Does Anyone Know?

[Ard]

I've remained silent regarding the latest thread running in our 'News & articles for discussion' sub forum. Remained silent but I don't intend to see the thread go any farther in the direction it is currently headed.

Does anyone know how hard it is for our sales staff to bring sponsors to our forums? I do because over the years I lobbied a few and brought them onto this site as sponsors / advertisers. I see a new manufacturer being introduced through this fly fishing forum. A manufacturer who produces an 'in house' fly rod from the blanks up being ridiculed and doubted just because they aren't located in our home town or their brand name isn't Sage or Scott. I think by now some know what I'm referring to here.

This forum is here for our enjoyment. The forum also needs to be able to pay for operation costs and sponsors are how that happens. Some may think that casting aspersions on sponsors is amusing. Some may think they themselves could do better than the bold people who start up a company and then invest their marketing funds in advertising with us. It's easy to mock someone else's efforts but it's pretty dam hard to do what I see on this Website. I know I couldn't do it and I respect those who are doing it.

I wish we could be so quick to offer encouragement to sponsors as we are to paste a link to a non sponsor because you found a deal there. This isn't the first time that this has happened, at least you can't bash them for manufacturing in China or South Korea.

As a general rule if I don't have anything good to say / post onto a thread I remain silent. If I had posted something less than complimentary to the thread in question I'd probably go back and edit it after reading this. I have already messaged out to people yesterday apologizing for the comments my fellow members have made.

Truly a disappointment.

 

[hambone111]

Unfortunately most people DONT know what it takes to create and grow something or what it takes to keep a website, forum, podcast, running.

Keep grinding, We do appreciate the work Admins do

 

[ia_trouter]

It's been going on the five years I have been on this forum. Frankly I cringe whenever I see a new small business victim (I mean owner), dare support our forum with their advertising dollars. This forum is high traffic, and it isn't exactly inexpensive for a startup to pay the fees on a premiere fly fishing website. It should be obvious fly fishing is a niche business, and the chance of business failure is VERY high. Of all places, you would think we would give them a fair chance here, or at the very least just be polite. Nope, a few will trash most every new supporter. I think most of us here do "get it", but all it takes is a few to make a real bad impression. It will happen again.

 

[bonefish41]

I read the comments and the initial post...perhaps heavy humor... Don't think they will take the Banana superstitious comments seriously nor should they... What France takes seriously is the 1905 US Supreme Court decision which held that Champagne is just sparkling wine thus no regional brand protection. Besides Perkins kept Orvis cane rods alive during our China embargo of the 50-60ies by obtaining Tonkin cane through France and litigated to do so. I enjoy this forum for flyfishing and comments about flyfishing...not advertising; however, I appreciate and understand its necessity to sustain life. I am a consumer and not a stalking horse for any manufacturer. I am offended by stalking horses or camouflaged sellers of flyrods or reels or marketing hype associated with same. I am always interested in those in the business that roll their own blanks and say so. I will follow Banana rods but I suspect they won't sell me just the blank. IMHO the blank is every thing the hardware sizzle is nothing. I am particularly suspect of marketing hype pertaining to blanks rolled in one factory with two three or four brand names in rods and one brand retails 600-700 bucks another 200-300...
As for bananas none of my guides/captains are paranoid about them...as for me my gut sometimes reacts adversely to fresh bananas and apples so that I spend more time mimicking a colonoscopy prep than fishing...so my potassium hydration comes from powdered Pedialyte in bottled water.
In this or any other flyfishing forum there will always be tension between us pure consumers and sponsors and their stalking horses...but it is our money that floats the boat and the north american tackle market that floats the tackle industry that is until the Chinese consumer market loses interest in electronics and adopts fishing tackle. I look for the best at a price I can afford that means new blanks or used rods or used reels

 

[sweetandsalt]

Since I have been a participant in the Banana thread, including moments ago before seeing your thread here, Ard, I will add my 2 cents. Number one it was not specified by the Editor that this was a new Forum Sponsor, just a new European rod company. I do not think they are being ridiculed, only being the butt of humor for their name. I know I, and I believe most of our members are open minded, excited even, about the advent of a new rod or reel maker.

I fish rods from Sage, Loomis, Winston, Scott, T&T, Orvis and more including new names like Douglas and EDGE and do not regard myself as a "brand loyalist". I write great things about them and critical things too, honest and appropriate I hope. I have made a point of meeting our Sponsors at Shows and have sampled their products, reviewing positively Allen Fly Reels and new rods and reels from Taylor Fly Fishing, adding in my comments that they are also Forum Sponsors. When and if Banana comes to the Edison Show, I'll be first in line to say hello and test cast a rod or two...and suggest the consideration of a name change.

 

[falcon53]

Is there a list of our current sponsors? I have supported Allen purchasing several reels and I will visit Taylor at the Edison show to get a hands on look at their offerings.

 

[Bigfly]

Exactly S&S.... Are they a sponsor? I haven't cast the rod so I can't give an opinion on the casting quality. But that is what I care about most...not color or name or customized, or Frenchness.
But I can and do make fun of the French....I'm pretty sure it is returned in kind, and deservedly..
But Banana....? That does seem "ripe" for comedy......comedians all know Banana is a funny word.....
It may be less of a stretch for British fishing consumers since they are only 12 miles away. About 7000 miles for me.
Sorry to upset you Ard......

Jim

 

[Unknownflyman]

It’s right in the first paragraph of the editor’s thread.

 

[Bigfly]

It’s right in the first paragraph of the editor’s thread.

Trade sponsor.......Didn't see an add anywhere. I hope it works for the forum.
I should have been happy it wasn't clothing for women and stayed silent.

 

[duker]

As usual, Mom was right: if you can't say something positive, don't say anything at all.

Scott

 

[dillon]

It’s right in the first paragraph of the editor’s thread.

Correct, the editor is clearly introducing a new sponsor. As a super moderator, on a large NW fishing and hunting forum, I do understand how hard it is to obtain and retain sponsors. Advertising is what keeps these sites up and running, for our enjoyment. Ard, pm sent.

 

[jds108]

Cheers Ard for reminding/informing everybody. I've got questions for this new company, but decided not to post as I'm not sure they'd want to answer, as the answers would most certainly fall in the "proprietary" realm.

Wishing the best for them - I've been around long enough to see some neat ideas from folks that ended up fizzling out, including some that I wish were still around.

 

[Ard]

Anyone with questions about the rods can do as I have done, click the link and visit the website. Like most other business websites there is a 'Contact' tab top of the home page.

I found it Interesting that while I am a customer of some of the largest and most successful American gear & tackle sellers I found the Banana Rods website far more informative than any which are saved to my browser.

I intend to close this thread when I post in an effort to stop the bleeding. I meant for this to be a closed thread when I made it but forgot to do so.