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The largest Swiss ski manufacturer Stöckli is growing and wants to grow even further. A figurehead like ski racer Marco Odermatt helps. Stöckli is spending a total of three million francs on all athletes.
“Everything goes skiing,” that was once upon a time. Today only 27 percent of Swiss people say they ski regularly. The number of daily admissions to ski areas is also declining, down 25 percent in 20 years.
Our customers are serious skiers, this ensures stability.
“Such numbers certainly don’t make you happy,” says Marc Brille, managing director of the ski manufacturer Stöckli. But he’s not worried because: “We produce skis for the upper price segment. Our customers are serious skiers, which ensures stability,” he says.
75,000 skis per year
Stöckli is the last remaining major ski brand in Switzerland. With around 75,000 skis produced annually, the brand is a small player internationally. Atomic, the largest ski brand in the world, produces around 400,000 skis a year.
Nevertheless, Stöckli wants to grow; in the medium term, the company wants to produce 90,000 skis annually. Stöckli currently sells the most skis in Switzerland. But growth is tempting elsewhere: in the USA, the largest winter sports market in the world. The Stöckli boss sees great potential there: “In the last five years we have increased our sales in the USA fivefold.” It is even possible that sales in the USA will one day exceed those in Switzerland.
“Odermatt is a factor in our success”
In addition to classic advertising, ski brands primarily rely on figureheads for the sport. At Stöckli it is ski racer and gold medalist Marco Odermatt. “Marco Odermatt is a factor in Stöckli’s success,” the managing director is convinced.
However, Brille does not say how much money Odermatt receives as a brand ambassador. He only reveals this much: “There’s a bonus for a podium finish.”
That’s what ski world champion Marco Odermatt says
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SRF News: How much money do the sponsors bring in?
Marco Odermatt: It’s no secret: When skiing, the head sponsor and the ski company are by far the two largest sources of income for an athlete. As skiers, we are neither employed nor do we have a regular salary. Then there are restrictions due to the industry’s claim to exclusivity. The ski brand Stöckli and my main sponsor Red Bull are the largest sources of income.
What happens if there is an injury?
You have clauses in contracts; If you don’t do so many races, you have so much less. If you don’t appear on TV, the sponsor gets less out of you. But these are partnerships, some of which have existed for years. Over time it also becomes a bit familial. I do hope that they would stay by my side in the event of an injury.
How important is the personal relationship with the ski outfitter?
Very important. I live half an hour away from the company, I can walk by at any time, no matter how small the issue. The service people or the people who produce skis in the factory: you get to know them, you learn to appreciate them. I visit this company once or twice every year to say thank you and show my appreciation. This is very important to me.
Stöckli is spending a total of three million francs on sponsorship, for Marco Odermatt and for the young talent. “In total, we support around 30 athletes,” says the Stöckli boss.