Rad sock makers Merge4 announce a new partnership with skateboarder Minna Stess.
The MERGE4 x Minna Stess collaboration will showcase art by Kayla Caballero, skateboard legend Steve Caballero’s daughter, designed exclusively for her. The design will feature bats and donuts on MERGE4’s performance socks. “I have always loved my MERGE4 fam, and they have always been so supportive of me since I was a little SF Bay Area skater. Having my own sock means a lot to me and I’m super stoked on it!“ Said Minna Stess.
For a better look at the new socks, plus all the others, please click the link. Or follow the jump for the official word.
Authentic Brands Group has officially completed its purchase of Boardriders (parent company to most every action sports brand you remember from your youth) for the alleged sale price of $1.25 billion and added a reported $1.4 billion to its annual sales totals, according to a blurb in Women’s Wear Daily.
In March, the brand development, marketing and entertainment firm inked a deal to acquire Boardriders, the parent of Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, DC Shoes, Element, VonZipper, Honolua and Boardriders, for a reported $1.25 billion. At the time, Authentic had sales of $27.6 billion. . . The company said it would shortly begin to orchestrate its plan to “announce a roster of best-in-class partners around the world to help drive the brands in their next stage of growth.”
And to think, it all started for Jamie Salter with a little company called Kemper Snowboards. Ah, those were the days, weren’t they?
Like the rest of us, it seems the writers behind the “unscripted” reality show Ridiculousness, are tired of getting played by Rob Dyrdek. And to get what they deserve they’re pushing to unionize the team, according to a story on Deadline.
“‘Unscripted’ television is very much scripted and our writing staff is fed up with being abused and underpaid by Paramount, MTV and Rob Dyrdek. We produce the most profitable show currently on TV and yet we are paid 60% less than WGA writers that work for America’s Funniest Home Videos,” writer Ally Maynard told Deadline.
We wish them luck, however, MTV (and Dyrdek co.) will probably just cancel the show (or the entire network for that matter) rather than pay the writers what they’re worth.
The most expensive house in Whistler just sold for $32 million, according to a story in Pique Newsmagazine. What more is there to say? Not a bad looking place, but what a hassle to keep clean.
The [8,700-square-foot “architectural masterpiece”] residence features a curved, floating staircase suspended by cables that doubles as an art installation, a 25-metre pool cantilevered over the cliff edge it’s built into, in addition to three fireplaces, a wine cellar, grotto spa, floor-to-ceiling windows and an elevator.
Remind us to be a little more motivated (and evil) next time around.
David Bloch, the founder of the Woodstock Union High School snowboarding team in Woodstock, Vermont found out what can happen when teachers discuss gender and athletic competition with their students, according to a story in the New York Post.
[Bloch] lost his job in early February, a day after having a three-minute discussion with some of his athletes, during which he said that biological males have a physical advantage over female-born athletes.
Now, Bloch is suing his former employer and giving everyone on both sides of the gender identification debate ammo for days. If you’re interested in the ins and outs of the gender ground war circa 2023 please click the link.
The old dream of riding a local, independent mountain took another hit today (June 1, 2023) as uber resort conglomerate Alterra Mountain Company announced their pending purchase of Northern Idaho’s OG hill Schweitzer. Of course the business people are ecstatic about the purchase and how great it will be for everyone involved.
“Since becoming an Ikon Pass partner in 2021, we’ve had the good fortune of learning how Alterra Mountain Company has quickly evolved into an industry leader,” said Tom Chasse, President and CEO of Schweitzer. “The company’s commitment to preserving the authenticity of their mountain communities while investing in the overall mountain experience is what we’re most looking forward to as the newest member of the Alterra family.”
Just a reminder. Monopolies are always bad. They limit consumer choice. They stifle innovation. And they mean higher prices for worse service. But, it’s very difficult to slow the machine. We just had some of the best days of our season at Mammoth Mountain, so we’re as guilty as anyone when we encourage you to support your local independent hill.
From the “whatever are they up to now” files comes this story of former pro skateboarder, artist, New Deal co-founder Andy Howell, his return to the Outer Banks in 2021, and the startup of his skateboarding x fishing brand Ghost Ship, from the pages of The Outer Banks Voice.
“Point blank, my best childhood memories are from here,” Howell told the Voice. “My dad taught me to fish the surf here, and I caught my first fish off the beach in Kitty Hawk. First time I ever stood up on a surfboard was in Kitty Hawk. My first surfboard was a Lightning Bolt from Secret Spot. The first skate park I ever skated as a kid in the late 70’s was Barney’s Concrete Curl. Those moments are so core to who I am.”
Ghost Ship is a “lifestyle brand specializing in skateboards, surfboards, fishing rods, apparel, and accessories that represent Outer Banks history and culture.” Click the link for all the details.
Yes, Tony Hawk skates back and forth in front of the Oceanside, California pier while singing Nine Inch Nails Wish (performed by a super group of rock players you might know). It sounds good and even features a suburban Trent Reznor sighting.
Authentic Brands Group has officially completed its purchase of Boardriders (parent company to most every action sports brand you remember from your youth) for the alleged sale price of $1.25 billion and added a reported $1.4 billion to its annual sales totals, according to a blurb in 
