INTRO
There is nothing like it: the moment when you’re offered a sponsorship from your favorite company. Imagine the opportunity to have a company you support actually endorsing your unique way of riding while you promote them. With a bit of work and a lot of persistence, you can do this. The following is a basic rundown of what you can do as an individual to get yourself into a position to be sponsored.

DEFINITION OF SPONSORED VS. PRO
Before we get into it, I just want to go on record and clearly define the difference between pro riders and sponsored riders. “Sponsored riders” can expect to get gear and eventattendance support. They might get some costs covered and be reimbursed for things they spend money on to do the activities the company is paying for. A “pro” will be receiving money directly from the company, be it for boards, ads or just straight-out payment. Often, a pro may have a side job that also supports them to supplement their income. The basic distinction here is the sponsored rider gets gear and event costs covered and the pro just gets paid huge, fat sacks of cash. The following is a guide on sponsorship. Once you’re sponsored, then you can worry about how to become “pro.”

Well, with the terror of one of the most damaging economic downturns almost behind us, longboarding is taking off. Manufacturers that were running lean to make it through the crisis are finding stock flying out the door. Small shops that have been forever losing money on shop decks are putting more and more orders into manufacturers and distributors of “longskates”. Some shops are ordering 20 decks at a time and word’s getting around the retailer networks, more or less crediting longboarding with helping keep the numbers high during the slow period. Except now, it’s not just “beer run boards” of any ilk proffered by clueless popsicle stick hawkers looking to cash in, but shop owners realizing the world of options and stoke you’re out there skating in… and Summer is here! With momentum building, companies are starting to take effort to make it into new technologies and materials. While Big Corporate is preparing to roll out a “Fall Line” of soft goods and image products that will bring a new meaning to “mallboarder”, the hardcore board companies see the next wave of recognition coming for longboarding, old-school fun and new decks, wheels and trucks using innovative materials and design. The question is, however, is there really a market for all of the new gear?

Concrete Wave readers who find themselves looking at other skateboarding magazines might have seen the series of ads that we ran in TransWorld Skateboarding. If you missed it, we’ve reprinted them here. While most would find it unusual or somewhat frivolous for a skateboard magazine to advertise in another skateboard magazine, my reasons were extremely strategic, as you will soon see.