Why does everyone think Jobe is owned by Hype?

Why does everyone think that Jobe is owned by Hyperlite when they are separate companies?

Because they are owned by Kent Sports as are CWB,Liquid Force,and O'brien.

I thought hyperlite actually owned jobe (but this could be old news). Herb originally started jobe, then he sold it, and then he bought it back again. And when you watch the "day in the life" section on snap with brian grubb, he talks about keith joining jobe and now "he's a part of the hyperlite family." But then you throw kent into the mix, soooo....

I don't remember the whole deal on jobe anymore. I never really paid THAT much attention because I never really liked them. So I guess take that bizzaz for what it's worth.

Did you guys know that herb named the company "jobe" because jobe spelled backwards is "eboj?" Just kidding, I made that up...

(Message edited by electricsnow on March 27, 2004)

Electricsnow had it right (as usual) Herb started jobe, then sold it, started HO (which owns hyperlite) then bought jobe up, used it as a discount brand. So they used to own Jobe. Jobe was bought by kent.
And is now kinda run as a differant company, but still use the same factory (but I could be wrong about that last part) but notice how when all the Jobe riders were first signed they rode HL equip' and how much of the jobe stuff is the same as HL, they're still closely associated.
So to answer your question, everyone thought HL owns Jobe, because they did.

The way I under stood it, Herb started HO back in 81, Jobe skis was a separate company owned by Scott Jobe's dad (cant remember his name). Herb helped him out by letting him buy time on his presses at the factory in the 80's & 90's. When times got rough Herb bought the brand and it is still run as a separate company from the same factory. So Hyperlite doesn't own Jobe but they are run by the same people. Hyperlite is a division of the company HO Sports as is Jobe.

On a broader scope I was under the impression that Kent Watersports does have a financial interest in all of the companies Itch listed but leaves the businesses to run autonomously

Thats it, Leroy's got it right. I got a little confused with my post. (memory is getting foggy in my old age)

And Kent does own, CWB, LF, OB, HL, Jobe (am I leaving someone out?)

Well from what I always got Jobe is a totally separate company from Hyperlite and Kent Watersports. Jobe is owned by Herb and still is from what I know and is not owned in any way by Kent. HO sells Jobe in the US because of their relationship with Herb, but Jobe is all his and not part of the corporate machine of Kent.

Kristian, I thought that LF was owned by EOS??

EOS "downsized" and dumped LF and O'brien. Kent bought them up 3 months later.

Is that what happened....I remembered reading about it, I just had it backwards...i thought that EOS had picked them up instead of dropped them. My mistake. Thanks for the info!!!!!!!

yeah jobe riders like lyman. hes always got the accurate premier handle which is owned by hyperlite. Keih's new binding looks just like the byerly/hyback

Guys I was wrong, that kent owns those companies: "Kent does not own any of those companies. The same guy that owns Kent has varying stakes in those companies, but Kent has nothing to do with them."

jobes kicks arse

Wait...so LF, Hyperlite, CWB and O'Brien are all owned by the same people?? Its more dominating than microsoft...

could that be the reason why boards/bindings prices are about the same year after year...and remains that expensive????

Jobe is in the same factory as hyperlite at the entrance to marrymoore park in redmond, wa. Obrien is on Avondale in Redmond and I thought they were owned by coleman. Neptune I think used to be made there as well.

(Message edited by polarbill on March 29, 2004)

Kent(Bob Archer)either owns or has majority interest in CWB Obrien LF HO and all its subsidiaries including accurate Jobe and hyperlite. and if im not mistaken a few other companys in wake. i heard someone say oneil wakeboard stuff is part of it...

something to realize though is that as much of a monopoly as it seems that one company owns all these its actually good. having the money from kent(bob) is good he gave the industry for the time being at least, some major stability and is helping our sport to grow. and remember they are all operated as single entities and are wanted to succeed just as much as the rest.

Kent doesn't acctually own these companies Bob Archer just has interest in them. Not Kent, but Bob.

if one person or company owned all the other small companies, they would be an idiot. why spend more money on competition for yourself. on top of that, liquid force and hyperlite jus recently finished a huge lawsuit against eachother that nearly bankrupted both of them.
HO, hyperlite and accurate have the same parent company. LF is its own, as well as obrien and cwb