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Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
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No knowledge needed! Fire up the outrage by getting off that protest line out at Saddleback Mt and join the Ikon Bling Outrage Patrol, IBOP.

Your meetings will be held at IHOP as most of their restaurants are recycled from the 70’s and they’re only one letter off the cause. To prove your not one of those new New Englanders, bring a jar of Fluff to spread on the pancakes.

When I first encountered @James on Epic (as "tog"), I thought, "I wonder if he's smoking something." Now I just think, "He is definitely smoking something." Keep it coming.

And @fatbob is just funny in this thread.
 

fatbob

Not responding
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. Maybe that is a better suggestion to send into Ikon verses lambasting them for trying to do something nice.

Oh well since you asked nicely I'll offer first verse

Hmm skiing; I think I'll give that a punt.
So for great passes I went on the hunt.
Goody- patches I'll don,
To show love for Ikon
But boo-hoo, locals just think Iakunt
 
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socalgal

Making fresh tracks
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Oh well since you asked nicely I'll offer first verse

Hmm skiing; I think I'll give that a punt.
So for great passes I went on the hunt.
Goody- patches I'll don,
To show love for Ikon
But boo-hoo, locals just think Iakunt

Haikus anyone?

Stickers mailed to me
Did they come from trees I ski?
IKON't wait for snow.
 

Muleski

So much better than a pro
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...unless it's a investor relations play.

At some point in the next 5-6 or so years, KSL Capital and Henry Crown and Co. will seek to have a "liquidity event" to cash out of the deal. That is how it is structured, and as a substantial P.E. firm in this niche, it is how KSL's principals and their investors make their money. Let's just say, I'm reasonably close to this one. There are very high expectations.

By that time, particularly if the liquidity play is an IPO, Alterra absolutely must have a brand that is recognizable along with a mission and vision that is understood and makes sense. I am "pretty close" to somebody who is leading the team that is working on this challenge. Keep the individual resorts identities, but have those destination visitors very much aligned with being part of that portfolio of resorts. An "Alterra customer". So they choose to visit, year round and vacation....regardless of the cost savings of an Ikon pass. The target customer is not really the people who are obsessed with their daily lift cost being as low as possible. The business will not succeed based on that, and based solely on Ikon pass sales. The model depends on people knowing what Alterra is, and what to expect and rely on at an Alterra property. And Alterra knowing more about you that VR ever has, or ever will.

So "disagree' as you would like. I am guessing that you do not have a stake with KSL in the funds supporting Alterra, or you might have a different view. The good news for Alterra is that most people do think it's a fairly new venture with a lot of time to make more, bigger acquisitions and pull this all together. Unlike we on this site who act like it's "always been there....." Year two of the Ikon pass; that's it. Portfolio of resorts not close to being complete. $5Bil plus in cash ready to be deployed. Many smart people working on this.

But yes, TODAY, most skiers would not care about Alterra. Once it really unfolds, minds may change, for that target market. Think about it this way, their business is being build to cater to the top 15%-20% of destination resort spenders in the sport. And to dominate that niche. Not easy, and breaking new ground.

Meanwhile when most {or some} the 2.5% of Americans who ski, I actually would say 1% at the very most, see Alterra as being Ikon and Ikon as being something hated by locals in resort towns....if they really are tuned in. Right now Ikon, Epic, same thing, different resorts.

So there is branding, marketing, PR and goodwill work all to be undertaken, underway, an soon to accelerate. Still not sure the pass swag made sense, at all.

I think I'll retreat again from the topic of Alterra.
 

dbostedo

Asst. Gathermeister
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I wonder how much easier the branding would be if the pass and org has the same name? Vail was already well known when they chose the Epic branding, so didn't have to develop both at once (as much). Alterra needs to brand themselves, and the Ikon pass products. Granted - the target audience is different between the two, but I wonder how much synergy they would have had if they were Ikon Inc, and selling Ikon passes (as an example).
 

graham418

Skiing the powder
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Just got my packet in the mail. I guess this year Canadians are getting it the same time as the rest of you. Same ugly photo of me as last year :P I had been waiting for them to ask for a new photo like they did before. And everything in the packet but a lanyard (would have been the most useful item)
 

fatbob

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@Muleski

We appreciate your input but it all feels a bit Wizard of Oz. There is something great and mighty out there just don't look too far behind the curtain just yet. I assume we'll know when we know what the play really is.

So far so good, they've captured the wallet of a significant number of serious skiers like here. The people who will travel and blog and insta and evangelise about the great places they've skied. Those that their colleagues ask for a bit of intel when planning a ski trip. And they somehow aren't yet seen as being too corporate even though those of us that have seen both sides know that often a hard nosed corp like VR can seem like a fluffy playpen compared to a PE driven business.

I get that they end up with a monopoly on the high end places that aren't VR. And maybe internationalise it more. But the high end people aren't patsies. They are loyal when they get what they want but can see through fluff and BS. So why do I care if Aspen or JH is or isn't Ikon or Alterra? They are already iconic names. What does it get me beyond a handy pass which is very good value for someone prepared to roadtrip? I don't care whether f&b or instruction or s'mores firepits are standardised and scaled or left unique and distinct . The locals backlash is something they've handled badly although probably it's a storm in a teacup and will evaporate soon enough in a average or poor season when skier days are down.
 
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Viking9

Out on the slopes
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Hey Ron , aka Finndog , aka “ The Gentleman From Jersey “ ( that’s mine you know ) we’ll be meeting our daughters in Salt lake and then driving to the The Boat this year and Unfortunately last nite we received our bling pak and plastered our Tahoe and our helmets with the latest Ikon bling, hopefully we’ll make it out alive ...HA HA !!
I will be wearing my beautiful flylow jacket , arcteryx bibs and my awesome RAB jacket in the evenings thanks to you my man !!!
 
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Scruffy

Making fresh tracks
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Theres no problems here with Ikon. Wear with Pride. Hope to ski with ya'
IKON is doing well for the Boat I hear. New lifts, right?
 

Ron

Seeking the next best ski
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IKON is doing well for the Boat I hear. New lifts, right?

new Gondi which is nice and it is an upgrade but it was past-due on it's usable life from what I was told. They renovated the bar at the base. But we have passes that are $200 cheaper!
 

Rostapher

All Praise Ullr
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A free pbr would be nice.
Last season I bought two Ikon passes at Ski Dazzle in LA ($50 off the reg price) and they DID give me two vouchers for machine crafted american goodness in a can. So yes it can happen!
I gave them $1300 (i think) & they gave me 2 $4 beers. Seems like a fair trade. ;):beercheer:
 

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
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I got my pile of crap today. I like the look of last years pass better and they didn't send me a lanyard this time. I might keep the "yeti" sticker but I'm going to pass on the rest to someone who will appreciate it. Some people, especially those with kids, can't get enough of it.
We can give you a Pugski Lanyard. :D
Let us know if you want pugski stickers with it :duck:
 

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