MC Boat Co x Joel Poland

[APB]

Glad he got scooped up. What do you think that Pro contract is lookin’ like? 

[dave2ball]

@APB Joel’s contract is between him and MC. and should not even be part of this forum. 

[APB]

Like sports contracts, trades… we as a sport talk about stuff. It’s interesting!!!!

[Taynton]

@dave2ball I disagree, I think its exactly what this forum is about! any guesses?? Im gonna say around the. $150 000  mark (plus boat and perks) but I have 0 reference in this..

[WaterLoo]

Honestly I'm surprised it took this long for someone to scoop him up. He's been the face of water skiing for 3 or 4 years now and has by far the biggest online presence. 

[Cooper_Trelawney]

@WaterLoo who knows... He might have been playing 2 or all 3 brands against each other to get the best contract.  I know I would, if I were him.

[BKistler]

Awkward moments at Matt Rini’s: “Sorry Joel, can’t pull you with the Nautique.”

🙂

[KKelly]

He’s fun to watch. Especially when he’s messing around on a trick ski. 

[APB]

21 hours ago, Taynton said:

@dave2ball I disagree, I think its exactly what this forum is about! any guesses?? Im gonna say around the. $150 000  mark (plus boat and perks) but I have 0 reference in this..

I’d say 2500-3500 mo plus a demo boat. I’m curious. It’s interesting. Arguably there are more eyes on pro waterskiing than ever…. More events. 

[UCFskier]

just silly...  oddest part of waterskiing, NFL, NBA, MLB all have contracts openly discussed in the public.  even nike, adidas, gatoraid have openly speculated contracts.  always thought this was the silliest part of the waterski comunity

 

🤫

 

[Horton]

@UCFskier we are a tiny sport. If I were advising Joel or MC I would keep all details under wraps & let everyone speculate. 

[UCFskier]

oh i get that @Horton  Im just saying its fun to speculate on here!!

[6balls]

Not a sport flush with cash and have to think about the finances--how much more will MC make b/c they sign a great skier?  How many more boats sold?  Don't they already sell out the PS?  Will they make more PS's or keep pumping out their resources for the high margin surf/recreational boats?  I believe the latter likely meaning that a sponsorship deal for a pro skier is not worth all that much.  I hope I'm wrong and he's banking.  

[Horton]

If anyone was due a deal it was Joel. What ever his deal I am super stoked for him. 

[UCFskier]

So agree with you @Horton.  he is a personality, great skier, and truly makes the sport "fun" to watch.

[UCFskier]

On 10/8/2023 at 10:07 AM, APB said:

I’d say 2500-3500 mo plus a demo boat. I’m curious. It’s interesting. Arguably there are more eyes on pro waterskiing than ever…. More events. 

fellow is worth every penny.  I hope he made out well and it is mutually beneficial.  

[bojans]

I was super excited to hear that Joel got a deal with a boat manufacturer, it couldn't happen to a nicer, more talented guy. I am curious what if anything that means for the Matt / Joel training setup. Also, I thought I had heard in the past that some boat manufacturers don't like it when their skiers set records behind other brands of boats. Does Joel need to purposely try not to set a record at the Worlds?

[Luv2Ski]

@bojans  I am curious about the same.  I still think it's incredibly sad how Nautique treated Jacinta Carol when she broke the record behind a different boat.  I think all athletes should try their best on any given day no matter who they are sponsored by and the sponsors should support the world record-breaking accomplishments of their athletes no matter what.  That's my two cents.  

[dave2ball]

@bojans this is true. Unfortunately Joel doesn’t have a choice being that nautique is the exclusive title sponsor. the contracts of other skiers may have special language for exclusive boat events. Back during the bud / coors light tour there were exclusions in the contracts because MC was the exclusive title sponsor and that tour was part of how the skiers made their living.  I would not be surprised if Joel and MC worked out that issue prior to signing.  

[Horton]

I know nothing about Joel's deal but the last time a world record was set behind the "wrong boat" and the sponsor responded negatively it was a pretty bad PR. Anyone looking to avoid this sort of bad PR might take this lesson.

[Jsh809]

Just listened to Joel speak on TWBC podcast. Tony asks him directly and Joel makes it seem that MC is on the same page that when a world record is attainable, it should be attained. 

[chrislandy]

6 hours ago, Jsh809 said:

Just listened to Joel speak on TWBC podcast. Tony asks him directly and Joel makes it seem that MC is on the same page that when a world record is attainable, it should be attained. 

It's a bit hard not to be like that when 90%+ of tournaments are pulled by another manufacturer, but given his recent run of records it would be very high on the discussion list not to be tied down on setting records

[ghutch]

My question is.. Is he still training at Rinis since they are all Nautique? Or will he be able to bring his Master Craft there to train?

[APB]

It’s funny to me that manufacturers want skiers to hold back on records until they are behind said brand. Weird and definitely taking away from skiing. That was an interesting podcast episode. 

[storm34]

Jordan had a "love of the game clause" allowing him to play basketball anywhere, anytime.  I would hope the waterskiing world would adopt a similar approach allowing skiers to set new records and/or advance the sport, regardless of sponsor influence or tow boat.  

 

[dave2ball]

All the brands have held a record at some a record at some point. So with all the title sponsorships going on and closed events (to other tow boats) why don’t the 3 major brands throw 25k each into a pot for a total purse of 75K. That way the skiers can do what they are paid to do and the boat does not matter. 
 

currently records set behind each brand to the best of my recollection 

Nautique  mens  and women’s trick men’s slalom men’s jump

MC women’s jump  

malibu women's slalom 

 

[Taynton]

I find the whole "record towboat" thing hiliarious, all that bullshit so you can put a sticker on the back that says world record towboat, Im not a marketing guy but i doubt it has swayed a customer one way or the other.. maybe back in the day when there was 10 companies making ski boats but that was a LOONG time ago. 

 

any other guesses does anyone know what ANY skiier makes off a contract im sure there is a few nuggets of info out there I have 0 reference in the industry.

[Taynton]

also just wanted to give a thumbs up for Mastercraft, really nice to see the industry supporting the sport that started it all regardless if they sell anymore boats. Are we going to see a Joel Poland edition prostar?? The Nautique regatta this year they didnt even have a ski boat to show or demo. That being said they did bring Erica Lang which was awesome and the whole event was great but apart from 1 trick demo behind a GS 23, there was 0 skiing happening. 

[Stevie Boy]

When you look at how many events Nautique tow and how many Mastercraft tow it would be unfair and counter productive to restrict Joel as far as performance goes.

Joel is now one of the Faces that promotes Mastercraft, it doesn't really matter, what he trains or skis behind, at Events and on those Glossy Mastercraft Brochures, Joel will represent Mastercraft, it couldn't get better for Mastercraft, Great Choice ! 

[Horton]

@chrislandy

On 10/10/2023 at 12:22 AM, chrislandy said:

It's a bit hard not to be like that when 90%+ of tournaments are pulled by another manufacturer

Somehow I have rough stats on this.

• 9 Nautique (including Worlds and events like Lake 38, Kiafas Pro, Botas, etc.) 
• 4 MC (KOD, LA night Jam, MC Pro, Calgary Cup) 
• 3 Malibu 

That is 56% behind Nautique, 25% MC, 18% Malibu but this doesn't include record events where Joel can pick his boat.

Nautique has paid for the exclusive for all IWWF events (to force skiers to buy Starships).  Once you get away from IWWF title events and Nautique titled events things look at lot different. 

[chrislandy]

11 hours ago, Horton said:

@chrislandy

Somehow I have rough stats on this.

• 9 Nautique (including Worlds and events like Lake 38, Kiafas Pro, Botas, etc.) 
• 4 MC (KOD, LA night Jam, MC Pro, Calgary Cup) 
• 3 Malibu 

That is 56% behind Nautique, 25% MC, 18% Malibu but this doesn't include record events where Joel can pick his boat.

Nautique has paid for the exclusive for all IWWF events (to force skiers to buy Starships).  Once you get away from IWWF title events and Nautique titled events things look at lot different. 

That sounds about right for pro events, but if you include virtually every countries Nationals, European and Africa + other continentals comps, Disabled Worlds, U17 Worlds, 35+ Worlds, Virtually every event in the UK not at Hazelwoods (Malibu) roughly 31 events this year... and I'm sure the % increases significantly. So yes, my guestimate is a bit high for events that Joel etc may enter, but worldwide it's probably somewhere close.

 

From that, how many non IWWF comps use Nautique because that is what their club boat is, because their skiers want to ski behind a similar boat that they'll compete behind (or so they or the club may think).

Essentially, with buying the rights to be the official tow boat, they hook a large portion of pro, international, national and specifically in the UK, club and grassroots comp and most UK ski schools - so from a business perspective it makes perfect sense to corner the market.

[DW]

Thank goodness the boat manufacturers actually sponsor an athlete, they certainly don't profit from it.  Kudo's to them for doing it and showing their passion towards the athletes.

[Than_Bogan]

Just listened to TWBCs Face-to-Face with Joel P.  Joel states that MC told him to go and set records behind every boat.  If that is truly MC's approach, then HUGE kudos to them, and it couldn't be in starker contrast to the embarrassing behavior of SN with Jacinta.

[TallSkinnyGuy]

20 hours ago, DW said:

Thank goodness the boat manufacturers actually sponsor an athlete, they certainly don't profit from it.  Kudo's to them for doing it and showing their passion towards the athletes.

I used to be in a role where I was involved with athlete sponsorship decisions. I can't imagine a for-profit company deciding to sponsor an athlete (i.e. add an expense) if they didn't think they would get a return on their investment. Granted, athlete sponsorship ROI is difficult to measure precisely, but I expect Mastercraft made this decision with the expectation Joel's endorsement would earn them more money than it cost them to sponsor him.

[Stevie Boy]

Taking nothing away from Mastercraft, I agree it,s great that they are prepared to support the sport, but sponsorship is tax deductible,  so probably win,win for both parties.

[UCFskier]

SN dumping Jacinta and the whole FWinter fiasco leaves me not wanting to watch anything they sponsor.  just such poor form. Not that boycotting watching the Masters is a tuff decision, the quality of the broadcasting leaves it utterly unwatchable!

 

Good on MC for stepping up and backing a star and being vocal about supporting skiing!  not just skiing behind their boat