"It never rains at Autzen Stadium"—every Duck fan knows the phrase. But every Duck fan also knows to come prepared because the clouds that roll in over Eugene on a fall Saturday don't care much for catchy slogans.
Just ask Corey Maynard, MBA ’01, who grew up in Eugene. As a kid, he spent countless Saturdays in the stands with his family, cheering on the Ducks through sunbreaks, sideways rain, and everything in between.
"You learn early on that the weather is part of the experience," he said.
Those early memories stuck with him, and years later—after building a career in global marketing and brand strategy for leading companies—Maynard observed, over a cup of coffee with a friend, how little protective gear for fans had changed.
"Fans invest so much time, money, and emotion into gameday," Maynard explained. "But when the weather turns, we're still pulling out plastic ponchos or oversized jackets that feel like an afterthought."
That conversation led to the creation and launch in December 2024 of BCKR, a performance rainwear startup that blends high-performance materials with fan-first design.
From Global Marketing to Sideline Innovation
Maynard's journey to entrepreneurship didn't begin in a product lab or a fashion studio. It began in the classrooms of the University of Oregon's Lundquist College of Business. And after earning his MBA from the college with a focus in marketing, Maynard's eye for strategy and storytelling helped him build a career advancing breakthrough products across diverse markets and into the national spotlight.
Yeti coolers and drinkware, Ooni pizza ovens, Gerber Legendary Blades—Maynard was CMO or vice-president of marketing at all of these companies during their meteoric rises. At Yeti, his team has launched two breakthrough new product lines—the Hopper soft-sided coolers and Rambler vacuum-insulated drinkware. With Ooni, Maynard helped the brand expand into the United States and led marketing efforts through the pandemic, propelling Ooni to become the fastest-growing makers of portable backyard pizza ovens. And at Gerber, he oversaw an award-winning brand refresh and a highly successful brand integration with AMC's "The Walking Dead."
"I've been fortunate to work with passionate visionaries who've doggedly pursued superior materials and thoughtful designs to make products—knives, coolers, drinkware, pizza ovens—that leap above a category's historic offerings," said Maynard. "It was always about connecting passion to product."
Now, Maynard hopes to bring the same passion to fan gear with BCKR.
As he sees it, "Fans, not athletes, are the ones being overlooked when it comes to gear built for performance."
Ready for Gameday
The name "BCKR" comes from the idea that fans are "backers"—the loyal supporters behind every great team. When the company launched, it initially offered three jacket styles: a waterproof raincoat, an insulated jacket, and a lightweight hooded pullover. It has since expanded to headwear.
All pieces of outerwear are engineered for the sidelines: breathable, weatherproof, and custom-tailored with school colors and logos. They also incorporate fan-specific features, like in-pocket handwarmer pouches, fight song lyrics printed on inner pockets, bonus large "gameday" pockets, and hoods designed to be worn with or without a ball cap.
Out of the gate, BCKR is focusing its offerings on heavy-hitting teams in the NCAA—the Oregon Ducks, Texas Longhorns, Georgia Bulldogs, and Ohio State Buckeyes—with future product drops aimed at collegiate and professional fan bases alike.
From football tailgates to track meets, golf tournaments to spring baseball, BCKR is aiming to become the outerwear brand for sports lovers who refuse to let a little weather ruin a good time.
Coming Home to Autzen
Ultimately, as BCKR seeks to expand to more schools, Maynard feels that he isn't just solving a gear problem; he's tapping into a cultural shift as fans demand more from the brands they wear and the experiences they invest in.
"It's not about avoiding the rain. It's about embracing everything that comes with showing up—weather, emotion, and all—and doing it in style," said Maynard. "and with our Oregon Duck license gear, I'm excited to start see fans in Autzen wearing BCKR. It's where it all started for me and where the brand belongs."
Because while the myth of perfect weather may endure in Autzen lore, Maynard wants to make sure that, rain or shine, Ducks fans are ready—backed by innovation, comfort, and a little Oregon grit.