Author Topic: Where is Kai going?  (Read 8399 times)

Dwight (DW)

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Where is Kai going?
« on: January 01, 2018, 11:02:43 AM »
So who knows where Kai is going after leaving Naish?

Does he start his own brand?

TallDude

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2018, 11:16:53 AM »
He's following the money.
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

Green Water Sports

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2018, 11:21:32 AM »
Wow, did not expect that. Probably starts his own brand of some kind.
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PonoBill

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2018, 12:02:36 PM »
Naish is somewhat known for decreasing their sponsorship after a few years. Kai's been with them forever, but the entire industry is being pinched. Both Kai and his dad are very smart guys and would probably not accept any ratcheting down of money or support. I don't consider sponsoring athletes to be a useful strategy in a narrow market. Yeah, I know about Nike, but SUPs and wind gear aren't shoes selling to a 300 million person fanbase for a premium ten times their cost of manufacture. And I never saw Naish make full use of Kai's exposure. Not that I really think that would deliver measurable ROI, but if you're going to do something in marketing, I always think you have to maximize value.
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Tom

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2018, 12:13:27 PM »
I  remembered  when  Naish left Mistral to start  his  own  company .  Maybe  Kai is just following  in his  footsteps .

TallDude

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2018, 02:42:19 PM »
https://www.redbull.com/us-en/athlete/kai-lenny   I'm sure just one of many big sponsors he has. They may pay more than Naish anyway.
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

NorthJerzSurfer

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2018, 05:07:35 PM »
from his posts sounds like a 'had to' rather than a 'want to'

Agree with all comments above- He's really his own brand at this point- and just a stud of an athlete. Sure he's got something with equity in the works....as he should.

surfcowboy

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2018, 05:26:58 PM »
If he's following the money, he's not thinking about a SUP sponsor then. I could see him going to a more traditional surf company and model where you have clothing and a drink (as he already has) and then different sponsors for different types of boards.

I doubt he'd start a board company, but starting a foil company makes complete sense. If the little guys like GFoil, BluePlanet and KeNalu (no offense of course, they just aren't Naish-sized) can do it, why not the biggest name in the sport? Right?

J.O.B. JJF and others would love free foils and the boards will take care of themselves.

Right now everyone who makes foils is saying, "where can I get the money to sign this guy?" Instantly you are the biggest company in the biz. Unfortunately, it's a tiny biz. (Think Slingshot has the juice?)

He's already doing the R&D and he can more than afford that first container of foils. I'll be shocked if he doesn't launch that biz. But boards? Who makes enough kinds to give him one sponsor? lol

EluaMakani

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2018, 08:43:17 PM »
From what I gather the split was very amicable.  And it was not about the money per say, as Naish paid Kai allot.  I think Naish did a good job for Kai, and Kai did a good job for Naish.  Kai has been with Naish since the beginning.  But Kai has come a long way, pretty much now an international athlete.  It could be said that Kai has outgrown our SUP, kite, and windsurf sports, unfortunately.  And I understand there are many big companies with allot of money that want to work with Kai, and Kai wants his freedom to pursue bigger and better things.  Good for Kai.
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PonoBill

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2018, 08:58:20 PM »
I'm sure it was amicable, Kai has never been a jerk and he's much too smart to burn bridges. He is extraordinarily marketable. He's more than ready to optimize his brand.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

tautologies

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2018, 09:02:54 PM »

Yeah this is probably not as dramatic. I doubt any SUP company could pay Kai what he is worth at this point unless it has a large parent company....and at this point will he even continue on the SUP tour? It seems too small for him. I doubt Naish was even his biggest sponsor.
As a huge Naish fan I am sorry to see this, especially since Kai has been with Naish for such a long time, but some times it is for the best for both parties.

PonoBill

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2018, 10:09:37 PM »
He did a nice Adios video on twitter: https://twitter.com/Kai_Lenny/status/947886259476742144
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Cardiff Kook

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2018, 07:12:03 AM »
Instagram story has nice tribute to Naish then immediately jumps to him on the top of a mountain with Kelly Slater? Hmmm.

surf4food

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #13 on: January 02, 2018, 07:33:06 AM »
But Kai has come a long way, pretty much now an international athlete.  It could be said that Kai has outgrown our SUP, kite, and windsurf sports, unfortunately.

Maybe from the perspective of a professional athlete making a living but I doubt he's outgrown actually participating in those sports.

Before this threat I had no idea he was leaving Naish.  When I saw the OP I a first thought it was from this April Fools article from SUP Racer back in 2014.  http://www.supracer.com/kai-lenny-signs-with-starboard/

But it looks like this time he really is.  Pure speculation on my part but if he really is looking to go beyond being a "SUP star" (laugh-track) I'b be willing to bet he will be concentrating on either foiling and/or big wave surfing.  He is perhaps the only "SUP star" (laugh-track again) that has any kind of respect amongst the surfing community at large.

tautologies

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Re: Where is Kai going?
« Reply #14 on: January 02, 2018, 09:09:13 AM »
 Check the date on that article.

 


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