RIP WaterSkiMag

[theboardingschool]

It's sad to say the least. It's definitely a sad day for our sport, and for many of my good friends that have invested their lives in to that publication.

 

I may be biased since I was asked to do the instructional last year, but I think Trent did an amazing job. When we first spoke, he told me that he didn't want to magazine that was written for water skiing's elite, but for all water ski and water sports enthusiasts. Honestly, I read both of those issues pretty much cover to cover, because they struck a cord.

 

I can understand purists being upset about there being articles about surfing, wakeboarding, tubing, etc. But, the fact of the matter is, the sooner we all embrace other people doing other things behind the boat, the better we will all be. Should there be articles about adjusting your fin? Sure. But, guess how many people really need that? Not that many in the comparison to the number of people skiing. Skiing, and all towed watersports, need to become more inclusive, and less exclusive. You want things to survive? Encourage people to come out to do whatever makes them happy behind the boat.

 

Stop pointing fingers at other people and point one at yourself. Ask yourself, "What am I doing to help promote and prolong the thing I love doing?" I get on my soap box all the time and tell people in the industry to stop scrapping for their little piece of the same shitty pie, lets make a bigger pie so that everyone can eat a slice.

 

But, I'll finish as I started off, it's sad. One of the crowning achievements of my life is to have an article in print, in which I got to teach my daughter to ski. It's as proud as I've ever been. Heart breaking to think that this is the end...unless WE fix it.

[Wish]

So what's your most memorable mag or pic or article from WSM.?

 

For me.....an article done on myself and family as to what it's like to go though malignant Melanoma and far more important how to prevent it from happening to others. At the time it was the biggest single outreach to the sport I love. From something not so good came good as I gotta think it saved lives. Wasn't a fun article to read I'm sure. Todd R took a risk in letting it go to print. Have to thank WSM.

[sunvalleylaw]

I personally liked the content of the recent mags. They just came too infrequently. I particularly liked the article where the young woman talked about growing up in her Dad's outboard family skiing and discussed what skiing had become.

[sodbuster88]

Pretty sad. I was an avid reader from back in the days of Spray Magazine. BTW, does anyone remember this issue (March, 1978)

 

[PatM]

We installed our slalom course in 1992 from instructions printed in WSM article that Ed Brazil wrote. For many years all I learned about the sport was from that magazine.

It was my favorite piece of mail for years. In later years I knew about a lot of the content before it was written from knowing and meeting people in the know and from websites like this. Although it was an inevitability that it would fold it is still a sad day.

[Boatman]

I first heard about Lake Powell through a feature article in the 90's. Packed up the family and Malibu and drove from Michigan to Utah and experienced the houseboat vacation of a lifetime. I started subscribing back when Spay was in print. 1988 was the only Boat Buyers guide I don't have. I did enjoy the Trent issues too. It will be missed.

[BG1]

Spray Magazine to WaterSki Magazine to Ball of Spray Magazine. Come on @Horton, @jhughes, and @Skid, and others, look into making it happen! I’m speaking from a selfish standpoint. I’ve always enjoyed them and looked at it as a way to support the sport in a small way. I own them all from the beginning with Spray back in the late 1970’s to date and will continue if a replacement comes along.

[liquid d]

There is one magazine in print; The Water Skier. Although it's been the forgotten stepchild for a number of reasons, it could become much better. I still read the whole thing. The organization needs support, or drastic change, or both. If the magazines are not a moneymaker (obviously not), they would need support from a growing membership.

 

I don't know the major complaints. Folks that have an interesting story, take on things, could submit articles, photos.

We talk like the new ideas of "it's online" solves everything. It doesn't. Waterski Mag was online- gone. Things seem to get lost online. Only the newest fidget spinner makes it for a while....our attention span is very short.

 

I know that i've been listening to some of MB's podcasts in the car and watching online, and it's satisfying a bit of this junkie's needs....hope he can continue! I don't know enough of how the economics work online...brave new world!

[bananaron]

I am probably older then most of the ballers and started with the mag when it came out.Still have stacks of issues and have enjoyed it over the years.However things are changing and print is dead.I still like to have the mag or book in my hand just like the newspaper.However the times are changing and I am a dinosaur in modern times.What I have enjoyed in the past is no longer.My hat off to Todd and Trent for their hard work and efforts in a difficult time.Thanks for the many articles and photos.............

[BraceMaker]

Just remember if you're having trouble with your wake crossings follow these 5 tips.

 

Shoulders back

Hips up

Off season work outs

Freeski

Buy a brand new Malibu TXI.

 

Waterskier mag still comes with USA waterski membership right?

[dbski]

Bummer! Yes it would have been nice if they had been more critical in boat and equipment test but its understandable considering the lack of advertising in the last years. The instructional articles and photography were always excellent!. Its hard not to view this as another blow to our sport, any contraction is harmful. Just having the magazine laying around was exposure for the sport. A friend commented to me how he saw my ad in the magazine in his doctors office, how many other people saw that same magazine? I have to personally thank Todd R. as he was always very supportive of both myself and DBski. The magazine did things no one else did, like the Waterski Awards. In combination with the Malibu Open this made for a weekend to celebrate waterskiing. The banquet and awards presentation were always first class! It's very sad for myself to think back just three years ago when I was able to help out with the awards and now its all gone! I'm older and I recognize the world is changing and print is fading out but I still enjoy a good magazine I can take anywhere.

 

[skinut]

@horton Have you seen an increase in manufacturers approach BOS regarding advertising? If not do you think you'll see more? This seems to be one of the few outlets left for any type of direct to consumer advertising.

[mlange]

Without enough subscriptions they needed to rely on more advertising dollars from the industry. With that reliance on advertising dollars they lost the ability to be more critical and the BBG became the first and most obvious example of that.

 

My understanding is that at the end WSM only had 7,000 subscribers. At a generous estimate of $15/year that's only $105k in subscription revenue. That leaves the rest of the revenue coming from advertisers. It's a surprise to me that it was able to last as long as it has given the decline in 3 event.

 

Thanks for @TFIN for trying to keep it going despite what I assume was a huge uphill battle.

 

Mike

[MuskokaKy]

@Horton happy to see you re-post adam sedlmajer twitter post on the home page. That is the issue i commented about on this thread volume 37 issue 4 i believe. great issue!

[KRoundy]

Favorite article for me had to be one published in the 1980s that talked about Seattle and the history/connection between the Pacific Northwest and water skiing. I had no idea I was living in the Mecca of ski design and manufacturing. I think the article said that at the time 80% of the water skis manufactured in the world came from Seattle. I later used that article to convince a Pacific NW History professor that my term paper should be on water ski manufacturing in the Northwest. He agreed and I got to go visit and talk to folks at O'Brien, Kidder, Jobe, Connelly, Wiley, etc... it was awesome.

[ALPJr]

I hope to see a new publication evolve. Perhaps something that takes that broader approach to the sport like the last few issues did. Good time to think out of the box. Some boating, skiing, boarding, tubing, surfing, diving, paddling, swimming, fitness, nutrition, camping, travel, etc.

[Cam]

Had a magazine subscription for many years and then went with the online version which I wasn't keen on.

Odd how I am still getting emails from Waterski mag (Bonnier)

"Tell us your boating habits & enter to win $100 gift card" received a few minutes ago

[lpskier]

Unfortunately, Trent's good work was unappreciated as the readership had long abandoned the magazine, and advertisers aren't going to be too interested in reaching a measly 7000 customers. You can't expect three or four boat companies, six or eight ski companies and three or four apparel companies to underwrite the production costs year in and year out and still have money to spend elsewhere. While we all have fond memories, it is probably in the sport's best interest to move on.

[braindamage]

I see this less as a sign of the decline in waterskiing as a sport and more that this is just the way of the New world.

 

I don’t get info on boats from magazines or dealers, I get it from Themalibucrew, planetnautique, and teamtalk. If I want info on my old jeep I go to Jeepforum...info on sailing I go to sailingforum... info on waterskiing I go to BOS...

 

I get men’shealth magazine that I don’t plan to renew, offroad adventures mag that comes for free and I have no idea how I got on the mailing list, and runnersworld. Runnersworld is he only one that has value beyond what I can find on the ‘net.

 

It’s sad and ok to be nostalgic, but I don’t think it practically reduces the number of valuable resources for the sport.

[BraceMaker]

Who needs outdoor adventure. ADVrider should cover that

[hoppy]

This topic has lit a distant memory, I'd like to ask any Brits if they remember a waterski mag in the UK, roughly around 1990 -1996 time period. I think it was edited by a young female, maybe called "The Edge", was mostly London ski clubs centric (it was mostly London Skiers who appeared in photos), ski technique contributions from maybe people like Jodi Fisher, Battleday. Would have been around the time of young Matt Southam, Newby-Ricci etc. I've Googled "The Edge magazine" but no luck, might be mistaken on the name???.

[hoppy]

Now thinking I may have got "The Edge" mixed up with a BMC Rock Climbing mag of the same era, so might have just been called "Waterski and Wakeboard" magazine or something of that ilk?.

[Horton]

There have been a number of comments about how the loss of WSM is good for BallOfSpray and for me personally. A few years ago I might have grumbled about how hard it was to compete for ad dollars with WSM. Today, I see this as a very unfortunate but inevitable loss for the sport. I can not think of anyone who is better off because now WSM is gone. We should thank everyone who ever worked there.

 

When we lost WSM we lost the only source of professionally generated water ski articles & photography. We were lucky to have WSM as long as we did. Guys like @Tfin and Todd R ran the magazine as a labor of love.

 

Print magazines are a quickly dying business model. My wife got me a subscription to Wired Magazine for Christmas this year. I received my first issue today and can not believe how thin and crappy it is. My copy of Wired reminded me just how doomed the whole magazine industry is.

 

I am sad to say that I have looked long and hard at the costs of paying for the kind the content that was in WSM and there is simply no way to make that pencil.

[ALPJr]

It's just my opinion but I think there's room for a higher end print mag. Larger, real nice paper stock, great photography, interesting and in depth articles, in 3 issues per year spring, summer, fall. Out of the box... Long live WaterSki and long live Ball of Spray!

[BG1]

I agree with @ALPJr. Gordon’s waterski calendar is 15$. They sell and are worth it. I’d pay $45 for 3 editions per year if the pictures were frame worthy. Maybe would only have to contain 1 well done and illustrated article. Maybe a centers fold suitable for framing? Gordon’s calendars are available through Barts. One might could generate sales through retail as well as subscriptions.

[ALPJr]

Yes, a higher end, coffee table type mag'

[Keith_Menard]

Love WSK. I loved the pics, the articles...Coxy Smooth changed the way I looked at skiing. Every time it showed up on my door step, it made my day.

 

Mark my words....newspapers, magazines and books will be the next vinyl records. At some point Millenials will want that tactile experience that you can't get from a phone.

[braindamage]

@"Keith Menard" I think the retro trend may go to magazines as well. We’ll see.

 

To support your point: my millennial son loves to read but only from a “real” book.

 

Counter point: most of what magazines offer he prefers to get via video. (People stories, events coverage, reviews, tips, opinion pieces, etc.).

[oldjeep]

@ALPJr - I guess it would depend on how many subscriptions they need to make money. I have to believe that a lot of the Waterski and Wakeboard mag subscriptions were unpaid from years and years of subscriptions being given away at the boat show. I certainly never paid for a copy. They were good magazines to get for free (at least 50% advertising pages) but the question is how many would actually pay a sum high enough to be profitable in a limited audience mag?

 

Like many folks we get very few magazines anymore. I still get popular mechanics, but there is more of what used to be popular mechanics for free on sites like the instructables. If the mag cost more than the $10 or so I pay a year I doubt I'd continue with it.

 

It is too bad, but the day of the print magazine is gone - some of them just haven't accepted it yet. Hopefully some of what was the Waterski mag content can find a new home on the web with someway to pay the people creating it.

[Jordan]

You know, I used to be a newspaper junky; I haven't bought a newspaper in years. I see everything on line. The way we receive information has forever changed.

 

A friend of mine published a very successful magazine up here in Canada for 30 years. He made most of his money in the later years leveraging his brand name into running two giant consumer shows based on his banner. He also had a tv show etc. He sold his company to a guy that is trying a whole multi-media approach, print, on line, tv channel, radio, and the consumer shows. I have no idea if it will work, but at best the magazine can probably only exist as a small part of a greater whole.

 

I used to love magazines, particularly Waterski. I used to pore over the articles and the pictures. I would wait all year for the boat buyer's guide, flipping through every boat to see how many props the wake received.

 

In a small way it made me feel like I knew Andy, Chris and Wade and all of the other pros.

 

I'm sorry to see it go!

 

 

[thager]

Hope no one drops their phone in the toilet! Only place I ever read Water Ski magazines anyway.

[oldjeep]

Unless you are trying to wipe with it, how would that happen? ;) I will say that the mag rack is in the main floor bathroom and it is the only place they go.

[Horton]

I'll say it again. This is a bad thing for water skiing but the reality is the print magazine industry is basically dead. It's no different than the fate of network television and newspapers.

[RINLE]

I have been a paid subscriber for likely 28 of the last 34 years. This is a loss I have to grieve.

 

It is ironic in that I was about to reach out to them, as I have not received my full contingent of mags the last couple of years. I seem to have only gotten every other one. Yet, they never failed to send me the gear or wakesurf mag. So much for asking them what gives now.

 

Well... because of this, after lurking here for multiple years, I finally created an account.

 

[Drago]

Surfer's Journal rocks, and I don't even surf. Not sure how their P&L looks.

[Web]

I'll miss having the issues conspicuously laying around at the cottage, there for newbies to glaze at on rainy days, or just after they've tried skiing, or seen someone cutting glass at dawn.... you can't have that kind of pick-up access from a phone or tablet. Know what I mean?

[aspski]

There is just something about having a magazine in your hands, being able to flip through, that nothing online can match. I am a 'tangible' guy I guess so I hate to hear about mags like wsm calling it quits. There have been a few other mags I have mourned such as 'Freeze' ski mag which was awesome.

 

I agree with what other have said, a 2-3 edition a year coffee table type magazine would be awesome, and with the right content, be worth the $15-20/issue price tag.

 

For us skiers in western Canada, there is a great mag called Kootenay/Coast Mountain Culture which has all the attributes, amazing photography, coffee table type paper stock, interesting articles, etc. Water Skiing could really use something like this

[ALPJr]

Yes, I'm thinking about higher end. More about the art of guys like @Skid and Tom King and the intrigue of stories by @MarcusBrown than a publisher and advertisers concerned with a P&L. Maybe it happens once a year, costs a few more bucks, is cherished and passed on to others. We can still get coaching, gear reviews, ads and opinions on-line.

[Drago]

@aspski thanks for the long link, now I can't read this thread :/

[dchristman]

Just dug this out. I'm so dissapointed the centerfold is missing :(

 

 

 

 

[MuskokaKy]

@dchristman i see your Tech one in the below photo! many your ski looks mint for 40 plus years!! good find!

[pregom]

Sad to see it go, but print is on they way out, just like fossil fuels, etc. All books and news I get are in digital format these days. The WaterSkier mag will be next?

[epnault]

This sucks. I really enjoyed the magazine. Hopefully a new format comes in to replace it. Although it is an "old" media it was a good place to learn about new techniques and products. Bummer

[ALPJr]

At lunch today I found the March 2015 issue in the office magazine stack. That is really a nice issue. Its like the song goes... You don't miss your water till the well runs dry... I think WSM is a gem, and am hopeful that someone will dig down and produce a 40th anniversary issue this summer.

 

 

[RINLE]

just back from Barnes and Knoble (yes we still have a bricks and mortar one in my city) and they had in their print magazine section 4 big thick SUP magazines. What gives that they can sell this many paddle board magazines and there is no water ski magazine.

 

They have significantly less accessories to sell to get advertisers.

 

Made me think Bonnier is the problem.

 

But my wife may have nailed it. She says they are selling a life style like they sell with yoga, So the magazines sells.

[ALPJr]

 

[ALPJr]

 

[ALPJr]

Long live Waterski Magazine

[KRoundy]

So, if Water Ski is dead, why am I still getting emails from "Water Ski"?

[Horton]

@KRoundy robots