With the younger generation mostly growing up with instagram and YouTube influencing them on what a career in skateboarding is, I think OG skate skate companies and their riders will fall behind unless they start pushing the friendly internet persona shit.
Kids are too obsessed with whatever happened in the last Braille vid or the short Instagram clip going viral and all the people getting into skateboarding because of the olympics are drawn to that open/ friendly side.
I think it’s lame as fuck but unfortunately for now it’s what’s making money in skateboarding and most brands love money.
I'll probably fail at trying to convey my thoughts here but I'll try. I think the days of "making a career out of skateboarding," in terms of what a lot of us grew up knowing, is done. At least for the current day and foreseeable future. In the 70's and 80's when skating first blew up that was one thing. In the late 90's and early 2000's it now, looking back, almost seems like a fluke. All of the money being thrown into the industry probably as a result of THPS and the X-Games, etc. That all didn't last too long. The very few pros that "have careers" from skating these days have those careers as a result from contests, big sponsors (soda, energy drinks, harley Davidson haha), and generally things we all consider cooky. Also, Nike, New Balance, Adidas, those companies obviously put money into skaters pockets as well, albeit only the select few that ride for them. Who knows what the olympics is going to brings to the financial side of skaters, but I'm sure people will label it as kooky in some shape or form. The days of even teams going on a tour to do demos are gone. A lot of pros have to have some type of supplemental income. Being a "pro skateboarder" is not like being a pro athlete in an organized sport. Never has and never will. I personally like the idea of a pro having a normal job or something on the side besides skateboarding. It gives them some type of grounding on how the world actually is and there is more out there than just skateboarding. A lot of people here poke fun at the hosts of the Nine Club and even the guests on that show for how out of touch they are with the real world and what's going on...it's almost pathetic. It is pathetic. They've lived in a bubble for 20 years.
So, I can't blame Skategoat for doing what he did, it's a way for him to make some money from skating while he can. I'm sure he doesn't care what the interwebs thinks of his decisions. Am I going to buy one of those boards, no. If they were a normal price and came in my size, I may. Prime is incredible wood and they're silk screened, I like that. Whatever, I'm rambling now.
Careers in skateboarding are not what they were and they're not going to be anymore. For the foreseeable future at least. If you can make money, do it.
Topic: Leandre Sanders Pro (Read 22543 times)