Rob Dyrdek is buying Alien Workshop / DNA Distribution from Burton?

[SFblah]

People seem to think that Dyrdek only has made money recently with his show. However, he's said before that he has helped design many of the DC team shoes each season. Knowing his business sense I'd say he probably negotiated his contract to get royalties of each pair sold. Add his pro model royalties to over 10 years of team shoe royalties and I'm sure he's fine even without the TV shows.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

I don't know if this is a good idea or not. It may be well intentioned and has potential to be awesome but let's be honest Rob Dyrdek's income seems like a bubble that will eventually burst when skateboarding starts to die down again. Let's put it this way, once the money stops coming into Street League it would be cancelled, Rob can't expect his TV show to continue forever and DC is dumping a lot of money into their new program and it could go either way and could end up hurting them in the long run or potentially putting them out of business if it doesn't work. Burton on the other hand has had healthy growth over the past 15-20 years whereas Dyrdek's hype seems to be a bubble. On the other hand this could potentially be really good for Workshop and DNA because it will make them 'sovereign'(pun intended) as others pointed out though, Monster and DC collaborations would be almost guaranteed which would be awful.  If the Dyrdek bubble bursts it could hurt the brand, then again they could always sell again to someone else but it seems Burton has worked well.

Do you think millionaires live paycheck to paycheck? Once the checks stop coming in its not like he'll be broke. Its called investment homie. That's exactly what this is (or might be, considering its still rumor status)

[manbergur]

http://www.shop-eat-surf.com/news-item/3457/dyrdek-i-m-buying-alien-workshop/-

""Rob told me after he left the stage that the due diligence has been done and the deal is all but complete, but the paperwork is not yet signed. But he said it would happen.
 
Rob said he feels a huge emotional connection the founders and to the brand, which he has been with through his entire journey from an unknown Midwest skater to a mega star. While some of his many businesses may come and go, he said he plans to own Alien Workshop forever.""

this all sounds really good to me. backing this

[Diabolical]

http://www.shop-eat-surf.com/news-item/3457/dyrdek-i-m-buying-alien-workshop/-

""Rob told me after he left the stage that the due diligence has been done and the deal is all but complete, but the paperwork is not yet signed. But he said it would happen.
 
Rob said he feels a huge emotional connection the founders and to the brand, which he has been with through his entire journey from an unknown Midwest skater to a mega star. While some of his many businesses may come and go, he said he plans to own Alien Workshop forever.""

this all sounds really good to me. backing this

+1.

[The Ghost of Lenny Kirk]

some of you guys complaining are full of shit. alien literally has some of the best riders out right now. period. end of discussion. its a top-of-the-food-chain company than describes only a few companies right now.

the art direction has generally been on point videowise. mind field was sick all the life splicings are great. its basically been the reason all this artsy shit has been going into lots of videos since it came out and why people are trying all sorts of insane stuff in their own videos. its been a good thing. i can see what people are saying about some of the logo graphics or this worhol business since no one gives a shit when other companies put out 15 generic logo boards in a single catalog (crailtap/baker) but when alien does it its weird because its not in their history to do that. i also think its weird and they really need to stop even if its easier for idiots to digest. yes we know what company you ride for. less logos please. more graphics. i know it earns less money but its better. alien pretty much kills it though.

i was generally under the impression the burton deal was less about the money but more about the distribution network they were getting into. i guess they took away what they needed to learn from burton and now they can do it without them. not a fan of some of the people theyve been hiring even if they get the job done. their input is sometimes toxic. i hope rob buying the company means they can get more insane with their art direction and filter some of that garbage out. my fear is more vertical integration. keep that shit away from alien. its fucking gay. let other companies do that just not alien. they should rehire pendelton back dude still lives around dayton. wtf guys. and they need to give dave ackels a full time job over there. hes pretty next gen is from dayton and has been doing shit with DNA for years and should film with jake johnson. they have the exact same mentality.

im happy about it. i just hope he doesnt fuck it up.

also instead of bringing seek back how about doing that company kalis was talking about........?the one with appleyard......? fuckin do that shit!

[ShitUnot]

Dyrdek should be making the check out to Neil Blender since he got screwed out of the company years ago. With out Blender there would be no Workshop period!

[macgruber]

Chances are Dyrdek's not going to be the sole owner of DNA.  he'll probably have a partner if not a few partners. The dude is paid for sure, but to buy out a company like Burton, you have to have loot. I'm curious who else is going to have their hand in this

[MANshark]

There is too many unanswered questions to the purchase of Workshop.

Is business bad at DNA, so Burton is selling Workshop?  Will Burton drop Habitat?

He's buying all of DNA.  Apparently it's all a big mess right now.  Burton has been trying to sell Channel Island sufboards for a while too. 

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Chances are Dyrdek's not going to be the sole owner of DNA.  he'll probably have a partner if not a few partners. The dude is paid for sure, but to buy out a company like Burton, you have to have loot. I'm curious who else is going to have their hand in this

Nah, its not exactly like that. If it was a hostile buy out, Dyrdek couldn't do it, but if they are willing, it might not even be super expensive. On top of all of that, there are leveraged buy outs. Everybody's heard the term, few know its meaning. Basically, he can take out loans with the intent on buying out the company, in hopes that he will be able to pay the loans back with the asset.

[weregoingunion]

stoked about this, getting it back to skater owned.
the way i see it, if reynolds, ellington, fowler, etc can do it even WITHOUT a tv show, i don't really see how this could fall through.

[oyolar]

stoked about this, getting it back to skater owned.
the way i see it, if reynolds, ellington, fowler, etc can do it even WITHOUT a tv show, i don't really see how this could fall through.

Yeah, because Bummer High's killing it right now.

[tkp]

still one of my favorite decks:

[weregoingunion]

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stoked about this, getting it back to skater owned.
the way i see it, if reynolds, ellington, fowler, etc can do it even WITHOUT a tv show, i don't really see how this could fall through.

[close]

Yeah, because Bummer High's killing it right now.

true yea but at least it's still around, unlike markovich's companies. but hopefully you know what i mean... ?

[Brian Wilson]

does that mean borra is back on?

[mooraga]

People seem to think that Dyrdek only has made money recently with his show. However, he's said before that he has helped design many of the DC team shoes each season. Knowing his business sense I'd say he probably negotiated his contract to get royalties of each pair sold. Add his pro model royalties to over 10 years of team shoe royalties and I'm sure he's fine even without the TV shows.

He knows how to do business, AWS would be OK on his hands. Totally backing this.

Still don't get if he's getting only AWS or the entire DNA with habitat boards and shoes...plus clothing lines and reflex bearings and all the crap

[Edward Sebastian]

a friend of mine was interning somewhere (can't remember where) under dyrdek before the whole tv thing and basically said this dude has business savvy like you wouldn't believe. he was getting pieces of other skater's sponsorship deals since way back. dyrdek is going to get progressively richer for a long time to come, and if i was someone skating for anything under the dna i would feel very secure under his ownership. this is a good thing for aws

[oyolar]

To continue discussions of Dyrdek's business savviness, well before "Rob and Big" came out, Skateboarder had Dyrdek do his 10 tips to making it big off of skateboarding. I remember one of them being something like "If you're doing a deal with a non-skateboarding company, always get money up front. Never based off of sales except as a plus. I've made a good amount of money on products that never saw the light of day."

[DaSk8D00D]

Rob Dyrdek is a G. I'm betting that he's only gonna buy out AWS just because thats been his sponsor for so long. if he actually buys out burton thats a pretty big power move. some like to hate on him for "selling out" but dude's an excellent entrepreneur, he just happened be professional skateboarder beforehand.

[layzieyez]

Dyrdek is living his dreams.  Best news I've heard in a while.  I hope he can create an even more popular internet skate outlet than the berrics.  Keep pushing skate plazas.  Keep out the bikers and scooters.  Do it up legit.  Keep pushing the envelope.

[Cosme]

To continue discussions of Dyrdek's business savviness, well before "Rob and Big" came out, Skateboarder had Dyrdek do his 10 tips to making it big off of skateboarding. I remember one of them being something like "If you're doing a deal with a non-skateboarding company, always get money up front. Never based off of sales except as a plus. I've made a good amount of money on products that never saw the light of day."

[mfkream]

I'm not an industry insider but a friend of a friend of Dyrdek. He had me over to the Fantasy Factory earlier this week. His office was lined with Workshop boards. He showed me a complete that Neil Blender gave him back in like 88 or 89 at a contest just before he got on G&S which was subsequently just before AW started. He had that complete and the one he grinded the 20 stair that was on ON video in the office. They were the only two pieces of history in there but it was enough to know that he knows what he's doing.

I alluded to it earlier but he said Dill came to him saying "Dylan wants a raise. Should I be worried about my place on the team." To which Rob responded "Fuck no Dill, I'm gonna make you president of this company."

Say what you want but he made his money where he could. He's now a 37 year old man who has been pro longer than some of you have been alive. I skated with him the other day and he stomped a perfect bigspin first try just goofing around then he towed my friend into the foam pit off the go cart.

He's having fun, doing his thing, supporting skateboarding and taking care of a lot of other skaters.. I'm not on Dyrdek's Dyr-Dick but we need more people like him.

[TomTom]

I'm not an industry insider but a friend of a friend of Dyrdek. He had me over to the Fantasy Factory earlier this week. His office was lined with Workshop boards. He showed me a complete that Neil Blender gave him back in like 88 or 89 at a contest just before he got on G&S which was subsequently just before AW started. He had that complete and the one he grinded the 20 stair that was on ON video in the office. They were the only two pieces of history in there but it was enough to know that he knows what he's doing.

I alluded to it earlier but he said Dill came to him saying "Dylan wants a raise. Should I be worried about my place on the team." To which Rob responded "Fuck no Dill, I'm gonna make you president of this company."

Say what you want but he made his money where he could. He's now a 37 year old man who has been pro longer than some of you have been alive. I skated with him the other day and he stomped a perfect bigspin first try just goofing around then he towed my friend into the foam pit off the go cart.

He's having fun, doing his thing, supporting skateboarding and taking care of a lot of other skaters.. I'm not on Dyrdek's Dyr-Dick but we need more people like him.

Yes

[lampshade]

Everyone on this thread praising Dyrdek's business savvy (which can't be denied), think about this.  Business savvy is just a code word for being smart enough to make as much money as possible out of a venture.  Returning AWS to Carter and Hill to be a cool underground company is not the way to make money of it.  Pimping it on MTV, Monster collabos, kids clothes, and putting it in Wal Mart, etc. is the way to get paid from something like the workshop. 

[Fenzadill]

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grant taylor never would've have rode for the old alien

[close]

well - he has been getting boards from them for like 10 years at least lol..  grant was getting shit thrown to him from all his current sponsors back when he was like 8 years old..  

who should he ride for then? i think he fits fine on alien..  anti hero would be rad i guess but im pretty sure he's stoked on where he's at

if theres anyone who doesnt fit on AWS its mikey taylor and rob dyrdek haha

I've got a Big Brother from July 2002 with a picture of Grant doing a stalefish over his dad's frontside grind, and he is riding an Element Twigs of all things.

[manbergur]

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grant taylor never would've have rode for the old alien

[close]

well - he has been getting boards from them for like 10 years at least lol..  grant was getting shit thrown to him from all his current sponsors back when he was like 8 years old..  

who should he ride for then? i think he fits fine on alien..  anti hero would be rad i guess but im pretty sure he's stoked on where he's at

if theres anyone who doesnt fit on AWS its mikey taylor and rob dyrdek haha

[close]

I've got a Big Brother from July 2002 with a picture of Grant doing a stalefish over his dad's frontside grind, and he is riding an Element Twigs of all things.

yup -- quote from his latest thrasher interview:

When did it turn into free shit and getting sponsored?
"i've always gotten free stuff because my dad owns the store. He knew a lot of reps. I forget who it was that started hooking me up with Alien boards, but I'd been getting them for a long time. I rode for World Industries, the Twigs program..  "

i actually thought the twigs program was a world industries thing from reading that - but i guess he is saying he rode for world, element, etc ( meaning he got free boards/flow team situation ), before settling in with AWS

[Box of Frogs]

Everyone on this thread praising Dyrdek's business savvy (which can't be denied), think about this.  Business savvy is just a code word for being smart enough to make as much money as possible out of a venture.  Returning AWS to Carter and Hill to be a cool underground company is not the way to make money of it.  Pimping it on MTV, Monster collabos, kids clothes, and putting it in Wal Mart, etc. is the way to get paid from something like the workshop. 

And how do you explain Dyrdeks loyalty to the company. He is in it for the long run, not to exploit something for a quick buck

[Zurg]

Everyone on this thread praising Dyrdek's business savvy (which can't be denied), think about this.  Business savvy is just a code word for being smart enough to make as much money as possible out of a venture.  Returning AWS to Carter and Hill to be a cool underground company is not the way to make money of it.  Pimping it on MTV, Monster collabos, kids clothes, and putting it in Wal Mart, etc. is the way to get paid from something like the workshop. 

yeah, im thinking and hoping he's taking this on because it might be one of the only big moves that he'll keep pure and be able to look back on and be really proud of. him buying back alien and keeping it a legit company for as long as he has anything to do with it would justify doing all his shows and leagues.

[The Ghost of Lenny Kirk]

well the thing is that he likes to vertically integrate all his businesses so people would be right in worrying about it.  i just hope he doesnt really go all in with that type of shit on alien. it'd really look shitty and lame.

[Gil]

Wonder if there will be an increase in Workshop riders in Street League?
I hope Dyrdek is a good enough dude that he respects Workshop and wants to keep it legit rather than whore it out for as much profit as he can. This could turn out really great or just terrible... we'll just have to wait and see.

[Box of Frogs]

Wonder if there will be an increase in Workshop riders in Street League?
I hope Dyrdek is a good enough dude that he respects Workshop and wants to keep it legit rather than whore it out for as much profit as he can. This could turn out really great or just terrible... we'll just have to wait and see.

If Habitat follows he needs to get Fred Gall in Street league