Horrible corporations are ruining the world of skateboarding again! How? Through Go Skateboarding Day… At least Neal thinks so. (Link Via Rob Brink)
“June 21st will probably be a fine day to skate… then again, so will the other 364 days that come both before and after this corporately-blessed skateboard holiday (or commercial, depending on how you look at it).”
Sure you can skateboard everyday, but it’s not everyday that a bunch of adults are going to get together to help kids build ramps, have a BBQ, and giveaway prizes. Go Skateboarding Day is also a good excuse to drag out some of your friends who hardly ever skate anymore.
I do agree with Neal that there’s no need to buy promotional material from the IASC, but I don’t see any problem with having corporate sponsors for Go Skateboarding Day events. Most sponsors are giving money, not asking for it (though they hope their advertising will be effective). Ask anyone who is riding a board that day and you won’t hear them say they are “celebrating a collective corporate marketing holiday”. They’re just skateboarding.
If Company A wants to drop money on an event that will get a bunch of skateboarders together, that kicks ass! And if Company A is a sketchy company we’re not going to fall for their marketing tricks and become loyal to them. Once their sponsorship dollars are gone so are we. Just like a corporation can use skateboarding without really caring about skateboarders, we can use corporations without really caring about their business.
Feel free to post your comments on the ups and down of corporate sponsorship and Go Skateboarding Day.