Miller Commits this week to Skis, Boots Bindings.

If Rossi makes a slam dunk with Miller the Marketing campaign will be huge, ramping up for the Olympics.

Bit curious to see how much, is the highest paid skier in history to be paid??






Bode Miller is close to signing a historic equipment contract
By Nathaniel Vinton
April 29, 2004
Bode Miller is very close to making a decision about which company's equipment he'll use for the next two seasons, which period includes the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.

Today is the "drop-dead" day for contract offers. All final bids are now in, and Miller will make his decision either tomorrow or next week.

Those within the industry expect Miller to become the highest-paid ski racer in the world -- perhaps the highest-paid in the history of the sport.

"All the companies have been very professional through the whole testing process," said Ken Sowles, one of Miller's managers. Sowles is an attorney based in Vermont who handles all of Miller's equipment contracts. He has represented U.S. Ski Team athletes since the mid-eighties.

Many ski racers craft new contracts every two years, in synchronicity with the Olympic cycle. After the 2002 season, in which Miller became a much more visible ski celebrity in Europe and at home, he signed a major contract with Rossignol. Since then, he has used Rossignol skis, bindings and plates, along with Nordica boots.

"It will be a major shot in the arm to whatever company he goes with," said the North American representative of one of the companies that had put up an offer. "He is a major star in his athletic prime, going into a two-year deal that covers the world championships and the Olympics." The representative went on to say that if Miller were to sign with that company, the decision alone would justify the company to arrange press conferences in New York City and in Europe.

As soon as the World Cup Finals were over this year, Miller began testing skis and boots from a handful of companies, including Rossignol, Atomic, Salomon and Nordica.

Miller competed in the U.S. Nationals in mid-March, and then went to Norway for an intense round of testing at Kvitfjell. There, as Miller tried different gear on simulation race courses, ski industry representatives hovered around the hill, ready to make any last-minute modifications that Miller requested as he searched for the feeling he wanted. Two U.S. Ski Team coaches were also present.

Daron Rahlves was also testing equipment at Kvitfjell, and Rahlves says that at one point the number of support staff on the hill grew to 22.

Coaches set up gates and timing on Kvitfjell's World Cup track, and the super G and downhill largely mirrored the way those courses are set during the World Cups in March.

"That hill's so narrow that there's only so much you can get away with in course-setting," said Rahlves. "The downhill was exactly the same. I'd spend the first two runs just getting the line down, and then I'd try to be consistent and focus on the feeling from the skis and the boots."

This may be a stupid question...but what influences ski racers more, the money they get from their sponsored company, or how much they like the equipment? Or is it a blend of both? Say a ski racer tested 10 pairs of skis, and the skis he ranked at the bottom just so happened to be the skis of the company that was going to give him the most money, would it be typical for him to take it? Even if they really hated the equipment?

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Originally posted by dipstik
This may be a stupid question...but what influences ski racers more, the money they get from their sponsored company, or how much they like the equipment? Or is it a blend of both? Say a ski racer tested 10 pairs of skis, and the skis he ranked at the bottom just so happened to be the skis of the company that was going to give him the most money, would it be typical for him to take it? Even if they really hated the equipment?

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I'd imagine it depends on the person. I'm guessing bode will go for the fastest skis, since all the bids are probably pretty similar.

To answer your question dipstick. No. Equipment is pretty huge in ski racing, and the money isn't very big. But with Bode it is a bit different. The original reason Bode ended up leaving Fischer and going to Rossi was the money. But he also knew that Rossi would let him build his own ski (like he did with Fischer). A big time guy, like Bode, with that kind of influence will tend to go for the money and then get the company to tailor their skis to the athletes preference. But almost every other skier on the US Team is about 90% influenced by the performance of the product. Even in contract years, most of the team will be out trying different equipment in the off-season. In reality there is no "best ski company". Each companies products will suit the different stlye of each althete. For instance, Volkl's are labeled "chick-skis" cause all the small, scrawny guys would race them. Where as Salomon better suited huge Canadian guys, and fat mo-fo's such as myself. So to wrap up that spewing of junk I just typed. Since there ain't much money in ski racing almost everybody isn't influenced by the money, but more by the product.

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For instance, Volkl's are labeled "chick-skis" cause all the small, scrawny guys would race them. Where as Salomon better suited huge Canadian guys, and fat mo-fo's such as myself.

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Often overheard on the World Cup:
"Jene volkls sind Mädchenskis, aber alle überladenen Männer sind auf Trödel salomons. Ha ha!"

Ich messe der Sache keine groesse Bedeutung bei.

^Yeah, that's what the ladies keep telling me.

Also a big push for Bode moving to Rossi was the fact that the turn time for a new ski was about a fifth of the time that Fischer was able to offer. Having ther ability to aqctually tweak skis during the season is pretty huge. The cost for setting a new mold, etc, is pretty staggering, so a comitment to a single racer is pretty amazing.

Bode's marketability is very different than a lot of racers he has universal appeal, the Herminator did ok, but isn't exactly an icon in the US, we know him but the general public awareness is pretty low. Bode has a large Euro prescence and the US market is coming around, he has the golden boy american image that can be stamped on a ton of products. My guess is if he stays healthy he wil really blow up in the next couple of years.

Fischer is the ski of choice for anybody who XC races thus fischer is out there and doesn't really need Bode. I wonder how much (DH) ski racers actully influence people buying that brand of skis I mean really? Fischer RCS' are golden and at $500 a crack for thousands if not millions of racers in the US and Europe thats alot of dough Fischers are almost impossible to get discounts on too the best skier in AK get 15% proform and I'm willing to bet that World Cup Racers still have to pay for their skis (unless they are Gods like Kemple and Flora)

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Originally posted by ak_powder_monkey
I wonder how much (DH) ski racers actully influence people buying that brand of skis I mean really?

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In my opinion, it has a huge impact. For racers like me, (not that serious about it, racing for fun more than anything) the availability of a certain brand of race skis makes a significant influence on whether or not I buy them. If I can't demo a ski I probably won't buy it . That being said, a shop is going to stock and demo race skis that the big name guys are winning races on. It makes sense for them to do so. If a brand of skis becomes popular because someone is winning races on them, it's like free advertising for the shop that carries those skis. It's pretty evident that shops do this because nearly every shop I went into this year had some race stock rossi's on the wall. On the other hand I don't think I saw a pair of Elan, Blizzard, or Nordica race skis all year. In fact, the only pair of "race stock" ski's I have ever seen in stores are Rossignol's. People buy what's popular, it's a fact of life.

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Originally posted by dipstik
In my opinion, it has a huge impact. For racers like me, (not that serious about it, racing for fun more than anything) the availability of a certain brand of race skis makes a significant influence on whether or not I buy them. If I can't demo a ski I probably won't buy it . That being said, a shop is going to stock and demo race skis that the big name guys are winning races on. It makes sense for them to do so. If a brand of skis becomes popular because someone is winning races on them, it's like free advertising for the shop that carries those skis. It's pretty evident that shops do this because nearly every shop I went into this year had some race stock rossi's on the wall. On the other hand I don't think I saw a pair of Elan, Blizzard, or Nordica race skis all year. In fact, the only pair of "race stock" ski's I have ever seen in stores are Rossignol's. People buy what's popular, it's a fact of life.

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It has a marketability, podiums that is, seeing what is being held up in the three place finishers hands. Do they usually show the consumer version when taking phots, yep, because the race stock skis they won the race on are most often not what the public will see or be able to actually get.

Rossi has flooded the market in the last couple of years with race-stock product, e-bay is overflowing with "race" skis. Their addition of race-centers this past year, allowed for more and more shops to carry their race stock.
Rossi Race Center
Rossi was also recognized for their efforts in marketing recently, they have really pushed marketing the race program and their atheletes.
Story

Rossi also broke in to the Austrian ski team for the first time this year, Streitlieb, I think has signed on with them for next year.



I've honestly never tried a race-stock ski prior to buying it. I've always stuck with companies I know and talk to reps or coaches and go from there. Salomon and Volkl always make a pretty damn goos GS ski, so I can pretty much order it blind and have an expectation as to what it will be like. Super-g and DH boards the same.

I guess the marketability of the ski as to what's on circut may sway people to one brand, but I would think the actually sales are low. The Lange L-10 has more victories on that single last than some companies have had in their entire WC carrers, but not that many people seem to ski it recreationaly.

I think it has an impact but the number of people who actually buy skis based on what an athelete is using is probably largely masters or other recreational racers. The general skiing public may remember what Bode held up at the Olympics but will probably shy at a GS race ski.

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Originally posted by CaddyDaddy77
I think it has an impact but the number of people who actually buy skis based on what an athelete is using is probably largely masters or other recreational racers. The general skiing public may remember what Bode held up at the Olympics but will probably shy at a GS race ski.

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fair enough in the states, but in europe, the general public still skis race skis most of the time, and they do care what their idols are on.

Didn't see this one coming.:eek: :eek: :eek:

[QUOTE]Bode Miller has signed a two-year contract with Atomic, and will use the Austrian company's skis through the 2005 world championships and the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.

"Bode Miller was finally attracted by the promises made by the Austrian company to provide him with the full programme (skis and service) formerly enjoyed by the Austrian champion, Stephan Eberharter," said Rossignol in a press release. "It is therefore with regret that Rossignol sees our collaboration with the American champion come to an end.
Naturally, we wish him the very best of luck for the future."

Eberharter has not yet officially announced his retirement to the media, although he has been alluding to it in conversations with his peers on the World Cup.

[QUOTE]

I wonder if he is getting on their boots, too...
He always seemed to be pretty psyched on the nordicas.

Wondering the same thing, Rossi was making a doberman style boot for him at the end of the season that I think he raced once or twice. Teh WC Atomic boot is supposed to be really nice next year, Rhalves switched from Lange to them.

Related Article

Update, it's the full package. Bode on white boots? Can't picture it.




Bode Miller has signed a contract with Atomic, and will use the Austrian company’s ski equipment for the next two years – a period that includes the 2005 world championships and the 2006 Winter Olympics. The top-ranked American ski racer, Miller is now partnered with the company whose skis dominate the men’s alpine World Cup standings.

“The contract is huge, but so is Bode,” said Ken Sowles, Miller’s agent, an attorney based in Burlington, Vermont. “He is slated to make over two million dollars next year with all of his contracts together.” Sowles stressed, however, that Miller’s decision was driven not by money but by the performance of the equipment.

Miller has skied on K2, Fischer and Rossignol skis in his eight-year career with the U.S. Ski Team. Sowles, who has 20 years of experience in the ski racing industry, has been Miller’s legal advisor through each of those transitions, and Miller’s salary has grown progressively larger at each stage, owing in part to his abilities and achievements, and in part to his personality: Miller is a recognizable personality, extremely marketable both in North American and in Europe.

The decision comes after weeks of intensive ski testing, as Miller entertained bids from four companies: Rossignol, Atomic, Nordica and Salomon. Miller, who had spent the last two years on Rossignol skis and bindings (with Nordica boots), had made it clear that he was looking for a “full package” agreement: He said using all the components of one company would simplify things.

It was an unusually difficult decision for Miller. Last Thursday, he sat down with Sowles and looked over the four offers. “He normally knows exactly what he wants,” said Sowles, “but he had to think about this. We had dinner and chatted, and I told him to sleep on it.” On Friday, Miller made his decision, and then Sowles went into three days of intense negotiations. By Monday night, the deal was finalized.

Rossignol, the French company that Miller signed with two years ago, released a statement on Tuesday pointing out that Miller had won world championship and World Cup titles on Rossignol skis. “It is therefore with regret that Rossignol sees our collaboration with the American champion come to an end. Naturally, we wish him the very best of luck for the future.”

A big question that remains to be answered is who will be tuning Miller’s skis. Log on to www.skiracing.com later this week for news on that front, and for comments from Miller himself.

I guess I don't have too much of an opinion on the matter, I mean after all Bode is the only one that knows what is best for him. It's too bad for Rossignol though, he did a lot of great things for them, just like he did for Fischer. It made Rossignol race skis a lot more prestigious because Bode was on them, and now he is just another good racer added to the list that Atomic has. (not saying that in a bad way...just that it will be interesting to see how Atomic deals with the very best racers in the world...like, who is going to get the really fast skis?)

I found this quote on the Rossignol website. It's Bode talking about Rossignol presumably when he switched over to Rossi from Fischer. I guess the same still holds true.

"For me, it is important to be with a company that I’m confident has the best technology, the best technicians, and the best equipment in the world. When even a fraction of a second counts, having the right equipment can make the critical difference. I need to know that I’m with a company that is always striving to be #1. That means having the best today and in the future."

ANAKIN, NO!

edit- [cue evil emprie theme]

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Originally posted by ulty_guy
ANAKIN, NO!

edit- [cue evil emprie theme]

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LOL!

I dunno, though, he's going from Black Dobie's like Vader to som pink and white Atomics, like a well sissy stormtrooper.

My guess is total domination of the WC market by Atomic in two years.

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Originally posted by CaddyDaddy77
A big question that remains to be answered is who will be tuning Miller’s skis.

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Willi Wiltz perhaps???

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Originally posted by CaddyDaddy77
Miller Commits this week to Skis, Boots and Bindings

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Having skis, boots and bindings in the start hut should give Bode a definite edge.

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Originally posted by bad_roo
Having skis, boots and bindings in the start hut should give Bode a definite edge.

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As opposed to the "headphone, motorcycle, grand piano" deal Yamaha offered him, which, while of much higher retail value, offered less grip on icy World Cup courses.