Pocket Outdoor Media (POM) has announced the acquisition of Big Stone Publishing (BSP), the long-time publisher of Rock & Ice, Trail Runner and Gym Climber magazines and websites.
The BSP brands join POM’s existing stable of active lifestyle brands: Climbing, Backpacker, Women’s Running, Triathlete, Yoga Journal, Clean Eating, VeloNews, SKI, and Warren Miller Entertainment, among others.
In a release, POM noted…
‘The acquisition brings together best-in-class consumer properties, diversifying POM’s media platform and allowing them to better serve active lifestyle enthusiasts and their media partners. The expanded business will continue to focus on putting the needs of its readers first, delivering content and experiences across the wide range of activities they are passionate about.’
“This acquisition significantly strengthens our ability to engage with outdoor enthusiasts across all of the seasons and sports that live at the intersection of adrenaline and adventure,” said Robin Thurston, CEO of Pocket Outdoor Media.
“By merging Rock & Ice into Climbing, we’ll be better positioned to deliver exceptional content and cover all of the sport’s disciplines – trad, sport, gym, and alpine climbing – in ways not possible before.
“Similarly, Trail Runner broadens our running portfolio, adding the dominant title in the sport’s fastest-growing discipline.”
The new acquisitions further bolster POM’s commitment to ‘become the hub for active lifestyle enthusiasts looking to live a balanced and healthy lifestyle.’
The company’s Active Pass membership program recently launched for its endurance brands, featuring benefits that include a wide range of premium content, VeloPress books, magazine subscriptions, Roll Massif event access, and training plans through a strategic partnership with Today’s Plan.
The membership program will roll out across the entire POM network in the coming months with content and benefits from the new acquisitions included.
POM’s Active Pass membership program has reportedly seen strong adoption from consumers who are now able to personalize their content choices. The company adds that it has committed significant resources across its entire network to ‘provide a user experience that inspires and enables enthusiasts of every skill level to run, bike, hike, ski, and practice yoga more often.’
“After getting to know Robin and the team, it was clear that we’d found the perfect home for brands we’ve nurtured into category leaders,” said Duane Raleigh, President of Big Stone Publishing.
“We’re closely aligned on quality and authenticity being central to our mission, and the combination of our teams will be a classic case of one plus one equalling three. It’ll be an editorial and sales powerhouse perfectly situated to take advantage of recent participation surges in running and climbing.”
www.PocketOutdoorMedia.com
www.TrailRunnerMag.com
www.RockandIce.com
