I still have some interesting information in my notebook from various panels at the IASC Skateboarding Industry Summit.
Here is a roundup of tidbits that caught my ear there in a short summary form. For a more comprehensive report on the panels, see the IASC website.
Emerging markets
Costa Rica – with few places to skate, lifestyle apparel and shoes have the best potential.
Motocross is popular.
Boogie boarding and surfing are the most popular action sports.
Chile – Skateboarding is seen as positive activity, though hard to do with cobblestone streets and reckless drivers. Skateparks are growing.
India – All business is relationship based and working through networks is how business gets done instead of trade shows. When you negotiate, know you’re never done negotiating – build some padding into your final price so you can give more even when you think the deal is done. With retail, you need to look regionally and see who are the strongest players in different cities, and focus on the top 10 cities. Indians like all things California, and Bay Watch is a top show.
Parents are concerned about safety, especially with girls, who need to “marry up” and parents can’t have daughters breaking their teeth while skateboarding.
China – The middle class will grow to 400 million people in five years. Retail is archaic and not like in the U.S. With TV, ESPN and Fuel TV are getting into the market. With Trade Shows, ISPO is there, and other shows are emerging, and DMG (owner of Surf Expo) is looking to set up a show.
(For much more about China and action sports, see our interview with Glenn Brumage.)
Amateur skate competition panel
The biggest news I thought out of this panel is that the Federation Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS) is trying to gain control of skateboarding in the Olympics.
Gary Ream, President of Woodward Camp and the International Skateboarding Federation, said whether the skateboard industry decides it wants to be in the Olympics or not, it needs to protect itself and make sure roller skaters don’t get control of the sport at the Olympic level.
Skateboarding also needs a more formatted pro structure with a common set of judging criteria and rules. Young judges also are important so the sport stays creative and based on youth, he said.
While some questioned whether pro skaters would compete in the Olympics if roller skaters were in charge, Gary said he believes the pros will show up because the opportunity is too massive. Just look at what has happened to Shaun White’s career.
On page 2: Why athletes go broke, retail and pro panels, ethical sourcing.
Why athletes go broke
It boils down to one simple fact – having too much invested in private, illiquid assets. The other huge problem: trusting and investing in business deals with friends and family. Financial advisor Ed Butowsky tells his clients – “One in 30 business deals work out – what are the chances one of your cousins has that deal?”
Retail panel
General consensus was that the business outlook was better than last year though not as good as years before that.
The Skatepark of Tampa has the most aggressive e-commerce approach on the panel. Barak Wiser of SPoT said consumers have changed, and its mandatory to have an online presence for future growth and to engage with customers. SPoT does “stupid” contests and giveaways to engage with customers and to keep things fresh.
SPoT also does a lot of in-store events to keep things fresh, such as end of year awards with prizes for the kid with the hottest mom or the kid that had the worst injury that year, etc.
“We are constantly creating excitement, not just opening the door and expecting people to come in,” Barak said.
Cindy Mielke of West 49 in Canada asked that skateboarders on tour show up on time, talk to the kids who have waited to see them and not be too high to skate when they arrive.
Ethical sourcing
Representatives of Patagonia, Timberland and Intertek gave tips on how they monitor factories and other strategies for running a socially responsible business.
The fact that is still in my mind from the talk: Patagonia had its best year ever in 2009, “blowing its numbers out of the water,” in the worst economy ever. And Patagonia products aren’t cheap. Cara Chacon of Patagonia said it proves that people want to spend money on high quality goods and a company that is trying to do the right thing.
Timberland’s core values: humanity, humility, integrity, excellence. More about Patagonia’s and Timberland’s social responsibility efforts.
Pro Panel
The X Games this summer will all be in downtown LA instead of spread out between downtown and at the Home Depot Center in Carson. There will 27 hours of live television, up from 14, including eight to nine hours of skate coverage.
The Dew Tour will have 45 hours of total programming, including 12 hours of skate. Events include the Skateboarding World Championships in Boston June 25-26, and the last stop is moving to Las Vegas this year in October, with a vert ramp over a pool and the skatepark in The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
