RIP WaterSkiMag

[Horton]

The Orlando Sentinel reports the following 

Bonnier Corp., a magazine publisher with an office in Winter Park Village, is laying off 30 people locally. The layoffs for New York-based Bonnier come as the company shutters five magazines: WaterSki, Wakeboarding, Sport Diver, Baggers and Dirt Rider. 

Read the whole text here

http://www.ballofspray.com/images/2018/waterski-cover.jpg

[mwetskier]

well there went that lifetime subscription.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Bummer. I had a subscription to that for a long, long time. I still remember the cover of the first one I owned, ages ago. Hazelwood jumping on the cover.

[customski]

Guess that explains why our online subscriptions to Australia just stopped 6 odd months ago and no email replies were forthcoming. A shame. It seems our Australian waterski mag has disappeared without trace too.

[ozski]

Its a brave new world, adapt or die. Readers are getting their content via forums and other digital media and magazines are going the way of the fax machine and the Monza. The magazine went away because the eyeballs went away.

[sfriis]

RIP :'(

[jhughes]

Sounds like an opportunity to me. There's still life left in print, PARTICULARLY in enthusiast mags. I love getting Car & Driver and Roundel every month. My guess is that this shuttering is a result of self-inflicted pain/mismanagement.

[bigskieridaho]

That sucks. Explains why I never got my renewal subscription.

[Wish]

Does this make my stack of Boat Buyers Guides back to 1992 a collectors item? ;-)

 

What is sad are the photos we won't get to see anymore. There's never been a source that could match them or photographers taking them.

 

 

[oldjeep]

Might explain this weird wake surf mag that I got this month rather than my usual Waterski and Wakeboard mags

[DavidN]

The end of an era. It’s somehow sad, but personally, I stopped reading the WSM a good while ago. Probably around the time Todd left. Had a subscription for over 10 Years and didn’t renew it about a year ago or so. Content became less and less interesting. Too much ads and I never understand why tubing, kneeboarding and even wakeboarding obviously became of interest for the WSM editors.

[jcamp]

Sad to hear it. Yet another thing that water skiing "once had." I know the people that were still there were working hard to keep it going but in the end I guess it just couldn't make it. Best wishes to all the writers, photogs, etc., who counted on the magazine for a bit of their income.

[lpskier]

In reality, it was dead years ago. All they did was finally take it off life support. This opens the door for a new product made by new people with new ideas.

[MuskokaKy]

@oldjeep same here! i re-subscribed about 6 months ago or so and i think they are compensating with " something" until it runs out. I also get watersports gear catalogues and wakeskate/surf mags... Was a big fan! Sad to see it go!

[Jody_Seal]

It's about time! That rag got useless since they let Todd R loose. They keep sending me that surf crap rag mag also.. As far as the boat buyers guides that was nothing more then a photo shoot opp for manufacturers, they never did have the balls to really print the true facts about the products they "tested"!!

 

 

[Spuddy]

I agree with a lot of the above comments while it is sad to see the mag go after I believe almost 40 years, it has been lacking in content the last 6-10 issues. I did still enjoy finding it in the mailbox especially in these long cold Canadian winters!!

[Nando]

They were clearly just going through the motions once TR left- just a bunch of stock photos with some totally worthless articles. Sadly for me, I opted for a two-year subscription renewal a little over a year ago- oh well. It's a digital world, who needs a printed magazine when we've got BOS?

[Chad_Scott]

Time for BOS magazine in print. I’d get a subscription. Stick to waterski topics. How bout it @Horton

[LoopSki]

Ball of Spray Magazine!

[Nater]

I renewed my subscription a few weeks ago. I just called Bonnier and they are going to credit my card back. I was told by them that everyone under subscription will be automatically switched to "Boating Magazine" going forward.

[thager]

Nah, @Horton would actually have to work! And................................................ spell in english!

[jcamp]

@thager ... and write.

[UWSkier]

Agree with lots of the comments here. My most anticipated issue every year was always the boat tests, until it became clear that they had to print glowing reviews on everything to keep selling ad space. Understandable, just wasn't for me so I dropped my sub years ago. Did enjoy the articles and pictures about 15 years ago though!

[skinut]

When did Todd R leave WSM?

[oldjeep]

@Nater People actually paid for those? Mine were the result of free boat show subscriptions, and they just kept coming for free.

[eleeski]

Really sad to see it go for many reasons. Primarily, it was just fun. It did have nice pictures (I can admit to looking at the pictures?). I'd get stoked by some of the features. And some articles were insightful and thought provoking.

 

On a different level, it was a venue for writers and photographers to create. And get paid and recognized for their work. I thought Todd was really good at developing and taking care of the talent.

 

As a dinosaur, I enjoy printed media. The world is passing me by?

 

Eric

[pcmcon729]

I agree that print on paper is becoming less appealing to younger generations, but extremely sad non the less for both the subscribers, and the sport. I remember flying out of Boston 10+ years ago, and seeing it front and center on a kiosk, with Jamie B on the cover. I almost believed for a moment that our sport was mainstream. Cool for non-skiers to see that. Here in NH, it's one of the few connections to skiing that we get during our long cold winters.

BOS is much appreciated as well.

[Web]

IMO the magazine slid out of favor when the format change/Todd leaving...... It used to be a highlight seeing that in the mail pile amid all the bills and un-solicited crap. Something nice to have laying around, and anybody could pick up. I remember countless times having that on the porch at the cottage, and newcomers would pick it up and spark an interest.

[Horton]

I am stunned by those of you that are so critical of the Mag since Todd was let go. Perhaps it was not the same as it was but the last few issues were edited by Trent Finlayson ( @TFIN ). I know for a fact that Trent very much put his heart into the work and was very proud of the issues.

[Nando]

Trent's stuff was good, but clearly he had no resources to work with. There seemed to be a lot of content that was kind of in a "skiing is dying, get used to it" mode. Trent is a really good writer and I had hoped he'd be able to take over and run with it, but it seemed clearly doomed by a lack of commitment from above.

[skihacker]

The new format was different for sure but I still liked it, going to miss it.

[jhughes]

I have 20 years of publishing experience. Anyone want to start a magazine?

[MDB1056]

Bummer........ another signpost of the sport going away.

[Skid]

In all honesty, I don't think anyone at the magazine is really all that surprised. Just the cost of paper to print a magazine is high these days. If we are being totally honest, print media is dying.

 

I've been a frequent contributor to the magazine since January of 2013. I started as an intern. Todd was definitely the right guy behind the wheel at the magazine and I was sad the day he called me and told me he was leaving.

 

@Wish I get that you like seeing stuff in print, a lot of people do. Every photographer in the world thinks photos look better in print. But the world is changing. If you download Instagram, almost every pro skier is posting videos or photos of them skiing. I myself, post a ski picture almost everyday.

FOLLOW ME HERE

 

As far as income from the actual magazine, I have never relied on it as sustainable income. Imagine going out in January and taking a picture good enough for a magazine. Let's say the magazine doesn't actually print until April. That means you don't get paid for your work until probably late April or early May! It's nice when a check would show up, but you could never just do the mag and have that be it.

I myself rely mostly on selling products, prints and picking up my camera and actually shooting. Feel free to check out my work HERE

Also, here is my last full page spread in WATERSKI Mag

 

-Spencer Shultz

 

 

[wawaskr]

I have been waiting for this to happen.....no new content, articles written by hs kids, and nothing but a big advertisement.

[skidawg]

@Nando ...there was no taking it over and running with it. The mag was already on the chopping block, Trent was asked to do the last few editions and make them special. But on the flip side........Drum roll.........Looks like King @Horton is THE biggest world wide outlet for water skiing. God help us all!!!!

[aupatking]

Oh no @skidawg the Horton has no competition. Think he'll stay good, or become evil?

I thought the mag was still good. The photos have always been the greatest. Folks like @Skid are putting great stuff on instagram, I suppose I’ll have to buy his coffee table books now. You have any of those things?

[KRoundy]

Wow. That means I received every copy of Water Ski ever published. My first issue was the one where they announced that Waterskier had purchased Spray and launched a new single magazine, Water Ski. This is sad, but today you can get so much more information on line. Back in the 80's and 90's Water Ski was I how tracked what was happening in the tournaments, who was up and coming and what was new with gear. Those boat tests in the 80's and 90's were simply epic. I'd keep those boat review issues and dream about what boat I'd buy. Good memories. I especially loved the anniversary issue a few years ago with the retrospective of the magazine across the decades. I remembered them all.

 

Back when I was just learning to water ski, those monthly magazines cemented my love for the sport that continues today.

 

Oh, and that issue of Wakesurf magazine I just got went directly into the recycle bin.

[Conor]

Waterski mag turned into wake board/wake surf mag anyways. The last few years every issue had one waterski article and the rest was not waterskiing.

Article after article about wake boarding or surfing, no wonder it hasn’t done well. They used to get me excited. Recently, just annoyed by wasting all that paper on wake board and surf articles in a WATERSKI magazine. I would sign up for a ball of spray mag in a nano sec. Not a ball of wake mag.

[MrJones]

Yep. I have had a subscription since 1985. Really sad to see it go, but as most of you have said it's not a surprise. Had certainly noticed that although the pics and articles were good, there were almost no ads in the recent mags.

[skidawg]

I have not seen any of @Skid 's stuff, what's his instagram handle?

[jhughes]

I remember reading an article in 2002, I think, where Todd went down to visit Sully at Bennetts and they did New Orleans and everything. Sully may have been on the cover. Well, right then my wife and I booked a week at Bennetts and did our first Spring Break there in 2003 (UCLA and Illinois teams were there that year too, what a blast). We drove down there in my 3-series sedan with the HO Mach-1 with an adjustable binding that my wife and I shared! How about that? First time on the slalom course, a pivotal moment in my life. We've skied in our travels every year since then and have been to Bennetts probably 12X at this point.

[jerrym]

It's disappointing to see our sport's magazine cease to exist. It was clear that Trent was trying to make it go but if it wasn't profitable with TR, then Trent was in a tough spot. There is a snow skiing mag called "Powder" that seems to continue to be successful even in the current media environment. It's not simply a vehicle for advertisement like other ski mags, but rather has deeper content and great photos along the lines of what TR was doing with Waterski. This is another indicator that the water ski market is shrinking.

[KRoundy]

@skidawg His instagram is spencer_shultz79. Follow and enjoy!

[Conor]

@skidawg insta gram handle.....Spencer_shultz79

[Freddie Winter]

I agree with @Horton (what?!). I feel like those bashing the magazine since Trent and the rest of the guys got involved didn't read it. In the two issues since the redesign it was solely skiing, no filler of wakeboarding, wakesurf, as has been suggested. The 'living legends' articles on Parrish, Will, Regina and, of course, Freddy Krueger from this time last year are up there with the best stuff that's been on those pages in years and years. Todd was great but I think the new direction was also.

 

I'm honestly gutted about this. I spent a lot of time over the years reading that magazine. Of course market forces are in play, we have a sport that's not exactly growing and print media has been dying for years. But this is a huge loss to skiing. The magazine inspired me as a kid. Those photos and the articles on the ski life made me want to ski more than anything. Where is the resource that's going to inspire kids now to go ski?

[6balls]

We were Wally's...aggressive skiing Wally's behind fast outboard boats with lots of glitter. Enter WS Magazine. We bought skis on reviews, barefoot suits on reviews, BOATS on reviews.

 

Given we were outboard familiar our first "tournament" boat (you would never call it that today) was a Ski Centurion Warrior Barefoot Comp. My Dad talked to Siepel himself before the purchase, and got a BI Boom as well. Compared to an outboard run-about wow it was advanced. We later bought a Falcon Barefoot based off Centurions inboard hull...I still own it.

 

WS mag introduced us to the slalom course...and later to inboards.

 

The pics have always been amazing, the news/tutorials now available elsewhere. The boat reviews have not been useful for a very long time--I appreciate Car and Driver picking a winner and stating why that is the case...but I understand the pressure.

 

Overall I will miss the arrival to my mailbox. Whether it was Todd or Trent or others before them I've always enjoyed it.

 

In any event I would like to thank all who have been involved with WSM since it's inception for the influence it has had on my life.

 

 

 

[Wish]

@FWinter I believe you are on it. I think the new inspirations come from here, Twitter, Facebook and so on. I'm sad see the page turner go but my daughter will barely turn a page in college. Most if not all textbooks are on line. Would be nice to see some element on line or otherwise fill the vacuum in terms of well written articles and photos. But this new generation is gonna see less pages and more screens. Edit: and in reality, carrying around a cell phone at all times with instant access to waterski content is easier then lugging around a magazine. I'd say it is more exposure.

[MuskokaKy]

I think @MarcusBrown is moving in the right direction with his podcasts and #flowpointtv.

 

Completely agree with @FWinter about content. Volume 37 issue 4; slalom academics was and is something I have read dozens of times. Really helped me remember crucial elements. There was lots of good articles and content the past few years. Might just depend on your level.

 

@wish I agree with you it’s easier via cell phone; but I still pack a few waterski mags Every time I get on a plane! Haha.

[skihart]

@FWinter I think BOS might fit the bill.....