Hollywood Takes Ride on Growing Skateboard Craze
By CONOR DOUGHERTY
Staff Reporter
Hollywood, always looking to capitalize on anything youthful, is riding the skateboarding craze in a big way with major entertainment companies getting into the competition.
Late last month, Walt Disney Co. announced it had optioned the autobiography and life rights of skateboarding superstar Tony Hawk. The autobiography, “Occupation: Skateboarder,” was a bestseller. Hawk also has been working with Revolution Studios on another skateboarding-themed project.
Days after the Disney announcement, the WB Network said it was developing a variety series with former MTV personality Tom Green. The half-hour show will feature guest appearances by professional skateboarders and will be set in the world of skateboarding.
Similarly, NBC premiered its new Saturday morning show, “Skate” on Oct. 6.
“I was at a skateboard shop and I saw a 25 year-old behind the counter arguing the minutia of skateboarding with an eight year-old. And the eight year-old’s father was trying to make sense of the whole thing,” said Lee Gaither, vice president of Saturday morning & family programming at NBC. “You had three demographics of males all interested in the same thing. That’s when I (saw) broadcast potential.”
Tapping into a culture
Tom Lynch, executive producer and co-creator of “Skate,” said the skateboarding category is attractive because of its proven success. “The skateboarding culture has been growing for years,” said Lynch. “And now bigger companies are trying to tap into it.”
Though skateboarding has been on the minds of Southern California retailers for decades, only recently has appeal of the sport broadened and become attractive to non-skateboarders who like the skateboarding lifestyle and apparel.
Santa Fe Springs-based Vans Inc., a manufacturer and retailer of skateboarding shoes and apparel, as well as the owner/operator of skateboard parks across the country, has been a consistent performer for the past several years, reporting a 23 percent increase in sales in its last fiscal year. And Santa Monica-based Activision Inc.’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series has been a bestseller on multiple game consoles including the Playstation, Playstation 2, Nintendo 64 and Game Boy.
“There’s a whole demographic that aspires to the skateboarding lifestyle,” said Jeff Van Sinderen, an equity analyst with B. Riley & Co. in Santa Monica. “I think the entertainment industry realizes it’s not just about the core skateboarders. Most core skateboarders don’t even shop at the mall.”
Hollywood hasn’t always so skateboarder friendly. A year ago when he and co-creator Christopher Mack were developing “Skate,” Lynch said the show’s concept was unproven in the broadcast arena and he felt like he was taking a big risk in pitching the concept. “Up until the last minute we thought, this is either going to really work or it’s not going to work at all,” he said.
