Conner bailed on CI for money…and he doesn’t even need money.
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Album Surfboards
- Thread starter Aruka
- Start date
I always thought that it was an interesting choice.
I always assumed he also didn't like where he ended up in the big CI roster.
Yeah, he probably thought he could be the #1 American guy on JS. Didn't seem to go the way he hoped.
So, just to clarify, the Stab video that keeps getting referenced was some of the big shapers saying they no longer are able to pay their top guys $$$ to ride for them (unlike how they did in the 90's-00's AI-era heyday), and now just give them as many boars as they want as that adds up to tens of thousand $s per year for many of them. The ones who said this were Mayhem, DH, and Britt Merrick. Pyzel said that's the case for his team, except JJ who was given a % ownership stake in the brand, and presumably gets a royalty for every ghost sold. But maybe JS does pay riders? Not sure why those shapers (plus surfers like Mick, Jordy, Taj, and others interviewed) would bother to lie about it, but who knows. Maybe there is a huge industry-wide conspiracy! Either way, who cares?? The entire episode was entertaining. I'd listen to a podcast with Jordy and DH just savaging others.
Album Matt talked about sponsoring/paying guys, starting with Kerr, in an article about how shapers market alt-boars, I think Panda Shiitake and a couple others were interviewed. It was posted somewhere way back on this thread. I don't think anyone has actually suggested otherwise. There's already plenty of other stuff to hate about the brand. I am kinda surprised how big his team is getting now, and it doesn't seem like some ( Marzo and maybe Freestone) have worked out that well. Hard to argue that Kerr, Asher, VB, and now Margo aren't a great fit. Will be curious to see what they come up with for Jai.
edit: just found https://stabmag.com/features/inside-the-alternative-surfboard-marketing-machine/
"What about payment. You throwing any cash at your top riders?
Album: Yeah, we do. If a surfer has helped develop a model that is successful, and is out actively promoting that model, then I think royalties are deserved. The incentives of that arrangement work both ways. I would love a world where board manufacturers were able to completely support their riders, rather than have them rely on a bunch of other sponsorships. "
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From the early interview I listened to with Connor it sounded like he got sold a bait and switch.
thought he’d get time to work with JS but instead got handed stock files.
thought he’d get time to work with JS but instead got handed stock files.
No doubt. Have to wonder if he knew his brother would end up with equity in CI shortly thereafter as well (I think parker was in the consortium who bought in?).
its hard out there for a pimp
New boards arrived!
Now I need some swell to test them. I´m curious to see how "The End" goes.
Now I need some swell to test them. I´m curious to see how "The End" goes.
Attachments
Bom Dia 5´9.
The other ones:
Bom Dia step up - 6´7
The End - 6´2
The red asym is a Townsend that I had to repair, it´s not new.
Dig up the DLS podcast with him during Covid times.
major asterisk because of the times but very early on they dive into leaving CI, joining the JS team, and what his experience had been like thus far.
my takeaway is he writes an email and gets sent a pack of boards and he expected much more.
That still blows my mind. His whole personal and locale just makes sense to be with CI
Rode CIs from when he was barely out of diapers then bails for an Australian shaper. Weird.
Don’t get me wrong, by all accounts Conner is a good dude and my few limited interactions with him were positive, I’ve seen him in water countless times and never have seen any type of entitlement or shitty etiquette from him.
It’s just weird that he’d do that.
isn’t his brother also part of the core team riders that bought out CI from Burton not so long after his departure?
Money talks (I'm assuming).
I thought he was pretty set for life anyway outside of surfing but maybe not.
There was this one lower tier WCT guy I remember hearing about - left his non-paying board sponsor to get paid by another major board sponsor - guy falls off tour, leaves board sponsor - signs and gets paid by another big brand.
This guy always seems to have his hands in something though, always getting paid from multiple angles, so I guess maybe a good agent goes a long way. Guy should be laying bricks but somehow the cash just flows in.
I'd imagine Connor Coughin' has an agent and I'm sure it influenced his decision though it seems not for the better - he kinda seems not to get too much coverage since leaving CI and I wonder if there's something to that.
He’s doing a podcast now. Sponsored by 805 beer.
First guest - Chris Shiflett
second guest - Chris Malloy
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whoah...any regular footers in Ventura? Killer price!