{"id":97,"date":"2021-10-12T22:45:48","date_gmt":"2021-10-12T22:45:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_sponsorship\/"},"modified":"2021-10-12T22:45:48","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T22:45:48","slug":"skateboarding_sponsorship","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_sponsorship\/","title":{"rendered":"Skateboarding Sponsorship"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"rightcol\">\n<div id=\"navigation\">\n<h3>ARTICLES &#038; TRICK TIPS<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"nav\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_beginners_1.html\" rel=\"tag\">Skateboarding For Beginners, Part 1<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_beginners_2.html\" rel=\"tag\">Skateboarding For Beginners, Part 2<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding-sponsorship.html\" rel=\"tag\" title=\"Skateboarding Sponsorship\">Skateboarding Sponsorship FAQ<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/how_to_kickflip.html\" rel=\"tag\">How To Kickflip<\/a><\/li>\n<li>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_articles.html\">More Skateboarding Articles<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/index_php.html\" title=\"Board Crazy Home\">Home<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/tricktionary.html\" title=\"Skateboarding Trick Dictionary\">Tricktionary<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/contact.html\" title=\"Comments &amp; Questions\">Contact Me<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>REVIEWS OF SKATE STUFF<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"nav\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/rodney_daewon_1.html\" title=\"Rodney Mullen vs Daewon Song, Round 1\" rel=\"tag\">Rodney vs Daewon, Round 1<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/tensor_low_trucks.html\" title=\"Tensor Low Trucks\" rel=\"tag\">Tensor Low Trucks<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/rodney_mullen_book.html\" title=\"The Mutt : How To Skateboard &amp; Not Kill Yourself\" rel=\"tag\">Rodney Mullen Book<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>KEEP UP TO DATE<\/h3>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">Add this site to your favourite news reader to stay up to date with new posts and articles.<br \/>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding-news-feeds.html\">More information<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"nav\" style=\"margin-top: 10px;\">\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/us.rd.yahoo.com\/my\/atm\/Adam%20Bunn\/Board%20Crazy%20Skateboarding\/*http:\/\/add.my.yahoo.com\/rss?url=http%3A\/www.board-crazy.co.uk\/rss_main.php\" title=\"Add To My Yahoo!\" rel=\"nofollow\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/files\/buttons\/rss.yahoo.gif\" class=\"rssbutton\" alt=\"Add To My Yahoo!\"\/><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/my.msn.com\/addtomymsn.armx?id=rss&amp;ut=http:\/\/www.board-crazy.co.uk\/rss_main.php&amp;ru=http:\/\/www.board-crazy.co.uk\/\" title=\"Add To My MSN\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/files\/buttons\/rss.msn.gif\" class=\"rssbutton\" alt=\"Add To My MSN\"\/><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/fusion.google.com\/add?feedurl=http:\/\/www.board-crazy.co.uk\/rss_main.php\" title=\"Add To Google Reader\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/files\/buttons\/rss.google.gif\" class=\"rssbutton\" alt=\"Add To Google Reader\"\/><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bloglines.com\/sub\/http:\/\/www.board-crazy.co.uk\/rss_main.php\" title=\"Add To Bloglines\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/files\/buttons\/rss.bloglines.gif\" class=\"rssbutton\" alt=\"Add To Bloglines\"\/><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.newsgator.com\/ngs\/subscriber\/subext.aspx?url=http:\/\/www.board-crazy.co.uk\/rss_main.php\" title=\"Add To Newsgator\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/files\/buttons\/rss.newsgator.gif\" class=\"rssbutton\" alt=\"Add To Newsgator\"\/><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.my.aol.com\/add.jsp?url=http:\/\/www.board-crazy.co.uk\/rss_main.php\" title=\"Add To AOL\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/files\/buttons\/rss.aol.gif\" class=\"rssbutton\" alt=\"Add To AOL\"\/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">Alternatively, enter your email address to subscribe to the Board Crazy newsletter.<\/p>\n<form action=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/scripts\/newsletter.html\" method=\"post\">\n<div>\n\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"email\" class=\"formInput\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t<input type=\"submit\" name=\"submit\" class=\"button\" value=\"Submit\"\/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>    <!-- end right column --><\/p>\n<div id=\"content\">\n<p class=\"blogdate\">17th August 2006<\/p>\n<h1>Skateboarding Sponsorship FAQ<\/h1>\n<div class=\"blog\">\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\nThis information was originally blogged by Tony Gale in reply to a question I received from a reader.  Since there are so many<br \/>\naspiring skateboarders out there who have questions about sponsorship, I&#8217;ve decided to keep the question\/answer format of the<br \/>\noriginal post.  If you have any more questions about sponsorship that aren&#8217;t answered here, <a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/contact.html\">contact me<\/a><br \/>\nand I&#8217;ll do my best to expand this article to cover your question as well.\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"bullets\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_sponsorship.html#1\" title=\"How Do I Get Sponsored?\">How Do I Get Sponsored?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_sponsorship.html#2\" title=\"What Are The Different Levels Of Sponsorship?\">What Are The Different Levels Of Sponsorship?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_sponsorship.html#3\" title=\"How Do I Advance To Pro?\">How Do I Advance To Pro?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_sponsorship.html#4\" title=\"What Obligations Does A Sponsored Skater Have To His\/Her Sponsor?\">What Obligations Does A Sponsored Skater Have To His\/Her Sponsor?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_sponsorship.html#5\" title=\"What Type Of Things Do Sponsored Skaters Do?\">What Type Of Things Do Sponsored Skaters Do? How Will It Change Me?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_sponsorship.html#6\" title=\"Do Sponsors Allow Time For Education?\">I&#8217;m Still At School &#8211; What About My Education?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding_sponsorship.html#7\" title=\"Do I Have To Live Near My Sponsor?\">Do I Have To Live Near My Sponsor?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"1\">How Do I Get Sponsored?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"><!--\n\/\/2007-04-20: Sponsored\n\/\/-->\n<\/script>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tThere is no one way to become a sponsored skateboarder. Contrary to popular belief, it is <em>not<\/em> all about<br \/>\n\t&#8220;sponsor-me&#8221; tapes. You have to prove to the sponsor you are a good choice, and a tape will not cut it. Being visible<br \/>\n\tas a driving or positive force in skating as a whole always works; whether it is by magazine coverage or by word getting<br \/>\n\tback to them through their team, a sponsor will generally find out and approach you.\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tSo, basically, don&#8217;t bother thinking about it. If you are just looking to get sponsored, you won&#8217;t. But if you have a<br \/>\n\tgood mental attitude and truly <strong>love<\/strong> and <strong>live<\/strong> skating, you might just get sponsored.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"2\">What Are The Different Levels Of Sponsorship?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tThere are four levels of sponsorship. The first, <strong>shop sponsorship<\/strong>, is basically when a shop sees a skateboarder<br \/>\n\twith talent, and gives that skater products at a reduced price.\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tNext is <strong>flow sponsorship<\/strong>, from either a skate company or a distributor. The sponsored skater receives a<br \/>\n\tsmall amount of products on a semi-regular basis.\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tAfter that, a promising skater might recieve <strong>amateur<\/strong> (Am) status, where they receive some promotion as a skater<br \/>\n\tand some product to use. They often start to get incentives at this point, too; &#8220;Get a photo in a magazine and we will give<br \/>\n\tyou this&#8221;, for example.\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tA really good Am who proves his or herself can then become a <strong>Pro<\/strong>, receiving a paycheck, a &#8220;pro model&#8221;<br \/>\n\twith their name on, funds to get to contests, and royalties for anything that is sold with their name on.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"3\">How Do I Advance To Pro?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tThe pro skateboarder used to be the elite of the elite, someone who had moved up through the contest rankings, dominated<br \/>\n\tthe contest circuit, was generally a good guy overall and able to promote the company in a good way as much as possible.\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tNowadays it takes less and less to become a pro skater; since street skating came in during the late 80&#8217;s, for many<br \/>\n\tcompanies it is now about who&#8217;s image is easier to sell and will make the most money. While there are many companies<br \/>\n\tout there who still give their pro sponsorship to truly deserving skaters, I know there are many who will take you pro<br \/>\n\tjust if you are &#8220;the next big thing&#8221;, or fit in with the current trend. Those guys often become just another flash in<br \/>\n\tthe pan and disappear in time. It&#8217;s up to you how you want to go.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"4\">What Obligations Does A Sponsored Skater Have To His\/Her Sponsor?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tOf course, no matter how you are sponsored, as a skater you are expected to promote the company. This may mean appearances<br \/>\n\tin magazines, at competitions, on television, or just in the skating scene as a whole. During all this, the skater must use<br \/>\n\tand wear products provided by the company that sponsors them.  If you are not promoting the company, they have no reason to<br \/>\n\tgive you products or help your career.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"5\">What Type Of Things Do Sponsored Skaters Do? How Will It Change Me?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tThis is a wide and sweeping question. During a skating &#8220;career&#8221;, you can do pretty much whatever you want to do. Enter<br \/>\n\tcompetitions, do demos, tour, meet lots of cool people, and basically enjoy life. It is entirely down to how you want to<br \/>\n\tlive and how you act as a person. As such, it can change you or just let you do what you would have done anyways.\n<\/p>\n<p>\tWhen describing his sponsorship, I think it was Tony Alva that said something like &#8220;We were on summer vacation for 10 years&#8221;.<br \/>\n\tHowever, this can be good or bad. Look at some of the old pros; Hosoi and Jay Adams both went to jail for drug offenses, and<br \/>\n\tGator ended up going to jail on a murder charge. Meanwhile, Tony Hawk and Rodney Mullen both started companies and basically<br \/>\n\tlead good lives.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"6\">I&#8217;m Still At School &#8211; What About My Education?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tSome sponsors will allow time for your education, some won&#8217;t. You get good sponsors and bad ones. The good ones will nurture<br \/>\n\tyou and support you as a person, and have a close-knit team that has good communication with the owners. In some cases,<br \/>\n\tusually if you become a very successful pro, a personal tutor is a good idea. Again, good sponsors will help you sort this out.\n<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"7\">Do I Have To Live Near My Sponsor?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tNo. My truck sponsor, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.seismicskate.com\/\" title=\"Seismic Skates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Seismic<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/files\/layout\/ext.gif\" alt=\"external link\" class=\"ext\"\/><\/a>, is based in Colorado, and I live in England.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Summary<\/h2>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tSponsorship can be summarised in one quick paragraph; it is not the be-all end-all, and it is not for everyone.<br \/>\n\tNot everyone deserves it, and no one should feel they are owed it. Skating is a great thing, and if you approach it<br \/>\n\twith a good attitude and are willing to put in the effort to advance your skating and the skating scene as a whole,<br \/>\n\tyou will reap the rewards. This won&#8217;t always be sponsorship, and if it isn&#8217;t, don&#8217;t worry about it. Skating can<br \/>\n\tgive you a whole lot more than just free gear; it can make you a better person, show you all different walks of life,<br \/>\n\tand give you endless nights of joy. Don&#8217;t throw that away just because you&#8217;re still paying for product; it&#8217;s more<br \/>\n\tthan worth it.\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\">\n\tTony<br class=\"qhpe7f2t6jc3u0aun\"\/><br \/>\n\t<em>Skater since 2000, sponsored since 2004, and still going, no matter what.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"resources\">\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/del.icio.us\/post?url=http:\/\/www.board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding-sponsorship.php&amp;title=Skateboarding Sponsorship FAQ\" title=\"Post This Article To Your Del.icio.us Bookmarks\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/files\/layout\/delicious.gif\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Post To Delicious\"\/>Post To Del.icio.us<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/myweb2.search.yahoo.com\/myresults\/bookmarklet?t=Skateboarding Sponsorship FAQ&amp;u=http:\/\/www.board-crazy.co.uk\/skateboarding-sponsorship.php\" class=\"popup1\" title=\"Add This Article To Yahoo My Web 2.0\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/board-crazy.co.uk\/files\/layout\/yahoo.gif\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Add To Yahoo! 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