neither of those things happens at a PWT stop. Given the run structure, there's very little room for the individualism, amplitude, style, and creativity you see on video parts. Sure, Harley is the best of the best contest riders, but it's not like he's doing radically different tricks than his competitors or going any bigger; he's just more consistent. His Crow 5 looks exactly like Soven's Crow 5, which looks like Rusty's Crow 5. At best, he'll throw in an extra 180 to an existing trick; which, while impressive to the few who know enough about the sport to identify it, it doesn't look that much cooler, especially from 500 feet away. Then, at the few events that still even have double-ups at the end of a run, the guys play it safe because they don't want to mar a good run and do the same HS 9 or BS 7 we've seen 100 times.

Turn the tour into what wakeboarding is supposed to be: a party. Look at Brostock. It's HUGE every year because the pros aren't just mingling with the spectators trying to sell a board; they're laughing, drinking, and hanging out with them. Then the riding consists of guys hucking themselves off huge double-ups in the middle of a rowdy crowd trying to land something they've never landed before. It's not like ESPN is ever going to televise wakeboarding again; might as well go all out.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Good question. Back in 2000, Tony Klarich tried setting up an event that showcased wakeboard, hydrofoil & freestyle motocross. At the time, it sounded great. And as a foil & bike rider, & former boarder, I liked watching it all. Especially the fact that it was all in one venue....I could stand by the shore & see the foil riders & boarders ride by, & right behind me the FMX guys were throwin down!

But in the end, it was a flop. Just not enough cross sport interest & too many clicks, no one wanted to share the spotlight. Tony came close to going bankrupt on it.

Not to derail, but does any individual water sport draw anyone other than it's participants well?

I do a little of everything(mastered zero) and have no interest in attending any tournament at any level. Maybe if it happens in conjunction with a larger festival it'll get passing attention from me.

[wakebrdr94]

Let's face it, wakeboarding is a rich mans sport (for lack of a better term). While you may not need the best boat to train, you still need a boat, and inherent all the expenses that come with. Then if you do not live on a waterfront piece of property, getting out once a week may be hard let alone more. It's not like snowboarding where you really only need a board and slide down a mountain.

My opinion, here enters cable parks, the future of wakeboarding. Mom and dad don't need a boat, the kid can go ride for hours, hit obstacles already there, grab lunch at the snack bar, etc. pretty much the equivalent of snowboarding in the sense you only need a board and a lift ticket.

You could keep the tour going, but you need better venues. And markets that will pack the venue. Maybe not the largest venue, but one most suitable. Enter venues like marine stadium in long beach. Good viewing from both sides, pretty protected from the wind, it's at the beach pretty much, and every event there draws a crowd. Shops bars and restaurants near by. Smaller venues, maximizing attendance an make the event somewhat profitable

XGames marine stadium

Edited September 17, 2014 by wakebrdr94

[BuNewb]

I think the tour decline is a mix of things and one not really mentioned is the accessibility to the sport. I watch wakeboard videos everyday and I am inspired, but fortunately I can go to the lake after and ride (except I live in MI with 4 months of riding). However spectators that don't have boats may watch and feel less inspired/hopeless. I think this is directly correlated with the rise in cable parks. Anyone can buy or rent a board and hit the water. At some point its hard to grow a sport where most people truly believe they need an $80k boat to learn. This is of course a false narrative, but it is in part to the marketing of malibu, nautique, mastercraft, etc. Just another thought to throw in the discussion here.

[Indyxc]

Mastercraft pulling out of the tour is great, Phil Soven was fined for openly bashing the wake on the XStar and that boat has been getting tons on complaints with the riders. Glad to see some change and a little shake up. I hope they bring the tour back to Portland was always big crowds and tons of fun. Really hope to see a new boat company step up and make this a great event again. This was great exposure for riders, board companies and local boat dealers at these events. I'm sure Malibu , Nautique and Supra could all provide a great boat to go faster than 11.2 MPH....

Your assumption is someone else is going to step in to take Mastercrafts place. And I think your assumption is wrong. Would you rather have a PWT pulled by MC, or not PWT at all? Careful what you wish for.

[wakebrdr94]

Your assumption is someone else is going to step in to take Mastercrafts place. And I think your assumption is wrong. Would you rather have a PWT pulled by MC, or not PWT at all? Careful what you wish for.

I don't think you need the tour honestly. It's only 5 events, and just a title. It think would be a perfect opportunity to do it right. The RedBull wake open pulled by Malibu! RedBull puts on good events and draws crowds. (Jus spit balling). You wonder how much the WBM wants in terms of dollars to be the lead sponsor of the tour.

Nautique has wake games supra has worlds. Malibu has the just ride series in AUS. They could bring that to this side of the pond.

[Afun]

For all the entrepreneurs out there this begs the question if wakeboarding is on its way out and surfing eventually follows similar trends (hypothetically speaking), what is going to be the next big water sport activity boom and who's going to be the first to market?

Xtreme Tubing

[Falko]

Xtreme tubing, they had that. Remember the flying tubes? didn't last long with people falling from the sky and all

[wakedncsu]

https://www.google.com/search?q=kite+tube&espv=2&biw=1649&bih=1193&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=hekZVP3KEouxggTf24GIAQ&ved=0CEsQsAQ

something like this? LOL