While David was coaching his 11 year old son's hockey team, he met retired NHL player Morris Lukowich
who happened to be a friend of one of the other hockey dads on the team. One day David ran into Morris Lukowich at the gym, at this point Lukowich had heard about Thermablade's financial fate and asked Hamm if he'd be interested in helping revive the idea.
Hamm then tracked down a pair of blades and tried them on himself. "I put it on my feet and it was just amazing. There was a difference in so many ways - how it turned, how it glided," he said. "They haven't done much to a blade in 30 years. More R&D was put into this than all the skate manufacturers combined." He fell in love with the idea of heated blades and acquired the companies remaining assets. ThermaBlade was 3 million in debt. Hamm paid an undisclosed portion for the remaining assets, acquired the rights to the patents and formed a new company. As the new CEO, Hamm formed a new strategy to attack the global market and didn't worry about taking on the NHL. He believed if his strategy worked, the NHL would just come to him anyways.
"We're going to attack Russia," he said. "We're going to attack Europe. And we're going to sell direct. By selling direct, nobody can stop us."
With a lowered price of $250.00 for the set of blades, charger and shipping it was a more attractive product than the previous asking price of $399.00 for the blades alone. This was a major step to attracting the youth of the game on top of advertising at hockey camps and magazines.
In less than three months Hamm and his new partners had 60 players in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League testing the blades. Jari Kurri even jumped on board and is testing out the blades for himself. The company has begun selling direct via its new website, thermabladehockey.com.
Hamm also took the blades to the next level. Not only are the blades heated, but they also added 'Further afield' which is a computer chip that records movement, speed and other performance factors. A great way to keep track of the players ice time, their development, and many other aspects to their game.
Although ThermaBaldes is in the hands of Hamm, Eighty of the original investors, including Weber and his brother, have stayed on and are in full support of the blades. Weber may no longer hold his patented invention, but he feels it will be personal victory when and if the Blades make it to the big show.
I forgot all about these. I remember being hyped about it when they were first introduced but the price was insane. Now that they're cheaper I might check these out, I wonder if they have a return policy though?
ReplyDeleteFor professional it may give an edge but the market was to small for them to actually turn a profit. Kids change skates yearly and outgrow their equipment yearly so $75 for replacement blades would be a waste. BUT like most if I see professionals wear and use them . . . I want'em!
ReplyDeleteWe all thought that about the one piece hockey sticks. No way are parents going to be paying ridiculous amounts of money for a hockey stick with a short life spane. Well, they did and they still are.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately hockey has priced out many parents. Only the people with money these days, or people who will go broke supporting their kids, will make it far. The minor hockey league has become littered with politics. Money talks in this sport.
I just wonder if the blades can be changed out, or do the blades themselves have to be specially compatable? I wish there was a way to just try these out, wouldn't want to risk spending the money and not notice a great difference. Sounds cool none the less.
ReplyDeleteI do speed skating. That chip idea in the blade would do wonders for my training. I see it's only available in the hockey skate, wouldn't it be smart to add that in speed skating?
ReplyDeleteAny idea what it actually records and where the recordings can be viewed? Speed would obviously make sense in my case.