BUSINESS MATTERS: GOODE SPORT BUSINESSMATTERS


Paul Smith, Partner at Goode Sport, UK distributor for Ashaway and Black Knight, talks to International Squash Magazine.


www.isquashstore.com/Ashaway


What is the history behind Goode Sport, Ashaway & Black Knight? My business partners Nick and Andy Goode started Goode Sport 26 years ago. Both Nick and Andy were badminton players, and they were introduced to the strings whilst playing abroad. Goode Sport is now the distributor for Ashaway strings and Black Knight Squash in the UK and Ireland.


Ashaway is the largest and oldest racket string manufacturer in the world and the only one based in America. It is a family business, which is now being run by the fifth generation of the Crandall Family.


Black Knight is based in Canada and was established over 20 years ago. Black Knight is the distributor for Ashaway strings in Canada. So Black Knight, Goode Sport and Ashaway are all closely linked.


How many products are there in the Black Knight/Ashaway range? In squash we carry eight types of string, eight rackets, five types of eyewear and lots of different clothing, luggage, squash balls, grips and accessories.


Can you tell us a little about the Black Knight racket range and the technology behind it? The ION series heads up the Black Knight racket range. These rackets are constructed using Nano Crystalline Technology (NCT), which is polymer added to the graphite to increase strength without increasing weight. Top of the range is the ION Storm which was designed by and is now used by the four-time British Open and two-time World Open Champion David Palmer.


The ION Drive, also designed with David, is similar to the Storm, but with a lighter head. The new ION Cannon at 130g, which has an extended throat for extra power, and the ION Double Diamond which is a little heavier at 145g, completes the Black Knight ION series.


What is the current best selling product and why? The Ashaway PowerNick ® 18 is our best selling product. It is well promoted and


endorsed, but mainly its success is down to it being a great, unique product. Virtually every other string available is polyurethane based (nylon), but PowerNick is Zyex based. Zyex is a similar compound to nylon, but it is less stretchy and a bit tougher, which means that PowerNick strings hold their tension better and are stronger. Because PowerNick strings are stronger we can make them thinner, and thinner strings offer more power and give a better feel. So with PowerNick you have a string that is stronger, thinner, offers more power, a crisper feel and holds its tension - it’s not difficult to see why it sells so well and is used by so many of the world’s top players.


How much input do your consumers and professional athletes have in the R&D for new technologies and product design? A lot. The Black ION Storm racket was specifically designed with David Palmer, who went through fifteen prototype frames all with different balance points, weights and hitting areas etc. David spent countless hours testing and offering feedback to the Black Knight Design Team before they all agreed on the frame that he now uses.


What does having professional players using your products mean to the brand and its identity? It is one of the promotional tools that all the brands use and it is important for people to see that your product can be used at the top of the game. It shows that the brand is serious about the sport and is supporting squash players.


David Palmer has made a huge impact on Black Knight sales around the world, not just in the UK, as have Ashaway’s sponsored players on string sales.


How does a potential buyer go about purchasing products? We only supply specialist racket retailers so the best thing to do would be to look at our recommended retailer list on our websites www.ashaway.co.uk, or of course it’s all widely available on-line.


World No.9 Daryl Selby has signed a three-year sponsorship agreement to use and endorse Ashaway’s new Zyex-based UltraNick® 18.


Selby joined the PSA World Tour in 2004 and rose steadily through the rankings until last year when a string of spectacular victories propelled him from World No.33 into the top ten.


For more information or to buy on-line visit:


www.isquashstore.com/Ashaway or telephone 0844 8797 949.


INTERNATIONALSQUASHMAGAZINE September 2010 | 27 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalSquashMagazine


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