Nike Sponsorship/Demo

Spontaneous Spaz · Post by **Spontaneous Spaz** » 21 May 2006 19:33

i don't get it... no one really stated what nike is doing to cause such commotion... i'm guessing they're starting a footbag line? idk, please explain

King Monkey · Post by **King Monkey** » 22 May 2006 02:17

Read the posts dude.

sidekick · Post by **sidekick** » 22 May 2006 04:58

Mosher- why can't they work with you? That's actually my first plan of action, is to just get thier attention, if they actually bite, I was going to get ahold of you, or at least suggest they contact you about the shoes. Now that's a long shot, and what youre doing with Duncan is real, but we will need a larger outlet in the future.

All I have to say is that I think we're both going to the same destination, just different paths, and I don't want to put your hardwork 6 feet under just so my plan can work instead... I just want to see improvement in the footbag world.

:edit:

I cahnged the origonal post to include more information in the e-mail... I'm sure no one will care at this point, but please read it before you e-mail them

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 22 May 2006 06:36

Yeah, all I am saying is that I think these efforts are in the same direction but this is happening at the wrong time.

If you REALLY want Nike to pay attention you show up with a REAL offer (like say, 'here's a fledgling shoe line we've started, want to buy it off us?') and come at them with a real full force attack.

This is basically the equivalent of sending each dude in the frontline of battle in one at a time to fight the enemy instead of a combined effort, you know?

I just don't want the timing of things to get all muddled because of misplaced passion.

I don't want to discourage you!!!! But understand what you are doing first.

Ideally I will finally get the Duncan thing accomplished that will operate for a bit and then *with that* we approach the big companies! Not the other way around.

sidekick · Post by **sidekick** » 22 May 2006 09:50

PM'ing Tom, please read origonal post for date changes, because they may happen soon. If/when they happen, I will post them in Red

shredzilla · Post by **shredzilla** » 22 May 2006 10:04

Go for it man! Nothing bad can come of it, you're at the very least bringing attention to the sport. Footbag will certainly be no WORSE off than it is now. Hey, I support mosher too, but man if you have the spark, go out and make that fire man, don't let me or anyone else get in your way! I'll send my email.

Any Publicity= Good Publicity

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 22 May 2006 12:51

I guess I just don't understand what this is supposed to be achieving..

sidekick · Post by **sidekick** » 22 May 2006 13:18

(not angry, although it may seem so) It's supposed to get them to notice footbag, and eventually have a mass prdouced footbag shoe with sponsorships, teams, and commercials. I'd like that to be the final goal, but if no one else shares it with me, or if somone else (tom) is in the process of doing this, I'd like to work with them. I'd be willing to change dates, skip anything, help out in any way.

I'm just tired of footbag being looked down upon because no one in Oregon seems to notice that it's ACTUALLY A FUCKING SPORT! (Starting to get angry, not at anyone in particular, but at the situation that footbag is in). It seems that anyone who views footbag as a real sport is either playing it, knows someone who does, or isn't in the position to do anything about it. I'm trying to make it more noticed, trying to get the future generation into footbag, show people that we are NOT of bunch of hippies kicking a bean sack.

GOD DAMN IT'S FRUSTRATING! I want to be recognized for the one and only passion I have in life, I want to be able get sponsorships to events that are far away becuase I should be there, I want other players who are better than me and worse than me to have that same oppertunity! I want us to be an organized community that can have a world tournament that EVERY pro can get to. Half the US players can't make it to World's this year, becuase it's too goddamn expensive! THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING! Jim Penske, sick as hell player, shred 30 score of 240+ last time I shredded with him, isn't going to make it to worlds! WTF!? Does anyone else see the problem here??? [/vent]

I just want to do something with that passion, not have to be stuck in this postion, and be able to at very least, have some compensation for all the people who invest so much time in a sport that seems so fun. If I am the only one who thinks like this, then fuck it. I'll just keep playing, every day, getting better for no reason other than to say "yeah, I can do that"

:EDIT:
I didn't change anything i wrote above, but I do need to add some things. I see the sport growing, but we're taking baby steps. I'm looking for strides, I think that the head of Nike will be smart enough to realize that there is a large demographic of young people. To steal sales away from ADIDAS, to make money off a growing alternative sport. If they don't think it's big enough now, we'll give them a show and let them see what was 10 years ago, and what it will be in 2 years with proper marketing, the right shoes, and the right people.

smokefree · Post by **smokefree** » 22 May 2006 16:35

And duncan will make more efficient shoes?? sorry but look at their merchandise, CHEAP SHIT. look at the duncan website, their yoyos suck and it kind of looks like their footbags do too. Do YOU want a shoe similar to their standard of product? I'll stick with lavers, or would ask Nike, Vans, other shoe companies to check it out. TRUE: we dont want nike raping things and making cheap shoes but duncan is a less rich version of the same company producing less than good items.

Oh and i didnt really read that rant because it was too big, hacky sack "footbag" while it was lame and without most cool tricks, did have an explosion once, it nearly became a fad, dont let it happen again.

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 22 May 2006 17:35

smokefree wrote:And duncan will make more efficient shoes?? sorry but look at their merchandise, CHEAP SHIT. look at the duncan website, their yoyos suck and it kind of looks like their footbags do too. Do YOU want a shoe similar to their standard of product? I'll stick with lavers, or would ask Nike, Vans, other shoe companies to check it out. TRUE: we dont want nike raping things and making cheap shoes but duncan is a less rich version of the same company producing less than good items.

Oh and i didnt really read that rant because it was too big, hacky sack "footbag" while it was lame and without most cool tricks, did have an explosion once, it nearly became a fad, dont let it happen again.

And who, exactly, at nike, vans or whatever is going to design this shoe?
Who is going to put in the many many hours it takes to get shit off the ground instead of just bitching? Not you clearly. (aimed at this dude, not Nick)

You obviously don't get it man, the only influence on the shoe that duncan has is the fact that they have enough money to pay someone (me in this case) to get it done. The quality of their other shit has NOTHING to do with this.

Man, it peeves me when stupid people step up and try to be mister smarty pants.

Nick, I pose to you the same question about the actual making of the shoe part, who do you propose is going to do the bitchwork of actually designing and testing and so on? You need an engineer (mechanical engineer to be exact) with a passion for both shoes and footbag, how many of those are there? One!!! ME!

Going with a big company has certain blatantly obvious benefits, you have MONEY to work with and the power to dive into massive projects, but at the same time this massive scale severely limits other things like FREEDOM to do what you want.

If the Duncan route is taken they will leave us totally free to make the shoe we want since they will be satisfied that we are satisfied. However Nike needs to have such a ridiculously big guaranteed payback that it would surely be endlessly controlling and impossible to work with. They would never let us put function first since they wouldn't be able to sell slightly silly looking shoes (which footbag shoes are) to the public.

Here's the point I am really wanting to make:

The big money and all that will come IN TIME, you can't force something like popularity or acceptance.
If we all keep busting our balls getting new people into the sport it will continue to grow at the most fundamental and pure level.

Do you really think Nike is going to see a small handfull of shredders outside their offices and start throwing money at you?

Gaaaahhh I hate getting worked up over the internet! I can never properly convey any of the stuff I want to say. I bet if we were all just sitting in a room having this discussion you'd see how genuinely passionate I am about this and how direly I wish to not have all my efforts wasted.

I know that Nike would never just barf out some shitty shoe, any project they undertake is, due to their massive scale, going to be a major undertaking regardless.

I'm all flustered and my heads all over the place.. i need a hug or something.

smokefree · Post by **smokefree** » 22 May 2006 18:28

I don't recall you saying YOU were making the shoe, maybe you should of specified. It was something along the lines of working with duncan to produce shoes or something, and I wasn't trying to be a mr. faggywhateverpants, I was just stating my natural reaction to what you had posted. And anyway, in a capitalist country if it catches on Nike will rape it anyway (off point and not directed at anyone)
OH and btw mosher, i can see how passionate you are and I really do think you are doing great things for the sport, i noticed quite some time ago, especially with a website that lets you chooses designs and colors for well produced hacks, i've never seen anything quite like it. For a second all I saw you saying was "hey, lets have Duncan make it over Nike", I didn't know you were a shoe engineer. Edit: looking through i noticed someone else said it though.

t1337dude · Post by **t1337dude** » 22 May 2006 19:53

sniikeri wrote:

Yep, it sucks.
Maybe not the worst starter bag though.

I have one. You can only kick it. It's too big to do anything 2+ adds.

smokefree · Post by **smokefree** » 22 May 2006 20:12

can you do repeated toe stalls on it?

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 23 May 2006 02:00

mosher wrote: This is basically the equivalent of sending each dude in the frontline of battle in one at a time to fight the enemy instead of a combined effort, you know?

This is the best point made in this topic - and it's why all of you should join the IFPA and work the IFPA to do all this stuff instead of working as individuals. If you're working with the IFPA then people can know what's going on and people can work as a combined team on things. A lot of effort in footbag goes to individuel efforts that if combined would be much much more helpful than their current efforts.

shredzilla · Post by **shredzilla** » 23 May 2006 07:45

nick_landes wrote:(not angry, although it may seem so) It's supposed to get them to notice footbag, and eventually have a mass prdouced footbag shoe with sponsorships, teams, and commercials. I'd like that to be the final goal, but if no one else shares it with me, or if somone else (tom) is in the process of doing this, I'd like to work with them. I'd be willing to change dates, skip anything, help out in any way.

I'm just tired of footbag being looked down upon because no one in Oregon seems to notice that it's ACTUALLY A FUCKING SPORT! (Starting to get angry, not at anyone in particular, but at the situation that footbag is in). It seems that anyone who views footbag as a real sport is either playing it, knows someone who does, or isn't in the position to do anything about it. I'm trying to make it more noticed, trying to get the future generation into footbag, show people that we are NOT of bunch of hippies kicking a bean sack.

GOD DAMN IT'S FRUSTRATING! I want to be recognized for the one and only passion I have in life, I want to be able get sponsorships to events that are far away becuase I should be there, I want other players who are better than me and worse than me to have that same oppertunity! I want us to be an organized community that can have a world tournament that EVERY pro can get to. Half the US players can't make it to World's this year, becuase it's too goddamn expensive! THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING! Jim Penske, sick as hell player, shred 30 score of 240+ last time I shredded with him, isn't going to make it to worlds! WTF!? Does anyone else see the problem here??? [/vent]

I just want to do something with that passion, not have to be stuck in this postion, and be able to at very least, have some compensation for all the people who invest so much time in a sport that seems so fun. If I am the only one who thinks like this, then fuck it. I'll just keep playing, every day, getting better for no reason other than to say "yeah, I can do that"

:EDIT:
I didn't change anything i wrote above, but I do need to add some things. I see the sport growing, but we're taking baby steps. I'm looking for strides, I think that the head of Nike will be smart enough to realize that there is a large demographic of young people. To steal sales away from ADIDAS, to make money off a growing alternative sport. If they don't think it's big enough now, we'll give them a show and let them see what was 10 years ago, and what it will be in 2 years with proper marketing, the right shoes, and the right people.

This is exactly how I feel every day of my life. THANK YOU for taking initiative and doing something. Don't wait on tom or anyone please. You need to carry this momentum and fire with you up there on June 1st. I'm ALSO tired of seeing people do AMAZING THINGS that would blow most sports away and not even getting sponsored at tournaments.

Heck I've even been sponsoring David Clavens by giving him free bags. It's cuz I want him to have nice bags to play with since he's one of the best players out there, instead of crappy ones. Cuz he deserves it. He's put a lot of time and effort into having perfect form, and he deserves a chance at making something really HUGE happen out of this. He can't afford to go to Worlds or even the US Championships!

Props Nick, Go GO GO!!!!!

Oh by the way, I'm making color, double-sided gloss flyers for the US Championships and I'd like to get as many as I can out to you as I can for your demonstration. Invite everyone you see to watch us play our favorite sport, and bask in our passion that is FOOTBAG!!!!@!@!!!!@!@!!

sidekick · Post by **sidekick** » 24 May 2006 09:13

I Pm'd Mosher, still trying to get his okay. I don't think that me going to Nike will hurt his project in anyway because:

1) It will take a long time to get this up and running, and if/when it does they can buy his idea off of im

2) Nike will have to make a shoe that will perform better than any other shoe out there, or else they wouldn't sell.

3) I had an idea that they could put out two shoes, one for hardcore shred (100% performance), and one for style (50% performance, 50% style) The reason for the two types is that (ideally) the style shoe is for newbs and walking, along with some decent shred. The all shred one, while more expensive and less stylie, will be Tom's shoe (again, ideally) and meant for professional use

4) If they didn't make the pro shoe, Tom's shoe will still sell with Duncan, and Nike will then have sponsorships and such with their shoes

Again, I'm positive that Nike will do extensive market research and find out that they HAVE to have a performance shoe, and if they can't make a shoe that will do that, then they won't do it at all. Nike is smart enough to see that a talented shredder with a degree in mechanical engineering that already has a shoe design that will be perfect for the market, and to take that design and mass-produce it. They have to be able to see that they don't have to hire full time designers and more market research to find out what kind of shoes would be best, and what qualities the shoe needs to be great for shred, they have Tom.

I'm just waiting for a response from Tom, and then I’ll post this on .org and get the posters made, and arrange the meeting with the Oregonian/local news station.

:edit: spelling (I drank a monster and everything got jumbled up

)

Senor Grommet · Post by **Senor Grommet** » 24 May 2006 11:33

Nick and Mosher,

What neither of you two seem to understand is that whatever Nike asks of you Nick, they are only using you for their own purposes. They have absolutely NO desire or intent to make a footbag shoe. Get it? All fo the talk in your above post is meaningless. There are ni "ifs" or "whens." Nike will not make a footbag shoe. Nike will not make a footbag shoe. Nike will not make a footbag shoe. Mosher, you have nothing to worry about and your efforts are not in vain. In years past, when Ellis Piltz, Jason Crook, and Richard Abshire were hired by Nike to do demos for the opening of NikeTown down in San Diego, they soon realized they were just being exploited and the whole situation was crap. They basically got nothing out of it except some free merchandise and the chance to expand the audience that footbag freestyle reaches. Nike never intended to make a shoe for footbag. They still don't.

sidekick · Post by **sidekick** » 24 May 2006 14:03

No worries then

Senor Grommet · Post by **Senor Grommet** » 24 May 2006 14:59

not trying to be harsh, just making sue that you both know there's nothing to be worked up over. Go have fun Nick, and Mosher don't fret it.

Sorry for the above typos and the mistake about Nike Town. I meant Nike's Play campaign. I also meant to include Big Add Chad in the list of shredders who worked with Nike.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 24 May 2006 22:03

nick_landes wrote:I Pm'd Mosher, still trying to get his okay. I don't think that me going to Nike will hurt his project in anyway because:

Nick, Tom has no authority over the promotion of footbag. Your attempted promotion isn't going to effect his promotion at all. I really don't understand why he thinks that at all. Nike is a huge organisation. It's very unlikely that anybody who sees you playing footbag or reads these emails will ever have anything to do with Tom. Just do it

modified

Nike Sponsorship/Demo

Will you do this? (read post before voting)