The hunting and fishing industries have largely been taken over by big conglomerates and corporations.
Submitted photo
Hunting and fishing industry has become big business.
Time changes everything. Sometimes it takes eons for change to be noticeable, and sometimes it happens in an instant. The outdoor industry, for example, is unrecognizable to those who were involved 20 years ago. What was once an industry of family-owned businesses and shoestring startups is now a playground for venture capitalists and billionaire deals.
This is one of those “back when I was getting started” sort of reflections, as well as an honest look at where the industry is today and what effects have resulted. The explosion of outdoor media has influenced major change in the mentalities of those from younger generations who are taking to the woods and water armed with space-age technologies, mass produced gear manufactured in China, and a burning desire to post a hero shot to social media to garner personal attention.
A little archery shop in Hebron that went out of business more than 20 years ago was where I first spent time around the business of hunting. My friends and I bought our arrows there and other miniscule pieces of gear back in the mid- to late 1990s. Our bows were bought used, and our hunting clothes were snowmobile suits we also wore when shoveling driveways to earn enough money to buy those arrows. When Gander Mountain opened a store 20 minutes away, the little archery shop couldn’t compete and soon after went out of business. Looking back, I bought my first new bow at Gander Mountain. I should have bought it at the archery shop.
As larger and larger businesses began entering the outdoor space, small businesses began to disappear. Many just ceased to exist, while others were bought by holding companies that built conglomerates. Today, only a few companies own most of the recognizable brands in the outdoor space. Their executives often have little to no knowledge of hunting, shooting or fishing, instead being finance and supply chain wizards who can whittle a few cents off the cost of goods by stuffing a few more boxes in a shipping container or eliminating a couple more jobs.
I spent a few years working for one of these conglomerates and I have an MBA, so I’ve participated in the industry change, and I have a thorough understanding of how businesses win in this modern world. I may not particularly like it, but I’m not one to dwell on false hopes of returning to the ways of the past. We’re here and the future of the outdoor industry looks to belong to those who can gather the most chips — with chips being once-independent companies.
A recent press release I read sparked this article. After reading it, I sat back for a minute and thought about those days in the small archery shop, my old bow without sights, the torn coveralls I hunted in for years, and wondered if we, the outdoor community, are better off or not. Has the business world secured the future of hunting and fishing, or has it simply dehumanized traditions as old as time by turning them into comparisons to pickleball?
The press release announced the sale of Good Sportsman Marketing Outdoors (GSM) by Gridiron Capital, LLC to Platinum Equity. Capital and equity. Not terms you consider much when hunting or fishing, but clearly now involved in most aspects of both.
The release states, “GSM Outdoors is the industry-leading branded outdoor enthusiast company with a diverse and growing portfolio of more than 50 rugged outdoor brands. GSM provides a comprehensive range of consumable accessories, gear, and subscription services, along with an exceptional service model, making the company the ultimate one-stop shop for both consumers and retail partners.”
I’m going to venture to guess the exceptional service model statement isn’t meant for you and me. I wouldn’t take a bet that you can call GSM and have an expert walk you through the proper use of any of the thousands of products sold under the giant umbrella. And you’re certainly not walking in the front doors to talk with anyone about your issue. Hunting and fishing are big business. The following statement tells you about the current state of the industry:
“In 2020, Gridiron Capital partnered with Eddie Castro and the GSM management team to build an industry-leading outdoor enthusiast platform. Over the course of our partnership, GSM has grown significantly through strategic expansions into fishing and other rugged outdoor categories, while dramatically scaling the cellular and app subscription business, completing 18 acquisitions of iconic brands, and driving consistent organic growth through new product development,” Gridiron managing partner Kevin Jackson said. “The GSM team’s passion for serving their customers and winning in the marketplace is contagious, and we are incredibly proud to have been GSM’s partner during this exciting time. We are confident that GSM is positioned for even greater success going forward.”
This makes me more than ever want to find and support small, independent outdoor shops. Many of them sell products from the conglomerates, and many of those products are great. I admit to using a lot of them. I just hope somehow, some way, a few crumbs from the table make their way to the boots-on-the-ground men and women who are still holding onto the dream of owning an archery shop, tackle shop or independent gun store. And when I’m in their shops, I hope we talk about the weather, the rut, the night bite, or just about anything — as long as it doesn’t sound at all like the above quote.
See you down the trail …
Brandon Butler writes a weekly outdoors column for the Daily Journal. For more Driftwood Outdoors, check out the podcast on www.driftwoodoutdoors.com or anywhere podcasts are streamed. Send comments to [email protected].
