Nike yesterday "folded its surf products into its Hurley division," according to Connelly & Liddane of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. Nike last night said that it "will focus its efforts on skateboarding and snowboarding, while leaving Hurley to focus on surf gear and 'partnering with some of the world's top surf athletes.'" After Nike bought Hurley in '02, the "sports giant launched Nike Surfing, a surf apparel line primarily focused on men's boardshorts, T-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts." Orange County-based Board-Trac Managing Dir Marie Case said that Hurley "is a well-known brand among surfers, but Nike Surfing isn't." Case added that Nike's decision "is a smart move because it's likely a consolidation of resources." The changes "point to the difficulty that major action sports brands have gaining traction in the tight surf industry." Dino Andino, the father and manager of Nike Surfing team member Kolohe Andino, said, "It is very difficult to enter into the realm of being an authentic surf brand when you're a big mainstream company. I think that's why they are putting their money into Hurley" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 11/28).
