Fox Head just made another major acquisition in their 2012 campaign to redefine their position in the Surf Industry by signing Bruce Irons. That’s right, after 20 years as Volcom’s top team rider, Brucey is turning in his Stone for a Fox sticker on his board during the 2012 Billabong Pipemasters.
Enich Harris who signed the late great Andy Irons to Billabong, was hired as Fox’s Global VP of Marketing last month. He foreshadowed the move in his Shop-Eat-Surf interview “An initial focus will be the task to reinvent Fox’s approach to surf and bring new energy to the industry. Out of the gates the most visible changes you will see at Fox in that arena will include building a strong team both internally and with athletes.”
Sources indicated that Bruce signed a multi-year deal, and a signature collection of Bruce Irons clothing, footwear and accessories will be released in early 2013.
When Bruce’s Volcom contract expired in 2004 Bruce turned down competing offers and expressed his lifetime loyalty to Richard Woolcott for putting faith in him at the age of 13. But much has changed with Bruce and V-Co since they renegotiated 8 years ago; Bruce lost his brother, gained a son, and conquered many of the world’s deadliest waves, while Volcom has gone public and is now dealing with changing media rights that has caused some companies to reduce their investment in surfing.
So why is this 33 yr old non-touring surfer such a significant signing for Fox? 6 words: slabs, snaps, airs, balls, attitude, style. Bruce is the whole package, see for yourself…
Bruce Irons signing with Fox raises questions about the changing landscape of surfing, like “What will become of the Pipe House” and “What’s next for Fox…a possible U.S. Open Sponsorship?”
One thing is for certain, Bruce will continue to think and charge like he can surf any wave in the world, as he claims. He joins fellow big wave charging Hawaiian Ian Walsh, WCT dark-horses Bede Durbidge and Damien Hobgood , and a pack of hungry touring pros on the Fox Head team.
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