Sander, mcnutt, banks, etc. Are sponsored mostly if not entirely because of their video parts/ YT or vimeo vids.

Gnar_Shralp406Sander, mcnutt, banks, etc. Are sponsored mostly if not entirely because of their video parts/ YT or vimeo vids.

Ehhh pretty sure banks competed in pipe for years

gapersarefriendsEhhh pretty sure banks competed in pipe for years

Did he really? My mistake.

Gnar_Shralp406Did he really? My mistake.

Yeah pretty sure

The question is can kiddos go pro now days without doing windells academy, PC united or any other expensive ass coaching and skiing program. Seems like a lot of talent is simply hours paid to be on snow, with programming. Sad thing about skiing and skill, is that skill largely depends on how much money you or your parents have to expend on clicking into some skis. Skiing is not super accessible like skating or soccer, limiting the high level talent pool to people who have the facilities and money to train.

Sure you can get recognized by companies that don't value objective skill, but rather if you appease the companies specific style or aesthetic that they want associated with their brand. Definitions of what constitutes a pro skier may vary here, and this may not be applicable if X-games is your standard.

However you can manage to get a million followers on Instagram is how you can go pro.

Also, maybe this will help give you some ideas. Here's how I got my first sponsorship. I skied at pretty small mountain growing up. But we had an on hill photographer that would come out and take shots. He'd usually spend most of his time on the bunny slopes, but occassionally he would go over to the terrain park to take pics. Whenever I'd see him in the terrain park, I'd get all pumped and would usually send it WAY hader than normal (and overshoot the shit out of everything and die in the process lol.. ) But I did end up with some really cool shots out of it. Few weeks later my friend tells me I need to check out the brochures. He said I was all over it.. I was like whaat? really? I was so stoked. I was on the cover of all the brochures for the local ski shop and the ski resort was also using another one my pics as their main one on the website.. It was the coolest feeling ever.

Then I remember a few weeks later, I just went over to the local ski shop to introduce myself to the owner.. because I never really talked to him in the past. He was stoked to meet me. I told him I could rep the shit out of his shop and could send all the skiers in there. He said that would be awesome and ended up sponsoring me.

So hopefully that gives you some more ideas? Bottom line is just get out in front of people.

**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2018 at 1:21:54am

can u kfed tho?

.otto.The question is can kiddos go pro now days without doing windells academy, PC united or any other expensive ass coaching and skiing program. Seems like a lot of talent is simply hours paid to be on snow, with programming. Sad thing about skiing and skill, is that skill largely depends on how much money you or your parents have to expend on clicking into some skis. Skiing is not super accessible like skating or soccer, limiting the high level talent pool to people who have the facilities and money to train.

It's like as if being good at something requires a lot of fucking practice...majority of professional athletes (not just skiing) grew up to wealth and this is the reality, very few comp athletes need to actually work when they are in their teens/early adulthood.

As for being sponsored, I think steve stepp is the best story there is, he was able to build up his brand through hilarious videos that present a story with skiing rather than just with technicality. Companies love that like SPY, j skis and saga and picked him up right away.

**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2018 at 9:28:53am

TRVP_ANGELIt's like as if being good at something requires a lot of fucking practice...majority of professional athletes (not just skiing) grew up to wealth and this is the reality, very few comp athletes need to actually work when they are in their teens/early adulthood.

As for being sponsored, I think steve stepp is the best story there is, he was able to build up his brand through hilarious videos that present a story with skiing rather than just with technicality. Companies love that like SPY, j skis and saga and picked him up right away.

**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2018 at 9:28:53am

Agreed, but there was an era in skiing where the skills one could develop at a local hill where enough to have a place nationally in skiing. Mike hornbeck comes to my mind especially because hes also from michigan.

Steve is a perfect example tho

GhostAlso, maybe this will help give you some ideas. Here's how I got my first sponsorship. I skied at pretty small mountain growing up. But we had an on hill photographer that would come out and take shots. He'd usually spend most of his time on the bunny slopes, but occassionally he would go over to the terrain park to take pics. Whenever I'd see him in the terrain park, I'd get all pumped and would usually send it WAY hader than normal (and overshoot the shit out of everything and die in the process lol.. ) But I did end up with some really cool shots out of it. Few weeks later my friend tells me I need to check out the brochures. He said I was all over it.. I was like whaat? really? I was so stoked. I was on the cover of all the brochures for the local ski shop and the ski resort was also using another one my pics as their main one on the website.. It was the coolest feeling ever.

Then I remember a few weeks later, I just went over to the local ski shop to introduce myself to the owner.. because I never really talked to him in the past. He was stoked to meet me. I told him I could rep the shit out of his shop and could send all the skiers in there. He said that would be awesome and ended up sponsoring me.

So hopefully that gives you some more ideas? Bottom line is just get out in front of people.

**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2018 at 1:21:54am

My local hill is small, and I focus primarily on backcountry freestyle/Freeride style of skiing. I’ve looked into doing freeride comps but money and traveling is an issue there, and my local hill never has any competitions. I’m pretty confident in my video skills I’m just not sure it’s enough to get a company to sponsor me?

**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2018 at 10:02:39am

SkiManJackMy local hill is small, and I focus primarily on backcountry freestyle/Freeride style of skiing. I’ve looked into doing freeride comps but money and traveling is an issue there, and my local hill never has any competitions. I’m pretty confident in my video skills I’m just not sure it’s enough to get a company to sponsor me?

**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2018 at 10:02:39am

why do you want to get sponsored

.otto.why do you want to get sponsored

This will probably sound cliche, but the reason I want to try and get sponsored and go pro is when I watch those videos with all those guys just having a good time out there all I want to do Is go and do that. Skiing is my passion and it’s my dream to be able to do that for a living and share how much fun it is. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to try and get sponsored and will work as hard as I can to try and achieve that.

SkiManJackThis will probably sound cliche, but the reason I want to try and get sponsored and go pro is when I watch those videos with all those guys just having a good time out there all I want to do Is go and do that. Skiing is my passion and it’s my dream to be able to do that for a living and share how much fun it is. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to try and get sponsored and will work as hard as I can to try and achieve that.

Lol, that sounds even more cliche than I thought now that I read it

**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2018 at 10:46:09am

Don't ski for money as your main incentive. Companies don't want to sponsor people with that mindset anyways.

Instagram clips are an easy way to grow a following.

yeah usually people who enjoy skiing for skiing and don't make threads asking about being sponsored.

They just ski.

all I know is the entire vishnu team clearly got their start in the comp scene. Those guys train HARD

BASEDJAHall I know is the entire vishnu team clearly got their start in the comp scene. Those guys train HARD

lol

SkiManJackMy local hill is small, and I focus primarily on backcountry freestyle/Freeride style of skiing. I’ve looked into doing freeride comps but money and traveling is an issue there, and my local hill never has any competitions. I’m pretty confident in my video skills I’m just not sure it’s enough to get a company to sponsor me?

**This post was edited on Feb 27th 2018 at 10:02:39am

There's nothing wrong with having a goal of wanting to be sponsored one day and working towards that. So keep doing what you do bro. My advice would be to really try to get as much footage as you can and put together some cool edits and really get involved in social media Instagram/Youtube etc.

Also, I'd encourage you to try to make it out to some freeride comps this next year. Just pick 1 or 2 comps that you'd like to go to. Figure out how much it would cost realistically to go there. Chances are if you hitch hike, take a grey hound, and just find some skiers who live at the mountain that will let you crash on their couch for the night.. It might be A LOT less money than you think. You might be able to do the whole thing for like $200 or whatever. And you could just do some odd jobs in the summer to get a little extra $ to do it.

If freeride is something you love and something you seriously want to do, just going to meet the other guys who are already doing it and being in the atmosphere is HUGE, bro. It can really ignite a spark. So that's why I mentioned it.

GhostThere's nothing wrong with having a goal of wanting to be sponsored one day and working towards that. So keep doing what you do bro. My advice would be to really try to get as much footage as you can and put together some cool edits and really get involved in social media Instagram/Youtube etc.

Also, I'd encourage you to try to make it out to some freeride comps this next year. Just pick 1 or 2 comps that you'd like to go to. Figure out how much it would cost realistically to go there. Chances are if you hitch hike, take a grey hound, and just find some skiers who live at the mountain that will let you crash on their couch for the night.. It might be A LOT less money than you think. You might be able to do the whole thing for like $200 or whatever. And you could just do some odd jobs in the summer to get a little extra $ to do it.

If freeride is something you love and something you seriously want to do, just going to meet the other guys who are already doing it and being in the atmosphere is HUGE, bro. It can really ignite a spark. So that's why I mentioned it.

Best advice I’ve heard, this is exactly the reply I was looking for. Thanks bro for the amazing advice and I’m looking forward to next year and things to come!

Disclaimer: I've never been sponsored so I'm talking out my ass.{/B]

I think you just need to ski as much as you possibly can and push yourself. Learn every rail trick in the game, learn some jump tricks and go to a trampoline park. Get yourself a signature trick that no one or not many other people do. Think of P White's front flip for a while. Get the shit dialed so when you do it, people know its you. Then just keep skiing, talk to reps and shops, and produce content I'd say.