And now Izzy is leaving Starboard

[surf4food]

http://distressedmullet.com/2018/01/04/changes-for-sup-pros-gomez-freitas-for-2018/

[TallDude]

Another RedBull SUP athlete?

[PonoBill]

There's no way that SUP brands can really afford athletes that have become brands on their own.

[Zooport]

More evidence supporting the idea that the SUP bubble is popping.  Agree?

[surf4food]

More evidence supporting the idea that the SUP bubble is popping.  Agree?

I think 2015 was the peak year so yeah I agree.

[Night Wing]

More evidence supporting the idea that the SUP bubble is popping.  Agree?

I think 2015 was the peak year so yeah I agree.

Just curious. I'm not seeing that happening in Texas. In retrospect, it is the opposite where I live and if you need examples, I'll provide them.

So what do you two people base your comments on? Or do your comments pertain to the sponsorship of professional riders?

[stoneaxe]

I liked seeing these folks compete, watching great surf/SUP vids and such but it has to be tough to support that in the face of slowing growth or even contraction of the business. When growth shifted inland it changed everything. I'd be willing to bet that 75% of the people that have a SUP today have no idea who Izzy Gomez is.
My bigger concern is how companies will continue to support events. Naish has been good to us at the CCBC with a nice new board to auction every year but I wonder how long it can go on. Even though we have quite a few Naish's make the crossing each year I doubt many have been bought because of that support....I know of two that have been bought partially because of it but that's it.
I think the new normal for manufacturers is going to focus on folks like Creek...much lower budget than flying someone around the world to race or surf with a better ROI.
NW..there are still pockets of growth. I think mostly in areas where it was slower to take off and I think there are still lots of boards being sold but the industry is maturing for sure. I do wonder though if it's a slowdown or simply that the growth is in cheaper boards so profit is getting slimmer for the big names.

[surf4food]

Just curious. I'm not seeing that happening in Texas. In retrospect, it is the opposite where I live and if you need examples, I'll provide them.

So what do you two people base your comments on? Or do your comments pertain to the sponsorship of professional riders?

I’ve never stepped foot in TX, but from what I’ve heard and read, that state is #5 in SUP popularity.  Not too shabby considering most of the growth there is not even along the coast.  My wife was in Austin last year and saw tons of SUPs and wanted to go out herself but her friends were more interested in drinking.
To answer your question, from other things I’ve seen and read (including on the Zone), there has been a slimming down of board sales overall, also factor in a shrinking number of events, and not just pro events.  Even in my area I’ve noticed shops having a smaller inventories and even a couple dropping SUP altogether.  I don’t know that means the sport is dying out of existence (it won’t) but it reaching a settling point of several years of explosive growth.  I still as many paddlers out there as ever (tho not so much in the surf).

[PonoBill]

SUP sales growth hasn't declined, but the interest in racing, which was always a small part of the overall market, has declined. There are a lot of inexpensive boards available from manufacturers other than the big three--who have been substantially eclipsed. Do a Google search for SUP boards and see who pops up.

[Zooport]

My only experience is counting the number of SUP surfers I see here in the OC.  That's all I do on a SUP is surf.  There are significantly fewer SUP surfers (from my subjective viewpoint) than there were a few years ago.  I think SUP is here to stay, but it seems to me that the bubble has popped.   

[Eagle]

Round here virtually no one knows who Gomez is.  Or even Baxter or Lenny.  They just see a bunch of cheap Costco type boards and think that is SUP.  Basically paddle around toys for small kids.  Most inflatables.  Not many spend over a grand.  So no clue essentially about hard race or DW boards.  Still many peeps come up and ask what type of boards we ride.  Wow!  That looks fast -> never knew they made race boards!  What is a DW board?

Most parents just sit and talk and tan on their boards and kinda use them like float boards.  While their kids play and swim on the beach.  Not many paddle them for more than 100m.  So would say there probs is still some growth in that novice sector.  DW growth has slowed and racing maybe contracted.  Def at one point many serious racers moved over to DW.

Still tho noobs are getting crews together -> but many of the original DW shuttle groups have moved on.  Years ago we would organize 10 or more of us to shuttle multiple cars and take a hours at a time.  With cases of beers and all.  But many have found other pursuits and challenges now.  So yeah kinda has matured for us as well.  Oddly this year -> winter SUP has taken a backseat to many other sports we like to do.  Think this is so because most we know do not SUP.

[surf4food]

My only experience is counting the number of SUP surfers I see here in the OC.  That's all I do on a SUP is surf.  There are significantly fewer SUP surfers (from my subjective viewpoint) than there were a few years ago.  I think SUP is here to stay, but it seems to me that the bubble has popped.

Same thing here in San Diego.  I have noticed a drop in the # of SUP surfers.  Perhaps a combination of non-surfers finding out the hard way that SUP surfing is not easy just because you’re already in the standing position (and the rude awakening of SUP discontent from proners), experienced surfers getting tired of muscling a larger volume board around, having a paddle in hand and also dealing with unhappy proners (no matter how one stands up for one’s self, that can get old), and have gone back to prone only surfing.

[stoneaxe]

SUP sales growth hasn't declined, but the interest in racing, which was always a small part of the overall market, has declined. There are a lot of inexpensive boards available from manufacturers other than the big three--who have been substantially eclipsed. Do a Google search for SUP boards and see who pops up.

3 pages in and still no Naish or Starboard...the only board shown that is over $1,000 is the Hobie mirage.


Racing has declined here too but I think there are more folks surfing SUPs here than ever.

[coldsup]

Where I am no one races...there are no SUP specific races and very unlikely to be any.

Plenty prone surfers but SUP surfing hasn’t really taken off big style.....over the past few years you see surfers having a go or even taking the next step and buying some gear....but they don’t keep it up. Probably cos their mates don’t do it or they find it more difficult to do than grabbing their longboard or minimal. I think there’s only a handful of regular sup surfers I see sticking at it.

[NorthJerzSurfer]

My only experience is counting the number of SUP surfers I see here in the OC.  That's all I do on a SUP is surf.  There are significantly fewer SUP surfers (from my subjective viewpoint) than there were a few years ago.  I think SUP is here to stay, but it seems to me that the bubble has popped.

Same thing here in San Diego.  I have noticed a drop in the # of SUP surfers.  Perhaps a combination of non-surfers finding out the hard way that SUP surfing is not easy just because you’re already in the standing position (and the rude awakening of SUP discontent from proners), experienced surfers getting tired of muscling a larger volume board around, having a paddle in hand and also dealing with unhappy proners (no matter how one stands up for one’s self, that can get old), and have gone back to prone only surfing.

i have experience the same- When Surf SUP was new to me i loved it- because it was a new sport i could progress at every time i went out- I still can but ive leveled off.  atthe same time- my regular surfing has gotten much better because of Sup and I now find that instead of struggling on a low volume 8 ft sup- i can just ride a prone board and be WAY more agressive since even a longboard is easy to urun vs a sup