According to a recently published scholarly article by Brian Glenney and Paul O’Conner skateboarding continues to be “discordant.” In other words, skateboarding continues to be disagreeable and incongruous to the mainstream regardless of how you may feel about its diluted post pop cultural blowout. At least that’s what the authors have decided based on studying skaters in New Zealand. Here’s a little slice from the abstract.
We expand upon skateboarding’s relationship with time using the Marxist theorist Henri Lefebvre’s temporal science of Rhythmanalysis. With the disruption of urban social production of capital by the Covid-19 pandemic, we find skateboarding renewed in urban disjuncture from Capitalism and argue that this separation is central to its performance and culture. We propose that skateboarding is arrhythmic: discordant, out of step, and disruptive of the more predictable rhythms of everyday production of capital.
Good to know. If you find yourself engaged with this kind of super discussion of skateboarding philosophy the please, by all means, click the link to read the entire article.
After decades of spending money on their action sporting franchise, ESPN has finally found an exit to the X Games by selling “a majority interest” in the brand to a private equity firm called MSP Sports Capital (owners of McLaren Racing and more.)
“We are bringing our deep-rooted sports expertise to continue the progression and excitement around athletes, competition, fans, and X Games partners,” said Jahm Najafi, Founder and Chairman, MSP Sports Capital, and Founder and CEO, The Najafi Companies.
MSP founder Jahm Najafi, a billionaire who (aside from owning a large piece of the Phoenix Suns basketball team and entertainment company STX Entertainment,) also has investment dealings through Najafi Companies with Shaun Neff. Remember his first brand Neff Headwear?
We’ve never understood the calculus behind PE/VCs interest in action sports. Rarely have the numbers worked for anyone (Jamie Salter is an obvious exception), yet the “sexiness” of boardsports seems to keep the money managers flocking like vultures. They’ve enlisted Tony Hawk as “a brand steward,” and that’s not a bad first move. But the only real synergy the X Games brand ever had was ESPN’s somewhat aging TV/Internet distribution system, so it will be interesting to see what MSP does with the brand outside of that. Najafi is obviously a business genius, so this should be good.
For the official word from MSP, please follow the jump.
Lenders have been given the legal go-ahead to sue Quiksilver and Billabong’s parent company Boardriders after the lenders accused the company of “unfairly” benefitting from a rescue financing deal back in 2020, according to a story in the Wall Street Journal.
A New York judge said Tuesday (October 18, 2022) that loan funds managed by Intermediate Capital Group PLC and other investment firms can move ahead with claims against Boardriders Inc. and another group of lenders over a 2020 debt transaction that provided $110 million in capital to the company.
The lenders seem to be bothered because they believe Boardriders got a better piece of the $110 million than they should have. Apparently, they posit that more of said money should have gone to paying them back. We’d read the rest of the story, but we don’t have access to WSJ Pro. If you do, let us know what it all means.
Gregory “Scott” Starr, the Santa Barbara, California based skate, surf, snow photographer and boardsports historian died October 9, 2022 one day following his 61st birthday, according to a story in the Santa Barbara Independent. Most will remember him from his years shooting for Thrasher Magazine during the 1980s and 90s.
Scott loved photography, surfing, skateboarding, frisbee, snowboarding, his beach home, researching the history of all he loved, and weaving stories of it all. He was a respected film historian and archivist of surf/skate/frisbee/snowboarding sports and cultures, but above all that, he was an extraordinary person who always made others feel at ease. His family and many friends meant the world to him. Most important was his faith in Jesus.
The community will hold a paddle out to remember Starr’s life at a “local beach” on the afternoon of Friday, October 21, 2022.
We’ve said it for years, but here’s a little reminder about author/skater Walker Ryan from Old Friends. And, if you want to read a great skate book, click here for Top of Mason.
Anyone who has been truly injured and fought their way back can feel every single one of Tony Hawk’s feels in this video. Too soon? Maybe. But, congrats anyway. Good to see Tony getting back on the roll.
Master lensperson Atiba Jefferson has agreed to host a free online Canon photo event live from the Primitive Skatepark in Los Angeles October 21, 2022 from 3 – 5 PM PST.
Watch live as photographer and Canon Explorer of Light Atiba Jefferson captures incredible skateboarding images, discusses the cameras in his gear bag, and gives tips for getting the look you want. . . .As part of the Canon Creator Lab program, this FREE event will provide you with a unique experience wherever you’re at with your content creation.
Some event visitors may win a chance to hang with Atiba live on October 22, 2022. If that’s something you’d like to do make sure you select that option when you sign up right here.
Patrick O’Dell chases down the story of an East Coast BMX kid who became the most innovative, influential image grabber in skateboarding and, arguably, the world in general. Yep, it’s Spike Jonze. The nicest, kindest, coolest, creative genius we’ve ever had the chance to hang out with.
Yes, apparently the world has come to this. Are we saddened? Sure. Shocked? Not really. Celebrity culture (like pop) will eat itself. Views are views. And in instances like this, we can’t point fingers because we are part of the problem (just like Yung Gravy).
Sky Brown, the 13-year-old board sports wunder kinder has signed a memorabilia deal with sports collectibles company Upper Deck, apparently.
Along with a diverse assortment of autographed skateboards and helmets, Brown’s portfolio includes a plethora of authentic autographed prints. “Empowered” is a 16″x20″ piece that illustrates Brown in a close-up action shot intertwined with her personal mantra, “Be Brave, Have Fun, and Do It Cause You Love It!”. The piece celebrates her passion for skateboarding and the driving force behind her success within the world of action sports.
Who will buy these authentic action sports collectables? We’ve no idea. Sadly, the collection does not include any good, old-fashion trading cards that smell of stale bubble gum. For the official details or the deal, please follow the jump. [click to continue…]
According to a recently published scholarly article by Brian Glenney and Paul O’Conner skateboarding continues to be “discordant.” In other words, skateboarding continues to be disagreeable and incongruous to the mainstream regardless of how you may feel about its diluted post pop cultural blowout. At least that’s what the authors have decided based on studying skaters in New Zealand. Here’s a little slice from the abstract.
After decades of spending money on their action sporting franchise, ESPN has finally found an exit to the 
Lenders have been given the legal go-ahead to sue Quiksilver and Billabong’s parent company 
