Kelly Bird's move to Nike sb interview

[Baron Samedi]

I agree with dude$ above. I'm not mad he went to the $woosh, ju$t tell the truth.

[Avicci]

This thread is what keeps me coming back to the Slap Forums.

[icybear187]

Here is some perspective for all of you arm chair skateboarders here.  The Nike SB program nets the same amount of money annually as - one - colorway release of the Nike AirMax shoe.

There is this perpetuated delusion within the skateboard community that Nike is making money hand over fist from their skateboarding program.  That just isn't the case. 

[midevilco]

Here is some perspective for all of you arm chair skateboarders here.  The Nike SB program nets the same amount of money annually as - one - colorway release of the Nike AirMax shoe.

There is this perpetuated delusion within the skateboard community that Nike is making money hand over fist from their skateboarding program.  That just isn't the case. 

The skateboard program... Are Janoski's inspired non SB knock-offs sold at sporting goods stores to scooter kids accounted as part of the skate program?

The Air Max shoe is a unicorn and is completely irrelevant to the discussion of Nike SB.

Your delusional if you think it is not about growth/market share, and therefore money.

Nike may not be making money "hand over first" right now as you claim, but that is only because they are dumping a huge chunk of it back into marketing. If/when that money dries up, or if they have a down quarter and decide to bail on SB or scale it back, a lot of people are going to be hurting.

[southsecond]

Why does everyone always go on about how Lakai is so down for skateboarding? Are they the only shoe brand who are in it purely for the love of skating and not to make a profit?

No one's saying that Lakai is somehow anti-profit, but to imply that Phil Knight and his board of directors are down for skating as much as Rick and Mike are is fucking laughable.

Nike sees a market share; Lakai is "by and for" skaters. And DUH, sure, Nike is putting some money into cool projects--money that Lakai or Emerica don't have--such as the temporary park in Brooklyn, but all it does is allow them greater control over skating's agenda.

[i used to skate]

Here is some perspective for all of you arm chair skateboarders here.  The Nike SB program nets the same amount of money annually as - one - colorway release of the Nike AirMax shoe.

There is this perpetuated delusion within the skateboard community that Nike is making money hand over fist from their skateboarding program.  That just isn't the case. 

someone made the point in another thread about this argument.  yes, compared to their other programs, it's not a lot of money, but compared to other skate brands, it's money they could really use.

and what the other dude said about dumping money back into marketing and long term goals (domination of the skateboard market)

[crobar]

Its called Integrity... look it up.

Stand for something... and if you are a hypocrit just admit it bro.

That would have been way more punk than this corporate jargon

YOU BECOME WHAT YOU HATE

[skate_bored]

People change their minds, opinions and motivation as they get older, its much different than being a hypocrite.  13 year old me would be so mad at me for getting a college degree! Shit, 20 year old me would hate me for being settled down with a chick I love, and 25 year old me would think I was a kook for having the job I do. Shit changes.

[skate_bored]

Guy on Nike would be rad. I know I'm only in the 2% that would like to see that though

Him and Nyjah, very soon.

[Style Police]

I would like to see Guy getting paid Stefan money from Nike. That would be sick.

[dillanharp]

People change their minds, opinions and motivation as they get older, its much different than being a hypocrite.  13 year old me would be so mad at me for getting a college degree! Shit, 20 year old me would hate me for being settled down with a chick I love, and 25 year old me would think I was a kook for having the job I do. Shit changes.

I hear you, but he said that shit like 6 months ago...

I really don't care though, I would have done the same thing.

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

Phase 7 complete.
Nike:7, skateboarding:0

[jonnysheen]

Everyone has their price.

[Babby]

I've never seen 'The Human Centipede' but I'm imagining Kelly Bird in the middle there, somewhere.

[ChuckRamone]

Nike SB might not be making huge gains from skateboarding yet but it's clear they view their current stake as an investment that will reap huge profits in the future. They built a temporary skate park in Brooklyn that was recently torn down for the condos that were planned there. Clearly this type of Nike SB promotion is not done pro bono. They do it to hook in young consumers. 

[Potsie Webber]

Don't think snowboarding and skateboarding are comparable in this regard. Hypebeasts don't buy snowboarding boots to look cool if they don't actually snowboard (and if they do, expecting for this to create a sustainable business would be insane). Nike SB helps legitimize the brand overall and has succeeded in the collectibles market. I wouldn't be too surprised if Nike is paying their whole SB department (skaters, managers,designers etc) more then the sales they get just off of people who skate the shoe, considering how many times I've seen people wearing SB's who have never picked up a board. I doubt without SB's these people would be putting any money into skateboarding as I don't see them buying limited color ways of Accels or Lynx's, very few skate shoes have had major success outside of skateboarding (D3 is the only great counter example to this).

The market factors driving the success/profitability of Nike's presence in skating and snowboarding might be different in the ways you describe, but I don't think there's any difference with regard to Nike's "love" for either sport. The Swoosh is going to release skate shoes, sponsor contests and parks, and support a pro roster only to the extent that doing so makes lots of money. If the Hype Beast market dries up, and pushing skate product turns out to be only mildly profitable (rather than majorly profitable), Nike is out (with a huge share of the market left up a creek). That's what happened with snowboarding -- it wasn't that being in the sport made Nike no profit; it was that it the profit margins weren't big enough. That's a subtle difference between a corporate behemoth like Nike and a core company like Lakai: survival and marginal returns are enough to keep Lakai in the game, not so with Nike.

Also, I think we can already see this profit avarice playing out in some of Nike's recent behavior -- e.g., no longer giving skaters full pro shoes, only colorways, so they can pay them less. The success of the Janoski didn't encourage Nike to hook its other skaters up with big deals, it in fact deterred these kinds of deals.

[miff]

Kelly had been with Lakai for more than a good while... You move on, and usually if youre lucky enough, you go in the upward direction.

[DannyDee]

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Don't think snowboarding and skateboarding are comparable in this regard. Hypebeasts don't buy snowboarding boots to look cool if they don't actually snowboard (and if they do, expecting for this to create a sustainable business would be insane). Nike SB helps legitimize the brand overall and has succeeded in the collectibles market. I wouldn't be too surprised if Nike is paying their whole SB department (skaters, managers,designers etc) more then the sales they get just off of people who skate the shoe, considering how many times I've seen people wearing SB's who have never picked up a board. I doubt without SB's these people would be putting any money into skateboarding as I don't see them buying limited color ways of Accels or Lynx's, very few skate shoes have had major success outside of skateboarding (D3 is the only great counter example to this).

[close]

The market factors driving the success/profitability of Nike's presence in skating and snowboarding might be different in the ways you describe, but I don't think there's any difference with regard to Nike's "love" for either sport. The Swoosh is going to release skate shoes, sponsor contests and parks, and support a pro roster only to the extent that doing so makes lots of money. If the Hype Beast market dries up, and pushing skate product turns out to be only mildly profitable (rather than majorly profitable), Nike is out (with a huge share of the market left up a creek). That's what happened with snowboarding -- it wasn't that being in the sport made Nike no profit; it was that it the profit margins weren't big enough. That's a subtle difference between a corporate behemoth like Nike and a core company like Lakai: survival and marginal returns are enough to keep Lakai in the game, not so with Nike.

Also, I think we can already see this profit avarice playing out in some of Nike's recent behavior -- e.g., no longer giving skaters full pro shoes, only colorways, so they can pay them less. The success of the Janoski didn't encourage Nike to hook its other skaters up with big deals, it in fact deterred these kinds of deals.

They just gave Cory a pro shoe and if Nyjah ends up there he'll get one.

[lampshade]

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Don't think snowboarding and skateboarding are comparable in this regard. Hypebeasts don't buy snowboarding boots to look cool if they don't actually snowboard (and if they do, expecting for this to create a sustainable business would be insane). Nike SB helps legitimize the brand overall and has succeeded in the collectibles market. I wouldn't be too surprised if Nike is paying their whole SB department (skaters, managers,designers etc) more then the sales they get just off of people who skate the shoe, considering how many times I've seen people wearing SB's who have never picked up a board. I doubt without SB's these people would be putting any money into skateboarding as I don't see them buying limited color ways of Accels or Lynx's, very few skate shoes have had major success outside of skateboarding (D3 is the only great counter example to this).

[close]

The market factors driving the success/profitability of Nike's presence in skating and snowboarding might be different in the ways you describe, but I don't think there's any difference with regard to Nike's "love" for either sport. The Swoosh is going to release skate shoes, sponsor contests and parks, and support a pro roster only to the extent that doing so makes lots of money. If the Hype Beast market dries up, and pushing skate product turns out to be only mildly profitable (rather than majorly profitable), Nike is out (with a huge share of the market left up a creek). That's what happened with snowboarding -- it wasn't that being in the sport made Nike no profit; it was that it the profit margins weren't big enough. That's a subtle difference between a corporate behemoth like Nike and a core company like Lakai: survival and marginal returns are enough to keep Lakai in the game, not so with Nike.

Also, I think we can already see this profit avarice playing out in some of Nike's recent behavior -- e.g., no longer giving skaters full pro shoes, only colorways, so they can pay them less. The success of the Janoski didn't encourage Nike to hook its other skaters up with big deals, it in fact deterred these kinds of deals.

[close]

They just gave Cory a pro shoe and if Nyjah ends up there he'll get one.

Grant too.  I can't tell how much Ishod's shoe differs from a regular dunk yet.

[wattscain]

I'm starting to think that Kelly Bird's generic response was out of respect for his former employer. This isn't a story about selling out as much as it's a story about someone trying to stay employed in the only industry he has known since he was a kid. He probably left because Lakai doesn't have much life left and he doesn't want to put that rumor out there.

[Potsie Webber]

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Don't think snowboarding and skateboarding are comparable in this regard. Hypebeasts don't buy snowboarding boots to look cool if they don't actually snowboard (and if they do, expecting for this to create a sustainable business would be insane). Nike SB helps legitimize the brand overall and has succeeded in the collectibles market. I wouldn't be too surprised if Nike is paying their whole SB department (skaters, managers,designers etc) more then the sales they get just off of people who skate the shoe, considering how many times I've seen people wearing SB's who have never picked up a board. I doubt without SB's these people would be putting any money into skateboarding as I don't see them buying limited color ways of Accels or Lynx's, very few skate shoes have had major success outside of skateboarding (D3 is the only great counter example to this).

[close]

The market factors driving the success/profitability of Nike's presence in skating and snowboarding might be different in the ways you describe, but I don't think there's any difference with regard to Nike's "love" for either sport. The Swoosh is going to release skate shoes, sponsor contests and parks, and support a pro roster only to the extent that doing so makes lots of money. If the Hype Beast market dries up, and pushing skate product turns out to be only mildly profitable (rather than majorly profitable), Nike is out (with a huge share of the market left up a creek). That's what happened with snowboarding -- it wasn't that being in the sport made Nike no profit; it was that it the profit margins weren't big enough. That's a subtle difference between a corporate behemoth like Nike and a core company like Lakai: survival and marginal returns are enough to keep Lakai in the game, not so with Nike.

Also, I think we can already see this profit avarice playing out in some of Nike's recent behavior -- e.g., no longer giving skaters full pro shoes, only colorways, so they can pay them less. The success of the Janoski didn't encourage Nike to hook its other skaters up with big deals, it in fact deterred these kinds of deals.

[close]

They just gave Cory a pro shoe and if Nyjah ends up there he'll get one.

[close]

Grant too.  I can't tell how much Ishod's shoe differs from a regular dunk yet.

Cory's and Grant's "pro models" are both versions of existing Nike shoes, same as the BA blazer colorway from a few years back. Off the top of my head, the only riders to have had distinct pro models on Nike are Janoski, Omar Salazar, P-Rod, and Koston.

[Allen.]

I'm starting to think that Kelly Bird's generic response was out of respect for his former employer. This isn't a story about selling out as much as it's a story about someone trying to stay employed in the only industry he has known since he was a kid. He probably left because Lakai doesn't have much life left and he doesn't want to put that rumor out there.

God, I hope that's not true. Wish the local shop would carry Lakai.. or really, anything.

[wake and bacon]

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Don't think snowboarding and skateboarding are comparable in this regard. Hypebeasts don't buy snowboarding boots to look cool if they don't actually snowboard (and if they do, expecting for this to create a sustainable business would be insane). Nike SB helps legitimize the brand overall and has succeeded in the collectibles market. I wouldn't be too surprised if Nike is paying their whole SB department (skaters, managers,designers etc) more then the sales they get just off of people who skate the shoe, considering how many times I've seen people wearing SB's who have never picked up a board. I doubt without SB's these people would be putting any money into skateboarding as I don't see them buying limited color ways of Accels or Lynx's, very few skate shoes have had major success outside of skateboarding (D3 is the only great counter example to this).

[close]

The market factors driving the success/profitability of Nike's presence in skating and snowboarding might be different in the ways you describe, but I don't think there's any difference with regard to Nike's "love" for either sport. The Swoosh is going to release skate shoes, sponsor contests and parks, and support a pro roster only to the extent that doing so makes lots of money. If the Hype Beast market dries up, and pushing skate product turns out to be only mildly profitable (rather than majorly profitable), Nike is out (with a huge share of the market left up a creek). That's what happened with snowboarding -- it wasn't that being in the sport made Nike no profit; it was that it the profit margins weren't big enough. That's a subtle difference between a corporate behemoth like Nike and a core company like Lakai: survival and marginal returns are enough to keep Lakai in the game, not so with Nike.

Also, I think we can already see this profit avarice playing out in some of Nike's recent behavior -- e.g., no longer giving skaters full pro shoes, only colorways, so they can pay them less. The success of the Janoski didn't encourage Nike to hook its other skaters up with big deals, it in fact deterred these kinds of deals.

[close]

They just gave Cory a pro shoe and if Nyjah ends up there he'll get one.

[close]

Grant too.  I can't tell how much Ishod's shoe differs from a regular dunk yet.

[close]

Cory's and Grant's "pro models" are both versions of existing Nike shoes, same as the BA blazer colorway from a few years back. Off the top of my head, the only riders to have had distinct pro models on Nike are Janoski, Omar Salazar, P-Rod, and Koston.

BA also had a unique pro model, not just a colorway or re-purposed already existing shoe like Corey/GT/Ishod

[camel filters]

as a guy who grew up with a father who deserted his family...bird should have deserted his family so he wouldnt need to support them. that way he can remain CORE BRO with lakai. ferk yeah.

[lampshade]

as a guy who grew up with a father who deserted his family...bird should have deserted his family so he wouldnt need to support them. that way he can remain CORE BRO with lakai. ferk yeah.

Hell yeah.  Bird and Scooch should have just gone to Vox.  What kind of selfish jerks need things like career progression, interesting projects to work on, job stability, 401ks, and the ability to support a family?

[Allen.]

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as a guy who grew up with a father who deserted his family...bird should have deserted his family so he wouldnt need to support them. that way he can remain CORE BRO with lakai. ferk yeah.

[close]

Hell yeah.  Bird and Scooch should have just gone to Vox.  What kind of selfish jerks need things like career progression, interesting projects to work on, job stability, 401ks, and the ability to support a family?

I think people are more bummed about the fact that he just publicly talked shit about the corporate entities in skateboarding around 6 months ago, then went to work for them and didn't acknowledge this... or just say that he needed more money in the interview. It's one thing to have a strong opinion and go back on it when you're in your teens or twenties... like, how many high school vegetarians are still going to be vegetarians when it's not 'trendy' ? How many are going to rethink moving to Portland?... but when you say something that strongly worded in the public eye (especially on the internet), and then almost immediately go back on it at Bird's age... that's not as common, and if he changed his mind about it, he should have said something about it. Think back to Koston being asked about his infamous Nike crossed out photo. He's said before that he was approached, turned them down, and when they approached a second time, his opinions had changed based on how they treat their riders / make shoes, or something. Or at least he gave a semi-credible answer.
TL;DR - I really don't like buying Nike SB, and I'd much rather buy Lakai especially now that their quality has been upped. Just need more shoes / more cupsoles.

[southsecond]

#pray4malakai !!!