To all:
Yeah, I know its too late to lament on stuff like this. But I'm sorry, I am still befuddled as to why a company with great new technology, opening markets, and patents just can't sell their products.
Last week I skated down to the local Wayne Gretsky arena. This place opened last year. Irvine, California. No ice. Suburbia. Since it opened, the parking lot has been full most of the time. I usually go by the place at night and the lot is still 1/2 full of cars after 10:00 pm weeknights. Weekends, always full.
So anyway, the place has 5 roller hockey rinks. Young men (and woman) all over the place in hockey garb in and out of the rinks. Guys coming off the rink dripping with sweat, carrying brightly colored hockey sticks.
So I go inside the main building for a look at the equipment for sale. Racks of hockey sticks and hockey accessories. I ask the salesman about sticks. So he shows me and explains the various sticks. I ask him about QuadForce. He says "What?". I ask him about composites. He shows me the EASTON graphite composite. $89. Very popular he says.
I say no, thermoplastic composite. He says "What?".
Anybody catch the front page of NEWSWEEK yesterday. Chrysler announcing plastic cars are the future. Dramatically reduces cost of production by eliminating painting process.
I have the feeling we were close, but so far away. Now, so far away. Sounds like a Carol King song.
Were they truely that inept at marketing, or was the timing off too much? Does second guessing really have any merit anyway.
Sorry for the rant guys and girls.
Roger |
