Unfortunately the same is true in my area. The three pro shops that used to sell Volkl have dropped the line due to lack of sales (according to the owners - as I was looking to try a DNX 10 mid but TW didn't have my grip size as a demo); so no Volkl or BB gear anywhere in this region. Too bad - I think Volkl/Becker have butchered the marketing of a once growing brand.
IMO, Volkl was a niche brand and achieved its success by appealing to a particular segment of players. I call them player's players (PP). They decided to get greedy and go mass market competing head-on with the Big Boys (BB) without the mass market endorsement dollars that are required to become a Big Boy. No dice here, it was discovered.
Indeed, Boris Becker is also a big boy (large male), and also appeals to this niche of PPs who are familiar with his achievements, however without the big BB endorsement $$ to top players CURRENTLY on tour, the new brand will also take a dump within the mass scheme of things. IMO, this is not the plan, however. I think that the people at Volkl are very intelligent and savvy not only in terms of engineering, but also in terms of marketing as well. IMO, the Boris Becker line is a spin-off strategy to once again proclaim their very own market of PPs. Image is the name of the game in branding and the single Volkl brand can not sustain both recreational/mass-market AND PP images within the consumers perceptions.
My only reservation is that a single player like Becker endorsing the line may only have minimal positive effects on the line as there exists a multitude of playing styles outside of Becker's own. Therefore, the offerings may be perceived to benefit only players with Becker's playing style. The PP market may not perceive things this way, however. In addition, the brand image also presents as "males-only." This may be a positive attribute for a niche brand like Boris Becker. In the mass market scheme of things, however, typical big-time endorsements deals attempt to garner players encompassing a multitude of styles, men and women alike.
For the main Volkl brand (who by the way, makes most of its $$ on great skiing equipment) to expand in their decision to become a mass-market, "recreational" brand, they will have to spend the required $$ to get top players to sport their logo on the personal observation monitor (POM-Television/PC Monitor)). No two ways about it. However, they may be able survive solely due to the phenomenal profitability of the recreational market.
Regardless, and when all is said and done, I will be demoing the BB11 as soon as I get over this nasty case of tonsilitis.
The aforementioned is strictly an opinion and the writer has no factual information regarding the business/marketing strategies of the Volkl or Boris Becker brands.
The terms Big Boy(S) (BB), Player's Players (PP), and Personal Observation Monitor (POM) are copyright 2007 MLM
