Who likes spending $300+ on a stick? We all know Hockey is expensive, from ice time cost to league fees to the equipment, it all adds up. However, there is one company out there that is trying to do its part to help lower the cost of hockey. That company is Verbero. In a time when hockey cost is at an all-time high, Verbero is finding ways to help players get great equipment and quality uniforms at prices that won’t break the bank.
Verbrero has been around for a while. They started in 2008. It wasn’t well known back then, but Verbero was making quality gloves and sticks that gave quality and value at a lower price point than its competitors. It hasn’t been until the last few years that Verbero has started getting its name out there. The big reason for that is former NHLer, Andy Sutton, who is the CEO of Verbero. Andy started in 2019 and has really pushed Verbero to become a bigger brand since taking over.
With Andy Sutton behind Verbero, he has taken the company to a new level that its competitors can’t. They were the first company to have a female hockey player stick with the “Wickstick”. It was designed by Canadian hockey legend Hayley Wickenheiser. In addition to that, they have created one of the lightest sticks on the market and it’s at a fraction of the cost of the top-end ones from Bauer or CCM. Their Mercury 350v is only $249.99 and is one of the lightest sticks on the market. They also do a full line of player and goalie equipment that goes up against the bigger brands. For example, they have partnered with Kennesky, to produce high-end goalie equipment in Canada and for about a third of the price of Bauer, which is made overseas. Being able to manufacture high-end equipment at a lower price, is making Verbero stand out.
In addition to the equipment side of their brand, they also have been focusing on customization for teams and associations. With Verbero you can outfit your entire team with custom gloves, bags, tracksuits, jerseys, and even sticks! No other company on the market is offering this. This is a huge advantage and they have really started getting into areas where the big brands can’t.
One of the unique areas of customization that Verbero has gotten into is club college hockey programs. This is a very unique idea as most of these teams are overlooked. However, Verbero has come up with a way to not only outfit the teams but also help them fundraise. Most club teams have a shoestring budget or no budget requiring their members / players to do all the work. This means fundraising, and buying your own equipment. The way Verbero works with clubs is that it will not only outfit your team with everything you need at a cost-effective price, but they can also help you set up a fundraising web store so you can sell jerseys and merchandise. Then, whatever the team sells, the team then gets to keep profits. This helps teams fund team’s seasons. Some teams have raised a lot of money! By targeting colleges and large associations, Verbero has done what most small hockey companies can’t… get their products into the hands of kids. This has helped them gain traction in a very competitive field.
While they are still a small player when comparing them to CCM or Bauer, Verbero is taking the right steps to grow. They have recently partnered with CHF / AAU college hockey. This is getting them more visibility into the club college hockey game. They also have a new skate coming out that will be a fraction of the cost of their competitors. They are also revolutionizing the way that “sales” are done because they go direct to consumers, or you can order directly through the club that they work with. Thus, eliminating a storefront / middleman aspect which keeps their prices low. They are partnering with more youth teams as well which means more exposure to their product. All of these avenues help them get the younger players exposed to their brand, and the overall feedback has been positive which is half the battle for small companies.
Verbero is quickly becoming a hockey company that is making hockey accessible. In a time when hockey cost is at an all-time high, Verbero is finding ways to help players get great equipment and quality uniforms at prices that won’t break the bank.
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