Speedo No More?

[Unregistered]

I saw an article today that Speedo is thinking about discontinuing their line of bikini swimsuits, which now accout for less than 1% of their sales. They said that when men switched from bikini swimsuits to boxer style, there was still a good market for the "racer style" for professional swimmers. But now, they are switching to form-fitted body suits and are no longer buying the bikini styles. So, the swimsuit that created the company may soon be a thing of the past.

Maybe I'll buy a couple cases of Speedos and store them so I can sell them later on E-Bay as collector items.... :(

[tonton]

Speedo does an amazingly brisk business in brief swimwear almost everywhere in the world, except for the US. Maybe they will stop US distribution. But they will never stop selling these suits worldwide, so Speedo brand briefs will always be available, even if only as import items at a slightly higher cost. And if the market ever picks up in the US, then they can easily reenter the market. Meanwhile, the market gap would be gladly filled by a competitor, like Arena.

[JohnH]

There's still a market for Speedos (briefs style), although it has pretty much become a niche market. While infrequently seen on beaches here in the U.S. (except, of course, for my beaches!), they seem still to be preferred by serious lap swimmers in YMCAs, gyms, and other pools. My local Big 5 does always has them in stock, and yet their stock always seems to turn over (though to be fair, I think they may sell more Tyr suits than Speedos).

[SweatyAussie]

I do not particularly stress about whether the Speedo company continue to make the "speedo" style (i.e. racers), since there are plenty of manufacturers who do. Some of the best bathers in my collection are Speedo, but Arena and Endurance do bathers that are just as good - so do some of the smaller local manufacturers.
Speedo are not based in Australia any more anyhow, they are now owned by some American conglomerate, like so many other Australian icons.

[JacksonMoore]

That would be a fuckin tragedy!. Hey, it's not just a brand of suit! They set the standard to start out! That's why it's a categoy now. We haqve 'speedos' wheter Speedo made them or not!

Well if we can order or the internet that might be ok. But I will miss going to the shop to look, feel , and maybe try on my new speedos! Nothing quite like being able to do that!

[skimpybrfs]

I hate to hear this bit of news, for I myself wear them many times at the public pool for swimming laps. Although most of them are Speedos, I also have Arena and Nike competition suits. For the beach, I prefer one of JS bikinis or thongs.