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Board Retailers Association BRA

The Board Retailers Association (BRA) is the board sport industry's preeminent voice for independent retailers. BRA gives Board Sport Retailers - surfboard, skateboard, snowboard, and wakeboard - a cohesive voice on a grassroots level with manufacturers, trade show representatives, and other associations.

Our Purpose

With current market changes, it is important to the board sport business that we have a say in the direction that our industry is headed. BRA communicates and negotiates regularly with manufacturers and trade shows, improving business conditions and profitability for retailers, while working for the betterment of the industry as a whole.  BRA members also benefit from valuable education programs and exclusive savings with insurance companies, freight distributors and many other day-to-day business partners. All of this for $125 membership dues per year.

BRA has seen department stores and discount houses taking core pieces of the independent retailer business. Top brand retailers have become "softwood," leaving other board retailers on weak footing as we fill our stores with the hardwoods necessary to perpetuate our sport, not necessarily our bank accounts. With a united voice, we can keep the playing field in check. One Mission, One Voice!

BRA Partners with ASEC and Orange County Department of Education on Water Conservation Initiative

BRA is proud to partner with the Action Sports Environmental Coalition (ASEC), the Orange County Department of Education and a number of environmentally conscious action sport brands on an innovative contest aimed at educating Southern California students on the importance of, and solutions for, water conservation.  Water Innovation Now encourages K-12 students to create uniquepublic service announcements aimed at increasing awareness of California’s current water crisis.

Students’ submissions will be judged on the incorporation of water conservationinnovation, creativity, originality andaccuracy ofinformation. The top two projects from each grade category will be invited topresent their idea at the Global Conference on Water in Irvine.  The mega grand prize winner(s) will receive an all expense paid week-long trip to Tavarua Island Resort with Rochelle Ballard and Rob Machado. Other prizes include skate sessions with Bob Burnquist, Geoff Rowley and Danny Way, to name a few. Students who create a public service announcement submission for Water Innovation Now will also be eligible to win computers, trips to Disneyland and thanks to BRA retailers in Southern California, discounts on merchandise and gift bags. All winners, in each grade category, will win clothing and gear including shoes, a complete skateboard and a snowboard with boots and bindings. Four lucky grand prize winners with the most creative water conservation solution will have a Sk8 & Bike Demo and lunch for their whole school and the Ultimate Grand Prize Winner will have Paul Schmitt with CreateAskate teach their entire class how to make their own skateboard. 

Thanks to all the retailers and action sport companies supporting this enormous educational initiative. To see the winning public service announcements, tune into FuelTV. For more information on Water Innovation Now visit win.ocde.us or see the recent article in the OC Register. To see a Fuel TV clip, click here. Additional press links are available at Surfline, Surfshot and Aquafornia.