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Seth Morrison is cut from K2 Skis

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jpastor
Posts: 431 - Karma: 848
Seth Morrison is cut from the K2 Skis factory team. He's not listed on their website nor is it listed as a sponsor on his.

http://www.powder.com/stories/news/seth-morrison-out-at-k2/#Rv4gtt4UVGoHmHL0.97
Sep 15 2016 11:06PM
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Sklar
Posts: 8864 - Karma: 31,612
Was just reading an article about Yvonne Chouinard, he was talking about Black Diamond, but this seemed awful applicable:

“Companies like that, they have to be privately held,” Chouinard said. “Venture capitalists are such assholes.”

**This post was edited on Sep 17th 2016 at 1:41:19pm
Sep 17 2016 1:18PM
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250r
Posts: 2276 - Karma: 1,013
fuck. please stay alive dalbello...
Sep 17 2016 4:59PM
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skierman
Posts: 8332 - Karma: 7,750
ParryWithAnADamn you have so much insight into the ski industry it's almost like your part of it... Oh your not.. Just some loud mouth kid.

People leave companies all the time. It doesn't mean it's because K2 is going to be sold or dissolved in the near future.


I am the ski industry, bitch.
Sep 17 2016 5:43PM
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a_burger
Posts: 5235 - Karma: 20,715
k2 PR office right now:

Sep 17 2016 8:47PM
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Ghini
Posts: 2261 - Karma: 3,002
Remember when Helly Hansen was sold years ago? Before the owners of HH could sell the brand they needed to get rid of the whole team.. At that time they had some big names in freeskiing in their team..
So Seth was an easy one, someone with a big paycheck? (didnt he have a lifetime sponsorship signed?) but not so much attention for him anymore.. Not really filming, just shredding Cham a lot with friends.. Him not having a ski with his name anymore helped.. Maybe Pep is next, it wouldnt surprise me.. Pettit has his name on a ski, they cant cut him just yet..
Sep 18 2016 4:26AM
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Casey
Posts: 7847 - Karma: 24,308
GhiniRemember when Helly Hansen was sold years ago? Before the owners of HH could sell the brand they needed to get rid of the whole team.. At that time they had some big names in freeskiing in their team..
So Seth was an easy one, someone with a big paycheck? (didnt he have a lifetime sponsorship signed?) but not so much attention for him anymore.. Not really filming, just shredding Cham a lot with friends.. Him not having a ski with his name anymore helped.. Maybe Pep is next, it wouldnt surprise me.. Pettit has his name on a ski, they cant cut him just yet..


The new pinnacle has his name on it.
Sep 18 2016 3:54PM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5977 - Karma: 3,543
Sep 18 2016 4:09PM
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Mingg
Posts: 13975 - Karma: 49,270
SFBv420.0personally i'm going to continue to put my skins on ascend snow covered peaks and ski down them reguardless of the $$ or growth in the industry
its what ski bums do
why do you need jerry's coin or huge corperations to pursue a simple passion
of skiing free?


It's not about you... at all. It's how business works.

It's pretty simple, more people who ski(including jerry's), the more sales companies make which increases revenue for a company. This allows them to pay skiers, sponsor events, and do all the things, we as freeskiers, enjoy being a part of. Take away jerry's, gapers, new skiers(whatever you refer to them as) and you take away probably a very significant chunk of the market.

Good for you, you'll ski no matter what. I'm sure 100% of the people on NS are right there with you. But it's not about that whatsoever.
Sep 18 2016 5:59PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
He isn't skiing for TGR/MSP anymore and he needs to do that in order to get exposure. I do wonder what happened, it might be that they cut his salary or just cut him altogether. I would be surprised if they did not offer him the opportunity to at least get free gear, which would probably not be worth it, given his status as an icon, but maybe they are scaling down their entire operation? I will be interested to see what happens with Sean Petit. I would say he is their top gun right now so if they get rid of him that would be saying something. Years ago Rossi cut their freeride team and guys like Sage went to Atomic, which then became TGR's top ski sponsor.
Sep 18 2016 6:29PM
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.[sanhedrin].
Posts: 1652 - Karma: 932
When Rossignol, for example, sold the business to Quiksilver for almost $300 million they had to cut the freeski team to look more solvent on paper. Quicksilver then proceeded to do nothing productive with the brand for three years and decides to sell it back to the same group at Rossignol for $147 million. Rossi then proceeds to innovate and sells a zillion Soul7 skis and now begins to build the freeski team again.

I fear the exact thing happens to the K2 umbrella. The difference here is the size of the umbrella.
Sep 18 2016 8:20PM
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S.J.W
Posts: 7609 - Karma: 31,185
.[sanhedrin].When Rossignol, for example, sold the business to Quiksilver for almost $300 million they had to cut the freeski team to look more solvent on paper. Quicksilver then proceeded to do nothing productive with the brand for three years and decides to sell it back to the same group at Rossignol for $147 million. Rossi then proceeds to innovate and sells a zillion Soul7 skis and now begins to build the freeski team again.

I fear the exact thing happens to the K2 umbrella. The difference here is the size of the umbrella.


Let's be honest here, quiksilver is fucking run by a bunch of drongos. They managed to file for bankruptcy even when they're production costs are so low, a wholesale $500 wetsuit costs $124 to buy wholesale, and they're the second biggest seller of wetsuits in the world.
Sep 18 2016 9:01PM
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.[sanhedrin].
Posts: 1652 - Karma: 932
And now K2 is owned by people who will not waste their time with businesses that aren't Wal-Mart-able. My point is don't be shocked when more athletes are let go so that the business looks more attractive to potential buyers.
Sep 18 2016 10:39PM
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Casey
Posts: 7847 - Karma: 24,308
.[sanhedrin].And now K2 is owned by people who will not waste their time with businesses that aren't Wal-Mart-able. My point is don't be shocked when more athletes are let go so that the business looks more attractive to potential buyers.


Just saw on Facebook that Andy and K2 are parting ways. That honestly sucks he is such a good guy and an incredible skier. Life goes on but wow k2 has been an institution my entire life it is pretty shocking that this is happening.
Sep 19 2016 12:52AM
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.lencon
Posts: 6753 - Karma: 17,183
.[sanhedrin].And now K2 is owned by people who will not waste their time with businesses that aren't Wal-Mart-able. My point is don't be shocked when more athletes are let go so that the business looks more attractive to potential buyers.


And Seth makes K2 look less attractive?
Sep 19 2016 1:05AM
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Casey
Posts: 7847 - Karma: 24,308
.lenconAnd Seth makes K2 look less attractive?


My guess is that they are desperately scrambling to get their balance sheets to look a certain way in order to get off the chopping block in the near term.
Sep 19 2016 1:46AM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5977 - Karma: 3,543
Remember 3 years ago when they dropped Pep for a few months so they looked better on paper, then resigned him?
Sep 19 2016 3:58AM
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.[sanhedrin].
Posts: 1652 - Karma: 932
^this
Sep 19 2016 10:34AM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,686
hemlockjibber8Remember 3 years ago when they dropped Pep for a few months so they looked better on paper, then resigned him?


That was before K2 turned into the free falling shit show it is now

Pretty much all the long term employees are gone. Boots were a disaster. Their new skis flopped. Retailers got pissed when they went direct sales and I bet they had to sell cheap this year.
Sep 19 2016 1:33PM
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Avifarer
Posts: 5926 - Karma: 598
CaseyJust saw on Facebook that Andy and K2 are parting ways. That honestly sucks he is such a good guy and an incredible skier. Life goes on but wow k2 has been an institution my entire life it is pretty shocking that this is happening.


link?
Sep 19 2016 1:39PM
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Mingg
Posts: 13975 - Karma: 49,270
Brettski.link?






https://www.facebook.com/307460752774455/photos/a.307466212773909.1073741827.307460752774455/579396878914173/?type=3&theater
Sep 19 2016 1:56PM
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Mingg
Posts: 13975 - Karma: 49,270
Brettski.link?


welp that didnt work.

https://www.facebook.com/307460752774455/photos/a.307466212773909.1073741827.307460752774455/579396878914173/?type=3&theater
Sep 19 2016 1:56PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,686
CaseyJust saw on Facebook that Andy and K2 are parting ways. That honestly sucks he is such a good guy and an incredible skier. Life goes on but wow k2 has been an institution my entire life it is pretty shocking that this is happening.


K2 has been a pretty toxic place for the last two years. I doubt he is that bummed about it, aside from being a family tradition.
Sep 19 2016 3:59PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
CaseyMy guess is that they are desperately scrambling to get their balance sheets to look a certain way in order to get off the chopping block in the near term.


I'm fairly certain you are right. Without Seth's contract the balance sheet looks better. It would not surprise me if more team guys go down.
Sep 19 2016 4:16PM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5977 - Karma: 3,543
cobra_commanderK2 has been a pretty toxic place for the last two years. I doubt he is that bummed about it, aside from being a family tradition.


A family tradition of getting dropped by K2. The Mahre brothers didn't leave on good terms.
Sep 19 2016 5:27PM
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Session
Posts: 5375 - Karma: 22,079
dan4060I'm fairly certain you are right. Without Seth's contract the balance sheet looks better. It would not surprise me if more team guys go down.


Seth's contract means fuck all in the big picture. That is Checkers. Newell is playing BILLION dollar chess

When will you simpletons get it through your heads?
Sep 19 2016 5:47PM
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a_burger
Posts: 5235 - Karma: 20,715
^this, Newell's CEO probably has never seen snow in his life and doesn't care what the fuck K2 is doing. It seems like K2's management is dropping aging team members to make themselves a more enticing purchase instead of just getting liquidated by Newell when no one buys them.

Right now if you were shopping for large ski companies why would you buy K2 when Line (who will also be on the market) has effectively booted them from their own marketing niche of being the "fun" ski company. K2 lost themselves a decade or 2 ago and are starting to feel the results, I can't think of a single section of the ski market where they might be #1 aside from kids park skis, and that isn't exactly a big market.
Sep 19 2016 7:04PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
SessionSeth's contract means fuck all in the big picture. That is Checkers. Newell is playing BILLION dollar chess

When will you simpletons get it through your heads?


Cutting their entire team will make the balance sheet look better simpleton. And K2 is a part of Newell, a part which might be sold or liquidated if it does not perform well. K2 is only around 250m, so the balance sheet would look better if they cut their team. I don't see why this is so difficult for you to understand. Rossi did the same thing a number of years ago to make their books look better. Companies sometimes reduce spending on the micro level, in fact they do it often. That is what Newell is doing here.
Sep 19 2016 7:18PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
I should add that of course the CEO of Newell is not giving the order to fire Seth directly, I did not imply that. He looks at K2 and sees an underperforming asset, and Newell has stated in some articles that they want to sell off such assets, then he tells the CEO of K2 to slash and burn. The CEO tells K2's VPs that they need to reduce expenses in each department, so that is what they do in order to make the balance sheet look better and to make K2 more attractive to potential buyers. So while Newell's CEO does not know who Seth is, he has ordered K2 to eliminate dead weight and the guy 8 rungs below the Newell CEO, a K2 VP or something, is doing exactly that. The powers that be at Newell told K2 to eliminate dead weight and that is exactly what they are doing. While Seth might not mean anything to Newell the freeride team means something to K2, it is one small piece that needs to be cut in order to add up to a reduction in wasteful spending so that those books look better. K2 is just one small part of Newell, so the Newell CEO won't spend much time on K2. He will just tell K2 to make the books look better and move on.

Anyway, my original response was to the person who asked why K2 would look better without Seth. They would look better on the balance sheet without him, albeit only slightly, so that is why they are doing it. To people who love skiing it might look bad, but the people who gave the order which eventually trickled way down to the freeride team, and that is a long way down, the perception of hardcore skiers means nothing. All that matters is the bottom line, and K2 has determined that Seth is no longer helping their bottom line. I wonder is Sean Petit will stay. Like I said before it would not surprise me if they cut their entire team. They probably want to sell K2 and every little bit of expense reduction helps.
Sep 19 2016 7:54PM
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skierman
Posts: 8332 - Karma: 7,750
Seth has already signed with a new ski sponsor. I will not say who but you can ask Creighton.
Sep 20 2016 12:46AM
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loganimlach
Posts: 5132 - Karma: 14,054
a_burger^this, Newell's CEO probably has never seen snow in his life and doesn't care what the fuck K2 is doing. It seems like K2's management is dropping aging team members to make themselves a more enticing purchase instead of just getting liquidated by Newell when no one buys them.

Right now if you were shopping for large ski companies why would you buy K2 when Line (who will also be on the market) has effectively booted them from their own marketing niche of being the "fun" ski company. K2 lost themselves a decade or 2 ago and are starting to feel the results, I can't think of a single section of the ski market where they might be #1 aside from kids park skis, and that isn't exactly a big market.


Actually, if you pull all of the "freestyle" skis out of SIA data, Line and K2 account for almost the exact same market share, which happens to be almost 25% (each) of about an $18M market. Not to mention I'd guess that K2 does better in Europe than Line. But again, the Newell big dick is cutting/selling any business that doesn't do $250-$350M a year, something that no winter sports company is even close to, maybe with the exception of North Face? Someone can chime in if I'm wrong.
Sep 20 2016 1:07AM
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hemlockjibber8
Posts: 5977 - Karma: 3,543
Sep 20 2016 3:58AM
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SFBv420.0
Posts: 2539 - Karma: 3,124
solid.sevenIt's not about you... at all. It's how business works.

It's pretty simple, more people who ski(including jerry's), the more sales companies make which increases revenue for a company. This allows them to pay skiers, sponsor events, and do all the things, we as freeskiers, enjoy being a part of. Take away jerry's, gapers, new skiers(whatever you refer to them as) and you take away probably a very significant chunk of the market.

Good for you, you'll ski no matter what. I'm sure 100% of the people on NS are right there with you. But it's not about that whatsoever.


i'm well aware of how business and the industry works.
i choose to work in it but don't need to
and paying prohoe skiers and spansering "events" making edits and ski porn isn't really anything i enjoy taking part of or need
the question was
Why do you need these things?
Can you not find the freedom and fulfillment of freeskiing in the simple act of the doing of the thing?
why do you need more?
"..the last bad one above me--the Bad Rapid--Lava Cliff--that I had been looking for, nearly a thousand miles--I thought: once past there my reward will begin, but now everything ahead seems kind of empty and I find I have already had my reward, in the doing of the thing. The stars, the cliffs and canyons, the roar of the rapids, the moon, the uncertainty and worry, the relief when through each one the campfires at night, the real respect of the rivermen I met and others... "
Buzz Holmstrom
Sep 20 2016 10:18AM
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TheDoughAbides
Posts: 1319 - Karma: 4,036
loganimlachActually, if you pull all of the "freestyle" skis out of SIA data, Line and K2 account for almost the exact same market share, which happens to be almost 25% (each) of about an $18M market. Not to mention I'd guess that K2 does better in Europe than Line. But again, the Newell big dick is cutting/selling any business that doesn't do $250-$350M a year, something that no winter sports company is even close to, maybe with the exception of North Face? Someone can chime in if I'm wrong.


TNF did +12 bil last year

Patagonia probably did similarly

but do they count? they dont make hard goods
Sep 20 2016 11:53AM
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loganimlach
Posts: 5132 - Karma: 14,054
TheDoughAbidesTNF did +12 bil last year

Patagonia probably did similarly

but do they count? they dont make hard goods


Yeah, softgoods wasn't a good parallel.

Grand total for skis according to SIA data last winter (through March) was $156M haha. I know that's a little under for the US market (doesn't include DTC or non participating shops). So most likely, even with European ski sales, Newell wouldn't be interested in our industry as a whole.
Sep 20 2016 11:58AM
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pghjibber
Posts: 1298 - Karma: 329
TheDoughAbidesTNF did +12 bil last year

Patagonia probably did similarly

but do they count? they dont make hard goods


TNF itself didn't do 12B, VF Corp as a whole did... TNF is a health 2.3B business though.
Sep 20 2016 11:59AM
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TheDoughAbides
Posts: 1319 - Karma: 4,036
pghjibberTNF itself didn't do 12B, VF Corp as a whole did... TNF is a health 2.3B business though.


ah, my bad.
Sep 20 2016 12:33PM
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S.J.W
Posts: 7609 - Karma: 31,185
pghjibberTNF itself didn't do 12B, VF Corp as a whole did... TNF is a health 2.3B business though.


Plus TNF doesn't actually sell a lot of outerwear. They're main source of profit is through down jackets and other extremely over priced shit.
Sep 20 2016 6:39PM
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spreadeagler
Posts: 60 - Karma: 62
I just need to know what jlev has to say about this.
Sep 20 2016 7:51PM
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a_burger
Posts: 5235 - Karma: 20,715
spreadeaglerI just need to know what jlev has to say about this.


As unlikely as it is I hope he buys line back lol
Sep 20 2016 9:41PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
skiermanIts true. Time to grow up, kids. Seth Morrison is just a glorified powder skier now who never sends cliffs anymore. You can't expect him to be paid 60k a year just so he can ski around like every other nub out there. Seth Morrison sucks now so he's going to be sponsored by ski companies that historically sponsor shitty skiers, like ON3P or Bluehouse.


Hey man, leave Bluehouse out of this.
Sep 20 2016 11:02PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
a_burger^this, Newell's CEO probably has never seen snow in his life and doesn't care what the fuck K2 is doing. .


Actually, Newell's CEO does care, although not very much. He is probably not spending any time on it, but he is advising the people below him to maximize the value of underperforming assets so that they can be sold. The guy could care less about Seth Morrison but he does care about how his company's assets do, and K2 is one of those assets. The people below him, like several rungs below do care how K2 is doing, although you have to go way down the ladder before anyone cares about Seth Morrison.
Sep 20 2016 11:33PM
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PowellMovement
Posts: 140 - Karma: 1,227
I'm interviewing Mahre tomorrow morning to get the 411 on what happened. Seth declined (as expected) but Andy is game. I'll have this up on Powder Radio on Monday morning. It will be interesting to see how much he shares. Being that I worked there for 16 years (I left a year ago in August) some of my thoughts and opinions will be shared as well.


Mike
Thepowellmovement.com
Sep 21 2016 6:42PM
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wrichmond
Posts: 562 - Karma: 369
PowellMovementI'm interviewing Mahre tomorrow morning to get the 411 on what happened. Seth declined (as expected) but Andy is game. I'll have this up on Powder Radio on Monday morning. It will be interesting to see how much he shares. Being that I worked there for 16 years (I left a year ago in August) some of my thoughts and opinions will be shared as well.


Mike
Thepowellmovement.com


Will the interview be on your website tomorrow?
Sep 21 2016 9:43PM
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PowellMovement
Posts: 140 - Karma: 1,227
It will be on the Powder Radio page on Monday morning.
Sep 21 2016 10:40PM
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MLB
Posts: 4462 - Karma: 298
The dream is this: Seth buys K2....moves K2 back to Vashon Island. Scales back the company to a small Indy status ( fuck carving skis, and just cater to people who want to buy great skis)

Bring back the Seth Pistol, the Hellbent, the Pontoons, Coombacks, and some dedicated park skis. Then watch the company flourish.

It will never happen in a million years, and this will be the exact same situation as what happened to Forum snowboards a few years back.
Sep 21 2016 11:00PM
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.[sanhedrin].
Posts: 1652 - Karma: 932
I just saw a K2 mountain bike earlier today. Wtf?
Sep 21 2016 11:24PM
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Casey
Posts: 7847 - Karma: 24,308
PowellMovementIt will be on the Powder Radio page on Monday morning.


You should try to get Gutt or Mechura or someone that might be able to explain what is going to happen rather than let us all speculate wildly for the next however long. Not really your job in the first place to do press releases for them but come on man! Cool that you got Andy to talk about it, I'll definitely tune in.
Sep 21 2016 11:41PM
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Sklar
Posts: 8864 - Karma: 31,612
CaseyGutt or Mechura


Also no longer with K2
Sep 21 2016 11:48PM
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saskskier
Posts: 4774 - Karma: 10,005
.[sanhedrin].I just saw a K2 mountain bike earlier today. Wtf?


They've been making bikes since the 90's. They used to be kind of cool and they made some pretty crazy stuff. Now it's just generic department store crap.


Sep 22 2016 12:20AM
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