Vans has recently had a lot going on, from the ramp-up to surfing’s crowned-jewel events at the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing on the North Shore of Hawaii, to their recent announcements that they’ve sold Pro-tec protective gear to Dye Precision, and entered into a new media partnership with IMG to increase their content coverage.
The news about Pro-tec came November 12, 2012 when VF Outdoor signed an agreement for an undisclosed amount for the sale of Pro-tec to San Diego based Dye Precision Inc. “We’re very proud of the work that the Vans® and Pro-tec® brand teams have done to build the brand globally during the last decade,” said Kevin Bailey, President, Vans. “Together, we have continued the Pro-tec® brand’s leadership role in skateboard and BMX protective gear, while expanding the brand’s position in snow sports and mountain biking.
“The Vans® and Pro-tec® brands share a complementary action sports heritage,” he continued. “But we believe that Dye Precision can provide Pro-tec® a better operational fit and focus, which will allow the brand to thrive and reach its full potential.”
“The core of our company’s strength is our commitment to innovation in the sports we participate in,” DeHaan continued. “We have made a strong impact in the snow and paintball industry, and the acquisition of the Pro-tec® brand accelerates our planned expansion into skateboarding, BMX, snow protective, and mountain biking. The Pro-tec® brand’s 40-year history is well respected within our company, as many of our team members grew up using the brand’s products. We are excited to continue that rich heritage and to grow the Pro-tec® brand to new levels.”
In other news, IMG, a sports and media company, has signed a deal with Vans to distribute the rights of their events including skateboarding and surfing events, including the Vans Triple Crown of Surf, set to launch any day now on the North Shore of Oahu, and the media content from Vans’ offthewall.tv networks.
Adam Kelly, Head of Business Development, Senior Vice President, IMG Media, said: “This is an exciting agreement for IMG as we look to invest in the long-term potential of action sports. Our partnership with Vans will increase the worldwide profile of their events as well as bringing them a new audience, and we are very much looking forward to working with them.”
On the North Shore of Oahu, internationally renowned surfers are gathering for the 30th Anniversary of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series. The $1 million purse event, hydrated by vitaminwater, opted for a lay day today November 13, 2012 at the Reef Hawaiian Pro. The first jewel of the Series will be held at Haleiwa Ali’i Beach Park on the four best days of surf during the period of November 12-24. Waves today are inconsistent and barely head high. Surfline.com, official forecaster for the Vans Triple Crown, expects a new NW swell to fill in on Thursday for a possible Thursday morning start.
Stay tuned to Label Networks for more from the Triple Crown throughout the next month.
