Louisville Slugger Sold to Wilson Sporting Goods

[murphusa]

Doesn't seem right

http://www.14news.com/story/28588688...sporting-goods

[Joe_G.]

I'm with you Jim, I'm sad to see this announcement.

At least Wilson has a pretty rich history as well, headquartered in Chicago and making sporting equipment for a century now. I've been corresponding with one of the guys at the Louisville Slugger museum over the last couple months. Sounds like he will be OK (I hope!). Feel bad for those losing their jobs in the transition.

[murphusa]

to sell the brand? Only get $70 million, at least it didn't go overseas

Just found out a wilson is now owned by a Company from Finland, just great

[Huysmans]

Sadly, all great things come to an end gentleman.
The loss of jobs to indivuals is the worst part of this.

[Runscott]

I don't think this is so bad. It used to be that large companies bought their competition, eliminated all duplication and spat out a product that only superficially resembled that of the company they had ingested. The new model has been to do what Wilson is doing with H&B - breweries are also doing it. It supposedly sacrifices only the financials, which I could care less about.

[autograf]

As a life-long Louisville resident, I hate to see this. But.....things change and things move on. At least Wilson will be keeping the brand and the bat museum and manufacture of the H&B wooden bats will remain in Louisville. The musuem hosts 250K people every year or thereabouts and it's a fantastic place and iconic site with the 100+ foot tall bat outside. It's across the street from the Muhammad Ali museum....hopefully he doesn't sell out to Wilson too.......