This one is for the kids
Supreme looks to dismiss Tyshawn Jones (again), Dyrdek creates a framework for processing information into understanding and applying that understanding to develop knowledge, Paul Rodriguez is on Airbnb, and more.
The definitive weekly ranking and analysis of all the skateboarding and other things online that I cannot stop consuming and how it makes me feel, personally.
Motion to dismiss
Rank: 1
Mood: 💰🧑⚖️💰
We live in a litigious society. One whose courtroom successes most often favour those with the most resources, in regard to finances, class status, social influence, and time. Still, the legal system can provide David with the possibility of recourse against Goliath. Or a means for Goliaths to lock up in petty, grinding wars of attrition. There are also additional, occasionally far-reaching side effects to a legal skirmish, as they can provide unprecedented glimpses behind the scenes of affairs we otherwise wouldn't have been privy to.
In May, we got our first inkling of juicy information to come when Tyshawn Jones sued his longtime former sponsor, the streetwear brand Supreme. At the time, I wrote how Jones claimed "Supreme severed his $1 million USD per year contract 15 months early as a means to cut costs ahead of their impending sale to eyeglass conglomerate Luxottica last July. For their part, Supreme says that Jones was cut after an 'incurable breach' in contract, after he participated in a photoshoot while wearing another company's clothing."
Cole Nowicki
Ever since, we've been waiting to see what both parties' next move would be. Then last week, 'sletter friend and Mostly Skateboarding's legal correspondent, Peter Wenker, came across some particularly fascinating documents uploaded to the New York County Clerk's Office e-file system when Supreme filed a notice to dismiss Jones' suit on August 7. Those documents included "Exhibit B," the contract that Supreme claims Jones breached.
Wenker and Templeton Elliott go through the details on the podcast, which you should take a listen to if you haven't:
Posted by
Templeton
It's an incredibly illuminating document, as we rarely, if ever, see the actual contracts that skaters sign with companies of any size. If it weren't for this legal action, we would have never seen this one either. Within it, there is a provision that prevents Jones from sharing any of its details "...directly or indirectly, for their respective benefit or the benefit of any others," which raises questions about whether this is an industry-wide practice.
While there are many interesting tidbits throughout, the clear headlines are the dollar amounts. The contact confirms Jones was making "$83,333.33 (US Dollars) monthly based on $1,000,000.00 (US Dollars) annually during each Contract Year." That may be a pittance in other professional sports, but it's an eye-popping sum in the skateboarding world.
We also got a look at Jones' bonus structure for media coverage.
As Wenker and Elliott note on their emergency Mostly Skateboarding episode, it is strange that Transworld, The Skateboard Mag, Kingpin, and even the Berrics are included in magazine and video coverage, considering they have all been out of print or offline since before this contract was signed in December of 2024.
Also, while it's important to remember that these are bonuses on top of Jones' $83,333 per month, to receive just a maximum of $5,000 for a video part, which can sometimes take years of effort, is striking. That's also on the high-end, as Jones is one of the biggest names in the sport. A source once shared with me a contract from Vans, which showed a maximum bonus of just $2000 per video part, if released by an endemic partner like Thrasher, Quartersnacks, or Free, and only if it garnered 200,000 views or more.
Is that the value of the skateboarder's actual skateboarding? Jones receiving a $25k bonus for winning Thrasher's Skater of the Year (and a $50k bonus if he were to win an "unprecedented third time") is a substantial amount of money in the skateboarding space, but is that realistically commensurate with the work that is required to win it?
There are a few other topline items in Jones' contract with Supreme that help illustrate what the job of a sponsored skateboarder entails, or at least one of Jones' calibre, who is supported by billion-dollar corporations. The first is a very Supreme-centric provision around modelling.
Skater shall be available, at SUPREME'S direction, for no less than twelve (12) photo and/or video shoots arranged by SUPREME and as to which Skater is provided with timely notice and passage as described herein, including but not limited to special projects, campaigns, seasonal preview and lookbook projects, editorial material (such as scheduled shoots in accordance with Supreme's timeline related to collaborations between Supreme and other brands), and "in line" photo or video shoots (such as mutually scheduled shoots solely related to Supreme's products) ("Shoots") for each Contract Year of the Term (which shall be comprised of six (6) Shoots per season (SS and FW)), where Skater serves as a model.
We then get a clearer picture of the role social media plays in a skateboarder's career.
Skater is expected to frequently contribute to and appear on personal social media channels, including on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tik Tok [sic] and YouTube, through comments and photo and video posts, as well as comment on and repost Supreme's Instagram, other social media profiles and digital channels (the "Posts"). Skater must prominently feature or wear SUPREME apparel in his personal social media channels. Except as otherwise set forth in the last sentence of this Section, Skater agrees and acknowledges that he shall not wear or promote any other branded clothing on social media or in any media, including in any photos or videos made by Skater or made by any third party.
It now makes sense, and is a bit nauseating, to consider that Andrew Brophy's paycheck may have been contingent on his commenting "gang" on every Instagram post from his sponsors. Jones' contract was also very prescriptive in detailing what Jones can wear and when.
Except as otherwise set forth herein, Skater is expected to prominently wear a SUPREME branded top (e.g., shirt, tank, sweatshirt, button-down, sweater or jacket), pants and underwear every day and, if Skater chooses to wear a hat, it must be a SUPREME branded hat. Skater may coordinate his outfit at his discretion so long as his outfit is predominantly SUPREME branded. Skater is expected whenever engaged in skateboarding or skateboard-related activities, including but not limited to training, all competitions and related press conferences, trade related activities (e.g., hospitality gatherings, awards presentations, demonstrations, appearances, social media postings, etc.) and all other skate related occasions (whether professional, recreational or otherwise) at which Skater may be present, either as a participant, spectator, commentator or otherwise, to wear and to use SUPREME apparel SUPREME shall provide Skater with a sufficient amount of SUPREME apparel free of charge to fulfill his obligations under this Agreement ("SUPREME Apparel").
The objectively restrictive nature of this contract (who's gonna check his undies everday? C'mon, man), according to Supreme, was part of a renegotiation between the company and Jones, and led to them doubling his compensation so he would remain exclusive to their brand, and not take on outside modelling gigs, which would end up being the source of the incurable breach, when Jones took on a prominent role in a Marc Jacobs' campaign.
Jones claims he was permitted to do so, as he'd been in the past, which is one point of contention, along with accusations that Supreme defamed him throughout the fashion industry. Jones also claims that, by his contract, he should have been given 30 days to "cure" the breach, but was not afforded the opportunity. Supreme's counterargument is that this new contract voided those previous clauses and exceptions.
I'm no legal expert, and there's always the possibility that Jones has evidence to support his claims, but judging from this contract, it appears that Supreme has the edge over Jones and is confident about their chances. It's why they were willing to submit the contract. We'll learn more on September 3, when Supreme's motion is scheduled to take place at the New York County Courthouse. If it goes through as planned and is open to the public, Simple Magic will have a correspondent on hand to cover the proceedings.
Beyond the intrigue surrounding a major news story such as this, what's most interesting is whether the release of Jones' contract will be beneficial to other professional skateboarders as they measure their worth and negotiate future deals. Maybe it's time for fellow two-time SOTY Jamie Foy to renegotiate with Dickies.
Complete with trick demos
Rank: 206
Mood: ❔
There's nothing wrong with diversifying your portfolio, experimenting with alternative income streams, hustling, etc. Times are tough. It's also fine if you're testing out those alternative income streams because you want to try new things, open yourself up to different experiences, or switch things up a bit.
Still, it is a bit curious for professional skateboarder and Primitive Skateboards figurehead Paul Rodriguez to organize a custom Airbnb Original "workout" event titled "Skate with Paul Rodriguez at his private skatepark."
The sold-out... original? Experience? Runs for $206 CAD (about $150 USD) a head for groups of two, across four three-hour sessions. What do you get at that rather steep price point? According to the event description, you'll meet P-Rod at the Primitive TF and "hear [his] vision for the space," then tour the facility, before jumping into an open skate session "complete with trick demos" where Rodriguez himself will give you pointers. To close out your session, you'll wind down in the lounge with tacos before receiving a gift bag on your way out.
Honestly? Even if it portends dire financial straits for Rodriguez and Primitive, that does sound kind of sick. And if anyone can help me finally learn switch 360-flips, it would be P-Rod.
This one is for the kids
Rank: 1
Mood: 📚
Rob Dyrdek, the former professional skateboarder, current entrepreneur and "Time Creationism" founder, announced the christening of The Rob Dyrdek Family Library on Instagram last week. The caption of the post, which included a series of videos featuring Dyrdek and his family walking through the facility, reads:
This one is for the kids . School creates your framework for processing information into understanding and applying that understanding to develop knowledge but what you choose to read will determine who you become.
So true, Rob. School does create the framework for how you process information into understanding and how you apply that understanding to develop knowledge, but, ultimately, what you choose to read will determine who you become...
Anyways, this is some old-school wealth and influence peddling. A throwback, if you will, to the days of the Guggenheims and Sacklers, whose names you can or could find on libraries, art galleries, museums, and hospitals around the world. It was the classy way to show the proletariat that your obscene wealth was going toward something worthwhile, something for the people. Image laundering for a time when the rich still cared about their image.
Now, the wealthy just fire up a shitcoin and rugpull a bunch of desperate idiots who never seem to learn. The millionaire and billionaire class are no longer concerned with what the public thinks. Many are actively cheering on fascist regimes in the United States and around the world. They are done pretending that they care about anything other than the accumulation of wealth, power, and destroying anything that may get in capitalism's way.
In that way, it's quaint that Dyrdek would sponsor a library. A library whose provenance and location I cannot find any trace of online. Is this a new building he funded the construction of, or did he donate some cash to his kid's school and they slapped his name on the library as thanks? I'd lean toward the latter, but who knows. Either way, as long as he's not meddling in what books they put on the shelves, who cares? Libraries are essential, and reading can open up new worlds for kids, and yes, help determine who they become.
H/T to D. on this.
Good tricks, wrong time
Rank: 1?
Mood: 🧸
If you wanted to pull an example of just how mercurial the tides of skateboarding trends have been over the last few years, Maurice Jordan's Victory Lap video part uploaded by Thrasher last week is deeply instructive. In just under four minutes and thirty seconds, Jordan, as the Thrasher video blurb aptly puts it, "unleashes" a series of shockingly technical maneuvers.
Consider these selected tricks, presented in the order shown in Victory Lap, all of which are executed down handrails or hubbas:
- Fakie-kickflip-frontside-boardslide
- nollie-kickflip-backside-lipslide
- fakie-heelflip-frontside-boardslide
- Caballerial-frontside-boardslide
- Caballerial-backside-lipslide
- backside-180-kickflip-nosegrind
- nollie-kickflip-crooked-grind
- heelflip-crooked-grind
- triple-kink frontside-smith
- switch-frontside-bluntside-shove-it
- switch-frontside-hurricane
- switch-frontside-feeble
- Caballerial-backside-tailslide
- switch-backside-bluntslide-bigspin
- 360-kickflip-50-50
- nollie-360-kickflip-frontside-boardslide
- fakie-kickflip-backside-nosegrind
- switch-kickflip-backside-lipslide
- 360-kickflip-crooked-grind
- switch-backside-noseblunt
- Caballerial-backside-Losi
- switch-frontside-boardslide (18 stairs)
If this were the mid-aughts, Jordan would be an overnight superstar. The next big thing. Which is strange to say, as he clearly is one of the best skateboarders out there. There remains an audience for this type of steady-progression one-upmanship stunt skating, but it ultimately feels stale now. Devoid of character. Limited and antiquated, Jordan falls somewhere between Suped-Up Manny Santiago and generic Grizzly Grip rider, pejorative descriptors that weren't so 10-15 years ago.
Credit to Jordan for skating his way, the way of 2007, because it is a genuine thrill to watch someone push the limits of what can be done on a skateboard, even if the idea of watching him do so more than once isn't overly appealing. And who knows, maybe a few years from now, once people tire of ride-on grinds, Midwest emo, and riding off roofs, Jordan will have his moment.
Something to consider: Absolutely depraved.
Amos Brison
Good anonymous survey thing: 'sletter friend and contributor, Mike Munzenrider, is back in Quartersnacks with another anonymous, and very interesting, survey.
Snack
Good book thing:
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Another good thing:
Robert Silverman
Oh hell yeah, another good thing: Jono Coote has a new book, Threatened By The Bell Tolls of Time, out now with Red Fez Books.
Until next week… sometimes you need to give yourself time to heal, other times you need to limp forward into the next day. Both require patience.
Laser Quit Smoking Massage
NEWEST PRESS
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My new collection of essays is available now. I think you might like it. The Edmonton Journal called it a "local book set to make a mark in 2024." The CBC said it's "quirky yet insightful." lol.
Book cover by Hiller Goodspeed.
Right, Down + Circle
ECW PRESS
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I wrote a book about the history and cultural impact of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater that you can find at your local bookshop or order online now. I think you might like this one, too.
Photo via The Palomino.
