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SELLING OUT!

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Stauble
Posts: 106 - Karma: 384
I am just playing devil's advocate with this because I am very curious of all your thoughts. Why are you against big name/corporate sponsorships? Our athletes and media companies are finally starting to get what they deserve for their passion, skills and efforts. More corporate money is getting poured into the industry and it's making for cooler events, better technology and products, and we are just growing in general. It is up to us to be responsible with the money and not get greedy. We can still maintain any lifestyle we want it, it just gives us options.

Just looking for some mature, thought out opinions on both sides of this topic.
May 3 2009 5:45PM
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Ski.Ballet
Posts: 2860 - Karma: 200
I agree. I could elaborate, but you said it pretty well.
May 3 2009 5:57PM
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nickyp
Posts: 5673 - Karma: 215
I'm not against big money deals at all. Skiers, all of us in fact have a skill, and deserve to be rewarded for it. And like in any other field, if you devote your life to something, you deserve to be rewarded for your efforts.

But i've always thought of skiing as being quite an underground sport, and liked it that way really. I like the fact that my friends at super impressed when they see me do stuff, and i like the fact that everyone on NS is super stoked on skiing.

My worry is that if skiing goes fully mainstream, then we'll get a load of people skiing because it looks cool, or because its the cool thing to do, rather than doing it for the love of the sport and the lifestyle.

Just my $0.02
May 3 2009 5:58PM
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PhaedeD
Posts: 11499 - Karma: 339
big money is helping our sport get noticed, snowboarding is cool but lame soon people will see whats up.
May 3 2009 6:01PM
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scofield
Posts: 7973 - Karma: 2,467
Couldn't agree more Staubs. But honestly, Target? I think Simon sold skiing out a bit on that one. We don't need the ski version of Shaun White's K-Mart Collection. With today's economy, selling out is a popular option considering anyone who wants to live and die skiing needs money, and hey! selling out has been pretty great so far. Look at NS, the banner and video ads may be annoying but this site could not be a fraction of it's size and caliber without them. Corporate sponsors are the ones putting the most money in the hands of our riders, filmers, and photographers, which is a driving factor and pursuing that lifestyle (as well have seen with those who have had to change career paths strictly due to income.) All I know is Mountain Dew and Under Armour, I love you.
May 3 2009 6:15PM
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yellav
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 1,217
Click for larger image
May 3 2009 6:29PM
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inactive
Posts: 4772 - Karma: 97
i concurr
May 3 2009 6:30PM
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stormtrooper
Posts: 1191 - Karma: 461
the whole selling out thing came from people who were jealous of there friends, like back in the day two kids both slayed, but then one got picked up and the other didnt, so the other one is like your a sell out, and then this has sculpted society
May 3 2009 6:34PM
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yellav
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 1,217
lolwut? sculpted society?

the whole negative notion behind why people hate on selling out is the artist or athlete or skier in this case being forced by the sponsor to do things that negotiate the sponsored riders true opinions or feelings on things to become more liking to the companies image.

sooooo no you're very wrong, nice try using big words like sculpted and society though dude!
May 3 2009 6:39PM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
We're all soul skiers here, brah
May 3 2009 6:41PM
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Raptor.
Posts: 784 - Karma: 255
i thought Shaun White was with Target too
May 3 2009 6:46PM
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VTtreeskier
Posts: 1833 - Karma: 64
Haha exactly. Im all for the progression of our sport and alot of this is achieved through selling out. The reason people worry about it because of the idea that through selling out we'll stop being team pup n suds and transform into team xblades, but come one thats not gonna happen, we're soul skiers!
May 3 2009 7:32PM
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heFF
Posts: 5786 - Karma: 4,456
moby dick?
May 3 2009 7:33PM
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PhaedeD
Posts: 11499 - Karma: 339
i heard heff got sponsored by kfc and gets to eat free GRILLED chicken everyday.. god what a sellout!
May 4 2009 11:22AM
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ski@jaypeak2
Posts: 2805 - Karma: 469

I think everyone should watch the Inside the Actors Studio with Dave Chappelle.  He explains when he first told his parents he was gonna be a comedian and the laughed at him.  Then he got his first couple shows and then made half-baked (which he also wrote)  and then got his comedy central special.  His dad told him "Name your price and once it gets too high, get out"  Once comedy central offered him more money then he ever expected from comedy he knew there was no way his show could meet those standards.  The price got to high for his product, thus Africa.  get away from hollywood and the money bullshit. 

I know its pretty different with skiing, but its when it all becomes more then just skiing, get out.  When they arnt paying you to ski they are paying you to be a marketing tool

May 4 2009 11:38AM
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papasteeze
Posts: 12055 - Karma: 915

The term "sell-out"  comes from those who are jealous.  IMO of course. 

There is always an exception to the rule.  However, they wouldn't be on here at NS posting their opinons about skiers taking big money from sponsors. They would be living in a camper, making their own granola skiing on a 100% bamboo.. etc etc

May 4 2009 11:39AM
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Klick_2_klaim
Posts: 3396 - Karma: 25
Umm you totally forgot about how Oprah and Bill Cosby were going to assassinate him for making black people look bad, and the whole conspiracy against him. Google it.

Why is it selling out to become well known and be a marketing tool? Personally I think it would be awesome to ski all day, drink all night, fly around the world, have people all over the place looking up to me, make a whole bunch of cash, and then be able to give back to the sport. I don't think it is selling out to accept a responsibility, and then make your dreams come true. Skiing isn't this tiny little sub culture, millions of people do it all over the world. Just because its gone to new places and evolved into pseudo snowboarding doesn't mean the people who are super good at it shouldn't get paid. If you don't give back, then I think you're a sell out.

 I dont think people should hate on target and nike for wanting to get in on the action. Whats wrong with a little capitalism?
May 4 2009 12:03PM
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The_Tim
Posts: 779 - Karma: 36
get dat ched stacked in the sport, get dem riders paid.

whats wrong with that? fucking hippies.
May 4 2009 12:18PM
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B-Wayne
Posts: 144 - Karma: 109
I am curious to see how much money and shit Simon gets from Target.  They obviously must be treating him well if hes making things like an Empyre pole via Scott with the Target bullet.  I think that this is an interesting topic.  There are a lot of pros who are more interested in supporting small developing companies, but at the end of the day I think that if they can get more money from a larger company then they will leave the small company.  I'm not sure if these pros who drop their small sponsors should necessarily be labeled as "sell outs", I would probably do the same thing if I was offered endorsements.   
May 4 2009 12:26PM
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klimp
Posts: 933 - Karma: 18
where do i sign up to sell out?
May 4 2009 1:00PM
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Stauble
Posts: 106 - Karma: 384
Awesome responses from everybody, some really good points were brought up.

Maybe I have too much faith in humans especially skiers, but I feel like Ski@jaypeak is right. The corporate interest gives us options and opportunity I think it's up to us to be responsible and not get greedy. As the industry grows, the temptations to push your ethics may grow but it's up to the individuals to keep there values and attitudes positive and stay down to earth,


May 4 2009 1:06PM
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SkierX
Posts: 16253 - Karma: 538
Agreed
May 4 2009 1:09PM
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,901

I'm not going to start worrying about it until pros start showing up at comps in Lambos.  ... oh wait!!!

Big corporate sponsors in skiing = good.

Big publically traded corporations running ski areas = bad.

It's kind of ironic that the same gapers that we make fun of are sitting on boards that determine whether your ski area will build a terrain park next season.

May 4 2009 1:11PM
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scofield
Posts: 7973 - Karma: 2,467
as a huge fan of Chappelle I find this hard to believe. Although I can understand the reason for leaving, he has the ability to say to Comedy Central, "Damn, that's a lot of money. I'll just do the show for the same price." I haven't seen what you are talking about but it seems sort of silly he would be like "oh no, a lot of money? i guess ill just stop being one of the funniest people ever and hide in Africa." I think if he really wanted to "stick it to the man" he would have stayed and told them what he wanted.
May 5 2009 5:01PM
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mtsteez03
Posts: 748 - Karma: 122
perfect way to put it
May 5 2009 5:37PM
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mski
Posts: 4791 - Karma: 3,803
It's a matter of different corporations that stick there hand into our sport. Something that might not even be relatable to them, but profitable. I guess its a matter of who is in charge. Newschoolers for example, now that the site is in a legal bind with some major advertiser or something we can see the effect. Advertising on top of advertising.
May 5 2009 5:59PM
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,901
Bump just cause; I think more NSers should weigh in on this!  Great thread and about as important as the great brain bucket debate.
May 5 2009 9:21PM
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