Phelps Calls Acquired by Meateater

[beginnerhunter]

Plus I think Adam enjoys the fact that his business is family owned and operated, even if you eliminate the money portion.

It does seem that if you've ever advertised on the MeatEater podcast, there is a good chance that they will make an offer to acquire you eventually.

I still like most of what they put out (outside of the clickbait articles like caliber battles), but they've lost a bit of their shine to me as they've focused more on selling product than diy adventures and a good story. Especially enjoy when Cal, Janis (and Janis' father), and Remi are involved. Still wish them the best and hope they continue to be good voices for conservation.

I immediately thought of BRCC. But being proud to be veteran owned seems like a big part of what they do. Same with vortex.

I'll draw the line at ingesting organ pills. They can't get me to do that. Maybe.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Maybe Meateater will be bought out by Cabelas for big $$$$. Must have taken a lot to buy Sportsman's Warehouse.

 

[MO Betta]

Maybe Meateater will be bought out by Cabelas Bass Pro for big $$$$. Must have taken a lot to buy Sportsman's Warehouse.

Ol Johnny Morris bought Cabelas, and now Sportsman's Warehouse, and yes - that man has a lot of money.

 

[OverlordBear]

I would be shocked if they ever bought SG.

I like and have nothing against Steve or Meateater but the ME and THC podcasts lately have been hard for me to finish.

THC is self loathing talk therapy session pretending to be a podcast I dropped that after a couple of episodes. Grittygot way better after Brian Call started hunting with Ryan Lampers and he stopped talking about B&C scores on every damn animal he shot.

Score talk sounds like men talking about cup size, it is objectification of the animal and it doesn’t sound respectful of the privilege that is hunting.

I bought a meat eater weatherby and it was sub Moa out of the box and I really like all the features. I want to like first lite but it is plain flimsier than Sitka and Kuiu it just isn’t tough enough against the brush I go through.

 

[Cheesehead]

They now own Firstlite, FHF, and Phelps. Any bets on whose next? Weatherby? Schnees? Stone Glacier? Crazy power moves by this conglomerate.

They’ve moved a lot of Vortex and Outdoorsmans over the years. Benchmade too

 

[NR_Hunter]

Yah a lot of bros bought benchmades cause of Steve and all the knives ever do is open packages from Amazon.

Hell I literally bought a benchmade steep country cause of Janis and Steve and now all I use to cut up deer is a $35 gerber vital LMAO and my steep country sits in a drawer all year.

 

[Southern Elk]

I'll say OnX.

I would bet that onX is bigger than MeatEater. They are everywhere. Millions of people running around with a $20 per year app on their phone adds up.

 

[westbranch]

I would bet that onX is bigger than MeatEater. They are everywhere. Millions of people running around with a $20 per year app on their phone adds up.

I was thinking along those lines as well, but based on some online searching there is probably a lot more money in Meateater than I initially thought. It would be interesting to know more details.

According to several sources online Onx has received $20MM in private equity capital. Some estimates have their revenue at $30MM, which doesn't seem high for the number of users. Probably much higher profits in Onx vs. Meateater based on private company financials that I see.

But in 2019 TCG/Chernin put an additional $50MM into Meateater around the time they acquired FL. I would have guessed FL would be worth mid 7 figures, but just a guess. There are articles that talk about Kuiu having $43MM in revenue in 2016 and they received a $50MM private equity investment for a 23% stake in 2017. At a $200MM+ valuation for Kuiu, FL would be a lot more expensive than I would have thought, even at a 1/5 of the size.

 

[ThunderNocked]

I bought a meat eater weatherby and it was sub Moa out of the box and I really like all the features. I want to like first lite but it is plain flimsier than Sitka and Kuiu it just isn’t tough enough against the brush I go through.

I was going to buy one of those before I decided to up my budget, sell a few things and then I bought a SemiCustom.
Looks like a lot of fun out of the box and reports are all good that I’ve heard.

 

[SO7mm]

I would bet that onX is bigger than MeatEater. They are everywhere. Millions of people running around with a $20 per year app on their phone adds up.

You're probably right. I was just throwing that out there as a possible match. I saw the owner on one of Cal's shows I believe and it seems the two companies have a connection.

 

[Hunt&FishCO]

If it wasn't for meateater, I'd still be truck hunting. They gave me the knowledge and confidence to go further and to hunt the way I want. I agree with most of their ethos and am happy that hunting is getting the spotlight that meateater provides. But the trend towards a monopoly is troubling.

Same here (to a degree). I wouldn’t have found Randy, this forum, or made a lot of the lifestyle changes I’ve made if it wasn’t for MeatEater.

 

[COEngineer]

I wish MeatEater had a forum like this. I have sent them several emails over the years, but that's like dropping a letter into a black hole - it technically exists, but no one will ever see it or respond to it.

Reading the comments on some of the ME personalities made me laugh because it seems like no one really likes Steve, but everyone knows that he is the organizational force behind the whole show. And we all have our favorites (and least favorites). I'm about a month behind on podcasts, but I really like Newcomb - his accent isn't so strong that I can't understand him (like with some guests from the deep south). And in the past few podcasts, he has verbalized almost the exact question/thought I had in my head. I felt like Whit(?) from TRCP gave him short shrift in the 2020 year-in-review episode, which was frustrating to listen to.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

no one really likes Steve, but everyone knows that he is the organizational force behind the whole show.

Made me think... anyone here worked in the outdoor industry? Biking,skiing,rafting,fishing, hunting?

It’s like herding a bunch of pre-madonna toddlers with substance abuse issues.

 

[Cheesehead]

Wisconsin’s Top Sturgeon Biologist Charged in Caviar Probe

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ top sturgeon biologist faces obstruction charges that allege he and his staff illegally funneled sturgeon eggs to local caviar processors during the annual sturgeon-spearing season on the Lake Winnebago system. The DNR’s three-year internal...

www.themeateater.com

Seems like On the Lake restaurant is off the table for potential acquisitions. I quite liked Mary Lou from the Fur Hat Ice Tour, but that’s just how we roll in the frozen North...

 

[44hunter45]

Considering how long I've been waiting for First Lite Zip-off bottoms to come back in stock, I predict there will soon be shortages of Phelps calls.

I'll keep buying my calls from Rocky Mountain

 

[ThunderNocked]

Considering how long I've been waiting for First Lite Zip-off bottoms to come back in stock, I predict there will soon be shortages of Phelps calls.

I'll keep buying my calls from Rocky Mountain

I need to get me some Phelps. I was waiting till later since I won't be elk hunting for the next couple years but I talked to Jason previously and was super happy with his responsiveness and his product. I'll have to pick one up sooner now.

 

[Cheesehead]

Thread refresh...

I make a prediction ...

Meateater is already a minority owner of SG and has been for years.

Evidence:

(Besides the fact that they tend to cease using non-owned products at this point... or at least not have high attachment rates):

 

[Willy Dee]

Love the show and wish them success. Just wish they could find a better gun sponsor than Taurus. It undermines their credibility.

 

[ThunderNocked]

Thread refresh...

I make a prediction ...

Meateater is already a minority owner of SG and has been for years.

Evidence:

(Besides the fact that they tend to cease using non-owned products at this point... or at least not have high attachment rates):

I don't know. They kind of fit a niche different then First Lite - First Lite is a overall Hunting where SG is more specific for back pack and Sheep.
I'm assuming your referring to him wearing the SG hoodie?

I hope Stone Glacier isn't bought buy them and remains autonomous. I like their stuff and what they do.