Why do kids care so much about sponsorship?

flurry*

flurry*

Member
These days there are at least 5 posts a day with some 12 year old wanting to be sponsored. They all just want sponsors, money, clothes....blah blah blah. There are race kids at my mountain who all have like 5 sponsors from hookit.com. These kids can't ski that well, and the ones that can will peak early and it won't matter if they're sponsored...why would a kid younger than 18 really NEED to be sponsored? If you are really good, I see the reason you may want it, I see the guys like Nick Goepper are only 19 and in the Olympics but most kids aren't that good. Why do kids these days care so much about sponsors? I say just ski and have fun, wait a little and when you have decent skills, a good edit, and can actually do stuff for the betterment of the company and then see where you can go. What do you guys think about these kids?
 
It's the illusion that

a) being sponsored means you get to ski for free

b) being sponsored means you get to ski for free forever

c) being sponsored is validation that you're cool

d) being sponsored is extra validation that you're cool

e) being sponsored is super-duper validation to everybody else that you're undoubtedly cool
 
The one thing kids need to know, sponsors will come to them if they deserve it. If not they better work harder and enter more comps.
 
Exactly, you can't, just ski and expect sponsorship. Some kids think they have to be sponsored to validate that they have skill. My neighbor is 16 and is an insanely good skier, and doesn't give a shit about sponsorship, but I'm sure companies will be coming to him.
 
Why do kids dream about becoming a pro baseball player?

It's all dream man. Let them have their fun. The world will crush most of their spirits in a few years anyway. At least them enjoy a little bit of life before it all starts going down hill. Before they knock up some chick and have kids, live in some shitty house, work for the man. They get fired the same day their dog get's hit by a car.

Just let them have their dreams

 
yeah for real. i competed from when i was like 13 to 16 and i was sold that this is what i wanted to do the rest of my life. well, fast forward to christmas day 2010, i knocked my domepiece real good and i decided i didnt really want to compete any more, just ski for the love and with my friends/family. im only 18, but most certainly your priorities and desires change.
 
Hookit has some cool ideas, like that session finder map thingy, but it's tarnished by the fact that it's main purpose is to sell products under the guise of sponsorship. 30% off tees from some random company is not a sponsorship. It's a sale. Signing a contract for 10% off Monster isn't a sponsorship. It's a fucking joke.
 
Typical gaper question shouted from the chairlift.... "are you sponsored" and "can you do a backflip"..... all day everyday
 
Its in part an achievment,

"I want to get good enough at skiing, that x company gives me a little product for free because i am now an "ambassador" for the company."

 
Its such a genius business model though... Get kids hyped on sponsorship, then they will go and tell their parents that they are sponsored and must buy this brands products. Badabing badaboom hookit is raking in the royalties.
 
Thinking I should make a company on hookit, haha. It is great business for those small companies, and not really any skin off the companies nose. Great idea, hookit. Well played
 
This.

Too many kids think being sponsored is all about them. It's not all about throwing down and looking cool, you need to portray a brand accordingly as well.

If you're trying to get sponsored as proof that you're a good skier, chances are you are self-absorbed and companies will definitely see that.

Also, if you need to ask how good you have to be to get sponsored, you're probably not good enough.
 
Only reason being sponsored would be cool would be to not have to drop 700$ every season on a whole new set up cause you keep growing.
 
at the top of the park some kid asked me and my buddies if we were sponsored. It felt good to think someone thought we were good enough ahhaha . Wow
 
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This is a stupid attitude, quite frankly. Just because something is clever doesn't make it good. That kind of scummy business model has no place in our community.
 
Completely disagree. It gives kids an opportunity to afford skis and feel a direct connectivity to the industry. It gives the brands an opportunity to promote themselves and provide jobs in the ski industry, and it gives the industry a bigger playing field, so it isn't a monopoly of the top 10 brands and we never see and style diversity. Punk ass mow'fkuh, swerve.
 
OP and others are over thinking it. sponsored smonshered, I just wanna ski hard, if I get a free pair of skis next year Ill go harder because I know someone can recognize talent/ passion.
 
i was very confused and probably read this post like five times before realizing that it wasnt me who posted it
 
Its not only kids, though it tends to be. The real distinction is maturity/experience. At some point people realize that they'll have the most fun with their skiing when they do it for themselves and the fulfillment that brings rather than skiing for recognition or achievement. Thanks to Kieran McVeigh for that bit of wisdom.
 
Kind of a self confidence thing I guess. I mean the free shit is an upside but to me if I got sponsored I would be really happy with myself.
 
I know this one kid who podiums a lot of little competitions, and every time he yells:

"I WANT TO THANK MY ONLY SPONSORS, MY MOM AND DAD!!!"
 
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