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The reason Anon dropped their skiers

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GetPitted
Posts: 3443 - Karma: 2,299

Yes I know this is the bajillionth thread on this topic, but too many rumors were flying on WHY Anon dropped their ski team and even rumors that they never did drop them.

My good buddy, -Belly* is his name on NS (snowboarder) was also as sad and confused as me when he heard that Anon dropped their ski team.  So he e-mailed them and got the answer on why.  Here you go:

-Belly* --> *Hurty* This was the Burton response to the question about the anon ski team..."Hey Bentley
A few months ago, we came to an agreement to drop free skiing from anon. We did this because we wanted to get back to the core of our company and focus more on what we do best, which is board sports. It may be temporary and it may be permanent. It’s too early to tell but for the time being, Anon will just be sponsoring Snowboarding, surfing and maybe some skaters. But that’s it for now. As far as teams go, Anon just sponsors a snowboard team. Any others questions, get back to me.



Peter T

Rider Service Representative

(800) 367-2951 Fax (800) 564-2692

Burton.Red.Anon.Gravis.Analog.the Program"
Oct 17 2007 5:05PM
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Quinn
Posts: 1428 - Karma: 16
WTF. I really don't want to wear my Anon's anymore...
Oct 19 2007 11:50PM
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KRAMPUSNTROLLZ
Posts: 2715 - Karma: 355
Anon googles suck anyway, but yeah i hate Anon and Burton
Oct 20 2007 1:08AM
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GetPitted
Posts: 3443 - Karma: 2,299
Hate? that's a pretty strong word for not having an explanation on why.
Oct 20 2007 1:53AM
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316
Posts: 57 - Karma: 10
no offense man but actually yeah i guess im a offend you, please give me one good reason burton is obligated to support freestyle skiing? and i dont mean that in a neg way but honestly i dont think you could. so why the hate?
Oct 20 2007 2:04AM
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dez22
Posts: 2959 - Karma: 65
Who cares who they sponsor, all that matters is whether their products are good or not.
Oct 20 2007 1:26PM
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ElChapoTrapHaus
Posts: 1250 - Karma: 38
fuck em'. i hope the sell enough goggles to snowboarders, because looking to tap the surf and skate market with extremely crappy sunglasses in an already flooded market isn' going to help. I've had 4 differen't pairs of anon glasses, 2 broke under less than normal use, and the other two are just ill fitting junkbags.  Anon goggles are alright, i'll keep wearing them because i get them for free.
Oct 20 2007 4:28PM
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adam.
Posts: 3469 - Karma: 11
so no more pollard or schiller? well michelle...
Oct 20 2007 4:51PM
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JMcCallum
Posts: 151 - Karma: 36
Without a doubt this is the smartest response I've read on this thread.

The fact is, this was a smart financial decision on Burton's part and not meant to show hate to freeskiing. They tried to tap into the ski market, obviously couldn't compete with the bigger brands, and decided to pull the plug. It's cutting your losses.

Also, look at this from the eyes of a core snowboarder. Someone who was with the sport from the start (like many of you are with freeskiing) and watched as suddenly, their core company started trying to sellout to different sports. True, skiing and snowboarding are near twins in today's market in terms of gear and progression but if suddenly LINE 4Frnt and Armada all started making snowboards, I'd be upset.

This was a smart move on Anon's part, cutting costs while gaining appeal from their primary market, snowboarding.

In all honesty I'm a little upset that I bought a pair of Realm's over the summer after hearing this but I won't burn them or not wear them, I'm going to thoroughly abuse them by smashing my face against rails, hitting trees in storms and generally getting my money's worth.
Oct 20 2007 5:34PM
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Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
True, but people keep on saying if [insert ski company] started making snowboards I'd be pissed. Anon isn't suddenly making skis, they're selling goggles to skiers.
Oct 20 2007 6:18PM
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CTD
Posts: 6300 - Karma: 348
Burton is the biggest thing wrong in the world of snow sports. they produce goods that look great, ride/work like shit, and have absolutely zero soul. they are the MTV of snowboarding, and i will never purchase a drop of thier garbage, no matter how "cool" its looks. this is just further proof that they dont care about thier customers, strictly the dollar signs. (oh, and i work in a shop, and have seen the inner workings of the company and thier products.)
Oct 20 2007 6:27PM
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Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
I can't vouch for the "inner workings" of Burton because I don't have first hand experience with them but it is laughable that such a huge corporation wants to have "soul" and really get back to their roots.
Oct 20 2007 6:47PM
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jack.whelan
Posts: 1504 - Karma: 122
this sucks for all. a friend of mine was dropped by them this year, so he tried to by my crowbars off me in hatred of anon. i felt sorry for him... but still said no! anon. produce looked awesome though. it is a shame. the ones tj was rockin in nz this summer were damn cool. shame, i guess the world keeps on spinning.
Oct 20 2007 7:22PM
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joly.sp
Posts: 2305 - Karma: 585
that's all they had going for them. They looked hella dope, but the quality sucked and the lenses were terrible.
Oct 20 2007 7:37PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
They wear Anon because Anon pays them, not because Anon has the best product.  If a sponsorship involves money, most riders will go where there is the most money, or other benefits.  The goggles may not be all that good, but as long as they do their job just well enough, most pros will take the money.
Oct 20 2007 11:23PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
Amazing you are able to figure all of this out......Really impressive.  Of course the decisions made are based on finances.  Anon dropped their freeskiers for financial reasons, it had nothing to do with being "core" or anything like that.  Most of the responses here have been appropriate, along the lines of "if they won't support us I won't support them."  It may not matter, this may be a small sector of the market, but the phrase "think globally act locally" certainly applies.  If you don't support the decisions a company makes, don't buy the product they sell.  I have not read one response which claimed that this decision would hurt Anon financially.  Most of the responses are actually right on the money, along the lines of "fuck these guys, they don't support our cause," which is what people here should be saying. 

Anon examined their freeskiing department and decided it was not worth the money they were putting into it.  They did not do a good enough job of penetrating the market to make supporting a team a viable decision.

As far as Burton goes, fuck them.  They ceased to be a core company a very long time ago.  4FRNT is more core than Burton, and it really is not even close.

Most of the kids on this website are doing what they should be:  Supporting those who support them.  Whether Anon notices or not is completely besides the point.  I have not read a single post which implied that Anon would regret this decision because they would be impacted financially by the decisions of those on this website.  "Fuck them" is a completely appropriate response. 

As for those who think the decision was based on a dislike of skiers, that is not the case, or they would not have sponsored skiers in the first place.  The decision to sponsor skiers was made for the same reason as the decision to drop sponsorships:  Perceived future financial gain or loss.  Burton was always an anti-skiing company.  When they saw a financial opportunity in freeskiing, they pursued it.  When they decided the opportunity was not worth it's cost, they dropped it.  It is probably as simple as that.
Oct 21 2007 1:12AM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
Actually delusions of grandeur would be along the lines of "they will suffer from us not supporting them," a tone I have not seen much of.  An attitude of "fuck them I won't support them" is in no way shape or form a delusion of grandeur.
Oct 21 2007 1:18AM
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drewishish
Posts: 3710 - Karma: 23
i didnt read any of this thread so be pissed if somebody said this already.

 anybody else think its rediculous they realsed this AFTER this months freeskier came out and had a TJ add?
Oct 21 2007 1:25AM
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rodenski5
Posts: 384 - Karma: 10

Where is everyone pulling all of this financial trouble stuff from?  That was not even mentioned in the email.  Don't you think, if Anon really wanted to keep skiers interested in their product, they would have made note of that?  Or did they say "Hey guys looks like we have to cut skiing due to costs, but go ahead and tell them we just felt like dropping them to be more core, then they'll understand."

Plus, I think the majority of the people don't give a shit whether it was a smart financial decision or not.  The point is its still reason enough to not buy their stuff anymore.

Oct 21 2007 1:33AM
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*~CProws~*
Posts: 63 - Karma: 91
anon sucks. i still rock burton cause they have some sick gear. my cousin works for analog and gives me free stuff .....soo...ya but .............ANON CAN SUCK IT!
Nov 6 2007 5:33PM
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Twinjibber77
Posts: 6239 - Karma: 2,354
fuck anon now


in my mind


i just know that tht email is totally real


cause R.E.D Dropped all their skiers to


FUCK EM'


if they can't support skiing...then they shouldnt be worn by skiers..idc if some models look good...if they cop out on us...we should cop out on them


thanks fer reading my epic speech and feelings
Nov 6 2007 5:39PM
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Reed.
Posts: 4489 - Karma: 272
Anon gave me a few pairs of free gogles, so ill continure wearing them.  Theres no way im throw 300$ worth of goggles away from a company who did support me for a season.  Some kid a few pages back said "lets punch every skier in the face with anons on"  that kid is brilliant...    On another note, people might ask if I'm pissed I got dropped, but this doesn't really apply since I moved to CO from MI and lost all my midwest sponsors anyways.
Nov 6 2007 6:47PM
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Twinjibber77
Posts: 6239 - Karma: 2,354
yeah an RED claimed this fer tha same reason but lets see...who owns them??


BURTON!!!!


an their in NOOOO trouble at all!!!!!!!!!!!
Nov 6 2007 6:55PM
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Nico_G
Posts: 1480 - Karma: 15
Its weird cause at icer air I say TJ wearing a pair. But fuck Anon
Nov 6 2007 8:01PM
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keystoner1
Posts: 2143 - Karma: 11
whats schiller wearing then?
Nov 6 2007 8:06PM
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FapMasterFLEX
Posts: 608 - Karma: 333
i just got new anons..i kinda wanna return them now
Nov 6 2007 8:52PM
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O-Show
Posts: 696 - Karma: 13
everyone is making this a bigger deal then it is. if you like them then wear them if you don't then don't. how many kids skiing rock four square and special blend etc. that don't support skiing. tons so why get so upset is just business. i liked anon before they had a ski team and i'll keep on like them as long as they keep making sick looking goggles.
Nov 6 2007 10:32PM
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kenevil
Posts: 1309 - Karma: 31
It's 'cause his contract dosen't expire 'till the end of the year I think 
Nov 6 2007 10:48PM
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LPT_311
Posts: 2239 - Karma: 12
you used Weak Sauce

Im shocked, i thought i was the only one who used that.
Dirt
Nov 7 2007 12:13AM
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EL_FINRE
Posts: 2486 - Karma: 52

i wouldn't be surprised if oakley picks him up and puts him on their already stelllar lineup, kinda like a goggle sponsorship similar to jon's sponsor with them

Nov 7 2007 12:18AM
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[tightpants]
Posts: 1529 - Karma: 17
Amen brother
Nov 7 2007 11:36AM
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Se7en
Posts: 467 - Karma: 41
Remember when Line dumped their whole team and everyone was pissed off and threatening to boycott their skis?


yeah...
Nov 7 2007 12:15PM
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GetPitted
Posts: 3443 - Karma: 2,299
You're definately not the only one who uses weak sauce
Nov 7 2007 2:44PM
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grambo
Posts: 1125 - Karma: 93
Their gogs are pieces of crap and way overpriced. They have some nice styles but that's it. Buy Smith you fools.
Nov 7 2007 4:25PM
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skodeo7
Posts: 14949 - Karma: 9,234
I'm pretty sure his contract is through the end of this season.
Nov 8 2007 10:03AM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 150
DOes enyone else find it interesting that although they dropped their skiers off the team because they 'wanted to stay focused on their core market' or whatever, they have got a full page ad in Freeskier?..

I know how business works, and money is money, but this really doesn't put across a good corporate image to me..

So you drop your pro team because you don't wanna pay what is necessary to penetrate the ski market on a commercial basis (sponsorship/comps etc), but you continue to quietly promote the product to the rest of the skiing community to make more money! Seems like they are dipping the pen at both ends to make more sales and keep the snowboarding market happy.

Most skiers that buy Anon's wouldn't have a clue who TJ or Michelle are, so i guess it doesn't matter, but really what they are doing is fucked.
Either they should promote out sport 100% or not at all.
Jan 15 2008 1:38AM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 150
And this ad was in the Jan08 issue, after all skiers contracts have ended, so obviously it was intentional.
Jan 15 2008 1:40AM
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zesty_buddy
Posts: 880 - Karma: 28
word.

they have cool products but i aint buying from them
Jan 15 2008 5:20AM
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skodeo7
Posts: 14949 - Karma: 9,234
Unless their contracts didn't expire in January.
Jan 15 2008 9:09AM
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quebecfreestyler
Posts: 13040 - Karma: 1,419
what if they deiced to get the ad done in september and paid freeskier to make it cause everything get booked real fast in ski magasine.
Jan 15 2008 9:34AM
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10888 - Karma: 2,184
if you're all so concerned and want to support a core eyewear brand, get a pair of SHRED goggles.









Jan 15 2008 9:48AM
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ijibgoremtn
Posts: 4221 - Karma: 13

they look sick i wouldnt necessarily calll them a "core skier company" but i really dont care about that,  oh and why the fuck does anon and r.e.d keep running ads in freeskier?

Jan 15 2008 2:39PM
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