Windsurfing Magazine -- RIP

[derekd]

transworld surf, the print is way too small, need a magnifying glass to read it. What's with that?

[isobars]

[isobars]

[cbknap]

How many subscribers did Windsurfing Mag have when it closed at the end of 2011? How does that compare to 2005? 2000? 1995? 1990?

I'd be interested to know.

Unfortunately it is an increasingly niche sport. Some people came by while I was rigging yesterday and one said "I've got to try that windboarding..."

Many of those who did found it too damn hard.......

--chris

[chakochako]

Well, at least we get a surfing magazine, not a kitesurfing magazine. LOL. I paid up to January 2014, so I will learn a lot about surfing in the next two years.

[kellygeygan]

REALITY AND PERCEPTION

I think the point of the initial post was that as economic times change businesses must adapt to survive.

Ayn Rand "you can ignore reality but you can not ignore the consequences of ignoring reality"

Windsurfing magazine was a great example of this.The opportunity to create a solid financial foundation through the promotion of EXISTING,accessible and functional{to all,regardless of location} windsurfing technology was largely ignored.

The choices were...

Concentrate on affordable equipment,that works efficiently in prevailing conditions Nationwide and secure a large following of loyal subscribers.This approach is affordable initially and long term because there is no need to travel...this is not glamorous or extreme..but it is reality to 90% of us 90% of the time.

or

Concentrate on a base market established during times of apparent wealth , dont adjust to changes in this base market and lose most of your subscribers,
who have lost most of their home equity{thru deflation of property values}
and savings{thru the subsequent inflation of consumer goods}
Since subscribers are the reason advertisers spend money you have now lost BOTH sources of revenue.

Sounds like chapter 11 bankruptcy


The remaining windsurf magazines will likely pick up the now available subscribers and maybe even learn from the mistakes of Windsurfing Magazine...if this happens the public will have access to a better product than was available in the past.That is freemarket economics 101 and why a business failure can become a positive to the consumer.

One thing we should all recognize...we are all waterpeople...that includes longboards to kites.
A divisive approach weakens ALL of us.We win or lose together.

I enjoy the exchanges so please feel free to disagree and correct me.

[jsampiero]

"Cognitive dissonance"?

Now it doesn't sound like talking trash, it sounds like an insult.

Here's where I see cognitive dissonance:

You said, in summary:

WINDSURFING magazine failed as a business because it ignored the light-air, real-world conditions and applications, choosing to focus on the sex appeal of high-wind excitement."

I responded:

Indeed, that is a mistake WINDSURFING, the magazine, and windsurfing the industry had made in the past, but those who have been reading the magazine with any regularity during my tenure, as well as the tenure of Eddy P before me, will have noticed a concerted effort to be grass-roots and real-world connected.


You replied, in summary: The same argument as the first time, with an Ayn Rand quote thrown in for good measure.


It appears the main basis of your argument is that we didn't test something important to you: Formula boards.

While Formula boards may offer the best light-air performance, the 1) Technical skill used to ride them 2)necessity for big sails 3) higher cost compared to free-ride gear meant they were a small and shrinking portion of boards sold each year. Formula boards, although light-wind performers with the ability to offer thrills in any area of the USA, not exactly "approachable."

If I have a limited amount of pages per issue and per year, I'm going to spend them on the product that has the widest appeal: free-ride and free-race boards between 100-150 liters.

For approachable, I considered SUP sailing far more approachable than Formula. I think a lot of people would agree with me. As mentioned in my first reply, this got a lot of play in WINDSURFING.

Your theory as to "how we could have been successful":

[jsampiero]

Quickly - I appreciate the many highly complimentary and encouraging things folks here on the forum have had to say about the magazine and job I did as Editor. This community has always proven to be a worthwhile sounding board, and the good stuff has always outweighed the bad! I know I made plenty of mistakes while at the helm, and to be honest, it's easy to get a feeling of being "the captain that sunk the ship", (despite the fact that there were a number of detrimental factors that contributed to the demise of the magazine) so conversations like the one we've been having seem to get me a little fired up.

[cbknap]

[cgoudie1]

You know, one thing that kills me about the culture in The States, is that
someone always has to be "at fault". Especially when the results impact
you personally. There's no fault here. Is it Windsurfing mags fault, that
the requirements for this sport (wind and water) don't happen in most
places where there are consumers? Is it Windsurfing magazines fault that
print formats have been replaced by digital formats? Is it Windsurfing mags fault that
this sport requires commitment?

This sport is beautiful and exciting, and when a non-windsurfer sees a
photograph of someone in blue warm water flying through the air, or
bottom turning a clean wave, they see the beauty and they want that.
But, if they don't want it bad enough to spend some time in cold muddy
water, you know they won't last in the sport. In fact, if they don't love
the cold muddy water experience they probably won't last. I'll bet if you
did a genetic test on those still windsurfing you find most of them have
a thrill seeker gene.

In my opinion, that makes the sport small, and the business model for it
small (not withstanding the initial growth explosion of any new sport).
Small enough that it may not support more than 1 magazine (if it even
supports 1). I'd love to spend my time in a flying squirrel suit rocketing
down cliffs, and when I watch the videos, I know I wanna do that, but
if there is a Flying Squirrel Suit magazine, there won't be for long. It's
just a small market.

I've had the pleasure of meeting Josh, and frankly, the reason the mag
lasted the last few years is BECAUSE of Josh. you all should be
thanking him for keeping it fresh, concentrated on the current sport,
and joyful. Plus, just take a look at his responses here. The guy brings
stoke, and humor, and all of that while being extremely civil in the face
of adversity. That's a nearly impossible combination to find (just think
of how a subject like this would degenerate if some of the posters here
were the editor).

.02

-Craig

p.s Josh, that video of things people say at interviews cracks me up!