The NPD Group, “the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information” has reported that Tony Hawk: Ride has sold 114,000 copies during the month of November, according to a story on G4TV.com.
The Game sells for $119.99 and was released on November 17, 2009. For those not so good at math, that means $13,678,860 in sales in two weeks. Looks like Tony’s media roadshow paid off quite nicely, even if the critics are getting Tony down.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove on their way in to the park.
For each of the past six years Sole Technology owner Pierre André Senizergues has made holiday wishes come true for 500 kids from Southern California’s Boys & Girls Clubs and Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations (seven in total) by inviting them to the etnies Skateboard Park in Lake Forest for a holiday party. At the party each of them will get a free pair of new shoes in a box, wrapped as a present.
When we arrived in the parking lot behind the etnies building two bus loads of kids from Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove were lining up to walk down to the park. They were buzzing with energy, each kid smiling like they were being tickled. It was kind of crazy.
From the upper lot the skatepark looked more like a carnival. A huge bouncy bounce covered the lawn just outside the park. Inside the fence some kids were getting their pictures taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus while others waited at the table to pick up their pair of shoes. Many dropped to the ground after getting their present and ripped into the packages to get their new shoes on as soon as possible. Others carried them out still wrapped perfectly for Christmas. [click to continue…]
The tree continues to grow, continually embracing the landscape of skateboarding, and the lifestyle that surrounds it, always respecting its deepest roots. From team riders to advocates, products to marketing; Element’s mission is to lead not follow, and leave an imprint deep enough, that it continues to make the world a better place.
How’s that for some quality catalog writing? Click the link to watch the clip. It will hypnotize you.
Nope. It’s not another story on Tony Hawk. This Investors.com interview is with former pro skateboarder Jeff Thompson about how he used all the lessons he learned in skateboarding to build a successful internet service provider business in Rhode Island.
To compete and gain sponsors, I had to skate four to six hours a day. It took passion. When you don’t feel like practicing, you can’t say no. You need that same dedication with an emerging technology to get from zero revenue to the Nasdaq. . . If you worry too much about the whole routine as you drop into your first ramp, it can add to your anxiety. It’s better to focus on one trick at a time and do it right.
Thrasher Magazine’s Jake Phelps calls Chris Cole to let him know he’s won the Skater Of The Year award for his second time in five years. Chris was pretty happy about it. How happy? “I’m just stoked out of my face,” Cole told Phelps. “Thanks for putting my shit in the mag.”
On Friday December 5, 2009 Agenda co-founder Aaron Levant and The Berrics co-founder Steve Berra announced (not without some hyperbole) a “revolutionary partnership” in which a “brand new section dedicated to skateboard brands” would be added to the January 8-9, 2009 Agenda Show in Huntington Beach. Agenda promised to “travel and accommodations” to all 61 shops listed on the Berrics Unified skate shop listing.
Then this morning (December 7, 2009), Blackbox Distribution owner Jamie Thomas announced (not without some hyperbole) a press release in which the Crossroads Retail Show and ASR have teamed up to present the “ultimate skate focused retail show” which will be added to the February 3-4, 2009 ASR Show only it will be held outside in the parking lot of Petco Park. Without promising “travel and accommodations” Crossroads is “committed to making sure that 100 of the nation’s key retailers. And what do you know, “space is limited.”
We have to wonder what happens to the entire trade show business model when they have to pay retailers to attend. Lord knows retailers need to be treated well these days, but it still seems to bring us back to the question that’s been plaguing the boardsports business for several years: are trade shows even relevant anymore?
Follow the jump for both press releases.
[Editors’ Note: Turns no one said Jamie’s press release was “all-encompassing statement.” We have removed the erroneously attributed quote from the above post.] [click to continue…]
In a meeting with employees yesterday (December 3, 2009) in the offices of DC Shoes in Vista, California the parent company Quiksilver announced that they are moving the entire DC Shoe business to Huntington Beach, California according to sources familiar with company. The move will reportedly happen in the next six months.
This news has many San Diego County employees wondering how or if they’re going to be able to make the hour and a half commute once the move is complete. And to think, the new vert ramp that Colin McKay and the boys designed is only weeks away from being complete.
We’re sure there will be more to this stories. We’ll keep our ear to the grind and let you know.
Not really sure what is going on here. But that appears to be Jake “Fall from the sky” Brown and Pat Duffy. As Bryce Kanights said on Skatedaily.net, “What the hell.” It’s certainly no Gymkana 2.1.
Two 18-year-olds men from Cwmbran, South Wales, UK were arrested Sunday, November 30, 2009 in an attack in which they allegedly hit 65-year-old Bryan Roberts in the head with a skateboard after he asked them to stop “verbally abusing a young woman.”
A skateboard was swung at Mr Roberts’ head after he asked them to stop harassing her. . . Mr Roberts was treated for a gash to his forehead, swollen eyes and bruising all over his face. . . They were arrested on suspicion of assault and were bailed pending further enquiries.
The NPD Group, “the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information” has reported that Tony Hawk: Ride has sold 114,000 copies during the month of November, according to a story on G4TV.com.
