Transworld Business reported back in June that California’s State Congress passed two bills requiring riders under 18 to wear helmets on the slopes while skiing or snowboarding . The category has already been doing well for specialty retailers with SIA reporting that high profile injuries helped boast helmet sales to 1.2 million units this year…without the helmet law. It’ll be interesting to see what next season brings. California boasts more snowsports participants and more snowboarders than any other state.

For Full Coverage please visit http://business.transworld.net/38058/features/california-senate-passes-helmet-law-should-helmets-be-required/

Parents of children caught without helmets will be fined $25 and resorts are required to post signage and information about the law. Part of the House version of the bill also has a stipulation requiring resorts to report on the number of deaths that occur each year. Neither bill has passed both chambers of Congress and has therefore not been signed into law as of today.

No Comments »

Mobile Marketing Services to be provided before, during and after the ASR Marketplace.

Newport Beach, Calif.  — BizM3, a leading mobile marketing technology company, announced today it will be
handling the mobile marketing for Action Sports Retailer (ASR) Marketplace in San Diego when it stages next, August 13-15,
2010.

ASR Marketplace will be offering pertinent updates on relevant content to specific event participants. ASR attendees will receive
up-to-the-minute reminders on various educational seminars provided by the Board Retail Association (BRA), and informative
reminders on various events during the event such as contests, seminars and fashion shows.

“We are proud to provide this type of advanced communication to ASR’s attendees,” says Hank Mondaca, Sales & Marketing
Strategist of bizM3. “Mobile marketing will enhance the entire tradeshow experience for all participants.”

Through printed and promotional materials, as well as social sites, ASR will ask all interested individuals to text ASR to 67777.
Once contacts “opt-in”, they are now registered to receive ASR alerts and reminders. True to common mobile marketing
practice, users will always have the opportunity to opt-out of any campaign by responding STOP to 67777. Registered users will
also be sent mobile links to live sites to view from their mobile devices. These sites will contain information such as a list of
current exhibitors and their floor location.

ASR Marketplace links action sports retail buyers looking for the latest products for the upcoming season with over 750 brands.
Biannually the surf/skate lifestyle and fashion industries invade San Diego to conduct business and preview lines for the
upcoming seasons. ASR Marketplace provides an authentic and efficient forum for buyers, sellers, media, and the investment
community to conduct business and move the action sports industry forward.

“We’re hoping to provide immediately relevant information to people on the go will benefit everybody attending ASR this August.
Buyers and exhibitors alike will know what’s happening throughout the busy day at ASR,” says ASR Marketplace Marketing
Manager, Leanne Milliken.

About BizM3
bizM3 is a leading mobile marketing technology company that provides the solutions and tools that can help you advance your
advertising campaigns and deployment strategies. bizM3 mobile solutions allow marketing campaigns to be planned and
launched by marketers in minutes, allowing timely alerts containing mobile coupons, special offers, rewards, text-2-win
announcements or links to mobile websites to be deployed and tracked with all the analytics needed to make the decisions
necessary for the best ROI. Learn more at bizM3.com.

About ASR Marketplace
ASR, produced by Nielsen Expositions, is a full service tradeshow company whose goal is to create, market and produce high
quality trade shows and educational conferences. ASR is the leading action sports industry trade event, bringing together top
manufacturers, retailers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of surf, skate, snow, swim, style, moto and
youth culture. Now in its 29th successful year, ASR gathers over 800 action sports brands and approximately 6,000 retail buyers
and decision makers two times a year, with spring and summer/fall season shows in San Diego. For additional information
regarding ASR, check out ASRbiz.com.

About Board Retail Association (BRA)
The Board Retailers Association (BRA) is a non-profit trade association representing over 550 action sport retailers in the surf,
skate, snow, wake, kite and wind industry with over 3,000 storefronts across the country. East and West Coast retailers formed
the Board Retailers Association in February 2003. Under the direction of BRA’s Chairman and Board of Directors, the
association serves as the preeminent voice, for independent retailers on a grassroots level with manufacturers, trade show
representatives, and other associations. The Board Retailers Association also works to provide educational resources and
exclusive discounts and savings from vendors on the day-to-day costs of business. For more information visit
www.boardretailers.org.

###

No Comments »

Congratulations to BRA Member, Town & Country (T&C) for winning the Hawaii Regional Qualifier of the Oakley Surf Shop Challenge for the fourth year in a row.  They’ll be joining the rest of the regional qualifiers including Heritage, Hansen’s, Jack’s, Sweetwater and two yet to be determined teams in Huntington Beach on September 9th for the National Title of the Oakley Surf Shop Challenge.

No Comments »

CLASS@ASR showcases a unique mix of emerging and sophisticated brands from the best in fashion, apparel, accessories, swim and footwear providing you with an integrated look at future trends of the surf, skate, swim and fashion marketplaces. Designed to spotlight chic brands and introduce buyers to opportunities to freshen their product mix, Class@ASR gives you the opportunity to view 150 of the best emerging and fashion focused brands percolating through the Action Sports marketplace. You will find a coherent collection of lines that represent future trends which are already impacting your customers in a hip, upscale environment. Class@ASR is located adjacent to the ASR so you can easily move back and forth between shows. It is a crucial ingredient in your success as you search for those items and companies that are driving our industry forward.

No Comments »

The countdown has begun and the pros are en route to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina for the 6th Annual Reef/Sweetwater Pro-Am Surf Fest July 16th-July 18th. Thousands of spectators are expected to fill the beaches around Oceanic Street to catch a glimpse of their favorite pros battling it out for their piece of a $20,000 prize purse. Fans unable to attend the event can watch the action unfold in real time via live webcast courtesy of Wblivesurf.com.

With 96 of the top American professional surfers descending upon Oceanic Street for the surf fest for the past six years now, The Reef/Sweetwater Pro-Am has cemented itself as one of the largest events on the East Coast. Local hero, former ASP Championship tour standout and longtime Reef teamrider, Ben Bourgeois, will return to his hometown event along with fellow Reef teamriders, Mike Losness, Paul Fisher, Chris Waring, Dylan Goodale, Heath “Nutty” Walker and Tonino Benson.

Event Organizer, and Reef Sales Rep, Brad Beach commented, “We’re excited about the level of talent competing this year, and optimistic for some fun surf! I just checked the reports and it looks like things will bump up towards the end of the week, just in time for the event.”

A 7:00am heat this Friday will kick off the three-day event that will include an Amateur Division for 15 & up, and 14 & under, a Guys Open Longboard, Girls Open, and the Girls Open longboard. In addition, the always-entertaining tow-at session will resume, as well as the crowd favorite Guppy Division for groms to showcase their emerging talents. Today, Monday July 12th is the deadline to enter into the Reef/Sweetwater Pro-Am. For more information, visit www.wblivesurf.com.

A special thanks to the following sponsors for their continued support of the Reef/Sweetwater Pro-Am: Action Sports Now, Sweetwater Surf Shop, WBlivesurf.com, Red Bull, Spy, Dakine, JS Surfboards, Futures Fins, Eastern Surf and Skate Supply, WB Surf Camp, Tower 7, Café Del Mar, King Neptune, Sunbelt Rentals, Sage Island, Board Retailers Association, Red Dogs, A&M Screenprinting, Frank Williams Building Company and Eastern Surf Magazine.

EVENT CONTACT: Tony Butler
Phone 910.256.3821
tony@wblivesurf.com

EVENT CONTACT: Brad Beach
Phone 757.373.0608
Beach520@beachent.hrcoxmail.com

No Comments »

“Even though its sad to see an independent vendor be acquired, especially one with as much potential and strength as RVCA, it’s good to know that they should only be stronger now with the guidance of Billabong.  Billabong is creating a stable of the most successful brands in our industry.  Billabong has always treated the specialty retailer fairly and honestly.  It does however become a potential concern when one brand becomes so powerful.  I guess only time will tell on the overall impact acquiring all these brands within our industry will ultimately have,” says Duke Edukas, Co-Owner of Surfside Sports and Co-Chair of the Board Retailers Association.

For more complete coverage, please visit Andrew Asch’s article at California Apparel News http://www.apparelnews.net/news/manufacturing/071310-Billabong-Buys-RVCA/page1

No Comments »

Enter for a chance to win a FREE Advertisement for your specialty action sports shop in SURFER, SURFING, SKATEBOARDER or SNOWBOARDER.  All you have to do is text RETAILER to 67777 and you’ll be entered into this monthly drawing. One lucky retail shop will receive an advertisement in the ASG Publication of their choice. Be sure to enter the drawing today by texting RETAILER to 67777.

Thanks to Tony Perez and our friends at ASG for partnering with the Board Retailers Association (BRA) to provide a specialty surf or skate shop a FREE advertisement in their industry mags. What an awesome opportunity for a local shop to get their message out their in a national industry publication.

No Comments »

As you all know, ActionWatch reports the highlights from the surf and skate specialty retail market monthly in Transworld Business. This month, ActionWatch is reporting that hardgoods and accessories sales are up in May, due in large part to wakeboards and protective gear – not necessarily decks or surfboards. Apparel sales were down for the same reporting time period. For the full report please visit http://business.transworld.net/40491/features/actionwatch-hardgoods-accessories-sales-up-again-in-may/?cmpid=enews0702

No Comments »

I don’t know if I am early or late to http://www.shortomatic.com/ but you can design your own boardshorts with graphics, pictures, whatever you can possibly think of. This seems like the ultimate gift for any surfer and a cool way for photographers or designers to wear their art.

No Comments »

Abercrombie & Fitch Co closed the Hollister store, in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood, on Wednesday due to bedbug infestation. The company says it is removing the bedbugs and hoped to reopen the store soon. Let this be a lesson to those who don’t support their local surf and skate store….

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38037505/ns/business-retail/

No Comments »