1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:03,320 Speaker 1: It's the Son of a Butch podcast. I'm your host, 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: Claude Harmon this week's guest. I'm always trying to figure 3 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: out different ways to kind of bring people in the 4 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: golf space and outside of the golf space into the conversation. 5 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:16,479 Speaker 1: Bob Phillion, over twenty years at Puma, was one of 6 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: the He was the first employee at Puma Golf, and obviously, 7 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,319 Speaker 1: given the big brands landscape, I mean obviously all of 8 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: the brands that sponsor athletes, they're such a huge part 9 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: of sports culture. And Bob has chosen to move on 10 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: from his role as head of Puma North America. But 11 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: he's a friend, a mentor, and someone that I really 12 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: really enjoy talking to. And it's a really good conversation 13 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,319 Speaker 1: talking about golf, talking about the brand space, and kind 14 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 1: of talking about all of the things that go into 15 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: sports marketing. This is Bob Phillion. My guest today is 16 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: Bob Filian. He spent twenty years at Puma. Bob, you 17 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: were the first one in the door to start Puma 18 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: Golf employee number one. You've moved on from your role. 19 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: We'll get to all the stuff that you're doing kind 20 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: of post working for Puma. But when you go back 21 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: to those early days of you and the brand starting 22 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: Puma Golf, I mean, obviously you're taking on some of 23 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: the big players in golf, obviously Nike with Tiger Woods 24 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: and their sponsorship ADI Das and all of that. What 25 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: was the original impetus for Puma to get into the 26 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,959 Speaker 1: golf space and the golf space in general. Where do 27 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: you feel like that fits in kind of the rest 28 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,960 Speaker 1: of the other sports that all of these big, massive, 29 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: you know, sports companies have. 30 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, So I think there was a couple of things 31 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 2: happening when Puma got into golf. So this was two 32 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 2: thousand and six, so going back a bit, and one 33 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 2: was the brand was heating up, so Puma was trending globally, 34 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: and there was a fashion ability happening in golf and 35 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 2: call it you more fit golfers, a little bit of 36 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 2: European fashion coming into the game, and it felt like 37 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 2: an opportunity for Puma to reach a new audience and 38 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 2: expand into a new sport and quite frankly, get stronger 39 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:22,679 Speaker 2: in the US marketplace because Puma wasn't in American football 40 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 2: basketball to any large extent, you know, in hockey and baseball, 41 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 2: and so golf was kind of seen as a way 42 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 2: to reach a broader audience and with this fashion ability, 43 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 2: bring some of its European roots, you know, into the sport. 44 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 2: The other thing, as you know, that was happening and 45 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 2: golf is that broader sport brands were getting into the game. 46 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 2: You mentioned Nike and Adidas, and so it wasn't such 47 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 2: a kind of niche sport with golf specialty only brands 48 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 2: being involved, and I think that kind of paved the 49 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 2: way for Puma to get into to the sport. What 50 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,959 Speaker 2: started as kind of more of a sport lifestyle play 51 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 2: became you know, really more deeply rooted in sport because 52 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 2: we got off to a fast start with golf courses 53 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 2: and pros and that really kind of paid the way 54 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: for what would lead to, you know, the Cobra acquisition 55 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 2: and getting deeper in the sport. 56 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,799 Speaker 1: And obviously, if you're going to make a big push 57 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: into a I mean a lot of people that I mean, 58 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: everybody that listens to this podcast is obviously listening because 59 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:34,639 Speaker 1: they're golfers. And when you're inside of golf, you and 60 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: I have talked about this a lot. When you're a 61 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: golfer and you're in golf. You think golf is a big, 62 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: big sport. But you know, from a macro side of things, 63 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: if you look at all of the brands, but specifically 64 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: for a brand like Puma, if you look at their 65 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: football slash soccer, their you're saying Bolt, their track and field. 66 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: I mean, golf is a very very small brand. So 67 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: I think it was really interesting that, you know, if 68 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: you look at the early days, I don't think you 69 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: can discount, you know, the partnership that you guys created 70 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: with Ricky Fowler, because I think Ricky was so closely 71 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: Bob associated with Puma. I mean, you couldn't really think 72 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: about Ricky without thinking about Puma Golf, and you couldn't 73 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:16,799 Speaker 1: think about Palumac Golf Puma Golf without thinking about Ricky. 74 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 1: Was that something that you actively thought of? And on 75 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 1: the wider scope, Bob, how do you guys in the 76 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: brand side find these athletes that you want to partner with? 77 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: What are you looking for When you looked at Ricky 78 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: Fowler and he was early on in his career, I 79 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: mean it was very very early days. So Booma Golf 80 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 1: kind of grew with Ricky as Ricky kind of grew 81 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 1: as a professional athlete and as a professional golfer. That 82 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 1: that synergy in that partnership. What did you guys see 83 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: in Ricky early on and why did you choose him 84 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: and why do you think it was such a great fit. 85 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, so a lot in there, claud I think going 86 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 2: back to the first point. You know, golf, to your 87 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: point is is small in the scheme of you know, 88 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:03,839 Speaker 2: the broader brand. So there's a lot of sports that 89 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 2: are bigger than golf, but we say it has a 90 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: high kind of shake up factor. I mean, you know, 91 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 2: there's a lot of sports where you have jersey deals 92 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 2: and it's hard to really cut through. And in golf, 93 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 2: you know, with someone like Ricky, we're able to have 94 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 2: one guy on the fairways at august In all orange 95 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,799 Speaker 2: with at one time an orange driver and really really 96 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:28,600 Speaker 2: shake things up and cut through. And so, you know, 97 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 2: golf ultimately was a little under ten percent of total 98 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 2: business to give you an idea of some scale, but 99 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 2: very important from a visibility perspective, because certainly golf peaks 100 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 2: in the you know, popular culture calendar, you know, several 101 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 2: times a year, and certainly in the springtime, you know, 102 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 2: around Augusta for sure. I think specific to Ricky and 103 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,599 Speaker 2: ambassadors in general, you're really looking for two things. One 104 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 2: is world class performance. I think you know, at the 105 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 2: end of the day, ambassadors are about visibility and the 106 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 2: ability to to get eyeballs and that comes with being 107 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 2: a great athlete. And you know, now even broader than well, 108 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 2: I'm sure we'll talk about influencers just getting eyeballs. So 109 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 2: I think that's one one part of it. I think 110 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 2: we're at Puma we always tried to stand out. Is 111 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:27,559 Speaker 2: that it factor having a swagger, an attitude, something else, 112 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 2: some some kind of a hook back to you know, 113 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 2: whether it was Pele or Diego Maradona or Joe Namath 114 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 2: or Reggie Jackson. I mean you name like some you know, 115 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 2: the historic ambassadors for for PUMO, Clyde Frazier, I mean, 116 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 2: really world class performance fused with this this swagger and 117 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 2: and and a hook. Ricky had that in space, you know, 118 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 2: I think coming with a motocross you know, background, he 119 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 2: certainly looked different. I think the flat brim had, you know, 120 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 2: set him apart. I think the way that he wanted 121 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 2: to wear color and be bold, and we certainly partnered 122 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 2: with him on that entire journey, and you're right, as 123 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 2: he kind of grew, we grew with him as our 124 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 2: business because what started as a very small business and 125 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 2: trying to cut through and just get some eyeballs really 126 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 2: started getting much deeper as a bigger business as he 127 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 2: kind of matured his own game and kind of grew 128 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 2: his look. You know that that helped our business, you know, 129 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 2: along the way. And so I think it's always looking 130 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: across sports, and you know, whether it's Formula one, you know, basketball, 131 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 2: even entertainment and Rihanna and Selena and all these ambassadors 132 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 2: over the years, it still comes down to being great 133 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 2: at what you do and then having something else that 134 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 2: could cut through the clutter and make a difference for 135 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 2: the business. 136 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: How is the golf customer different, Bob, than so the 137 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: golf demographic that the companies are trying to go after 138 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: all of the club manufacturers, the clothing manufacturers across the 139 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: board in the golf space. How is that for someone 140 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: like yourself that started at Puma Golf. Then you had 141 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: that second phase of your career when Cobra was acquired 142 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: from Titleists. So then Puma all of a sudden had 143 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: a club components you had Cobra Puma Golf, you stayed there, 144 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 1: you grew that, and then you went on to run 145 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: Puma North America, which those of us in the Puma space, 146 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: that's big Puma, right, that's all of the sports, right. 147 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: How is the golf customer different and what is that 148 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 1: golf customer looking for? That is different from someone that's 149 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: buying a basketball sneaker, that's buying something from another sport, 150 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: because I think it's very it's very niche. But from 151 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 1: the brand side of it, as someone that's trying to 152 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: sell to these people, how is the golf customer different 153 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:58,359 Speaker 1: and why is the golf customer important to these big brands? 154 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I think going back to one of the 155 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 2: last points, it is a smaller group. So I always 156 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 2: use the analogy of going through the airport and out 157 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 2: of ten consumers, you know, maybe one of those is 158 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 2: a target golf consumer, right, and we're trying to sell 159 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:17,439 Speaker 2: cob Puma golf to them. And so you know, as 160 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 2: you broaden out and you have all the categories and 161 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 2: you work in things like hoodies and T shirts and 162 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 2: slides and whatever, ten out of ten are you know, 163 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 2: ultimately your consumer. But that golf consumer is important in 164 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 2: a couple different ways. One is, retail prices in golf 165 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:36,719 Speaker 2: are certainly higher than any other category and in some 166 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 2: cases three four times that. So you have you know, 167 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 2: a higher ticket in golf and a more aspirational, you know, 168 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 2: customer that has has more money quite frankly, to spend 169 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 2: you know, on their on their products. And so that 170 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 2: ability to have you know, clubs together are with footwear, 171 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 2: apparel and accessories was super important to like outfit the 172 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 2: entire you know, golf shop and be able to service 173 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 2: you know, golfers at all skill level. 174 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: When you said, I mean, if we hear that term 175 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: right in marketing aspirational for you guys on the brand side, 176 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 1: what does an what does an aspirational customer mean? And 177 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: how is that different than someone that watches the NBA 178 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 1: or watches the NFL and watches other sports that aren't 179 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,080 Speaker 1: necessarily kind of a niche sport like golf. 180 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:33,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think you know, if you think of about 181 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 2: the diehard golfer, you know, they consume a lot of products. 182 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 2: And again going back to you know, retail prices, you know, 183 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 2: it's an expensive sport and so when you have that 184 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 2: kind of consumption. You know that those are lucrative consumers, 185 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 2: those diehard golfers that are you know, shopping a new 186 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 2: driver you know every year, irons every you know, a 187 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 2: couple of years, certainly, you know, shoes you know a 188 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 2: couple of times a year, and a new closet full 189 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 2: of you know, polos. You know that that is high 190 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 2: purchase and so that that certainly is different than you know, 191 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 2: some other sports where you're buying, you know, paired to 192 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 2: of either soccer fleats or basketball shoes or you know, 193 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 2: something like that. 194 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: A couple of years ago, right before the pandemic, I 195 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 1: got to go over to Puma headquarters and they had 196 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:24,200 Speaker 1: their big kind of Puma three sixty. Jay Z was there, 197 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: Total Wolf from Mercedes F one was there. A lot 198 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 1: of the athletes were there. And you know, when I 199 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 1: look at golf and I look at all of the 200 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 1: people that I've met, Bob of the course of my 201 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: lifetime and in the sport of golf, it's amazing how 202 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 1: many people that I have met in the wider sports world, 203 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 1: the fashion world, the music world. And although golf at 204 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: times can can be a small market, I kind of 205 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: think it's a meeting point for a lot of other 206 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 1: people because it is something that other athletes are driven towards. 207 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: People in the music space, the fashion space. Why do 208 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: you think golf has allure to these other people? Because 209 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: I get really amped up when I meet musicians and 210 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 1: people in sports, but athletes, musicians, actors, they're just golf obsessed. 211 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: Why do you think so many people outside of the 212 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 1: core golf space that are other athletes and stuff, why 213 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 1: do you think they're so interested in the game of golf. 214 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 2: Well, I think there's two things. You know, you have this. 215 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 2: I guess the superstars in sports they use golf as 216 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 2: kind of their getaway that they can go to a 217 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 2: golf course and not be bombarded with people and you know, 218 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 2: paparazzi and autograph seekers and whatnot. So it's almost like 219 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 2: their escape. So I think that is one. You know, 220 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 2: it's a competitive sport and they're able to do that 221 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 2: with their friends and stay active, and it really is 222 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:53,320 Speaker 2: kind of a getaway. I think the other thing, and 223 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 2: it's kind of counter to that, is when golf is 224 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:01,680 Speaker 2: this amazing connector of people and so, you know, you 225 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 2: and I have been fortunate to be around a lot 226 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 2: of different events that bring you know, people together, so 227 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 2: you know, it's kind of two different worlds. You got 228 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 2: these people that want to get away and then you 229 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 2: have this other side of golf that brings people together. 230 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 2: And there's a business side of that of course, but 231 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 2: you know, a community building a component of it, and 232 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 2: you know at a golf event you can have hundreds 233 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 2: and hundreds of people, right. So I've always felt like 234 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 2: golf is this for that is very inclusive, and yeah, 235 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 2: it has this natural element to it that you know, 236 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 2: brings people together. 237 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: You mentioned that Kuma Golf kind of started in two 238 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: thousand and six, but when I look at the modern 239 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: kind of modern golf, to me, that is kind of 240 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: post Tiger Wood, so ninety seven onwards in my opinion, Bob, 241 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: I Man, I'm fifty six now. I never played golf 242 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: growing off. You know, when I my dad obviously being 243 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 1: golf and my entire family being into golf. But when 244 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 1: I was growing up, I was born in you know, 245 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,199 Speaker 1: the in nineteen sixty nine, golf was not cool, right, 246 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: I mean, it was old men, the clothes were weird. 247 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: There wasn't an athletic part of it at all. And 248 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: so when I look at the modern game, of golf. 249 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: To me, Tiger Woods is kind of what was the 250 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 1: tipping point that kind of moved us into the modern 251 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 1: golf era when you look at kind of when Cobra, 252 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: Puma and Puma Golf started the marketing aspect of that 253 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 1: in the last twenty years, Bob, how is the marketing 254 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 1: aspect of a change, because it seems like it's changing, 255 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: you know, almost on a weekly, monthly basis, and now 256 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: with social media with all of these influencers, and then 257 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: if you look at the rise of how the television 258 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 1: product has changed, how and where we as consumers consume 259 00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: our media, where we consume our sports. Are you surprised 260 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: it kind of how it's gone and and has it 261 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: been a constant evolution for you guys on the brand 262 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 1: side to try and keep up with all of these 263 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: trends and changes. 264 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, I mean it's it's changed, uh, you know 265 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 2: in huge ways from that traditional Hey, find an ambassador 266 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 2: that is has that world class performance and then market 267 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 2: the hell out of them to all the different ways 268 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 2: that people can get eyeballs now. And you know, you 269 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 2: look at some of the trends now, you know, take 270 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 2: basketball for example, that tunnel walk is so important that 271 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 2: tunnel walk and who's sitting court side sometimes is as important, 272 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 2: if not more, depending on the game than the points 273 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 2: and the rebounds that you're getting on the court, right 274 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 2: and so, and you know multiply that across you know sports, 275 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 2: of what are those influences? You certainly have the nil 276 00:15:55,680 --> 00:16:00,120 Speaker 2: space that is is trend changing things dramatically. I would 277 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 2: I would also put in collaborations in there. So it's 278 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 2: not just having an athlete, But how do you have 279 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 2: an athlete, you know, a Ricky with a Caigo and 280 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 2: the music scene and a Palm Tree crew and then 281 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 2: plan events you know around that, right, you know, how 282 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 2: do you know, work with Rihanna, but you're planning you know, 283 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 2: super Bowls and music and her dancers and like everything. 284 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 2: You know. It's it's the rich storytelling that is happening 285 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 2: now is just off the charts. I mean, it's not 286 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 2: a launch with LaMelo anymore. It's Lamello who liked Rick 287 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 2: and Morty And that shoe is coming out and what 288 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 2: is that car that he's going to drive to the 289 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 2: game the day that you know you're going to launch 290 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 2: that those kind of things. I would say that that's 291 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 2: probably the biggest thing is the multitude of angles to 292 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 2: get visibility that has evolved over time, and the really 293 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 2: rich storytelling that goes, you know, across that that planning. 294 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: We talked about this. Jay Z came to Puma and 295 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:06,240 Speaker 1: said he wanted to help you guys get into the 296 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:10,679 Speaker 1: basketball space. And you told me that obviously when someone 297 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: like jay Z, who is a I mean, I mean 298 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:16,199 Speaker 1: I was in Germany and jay Z walked into the 299 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 1: room and it was like all the air got sucked 300 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:20,159 Speaker 1: out of the room. And I'm you know, I've been 301 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,400 Speaker 1: around a lot of famous people. I've met a lot 302 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:26,360 Speaker 1: of crazy people. I'm standing ten feet away from jay 303 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,399 Speaker 1: Z and I'm like, and that's that's jay Z. I 304 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 1: mean it was I got to meet him. I got 305 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 1: to shake his hand and talk to him for about 306 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 1: ten minutes. One of the coolest things I've ever done. 307 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: But you told me about that first meeting when when 308 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 1: when he decided and you guys decided you were going 309 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: to meet with him. You said, the meeting with jay 310 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 1: Z and his team was like meeting with fortune. Five 311 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: hundred CEOs, the rise of the athlete entertainer as a business, 312 00:17:56,359 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 1: I mean forty fifty years ago, you probably wouldn't imagine 313 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:05,679 Speaker 1: that athletes and musicians and people in that space, the 314 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 1: performance space could also basically be their own brand and 315 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 1: be these like CEO type characters. That experience you guys 316 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,719 Speaker 1: had with jay Z was that really eye opening for you? 317 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, in a big way. And I would say that 318 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:26,239 Speaker 2: basketball and maybe the collision with music set a lot 319 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 2: of those trends because you had people that were just 320 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 2: passionate about the game of basketball and got involved. And 321 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 2: so yeah, when we had the opportunity to work with 322 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 2: him to kind of relaunch Puma Basketball because Puma was 323 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 2: you know in the category and again back into the 324 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 2: seventies around Clyde, but really twenty eighteen, you know, relaunch 325 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:53,160 Speaker 2: and get back into the category and do it from 326 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:57,439 Speaker 2: a disruptive way, no different than how we entered golf, 327 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 2: you know, doing it differently, and I think she gave 328 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 2: us that avenue to do that through the lens of 329 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:10,959 Speaker 2: music and culture, not just signature athlete and yeah, being 330 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 2: you know, very disruptive with the go to market plans. 331 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 2: He's all about you know, authenticity, staying true to the 332 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 2: brand and the roots of the brand, and you know, 333 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 2: growing slow and making sure that you're developing desirability along 334 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 2: the way and creating brand heat. 335 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 1: But when you partner with an athlete like Ricky and 336 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:37,399 Speaker 1: we see this in basketball as well, that all the 337 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:40,120 Speaker 1: brands through, but Puma does this as well. But you're 338 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:42,359 Speaker 1: going to try and give that that athlete and that 339 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: player and identity. And you know, with Ricky, you guys 340 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 1: kind of let him kind of design kind of how 341 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: that collaboration between the brand side and the athlete side. 342 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: Talk me through what that collaboration looks like. You go 343 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:57,639 Speaker 1: to an athlete, you say, okay, listen, we want to 344 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: kind of build a line around you. We kind of 345 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 1: want to build a shoe around you from your side 346 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:06,439 Speaker 1: and from the athlete side of it, or from the 347 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,639 Speaker 1: entertainment side, the stuff that who moves on with Beyon, 348 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 1: you know with the weekends all that kind of stuff. 349 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:17,359 Speaker 1: When you guys kind of go through that process, is 350 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: it a sit down between you say, listen, give me 351 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: some ideas of what you want to try and do, 352 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 1: and they kind of and it's a just kind of 353 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: a meat in the middle type thing. 354 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,640 Speaker 2: It really is a collaboration. The best ones are when 355 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:38,119 Speaker 2: both sides have ideas and you know, as as the brand, 356 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 2: we would always try to get, you know, from the 357 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 2: ambassador their ideas first, because if we shape it with 358 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 2: what we're thinking, that can kind of you know, cloud 359 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 2: the field a little bit. So I think it is 360 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 2: so important to have an ambassador that's passionate about something 361 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:57,960 Speaker 2: and really get what's exciting to them, because we know 362 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 2: that that's going to matter when it comes to again 363 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,399 Speaker 2: go to market plans and the promotion and the pushing 364 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 2: of the product. And so yeah, the best meetings are, hey, 365 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 2: what what are you thinking? What do you think there's 366 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:12,879 Speaker 2: a gap in the market, What excites you? What do 367 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:15,639 Speaker 2: you get inspired by? And then of course, you know, 368 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 2: as a brand, we've got either new technologies coming out, 369 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:22,400 Speaker 2: there's a business need, you have launch dates and calendars 370 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 2: to fill, and product plans and architecture and so yeah, 371 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:30,640 Speaker 2: the perfect balance is you're getting someone like Ricky that's like, hey, 372 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 2: I still want to wear orange pants at Oklahoma State. 373 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 2: You know, Oklahoma State's really important to me. By the way, 374 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:38,720 Speaker 2: could you make an orange shirt and an orange hat 375 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 2: and an orange shoes. And then we get into like 376 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 2: stylizing that and what is that going to look like? 377 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 2: And again, if it's important to him, it's important to 378 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 2: the brands, and then it's like, yeah, how can we 379 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 2: bring this to life? And then let's brainstorm of how 380 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 2: you know, we could launch certain things, and so yeah, 381 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 2: it's it really is this. Yeah, I'm sure collaboration gets 382 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,640 Speaker 2: used over and over, but the best ones are when 383 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 2: you know, both sides come to the table with creative 384 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,359 Speaker 2: ideas that are important to them and then you know, 385 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 2: making it work. 386 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: And how important with those collaborations when you're going to 387 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:19,399 Speaker 1: give an athlete to shoe or give an athlete a line, 388 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: how important is it from a scalability standpoint but also 389 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 1: from a profitability standpoint for that to be authentic to 390 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 1: the athlete or to the performer that you're trying to 391 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: get into. 392 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 2: I think it's everything. And I think gone are the 393 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 2: day's claud of you know, slapping a person's name or 394 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:46,879 Speaker 2: a logo on product that's not authentic, you know. I 395 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 2: think I think the bullshit meter is run and high 396 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:54,399 Speaker 2: with consumers these days. I think they can sniff it 397 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 2: out very quickly if it's you know, just a business transaction. 398 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 2: So I think I think that's why Kuma has gone 399 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 2: deeper with the storytelling as well as you know, getting 400 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 2: creative directors and designers, like whether it was Selina or 401 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 2: Rihanno or jay Z, you know, people that can get 402 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,879 Speaker 2: more involved in just you know, signing a contract and 403 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 2: launching you know, product, because I really do think it's everything. 404 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 2: I think not only does it create a better stream 405 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:28,479 Speaker 2: for the product to get poured out of, but I 406 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 2: also think it really helps the sale and the promotion 407 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 2: because if the ambassador is really behind it. You know, 408 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 2: if Breonna Stewart's you know, her launch of her second shoe, 409 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 2: that first colorway was ruby for her daughter, and you 410 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:47,240 Speaker 2: can imagine, you know, all the launch opportunities around that, 411 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:51,400 Speaker 2: but how important that was for her that that product 412 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,720 Speaker 2: was going to be successful and get seen. You know 413 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:56,120 Speaker 2: that that stuff is everything. 414 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:58,920 Speaker 1: When you were ahead of Puma North America. How much 415 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: competition do these big brands have with each other? I mean, 416 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:06,159 Speaker 1: obviously you know in the US, you know, from a 417 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:10,160 Speaker 1: big shoe standpoint, you've got Nike, you've got Adidas, you've 418 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:13,400 Speaker 1: got Puma, you've got under Arm and stuff. The competition 419 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 1: between the brands to get the right athletes, to get 420 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: the right messaging across how much is that real And 421 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 1: how much is someone you know during your time running 422 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 1: you know Broom in North America? How much do you 423 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: feel that competition between the other you know, brands. We 424 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 1: feel it in the athlete space, right there's competition. Yes, 425 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,879 Speaker 1: we all I mean most golfers pretty much get along 426 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 1: and have respect for each other, but they all want 427 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: to beat each other, you know when they're playing. You know, 428 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:47,159 Speaker 1: and from a brand standpoint, is there that sense of 429 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: competition and that sense of rivalry that you have with 430 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 1: the other brands where you're trying to make sure that yeah, 431 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:55,440 Speaker 1: I mean, hey, I like you. I think you're a 432 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:57,880 Speaker 1: nice person, but we want to beat what you guys 433 00:24:57,920 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 1: are doing. 434 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 2: That's exactly it. It's fierce and it's brutal. And I 435 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 2: would say it's not just on the athlete side. I 436 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 2: think it's every price point. I think it's every category, 437 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 2: it's every employee, it's every media deal, it's it's yeah, 438 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 2: you name it. I think it's very fierce and competition 439 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 2: is is gotten stiff. You know, every brand is trying 440 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 2: to find their you know, niches that they've got more runway. 441 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,199 Speaker 2: Take Formula one for Puma, for example. You know, not 442 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 2: a place where some others play and so you know, 443 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,159 Speaker 2: same same thing you know in golf. I think it 444 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,479 Speaker 2: was trying to fuse this fashion and lifestyle into sport 445 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 2: and find a laye there that wasn't you know, as crowded. 446 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 2: But yeah, I mean it's it's fierce. And again it's 447 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 2: not just the athlete. I think it's it's every aspect 448 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:52,679 Speaker 2: of the business and it is it is felt daily, 449 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:53,639 Speaker 2: no doubt. 450 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: So at all of the majors. From a golf standpoint. 451 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: I don't think people listening understand or realize how much 452 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:09,639 Speaker 1: scripting of the big golf the big golf players, you know, 453 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 1: the superstars that are closely aligned with their brands, right. 454 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,200 Speaker 1: I mean, if you look at Roy mclroy, Rory's been 455 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:20,120 Speaker 1: with Nike for a very long time, Scotti Scheffler's with Nike, 456 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,919 Speaker 1: DJ was with you know, from a clothing side, you 457 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 1: know of things, he was with Adidas forever, and then Ricky. 458 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:31,639 Speaker 1: So talk to me and let the listeners know that 459 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:35,640 Speaker 1: concept of Okay, twenty twenty six is going to be 460 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,199 Speaker 1: you know, the Masters twenty twenty six is kind of 461 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:42,399 Speaker 1: the first of the majors. So give everybody kind of 462 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:44,879 Speaker 1: an insight as to what is going on behind the 463 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 1: scenes with regards to looking already you know, I mean 464 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,680 Speaker 1: if you look back at your career, I mean we're 465 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:56,920 Speaker 1: in October now, you guys pretty much already know what 466 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,440 Speaker 1: Ricky Fowler is going to be wearing at the Mass 467 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty six. 468 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 2: That's right. Yeah, you're you're working about a year out 469 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 2: in advance, and then when it comes down to scripting, 470 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 2: you can get a little closer than that. Certainly the 471 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:13,719 Speaker 2: first half of the year you kind of know the 472 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 2: majors and the big tournaments, and I would say, Claude, 473 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:20,680 Speaker 2: there's there's really three buckets how scripting works. The best 474 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:24,240 Speaker 2: thing for a brand and for a lot of the 475 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 2: I'd say Superstar athletes is one hundred percent scripting. So 476 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 2: it is it is getting ahead of it, knowing exactly 477 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 2: what they're going to wear, putting together the outfits, which 478 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:39,880 Speaker 2: even before product is actually made, starts on storyboards with 479 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 2: you know, cad drawings of you know what that that 480 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:45,680 Speaker 2: would be, and working with the athlete on hey, why 481 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:49,119 Speaker 2: don't we, you know, do this camo thing on this Thursday, 482 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:52,160 Speaker 2: And why don't we do some metallic stories on Friday? 483 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 2: So on and so forth. So it's building that script 484 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:57,200 Speaker 2: and then when it gets down to the tournament, that's 485 00:27:57,200 --> 00:27:59,919 Speaker 2: in the closets and you know, you've got a sport 486 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:04,639 Speaker 2: marketing team that is is lining that stuff up that 487 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:08,160 Speaker 2: week and it's literally trying to eliminate that from their 488 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:11,480 Speaker 2: thought process and letting them just concentrate on their performance 489 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 2: and everything's ready to go. So that being a brand guy, 490 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:17,720 Speaker 2: that's the ideal because you've got all your marketing, the 491 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 2: gun is loaded, you know exactly what's happening, You've done 492 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:23,320 Speaker 2: the pr you know, you know what that Saturday is 493 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 2: going to look like, you know, come TV time. Then 494 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,479 Speaker 2: I would say there's another bucket that's kind of a 495 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 2: softer version of that. Yeah, you've got some scripting, but 496 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:36,439 Speaker 2: the player wants some flexibility on how they're feeling that 497 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 2: day if they want to, you know, go off script 498 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 2: and wear something else. I mean, as a brand guy, again, 499 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 2: that's a little bit. If it's a major, that's a problem. 500 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 2: If it's you know, it's a tournament, but below the major, 501 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 2: it's a different story. But you know a lot of 502 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 2: a lot of really good players want you know a 503 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 2: little bit of flexibility in that they understand, hey, this 504 00:28:56,480 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 2: is a model of foot where you're trying to push 505 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 2: and so I get that, but you know, some flexibility. 506 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 2: And then the third bucket, again as a brand guy, 507 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 2: is the worst bucket, which is players like, yeah, just 508 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 2: send me my stuff and I'll put it together, and 509 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 2: that that's a challenge. Now you have some that you 510 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 2: know their their better halves, are very good at it 511 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 2: and can put it together and everyone's happy. But you 512 00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 2: know that that first camp of knowing ahead what the 513 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:27,400 Speaker 2: player is going to wear, so that you can really 514 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:32,680 Speaker 2: take advantage of the upfront marketing and the selling propositions 515 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 2: so that the store is able and our retailers are 516 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 2: able to maximize. That is certainly the way we draw 517 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 2: it up. 518 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:42,560 Speaker 1: From a golf standpoint, Bob, would you would it be 519 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: fair to say that the players that kind of have 520 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,360 Speaker 1: their own specific style and kind of have their own 521 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 1: specific book regardless of what brand they're with, does that 522 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:59,680 Speaker 1: go inside with their interest in clothing and how they're 523 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,080 Speaker 1: good example for me is someone like Adam Scott. Like 524 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: Scutty's always looked very very specific on the golf course. 525 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 1: Started his career, believe it or not, at Jay Lindeberg, 526 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:12,080 Speaker 1: then he went to Aquascutum, then he went to Berbury 527 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 1: and then he went to Uniclo. But Adam has a 528 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:18,719 Speaker 1: very very specific look with the way he looks at Uniclo. 529 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: But Adam really does care about the way he looks 530 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,640 Speaker 1: both on and off the golf course. How hard is 531 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:29,560 Speaker 1: it for the brands to work with someone from a 532 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: clothing side that doesn't really care, that isn't really interested 533 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 1: in fashion, that just wears, you know, I mean if 534 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:38,440 Speaker 1: you look at Tiger Woods off the golf course, Tiger, 535 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 1: I mean, it's pretty much almost one hundred percent. If 536 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 1: Tiger isn't at a function where someone else is dressing him, 537 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: Tiger is going to be wearing Nike shorts, black shorts 538 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: and a white long sleeve hoodie or that's kind of 539 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 1: his uniform, right. 540 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:55,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. 541 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 1: If you look at Adam Scott or someone who's into 542 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:01,240 Speaker 1: fashion away from the golf course, they have their own look. 543 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,240 Speaker 1: Like when I go out and go to like parties 544 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: and stuff like that, you can tell the guys that 545 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 1: care about clothing. You can tell the guys that are 546 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:13,840 Speaker 1: just going to go buy the most expensive art. You're like, oh, 547 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 1: so you're the guy with the Gucci baseball hat. Great, 548 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: good job, you know. Yeah, you're the one that bought 549 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: that outfit too. I think going back to that authenticity, 550 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 1: it must work better for you guys on the brand 551 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 1: side from a clothing and fashion standpoint if the athlete 552 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 1: is into that as well. 553 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 2: Totally, totally, and it goes back to, you know, the 554 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:39,960 Speaker 2: scouting and who's coming on board is you know, certainly 555 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 2: Puma's position. We wanted players that had a point of 556 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 2: view on it and and in fact different points of view. 557 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 2: You know. It wasn't you know when we signed Bryson, 558 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 2: he didn't want to be like Ricky. You know, none 559 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 2: of the players after Ricky wanted to look like Ricky. Right, 560 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:57,160 Speaker 2: he had his own lane and was rocking his stuff, 561 00:31:57,600 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 2: and so you know, Bryson kind of played more of 562 00:31:59,840 --> 00:32:03,040 Speaker 2: this classic lane where Ricky was kind of doing the 563 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:05,920 Speaker 2: progressive thing. And then then as things kind of evolved, 564 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 2: you kind of evolved with the player in their taste. 565 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:11,360 Speaker 2: You know, take a Gary Woodland for example, so passionate 566 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:15,920 Speaker 2: about folds of Honor, giving back the volition America. I mean, 567 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:20,320 Speaker 2: what a perfect fit for him. Yeah, and it's like 568 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:23,680 Speaker 2: that's what he was about. He was so passionate about it, 569 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 2: and it's like, next thing, you know, we've got a collection, 570 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 2: you know that he can wear. That also gave him 571 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 2: a lane that was different than you know, the other 572 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:34,680 Speaker 2: players you know that we had. You know, Lexi wanted 573 00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 2: to wear her you know, light blue kind of Sundays 574 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:42,040 Speaker 2: and you know, was passionate about certain pieces and certain looks. 575 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 2: Same thing. So yeah, it starts kind of like who 576 00:32:45,320 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 2: comes to the brand, but then working with them and 577 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 2: you're right, it's got to be kind of authentic and 578 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,720 Speaker 2: kind of organic to them. That's that's when it works best. 579 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:58,560 Speaker 1: You mentioned Bryson Deshambeau. You guys kind of gave Bryson 580 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:00,960 Speaker 1: is starting not only with who from a clothing side, 581 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 1: but also Cobra from the club side. How many years 582 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: was he with the brand? 583 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 2: Six years? Yes, six years until live game and obviously 584 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 2: those contracts yeah, I mean those players are signing signing 585 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:19,800 Speaker 2: would live. So yeah, six years from that time at 586 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 2: SMU till still live. 587 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:24,520 Speaker 1: So when you look at Bryson and you look at 588 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 1: the kind of the arc of his trajectory, not only 589 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:29,560 Speaker 1: as an athlete but as a person, I'm gonna go 590 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,680 Speaker 1: on a limb here and think and say, you've got 591 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 1: to look at Bryson in twenty twenty five and think, man, 592 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:37,640 Speaker 1: it would have been a lot of fun to have 593 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:43,719 Speaker 1: Bryson be the kind of person he's become off the 594 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: golf course in the social space also socially as a person. Yeah, 595 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:53,200 Speaker 1: that evolution of Bryson, it's been very very interesting to 596 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:56,760 Speaker 1: watch that, and it's been kind of cool to watch 597 00:33:56,800 --> 00:34:01,480 Speaker 1: that kind of him completely almost do a one eighty 598 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:03,960 Speaker 1: on people feeling differently about it. 599 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:07,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, one hundred percent. I think, what a fascinating ride, 600 00:34:08,239 --> 00:34:11,160 Speaker 2: not just kind of our six years, but to see 601 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:14,360 Speaker 2: I guess his what nine maybe ten now as a 602 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:19,600 Speaker 2: professional and you know, thinking about early on and again 603 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:22,359 Speaker 2: back to world class performance, you know, he was doing 604 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 2: things that only a few players had done as an amateur, right, 605 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 2: and so we knew that he was a great player 606 00:34:29,680 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 2: and going to do great things, but he also had 607 00:34:32,160 --> 00:34:34,960 Speaker 2: kind of some hit factory. He had some different things, right, 608 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:37,640 Speaker 2: not just his look and even down to you know, 609 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 2: Ben Hogan's hat, but it was also one length and 610 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:44,480 Speaker 2: then obviously he went the distance route and what that 611 00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:48,319 Speaker 2: you know, brought to the brands in terms of visibility 612 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:51,080 Speaker 2: and distance and everything, and then certainly to see that 613 00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:54,759 Speaker 2: you know, last few years and that shift in what 614 00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 2: he's done, and as every athlete does, you know, grows 615 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:02,040 Speaker 2: up with you know, the business and then everything he's 616 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:05,880 Speaker 2: doing off the course now too. You know, what a 617 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:09,360 Speaker 2: great story, what a what a great ambassador for the game, 618 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:12,600 Speaker 2: you know, of golf. And when you think of the audience, 619 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:15,840 Speaker 2: you know, take his YouTube stuff, Now, how many people 620 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:20,560 Speaker 2: he's touching with this great game of golf. You know, 621 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:24,200 Speaker 2: what an amazing athlete to to help bring more people 622 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:25,080 Speaker 2: into the sport. 623 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:29,200 Speaker 1: So that leads us into obviously Bryson's doing a lot 624 00:35:29,239 --> 00:35:32,000 Speaker 1: of stuff you mentioned as you tube channel in twenty 625 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 1: twenty five, the rise of the influencers in all marketing 626 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:40,239 Speaker 1: aspects of it, but sports, but specifically right now, I mean, 627 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:43,920 Speaker 1: there seems to be a lot of push from an 628 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:47,920 Speaker 1: influencer standpoint, and you know, the balance of all of 629 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:50,279 Speaker 1: that for someone like me, I look at you know, 630 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:53,880 Speaker 1: the influencer route and I look at some of I mean, 631 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:56,440 Speaker 1: I'll be honest, I look at some of the numbers 632 00:35:56,480 --> 00:35:58,400 Speaker 1: and some of the contracts and some of the stuff 633 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:01,719 Speaker 1: that they're giving to guys in the YouTube space, and 634 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:05,520 Speaker 1: you know, men and women in the influencer space. You know, times, Bob, 635 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:07,839 Speaker 1: it kind of pisses me off. I'm like, I've been 636 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:10,959 Speaker 1: doing this for twenty or twenty five years of my life. 637 00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:15,320 Speaker 1: I've devoted every possible thing I have as a human 638 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:19,880 Speaker 1: being to reach this level of success in my small 639 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:24,680 Speaker 1: niche industry, in the golf industry from a golf instruction standpoint, 640 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:28,520 Speaker 1: and there are people that have no no history in 641 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:32,640 Speaker 1: what I've done, right, and they've got loads of followers 642 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:36,719 Speaker 1: and they're bleinged into that space. How important is it? 643 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:38,960 Speaker 1: Where do you think it's going to go? Do you 644 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:42,040 Speaker 1: think it's going to swing back the other way? But 645 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 1: the influencer space from a brand side of things in 646 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:49,440 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five, tuck me through it, And how important 647 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:51,680 Speaker 1: is it for the grand scheme of things? 648 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:54,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's really It's really important. I don't think it's 649 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:59,400 Speaker 2: going to change. But I would say that the athlete 650 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:03,360 Speaker 2: side is at the core of sport brands and is 651 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 2: the most important and I don't think I don't think 652 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:08,759 Speaker 2: that will ever change. So, you know, as much as 653 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:11,800 Speaker 2: we're going to talk about, you know, influencer piece growing, 654 00:37:12,360 --> 00:37:16,799 Speaker 2: I still think spot brands are really precious about the 655 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:20,319 Speaker 2: role that the athlete plays and the core sport and 656 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:24,600 Speaker 2: performance of what they do. That that isn't going to change. 657 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:29,040 Speaker 2: But yeah, you can't deny that. Influencers, I think I 658 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:32,799 Speaker 2: think two things, Claude. One is the wide audience that 659 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 2: they have, so their ability to talk to a much 660 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 2: larger net of people. And then two, when it comes 661 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:43,280 Speaker 2: to the communication and you know this, you know, working 662 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:48,120 Speaker 2: with athletes, influencers, this is their job, this is their crap. 663 00:37:48,280 --> 00:37:51,520 Speaker 2: They work at this communication stuff. That's what they do, 664 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:53,640 Speaker 2: and they know how to do it. You know, a 665 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:57,320 Speaker 2: lot of time, you know, brands, we're trying to pull 666 00:37:57,360 --> 00:38:00,759 Speaker 2: athletes into this communication game and try to coach them 667 00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:06,360 Speaker 2: a little media training and social you know, channels and 668 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:11,560 Speaker 2: and those skills, whereas these these influencers that that's their thing. 669 00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:16,920 Speaker 2: And certainly the athlete understands the sport and the performance 670 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:21,120 Speaker 2: piece of it, but these these influencers understand the communication 671 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:24,760 Speaker 2: tools the best. And so yeah, they're bringing a different dynamic. 672 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:27,480 Speaker 2: I think the perfect answers. You've got to have a blend. 673 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:32,520 Speaker 2: You know, I think of whom a basketball and you know, 674 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:37,879 Speaker 2: it's it's not a Halliburton and LaMelo as much as 675 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:41,360 Speaker 2: it's also having like a Chris Brinkley, who's you know 676 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:44,840 Speaker 2: black Ops in New York, who's got you know, Lebron 677 00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:49,840 Speaker 2: and Durant and AE coming through And what is that visibility? 678 00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:53,799 Speaker 2: No different than working with you Claude in You're you're 679 00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:56,960 Speaker 2: working with some of the top golfers and you know 680 00:38:57,160 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 2: your visibility out there that instruct during that coaching side 681 00:39:01,880 --> 00:39:06,560 Speaker 2: is a big influence you know across sports. And I 682 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:08,879 Speaker 2: think you know that's that's the blend that you need 683 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:13,080 Speaker 2: these days because you're constantly thinking, you know, eyeballs in 684 00:39:13,080 --> 00:39:15,680 Speaker 2: that audience and how do you expand that reach and 685 00:39:15,719 --> 00:39:18,360 Speaker 2: again go through and make a difference for the business. 686 00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:21,080 Speaker 2: And that includes you know, influencers. 687 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:26,600 Speaker 1: I mean if someone told you twenty five years ago 688 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:31,759 Speaker 1: that influencers this is what their role would be in 689 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:35,760 Speaker 1: sports and social and this is the type of money 690 00:39:35,840 --> 00:39:38,719 Speaker 1: they're going to be able to make, would you have 691 00:39:39,640 --> 00:39:41,040 Speaker 1: would you have believed that? 692 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:46,400 Speaker 2: No? No chance. No, I mean to believe that there 693 00:39:46,560 --> 00:39:50,720 Speaker 2: would be you know, influence there and maybe a piece 694 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:54,360 Speaker 2: of the action and could could move some people. Yeah sure, 695 00:39:55,280 --> 00:40:00,600 Speaker 2: but you know when that money dwarfs, you know what 696 00:40:00,719 --> 00:40:04,879 Speaker 2: someone's making, you know, on the course or through other endorsements. 697 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:08,680 Speaker 2: I mean, it certainly is bigger than I think anyone 698 00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:10,000 Speaker 2: you know thought it would be. 699 00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:12,680 Speaker 1: Where do you think it's going to go? How much 700 00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:16,120 Speaker 1: will AI play a part of this now? From a 701 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:19,520 Speaker 1: brand standpoint? Will they be able to say, listen, we 702 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:25,080 Speaker 1: can create an AI person to be an influencer that 703 00:40:25,280 --> 00:40:28,359 Speaker 1: we can control. We can control every element of it. 704 00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:33,279 Speaker 1: You think this is going to continue to evolve? You 705 00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:38,120 Speaker 1: think that there will be some maybe backlash against it 706 00:40:38,160 --> 00:40:40,800 Speaker 1: to where Because I'll be honest with you, when I 707 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:43,960 Speaker 1: go to major championships, when I go to tour events 708 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:46,840 Speaker 1: and stuff like that, there is an element of myself 709 00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:49,680 Speaker 1: and there is an element that I hear from the 710 00:40:49,719 --> 00:40:52,080 Speaker 1: players when we're on the range warming up. We're like, 711 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:57,480 Speaker 1: all of these influencers are basically using a PGA tour event, 712 00:40:57,920 --> 00:41:02,000 Speaker 1: a major championship as a backdrop as a prop. Right. 713 00:41:02,280 --> 00:41:06,200 Speaker 1: That doesn't happen in the NFL, That doesn't happen in 714 00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:09,200 Speaker 1: the NBA hockey, Like, you're not going to go to 715 00:41:09,239 --> 00:41:14,160 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl and see influencers on the field warming up. 716 00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:17,000 Speaker 1: You might see them off the field, but in golf, 717 00:41:17,760 --> 00:41:23,479 Speaker 1: we see them using the sport as a backdrop for them, 718 00:41:24,120 --> 00:41:27,759 Speaker 1: and I find that really really weird at times. I 719 00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:30,640 Speaker 1: find it really kind of I kind of look at 720 00:41:30,680 --> 00:41:33,480 Speaker 1: it and just go, what are we doing? I'm not 721 00:41:33,600 --> 00:41:35,759 Speaker 1: to get off my lawn, guy. I just think that 722 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:40,279 Speaker 1: there has to be a space for the athlete and 723 00:41:40,440 --> 00:41:44,080 Speaker 1: for what the athlete and their teams that are are 724 00:41:44,239 --> 00:41:48,360 Speaker 1: performing or doing, and then maybe there's a space for 725 00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:50,200 Speaker 1: the rest of it. I don't know. Maybe I'm old 726 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:53,120 Speaker 1: school in the thinking, but it just always seems weird 727 00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:54,520 Speaker 1: to me in certain situations. 728 00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:59,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, I do think every sport has the culture around 729 00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:02,759 Speaker 2: the events that happens and people use that. I mean 730 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:05,520 Speaker 2: the NBA All Star Game for sure. I mean, look 731 00:42:05,560 --> 00:42:09,480 Speaker 2: at what Formula one Vegas Formula one is now, you know. 732 00:42:09,520 --> 00:42:12,240 Speaker 2: I mean there are things you know that are around 733 00:42:12,280 --> 00:42:16,680 Speaker 2: the sport, and I mean NBA two K matters, FIFA 734 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:21,520 Speaker 2: covers matter, like sports vetting and what is happening there 735 00:42:21,560 --> 00:42:24,880 Speaker 2: like that in the audience and how every game matters 736 00:42:25,320 --> 00:42:28,240 Speaker 2: and you know players that like all that that matters. 737 00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:31,240 Speaker 2: I do think one thing that is going to continue 738 00:42:31,320 --> 00:42:35,600 Speaker 2: to be a bigger trend is data and how data 739 00:42:35,760 --> 00:42:40,799 Speaker 2: is really driving brand investment. You know, you can now 740 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:47,360 Speaker 2: get so close to that consumer. Are they into that 741 00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:50,439 Speaker 2: particular sport? Where do they live? You know you're thinking 742 00:42:50,480 --> 00:42:55,520 Speaker 2: about again a Hispanic consumer around you know, soccer as 743 00:42:55,640 --> 00:42:58,520 Speaker 2: fans of a certain team, and again where do they live? 744 00:42:58,600 --> 00:43:01,520 Speaker 2: You want to do a collab with you know, another brand, 745 00:43:02,719 --> 00:43:05,600 Speaker 2: you know before you sign that contract, is that going 746 00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:09,600 Speaker 2: to be you know, winning bet or not? So I 747 00:43:09,719 --> 00:43:13,280 Speaker 2: think you're going to see more investment into data driven 748 00:43:13,320 --> 00:43:17,799 Speaker 2: decisions versus kind of like not a guess or a 749 00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:20,600 Speaker 2: gut feel, but kind of that. You know, it's like 750 00:43:21,040 --> 00:43:23,400 Speaker 2: now you can really see some numbers, you can do 751 00:43:23,480 --> 00:43:27,719 Speaker 2: some early market research. Certainly the AI space is going 752 00:43:27,800 --> 00:43:31,200 Speaker 2: to be a lot based around that, and I just 753 00:43:31,239 --> 00:43:34,800 Speaker 2: think it's going to make it easier, more competitive, but 754 00:43:35,320 --> 00:43:38,880 Speaker 2: easier for brands to kind of make sure that there 755 00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:41,000 Speaker 2: are investments going in the right direction. 756 00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:43,360 Speaker 1: Bob, as someone who's been in the brand space for 757 00:43:43,400 --> 00:43:46,080 Speaker 1: as long as you have, why do you feel like 758 00:43:46,280 --> 00:43:51,000 Speaker 1: sports resonates so much with people? And why do you 759 00:43:51,120 --> 00:43:56,560 Speaker 1: feel like sports is so important to us as human beings? 760 00:43:57,120 --> 00:44:00,520 Speaker 2: Oof, that's a big one, Claude. I think you know, 761 00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:03,800 Speaker 2: I always love what at Stack does. The thick sporting 762 00:44:03,800 --> 00:44:07,520 Speaker 2: goods around sports matter and that goes back to how 763 00:44:07,560 --> 00:44:10,760 Speaker 2: he grew up the value of sports and the life 764 00:44:10,840 --> 00:44:14,200 Speaker 2: lessons that are learned, you know, through sport, and I 765 00:44:14,239 --> 00:44:16,080 Speaker 2: think that's that's a big part of it. I think 766 00:44:16,120 --> 00:44:21,279 Speaker 2: there's such a natural connection, certainly in the US, how 767 00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:25,160 Speaker 2: people kind of are raised around sports, either as a 768 00:44:25,200 --> 00:44:29,399 Speaker 2: participant or as as a fan. So much of our 769 00:44:29,440 --> 00:44:32,960 Speaker 2: society is wrapped around sport. And then I think, you know, 770 00:44:33,000 --> 00:44:36,680 Speaker 2: as we talked earlier, disability for sport to bring people together. 771 00:44:36,719 --> 00:44:38,520 Speaker 2: I mean we always talk about it kind of around 772 00:44:38,560 --> 00:44:41,440 Speaker 2: Olympics and we talk around you know, every sport has 773 00:44:41,480 --> 00:44:44,200 Speaker 2: their signature, you know, events, and how how it brings 774 00:44:44,239 --> 00:44:47,879 Speaker 2: people together. I think that's very true. And so yeah, 775 00:44:47,920 --> 00:44:51,879 Speaker 2: there's something romantic about sports. I think. I do think 776 00:44:51,960 --> 00:44:55,520 Speaker 2: the life lesson thing is so important of what sports 777 00:44:55,640 --> 00:45:00,760 Speaker 2: teaches people, you know, about life, and certainly golf runs 778 00:45:00,800 --> 00:45:05,479 Speaker 2: deep in that regard, and so yeah, I think there's 779 00:45:05,719 --> 00:45:07,520 Speaker 2: a lot that goes into it. And you know, at 780 00:45:07,560 --> 00:45:10,839 Speaker 2: the end of the day, and you'll appreciate this. All 781 00:45:10,880 --> 00:45:13,879 Speaker 2: of our golfers that have been successful, Claude always talk 782 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:17,000 Speaker 2: about they're at their best when they're having fun. And 783 00:45:17,040 --> 00:45:20,000 Speaker 2: when I think about over all the years of great 784 00:45:20,040 --> 00:45:24,040 Speaker 2: performances at Puma, whether that was Usain Bowl at the 785 00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:27,520 Speaker 2: Olympics and how he's dancing around before he's getting ready 786 00:45:27,600 --> 00:45:31,680 Speaker 2: to run those nine seconds, or it's Ricky before he 787 00:45:31,719 --> 00:45:33,960 Speaker 2: goes into a playoff for a back nine and Amaze, 788 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:37,479 Speaker 2: it's like, let's go have fun. And that I think 789 00:45:37,560 --> 00:45:41,279 Speaker 2: that's part of the endearing piece of sports is it 790 00:45:41,360 --> 00:45:43,640 Speaker 2: goes back to that little kid and all of us 791 00:45:43,719 --> 00:45:45,200 Speaker 2: of just like having fun. 792 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:48,200 Speaker 1: So you've made you made the decision to move on 793 00:45:48,320 --> 00:45:51,959 Speaker 1: from your role at Puma. You're semi unemployed, I guess 794 00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:55,040 Speaker 1: right now. So you're probably getting to play more golf 795 00:45:55,080 --> 00:45:58,000 Speaker 1: than you've played in a long time. Bob, what do 796 00:45:58,040 --> 00:45:59,799 Speaker 1: you love about golf and what do you love about 797 00:45:59,840 --> 00:46:00,680 Speaker 1: the game of golf? 798 00:46:01,080 --> 00:46:02,920 Speaker 2: Booh, I am getting some some more time to play. 799 00:46:02,960 --> 00:46:04,960 Speaker 2: I think I played more this summer than I have 800 00:46:05,160 --> 00:46:09,600 Speaker 2: since I've played in college. And it was great. And 801 00:46:09,920 --> 00:46:12,360 Speaker 2: you know, I love the camaraderie of it. You know, 802 00:46:12,520 --> 00:46:14,920 Speaker 2: you get with the right you know group. I just 803 00:46:15,400 --> 00:46:19,640 Speaker 2: I just love that competition, you know, with the gang 804 00:46:19,719 --> 00:46:22,160 Speaker 2: at the club as well as you know with myself, 805 00:46:22,280 --> 00:46:25,400 Speaker 2: you know, on the course. I love the challenge, you 806 00:46:25,440 --> 00:46:29,040 Speaker 2: know of golf. I love just the like outside, walk 807 00:46:29,040 --> 00:46:33,719 Speaker 2: in the park nature of golf. And then you know, 808 00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:37,279 Speaker 2: I'm a sports nut, so I like, you know, all 809 00:46:37,400 --> 00:46:41,040 Speaker 2: the competitive spirit stuff I really like, and golf gives 810 00:46:41,080 --> 00:46:42,320 Speaker 2: you that in space. 811 00:46:42,960 --> 00:46:45,560 Speaker 1: So the obvious question is, at someone at your level 812 00:46:45,640 --> 00:46:49,520 Speaker 1: running Pome in North America, you know you're still a 813 00:46:49,560 --> 00:46:54,239 Speaker 1: young young man, why did decision to move on? And 814 00:46:54,800 --> 00:46:58,240 Speaker 1: what does kind of Bob Fillion two point zero post 815 00:46:58,719 --> 00:47:02,360 Speaker 1: kind of working for a huge you know, sports brand 816 00:47:02,440 --> 00:47:04,560 Speaker 1: like Puma looked like, you know, you were there for 817 00:47:04,800 --> 00:47:09,319 Speaker 1: a large chunk of your adult professional life. Why the 818 00:47:09,320 --> 00:47:13,560 Speaker 1: decision to change? And what are you looking to do 819 00:47:13,680 --> 00:47:14,360 Speaker 1: moving forward? 820 00:47:14,840 --> 00:47:18,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I had an amazing ride twenty years 821 00:47:18,040 --> 00:47:21,440 Speaker 2: at the cat. Really these three chapters of this birth 822 00:47:21,520 --> 00:47:24,440 Speaker 2: of Puma Golf, you know, the acquisition at Cobra and 823 00:47:24,480 --> 00:47:27,640 Speaker 2: the setup of Cobra Puma Golf, and then the acceleration 824 00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:30,600 Speaker 2: of Puma North America, and I felt like it was 825 00:47:30,719 --> 00:47:33,680 Speaker 2: time to kind of pass the ball and pursue some 826 00:47:33,680 --> 00:47:37,960 Speaker 2: some new opportunities. So that's kind of what I'm doing now. 827 00:47:38,280 --> 00:47:41,319 Speaker 2: I'm writing a book something that was kind of been 828 00:47:41,360 --> 00:47:43,680 Speaker 2: a passion project that I've wanted to do for a while, 829 00:47:44,760 --> 00:47:46,799 Speaker 2: and it's a book for my kids. So it's career 830 00:47:46,840 --> 00:47:50,040 Speaker 2: advice stuff as my kids. You know, my son just 831 00:47:50,080 --> 00:47:53,600 Speaker 2: graduated college and my daughter is a junior, and so 832 00:47:53,680 --> 00:47:55,719 Speaker 2: I told them I would give them the best my 833 00:47:55,920 --> 00:47:59,000 Speaker 2: thirty years lessons learned, some some certainly the hard way 834 00:47:59,560 --> 00:48:01,200 Speaker 2: in past those along. So I'm kind of on the 835 00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:03,319 Speaker 2: clock flot. I got to get this this book done. 836 00:48:03,360 --> 00:48:07,279 Speaker 2: But it's yeah, so that's that's a passion project and 837 00:48:07,320 --> 00:48:11,400 Speaker 2: then you know, pursue some some new opportunities. And I 838 00:48:11,440 --> 00:48:15,520 Speaker 2: feel so blessed to have this this ride with Puma 839 00:48:15,600 --> 00:48:18,719 Speaker 2: where I had this sport, lifestyle and fashion connection. I 840 00:48:18,760 --> 00:48:24,719 Speaker 2: had this this kind of baby in the golf category 841 00:48:24,840 --> 00:48:26,560 Speaker 2: as as a piece of it, and then got a 842 00:48:26,680 --> 00:48:29,560 Speaker 2: chance to spread my wings broader. My two fashions as 843 00:48:29,600 --> 00:48:31,360 Speaker 2: a kid were basketball and golf, and I had a 844 00:48:31,480 --> 00:48:34,279 Speaker 2: chance to do them both, uh you know, with with 845 00:48:34,360 --> 00:48:38,479 Speaker 2: the cat and so yeah, I think it's whatever's next. 846 00:48:38,520 --> 00:48:40,319 Speaker 2: I think it's going to be around sports. I think 847 00:48:40,360 --> 00:48:43,960 Speaker 2: it's it's going to get my creative juices flowing and 848 00:48:44,040 --> 00:48:47,280 Speaker 2: have some purpose to it. And right now I'm busy 849 00:48:47,360 --> 00:48:50,120 Speaker 2: with this book man, and uh, and I'm gonna play 850 00:48:50,120 --> 00:48:52,680 Speaker 2: some fall golf here. I got a tournament on Saturday, 851 00:48:52,719 --> 00:48:55,680 Speaker 2: so I gotta I gotta get the toolbaught out again. 852 00:48:56,239 --> 00:48:59,840 Speaker 1: I have absolutely no doubt that you will not be retired, 853 00:49:00,120 --> 00:49:02,440 Speaker 1: you know, for a very long time. And I would 854 00:49:02,440 --> 00:49:06,200 Speaker 1: have been very surprised to see you not stay in 855 00:49:07,160 --> 00:49:10,640 Speaker 1: somewhat of the sports space, because I know it is 856 00:49:12,080 --> 00:49:15,799 Speaker 1: important and passionate to you. Lastly, above, for people like 857 00:49:15,840 --> 00:49:21,680 Speaker 1: yourself that run these big sporting brands, would you say 858 00:49:22,120 --> 00:49:26,560 Speaker 1: that most of them come from a sporting background and 859 00:49:26,640 --> 00:49:29,600 Speaker 1: how much do you feel like that helped? 860 00:49:29,600 --> 00:49:29,799 Speaker 2: You know? 861 00:49:29,840 --> 00:49:32,680 Speaker 1: I was at the last live event. The new head 862 00:49:32,680 --> 00:49:36,400 Speaker 1: of Nike Golf was there and he'd come over from basketball, 863 00:49:36,760 --> 00:49:38,960 Speaker 1: and I couldn't believe how good a golf game was, 864 00:49:38,960 --> 00:49:41,720 Speaker 1: and he was like, no, No, I played golf, college golf. 865 00:49:42,040 --> 00:49:44,560 Speaker 1: You know. I played Division one college golf. So that 866 00:49:45,120 --> 00:49:49,160 Speaker 1: athlete first mentality. Do you find that people like yourself 867 00:49:49,160 --> 00:49:54,759 Speaker 1: that reached these kind of levels of job titles do 868 00:49:54,880 --> 00:49:59,239 Speaker 1: they come from the athlete space? Was athletics and competitive 869 00:49:59,440 --> 00:50:02,000 Speaker 1: athletics kind of part of their DNA? When you look 870 00:50:02,040 --> 00:50:06,160 Speaker 1: at your compatriots across the board over all the brands. 871 00:50:05,880 --> 00:50:08,960 Speaker 1: Is it fair to say that there is a sport 872 00:50:09,160 --> 00:50:12,040 Speaker 1: mentality coming from there a competitor athlete. 873 00:50:12,480 --> 00:50:15,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely. I think it's a common denominator if you 874 00:50:15,520 --> 00:50:20,000 Speaker 2: look across management of the sport brands, I would say. 875 00:50:20,239 --> 00:50:23,520 Speaker 2: And so whether that's you know, playing or you know 876 00:50:23,560 --> 00:50:27,200 Speaker 2: a rabid fan, you know, certainly an understanding of sports. 877 00:50:27,520 --> 00:50:30,760 Speaker 2: Being able to talk about the sports and communicate around 878 00:50:31,120 --> 00:50:35,440 Speaker 2: the game is important. I do think it's becoming more 879 00:50:35,480 --> 00:50:39,160 Speaker 2: important to have balance on your team, so not have 880 00:50:39,719 --> 00:50:44,120 Speaker 2: you know, everyone certainly on your senior team come from 881 00:50:44,440 --> 00:50:46,920 Speaker 2: kind of the same place, and to have views actually 882 00:50:46,960 --> 00:50:49,160 Speaker 2: outside of sports. I mean we've seen it now with 883 00:50:49,520 --> 00:50:52,000 Speaker 2: some of the leagues, some of the teams, certainly some 884 00:50:52,040 --> 00:50:55,920 Speaker 2: of the brands that I've seen having people with different 885 00:50:55,960 --> 00:50:59,960 Speaker 2: points of view and some different experience. Certainly now you know, 886 00:51:00,040 --> 00:51:04,120 Speaker 2: whether it's the influencer space, uh, you know, the social side, 887 00:51:04,320 --> 00:51:07,680 Speaker 2: digital marketing, yeah, you name it. I mean a lot 888 00:51:07,680 --> 00:51:11,560 Speaker 2: of kind of traditional growing up through sports and playing, 889 00:51:12,200 --> 00:51:14,040 Speaker 2: you got to you gotta have a balance on your team, 890 00:51:14,239 --> 00:51:17,600 Speaker 2: and I think I think that's really important, and I 891 00:51:17,640 --> 00:51:19,160 Speaker 2: think sport brands are no different. 892 00:51:19,520 --> 00:51:21,560 Speaker 1: Well, Bob It's been really good to talk to you. 893 00:51:21,760 --> 00:51:25,480 Speaker 1: The best thing about you no longer running Big Puma 894 00:51:25,640 --> 00:51:27,880 Speaker 1: is I'm actually going to get to play golf with 895 00:51:27,960 --> 00:51:31,120 Speaker 1: you because obviously with your schedule, your schedule is as 896 00:51:31,120 --> 00:51:34,480 Speaker 1: crazy as mine. And let's get you down to the 897 00:51:34,520 --> 00:51:38,719 Speaker 1: Floridian South Florida, get you out of the cold and northeast, 898 00:51:38,760 --> 00:51:41,440 Speaker 1: work on your golf game and uh, let's get that 899 00:51:41,480 --> 00:51:42,400 Speaker 1: handicapped down. Come on. 900 00:51:42,480 --> 00:51:44,600 Speaker 2: I need, I know, I need, I need some short 901 00:51:44,600 --> 00:51:47,879 Speaker 2: game help, bug, So I need some help for sure. 902 00:51:48,120 --> 00:51:50,919 Speaker 1: Lastly, for the viewers, what's the book going to be called? 903 00:51:50,920 --> 00:51:52,120 Speaker 1: Do we have a title for it? Yet? 904 00:51:52,440 --> 00:51:55,600 Speaker 2: We do have a title, it's Turning Pro And it 905 00:51:55,640 --> 00:51:58,920 Speaker 2: really is this this? Yeah, I mean you and I 906 00:51:59,000 --> 00:52:01,759 Speaker 2: are in the sports business like people athletes turning pro 907 00:52:01,840 --> 00:52:04,480 Speaker 2: all the time. But you know, every day you got 908 00:52:04,520 --> 00:52:07,200 Speaker 2: we got these graduates, you know, coming out of college 909 00:52:07,200 --> 00:52:09,200 Speaker 2: and turning pro. And my son just did it. He's 910 00:52:09,239 --> 00:52:13,120 Speaker 2: now working in Silicon Valley and to see through his 911 00:52:13,280 --> 00:52:16,000 Speaker 2: eyes what these kids are coming out of college and 912 00:52:16,080 --> 00:52:19,879 Speaker 2: learning content wise in terms of their majors. But that 913 00:52:19,960 --> 00:52:24,520 Speaker 2: gap between all the other stuff mentorship and work life 914 00:52:24,520 --> 00:52:31,520 Speaker 2: balance and international experience and champion teams and not just 915 00:52:31,560 --> 00:52:33,960 Speaker 2: finding a job, of finding you know, job with the 916 00:52:34,040 --> 00:52:37,480 Speaker 2: right company, with the right coaches and managers and those 917 00:52:37,560 --> 00:52:38,920 Speaker 2: kind of things. So that's what I'm trying to do 918 00:52:39,000 --> 00:52:42,840 Speaker 2: is kind of bridge that gap. So turning pro and 919 00:52:42,920 --> 00:52:44,680 Speaker 2: again I got it. I got to get it done. 920 00:52:44,800 --> 00:52:47,600 Speaker 2: It's not a book until you actually do it well. 921 00:52:47,800 --> 00:52:50,359 Speaker 1: I mean, if you've given everybody the title, they're gonna 922 00:52:50,360 --> 00:52:52,520 Speaker 1: want to we need sale. So you better get to 923 00:52:52,640 --> 00:52:55,520 Speaker 1: us and shape and get that thing out. Bob, great 924 00:52:55,520 --> 00:52:56,920 Speaker 1: to talk to you. Best of luck and all your 925 00:52:56,960 --> 00:52:59,560 Speaker 1: new endeavors, and thanks for all the friendship and the 926 00:52:59,560 --> 00:53:02,759 Speaker 1: mentorship over the years. It really was special getting to 927 00:53:02,800 --> 00:53:05,960 Speaker 1: spend time with you, and it really did have a 928 00:53:06,040 --> 00:53:09,279 Speaker 1: massive impact on me, not only personally, but professionally as well. 929 00:53:09,360 --> 00:53:10,080 Speaker 1: So I thank you for that. 930 00:53:10,480 --> 00:53:12,640 Speaker 2: Thanks Claud great to see you and we'll see you 931 00:53:12,840 --> 00:53:15,520 Speaker 2: down in Florida. Some golf lessons, you got it. 932 00:53:16,680 --> 00:53:20,400 Speaker 1: So that was Bob Fillion, really cool talk and we 933 00:53:20,480 --> 00:53:22,120 Speaker 1: touched on a lot of really cool stuff and that 934 00:53:22,280 --> 00:53:27,400 Speaker 1: kind of merging that sports culture. But the golf space 935 00:53:27,440 --> 00:53:29,560 Speaker 1: for me is where a lot of that happens. And 936 00:53:30,040 --> 00:53:34,720 Speaker 1: it's funny all of the golfers want to be football, basketball, baseball, hockey, 937 00:53:34,760 --> 00:53:38,200 Speaker 1: soccer players, Formula One drivers, and all of those people 938 00:53:38,680 --> 00:53:41,680 Speaker 1: want to be professional golfers. So always really cool to 939 00:53:41,719 --> 00:53:43,680 Speaker 1: talk to someone like Bob who has such a rich 940 00:53:43,719 --> 00:53:47,880 Speaker 1: history on both sides of the sport, the marketing side 941 00:53:47,880 --> 00:53:51,280 Speaker 1: and the brand side, but also on the competitive side. 942 00:53:51,520 --> 00:53:53,600 Speaker 1: So thanks to Bob for talking to us. Son of 943 00:53:53,600 --> 00:53:56,120 Speaker 1: a Butch comes to you almost every week, but we 944 00:53:56,160 --> 00:53:58,200 Speaker 1: will definitely be back next week.