Sugarbush Magazine Puzzles Me

[billski]

So I just cracked open my collateral package of marketing materials from Sugarbush. (for distribution at the club meeting). In it, is Sugarbush Magazine (I must read everything snow-related!) which is essentially the 'bush marketing piece de resistence.
On its back page is a full page advert. for MRG. The only other ads are coffee and beer.
Is Sugarbush chummy with MRG? Or do they just see them as cute, non-threatening competition? What am I missing here?

 

[gostan]

Sugarbush and MRG are both located in the Mad River Valley. MRV is really one community that enjoys skiing and riding. Many SB skiers ski at MRG, and vice versa and the ski areas really do not compete with each other for skiers, as each offer a different skiing experience.

 

[thetrailboss]

Sugarbush and MRG are both located in the Mad River Valley. MRV is really one community that enjoys skiing and riding. Many SB skiers ski at MRG, and vice versa and the ski areas really do not compete with each other for skiers, as each offer a different skiing experience.

+ 1.

Both do market together in the Mad River Chamber of Commerce and offer a "ski the valley" package with the B&B's in the Valley because they perceive themselves to be catering to different markets and by in large they are. Sugarbush used to allow MRG passholders to ski at SB early season before MRG opened, but that arrangement has since ended I believe. I do know that a fair number of people I run into at SB actually have Mount Ellen passes and MRG passes so that they can ski at both.

But I will admit that I thought it was odd as well to see that ad on the back page.

 

[Highway Star]

If they offered a combo pass at a reasonable price I, and several others, would seriously consider relocating from Killington.

 

[Greg]

If they offered a combo pass at a reasonable price I, and several others, would seriously consider relocating from Killington.

I always thought a Ski the Valley full pass would be a great option. Tough to beat the SB/MRG combo.

 

[snowmonster]

^ Here's another combo that's tough to beat: Stowe-Smuggs.

SB-MRG seem to get along. Don't they have that parade around Waitsfield where SB and MRG have a float where their reps are in pajamas and lying in the same bed?

 

[thetrailboss]

^ Here's another combo that's tough to beat: Stowe-Smuggs.

And they used to have a reciprocal ticket.

SB-MRG seem to get along. Don't they have that parade around Waitsfield where SB and MRG have a float where their reps are in pajamas and lying in the same bed?

Sounds like you are thinking of the famous 4th of July Parade. There was one year when MRG and SB did a joint float.

 

[vonski]

Revenue! Somebody has to buy the back page!

It always kills me on skimrv when I see the Killington banner advertisement. But Sugarbush has no control over that one.

I wonder if the publication company for Sugarbush approves the adds in the Sugarbush magazine?

Also, both mountain pass would not work for Riders!

 

[severine]

Also, both mountain pass would not work for Riders!

That doesn't mean that those of us who could take advantage of it wouldn't like that option. And riders still could--they just need to learn to ski.

We purchased a Ski The Valley 3-day ticket the first season I skied. It was nice having the option of going between the 2 ski areas.

 

[thetrailboss]

^ Here's another combo that's tough to beat: Stowe-Smuggs.

SB-MRG seem to get along. Don't they have that parade around Waitsfield where SB and MRG have a float where their reps are in pajamas and lying in the same bed?

A friend of mine just found this from 2000:

 

[billski]

A friend of mine just found this from 2000:

Funny! It would have been even funnier if it was (as I first thought) the Cranmore skimobile!

 

[WWF-VT]

Sugarbush and Mad River Glen are friendly neighbors but it’s unlikely that you would ever see a combination pass offered. As trailboss pointed out, there are some people that get a Mount Ellen pass and a MRG pass. If you buy at early season rates that combination is a good value. A midweek day ticket to MRG or a MadCard gets you on the mountain at very reasonable cost. From my experience most season pass holders are dedicated to either SB or MRG and will make the occasional trip to the other mountain and would not likely want a combo pass.

 

[thetrailboss]

The other concern with a combo season pass is the revenue splitting arrangement. SB and MRG are vastly different operations and managed differently. MRG is essentially a non-profit that has shareholders whose interest is in sustaining the mountain as it is. SB is privately held now by two or three individuals who are interested in seeing SB operate as it is, but want to see if grow and to turn a profit. The missions kind of clash there.

But we can dream though.

 

[KingM]

The Ski the Valley Pass is a package available only through those lodging properties who belong to the Community Sponsorship program*. You can ski any combination of Lincoln Peak, Mt. Ellen, and Mad River Glen.

*Community Sponsorship is a special section of the Chamber of Commerce that adds 4% to your bill at member properties along with your 9% rooms and meals tax to fund special advertising. I don't belong because the advertising mostly targets wedding business and upscale clientele which is not my business. Also, I don't like the idea of tacking on a 4% surcharge over quoted rates, like most properties do, and I can't afford taking it out of my bottom line, which is not that big to begin with.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Every major resort in the country has a marketing magazine, what goes in the Sugarbush mag is controlled by Sugarbush. Not sure what you don't get...is it that MRG is marketing their ammeneties instead of their awesome terrain. You can email Eric(MRG GM) and ask him but my guess is that everyone already knows about the terrain, that is the point of most of their marketing, so for this piece of collaterall they wanted people to know they have other great things aside from the terrain.

BTW the infamous 4th of July parade is in Warren, not Waitsfield.