[Shoe Session – 5.2.12] – AND1 President Rob Purvy interview with the Summer Pro League (SPL)
Inks:
FLASH
aka g_sk1lls
Images: Summer Pro League website and And1 Basketball (official logo)
Images: Summer Pro League website and And1 Basketball (official logo)
The annual Southern California Summer Pro League
(aka the “SPL”) is one of the major summer tournaments in North America. Over the course of its 39-year existence, it
has become a stage in which all of the NBA teams have already participated in,
and its illustrious list of alumni include Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Kobe
Bryant, Tim Duncan, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki, David Robinson, Dominique
Wilkins, Isaiah Thomas, Reggie Miller, Karl Malone, Clyde Drexler, Moses Malone,
and Dennis Rodman, among others.
With AND1 Basketball currently a major sponsor of the tournament (see
SPL’s splash banner image below), Walt
Thompson, Vice President for Operations of SPL, sat down with AND1
President Rob Purvy and was able to get his thoughts about Rob's beginnings in
the shoe business, working with NBA stars, and AND1’s brand
strategy and plans for its upcoming 20th anniversary in 2013 and
beyond.
I’ve lifted
three key items from Walt’s article and quoted his questions and Rob’s
responses in this And1 Ph blog post, as shared below. To read the entire article in the SPL
website, click HERE.
SPL: So much has gone on with the AND1 brand
over the last 12 months, new ownership, new logo, new location, and new slogan
- how do you feel about it?
RP: Excited! I think a lot of those survival instincts that come from the way I came up definitely came into play here. I think 15 years from now it will probably stump someone in a trivial question when they say name a brand that in a calendar year changed ownership more than once. People will probably be stumped. The fact that this brand has a destiny and that it is an organic brand, it's all about the essence of the sport. That's why it has been able to survive through the ups and downs than some of the other brands or competitors out there.
RP: Excited! I think a lot of those survival instincts that come from the way I came up definitely came into play here. I think 15 years from now it will probably stump someone in a trivial question when they say name a brand that in a calendar year changed ownership more than once. People will probably be stumped. The fact that this brand has a destiny and that it is an organic brand, it's all about the essence of the sport. That's why it has been able to survive through the ups and downs than some of the other brands or competitors out there.
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SPL: AND1's early advertising strategy was
about in your face street ball, trash talking and the promotion of the AND1
Mixtape tours featuring colorful players like Hot Sauce, The Professor, AO,
Skip to My Lou. Without prying too deep into your company's strategy, what are
AND1's goals now and in the foreseeable future?
RP: Well now and in the foreseeable future I think it is our responsibility to acknowledge the fact that next year marks the 20-year anniversary since the brand was founded. So I can't express how excited I am about that and to be able to be at this brand at such a critical milestone. That it is invaluable. I get nervous in a good way that we do all the things we need to do to properly pay homage to the brand being 20 years old. But in terms of what we are going to do, we're going to play into our past and actually create a celebration. I think we are going to speak to the roots of the brand, where the brand was founded and again acknowledge all those exciting players that you named. I think it is our responsibility to get the same level or even more excitement behind the new generation of people who were inspired by those names and take it to the next level in terms of the renaissance and the re-explosion of the brand.
RP: Well now and in the foreseeable future I think it is our responsibility to acknowledge the fact that next year marks the 20-year anniversary since the brand was founded. So I can't express how excited I am about that and to be able to be at this brand at such a critical milestone. That it is invaluable. I get nervous in a good way that we do all the things we need to do to properly pay homage to the brand being 20 years old. But in terms of what we are going to do, we're going to play into our past and actually create a celebration. I think we are going to speak to the roots of the brand, where the brand was founded and again acknowledge all those exciting players that you named. I think it is our responsibility to get the same level or even more excitement behind the new generation of people who were inspired by those names and take it to the next level in terms of the renaissance and the re-explosion of the brand.
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SPL: What to look out for regarding the AND1
product line…what's hot coming out and when can we expect to see the latest
gear?
RP: Well I think the biggest thing that I'm
excited about in regard to our product line is our current owners', which is
Galaxy International, a newly formed group out of New York. They are some
phenomenal people who have come together, industry vets who have formed a whole
new group. The first thing they did was they gave me the tools to be able to expand
the product line. Before we had limited resources, we really couldn't be a full
on brand. We are most excited to be able to expand a line and have a
"Lo-Qi" product (pronounced like Low Key), our mid tier product and
have high-end performance product, that's what I'm most excited about. We will
be able to supply our consumer fully with everything that they would want from
us to express themselves in our brand. And I think it is important to speak on
the brand, because I think "a brand is basically a culture that you share
with people in exchange for their money". I've been blessed to be
affiliated with a lot of good looking product over the breath of my career and
I try to inspire my team to give us the best performing product made out of the
best materials, constructed the best way that it can be and at the same time,
allow you to be what I think people want to be when they wear stuff and that's
to be cool. We are really excited in terms of what we are bringing to the table
and I like to speak on the level of excitement that we have been blessed to be
able to sign the Morris twins. I think those guys represent this renaissance
and this new slate and this new opportunity. We are pretty much doing a full
court press getting back into the game.
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There you have it, And Juans! Looks like very exciting times are ahead, not just for AND1 celebrating its upcoming 20th anniversary next year, but also beyond 2013. Personally, I’m stoked with Rob’s responses especially some bits of info about what AND1 has in stock for everyone. If anyone has been paying attention, Rob mentioning Galaxy International (the new group that owns AND1) means they now have more flexibility as far as churning out new products (more basketball-related gear!) and being able to expand what they are currently offering such as the Lo-Qi line (off court/lifestyle). From a consumer standpoint, we are looking at new products that not only look good and represent the game of basketball well, but also performs at a high level expected for this game.
For more info about the SPL, check out their website by clicking HERE. The 2012
schedule includes Tryout Camp dates on July 12 and 13, 2012, and actual League
dates will be between July 15 - July 29.
The Championship game is scheduled on July 30. Stay tuned to AND1 Philippines for international features and the regular local updates by following us on
Twitter (follow @and1ph) and
LIKE us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/and1ph). And that’s the 411, And Juan!
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