The future of powerhouse skateboard companies

[Deekay]

I've been thinking about how I have a hard time caring about the younger people on the teams now. Maybe it's just me getting older (I'm 28) but I feel like alot of companies don't have younger pros or ams to back up the company legacy and I'm curious to see how it plays out in the future. For me, personalities play a big factor in liking a skateboarder and a company. What companies have young Heath Kircharts, Jason Dills, Dylans, Baker boys, Gerwers etc today?

None of the biggest ones like Girl/Choc, AH, Toy Machine, Plan B, Habitat etc. have younger riders that appeal to me, but I might just be too out of the loop as I'm not that in touch with flow guys. FA and Quasi are looking strong, but then what?

What companies do you see having "legend status" riders 10 years from now after the generation shift?

[brettpancake]

I've been thinking about how I have a hard time caring about the younger people on the teams now. Maybe it's just me getting older (I'm 28) but I feel like alot of companies don't have younger pros or ams to back up the company legacy and I'm curious to see how it plays out in the future. For me, personalities play a big factor in liking a skateboarder and a company. What companies have young Heath Kircharts, Jason Dills, Dylans, Baker boys, Gerwers etc today?

None of the biggest ones like Girl/Choc, AH, Toy Machine, Plan B, Habitat etc. have younger riders that appeal to me, but I might just be too out of the loop as I'm not that in touch with flow guys. FA and Quasi are looking strong, but then what?

What companies do you see having "legend status" riders 10 years from now after the generation shift?

I think the likable appealing upcoming skater becomes more few and far between in the age of Instagram, kids are insanely talented but can't differentiate themselves from the pack. I do think they are still out there though in the shape of say Vincent Alvarez (not sure if he's considered a young guy still) Franky Villani and Kader. I'm sure I'm missing others but I do agree they are becoming more of a rarity.

[GAY]

Fuck outtahere grandpa!

[SneakySecrets]

Interesting idea for a thread.  I think there are a few things going on:

- As skating grows in popularity, the “star power” gets more diluted and spread out.

- With the influx of social media/internet feeds, it makes things more fragmented. People can personalize their Instagram/YouTube feeds towards shit they want to watch.  So someone who primarily loves watching techy ledge guys might not be exposed to other stuff outside that niche (transition skating for example.)

  Stuff like 411 kind of forced me to watch types of skating that I might have ordinarily avoided.

- There was relatively so little skate media 15-20 years ago made it so that only the best of the best got a spot in videos.  Now, any helmet-wearing dickhead riding wacky boards can get millions of views on YouTube.

-  There are definitely present-day analogues to those classic Girl/Alien Workshop-type teams, some of which you mentioned: FA, Quasi, Polar come to mind.

Sorry for the overly-long post, feel free to ignore, haha.

[TD]

Kader will get there if he doesn't get bored first

[shripshrapper]

I feel you, but Kader gives me hope.

[Spunkchild]

A lot of smaller companies are willing to flow a lot of kids and have a limited pro roster. Krazy franky, nick michel ,Kyota umeki , hayden burns are all pretty good and seem to be getting backed pretty hard by the frog guys.

Girl is killing it with their am kids, they were kinda blowing it for a second, but they have three new guys and a big squad of aging dudes.

[StayGold77]

Golden Era of Useless Wooden Toys “1999 - 2009”

Although Toy/Foundation always have new rippers it seems. And It’s hard to argue with the likes of Corey Glick, Cole Wilson, Dakota Servold. Oh and Leo is still the fucking shit. Yep.

[andocom]

Foundation seem like the strongest they have been in a long while, now will that translate to moving product I have no idea.

Crail ams are killing it also but that was so overdue its not funny. TBH they need to keep it going, like half to 3/4 of their guys don't put anyting out, a couple legends is one thing, half the team coasting on memories is a recipe for disaster.   

[brettpancake]

ftp://

A lot of smaller companies are willing to flow a lot of kids and have a limited pro roster. Krazy franky, nick michel ,Kyota umeki , hayden burns are all pretty good and seem to be getting backed pretty hard by the frog guys.

Girl is killing it with their am kids, they were kinda blowing it for a second, but they have three new guys and a big squad of aging dudes.

Seems like the Girl and Chocolate teams are really disjointed, you've got Bannerot, Neils, Griffin and Manchild who hang with Brophy and McCrank but then there's Jeron, Biebel and Mike Mo that are on the other side of the spectrum. I guess it's good to have young guys and then like a legend squad but it seems like there is so much disconnect. Just look at Chocolate, Eldridge and Chris Roberts don't exactly fit in with Stevie, Yonnie and Raven.

[Dernpop1]

Eldridge,crob,biebel and the like seem to be on their way out. I think crail has some staying power still. Wish there wasn't a new bored brand every other day.

[iKobrakai]

Eldridge,crob,biebel and the like seem to be on their way out. I think crail has some staying power still. Wish there wasn't a new bored brand every other day.

Awesome slip.

But for real, things are way different now and Youlosers and IG whores are taking over. Forget 1990-2010, it's not gonna happen again, unless skating dies again, which ain't gonna happen.

[metsuri]

Sure everything is spread way thinner than before but cream always rises to the top. Tyshawns and Simon Bannerots of future generations are always going to get their shine due to how special they are.

Spunkchild: who's that in your sig? That's a wild move.

[somethingmustbreaknow]

ishod wair.

[Little Debbie]

Baker may be the best example of investing in the future (Kader, T-Funk, Rowan). Deathwish too with Foy and Delfino. Girl/choco, only Manchild and Simon stand out for me. Habitat and Alien have completely dropped the ball. Toy just put on that young CJ kid. No one really comes to mind at the DLX camp, maybe Daan.

On the other hand, the writing on the wall is crystal clear about who the legends are currently that we'll be talking about for years: Ishod, GT, Oski.

[shannamal]

Foundation has some dudes on flow/am that will be big names in 5 years.

Quasi has some gnarly dudes on the up and up.

[Uknowmyinsta]

I think it would be great if there was a 90% turnover in pros every four years.  Would that be like the late 80's?   

So, many companies, so many pros.  Most of them look the same, I may hardly notice.

Daan and Kadar are the only young dudes of interest, for me.

[Jacob Gary]

Baker may be the best example of investing in the future (Kader, T-Funk, Rowan). Deathwish too with Foy and Delfino. Girl/choco, only Manchild and Simon stand out for me. Habitat and Alien have completely dropped the ball. Toy just put on that young CJ kid. No one really comes to mind at the DLX camp, maybe Daan.

On the other hand, the writing on the wall is crystal clear about who the legends are currently that we'll be talking about for years: Ishod, GT, Oski.

You don't think Bobby will be up there? Habitat also tried with Al and he left (and it's rumored that Bobby is leaving) but those two really came to mind so I wouldn't necessarily say habitat dropped the ball imo.

[se7en3two]

Couple of early 20's (or younger) dudes that are currently crushing it imo...

Louie Lopez
Joslin
Tyshawn
Zion
Mason Silva

[Billy Ocean]

I'm starting a new board brand called East Coast Powerhouse.

[se7en3two]

I'm starting a new board brand called East Coast Powerhouse.

For arguments sake, would Quasi be considered the biggest deal on the east coast?

[expired]

Baker may be the best example of investing in the future (Kader, T-Funk, Rowan). Deathwish too with Foy and Delfino. Girl/choco, only Manchild and Simon stand out for me. Habitat and Alien have completely dropped the ball. Toy just put on that young CJ kid. No one really comes to mind at the DLX camp, maybe Daan.

On the other hand, the writing on the wall is crystal clear about who the legends are currently that we'll be talking about for years: Ishod, GT, Oski.

I wouldn't exactly say he's preparing for a long future, but death wish is doing well with Foy and Hayes.
Creature has some great young guys, baekkel, Milton, John Gardner, jimmy Wilkins, Cory Juneau, chris Russell

[Artvandeskate]

No one is legendary anymore 😴

[ziggy]

The older generation skaters need to be pushed out of the sport

[Backheels]

Vincent alvarez is 30 years old.....