Professional skateboarders open up about NFTs

The skateboarding world is changing, and many professionals find it difficult to keep up. “Today with all the content creation platforms, skateboarding content comes and goes very quickly. You’ll work on a video project for years and then that video gets lost in the sea of ​​content. It’s really tough,” shared Torey Pudwill, 32-year-old professional skateboarder , to nft now.

Over the years, skateboarding has evolved along with technology. Community gatherings turned into VHS recordings, then DVDs, and finally live broadcasts on social media. These changes changed the nature of the game dramatically.

Historically, new video projects will be released every few years. In these recordings, more difficult tricks would appear or old tricks would be performed on larger or more dangerous obstacles. As a result, new ground would be broken and the sport would evolve accordingly.

Now, thanks to YouTube and Instagram, the pace of change in skateboarding has accelerated.

“There are kids doing tricks at five years old that professional skateboarders used to learn only in their late 20s. It’s all because of the technology and the visibility it gives. If someone lands a crazy trick on the other side of the world and they films it, you can see it on Instagram within minutes, and start trying it yourself,” Pudwill explained to nft now.

While this accelerated progress is great for the sport itself, it creates a challenge for many who skateboard professionally, like Pudwill, who must find a way to stay relevant in a sea of ​​endless content. This need to stand out and stay relevant is ultimately why he says he released an NFT series with ABD Collectibles.

The struggle for endurance

Created by professional skateboarder Mike Mo Capaldi, ABD Collectibles produces NFTs and physical collectibles associated with iconic moments in a professional skateboarder’s career. Pudwill is the newest skateboarder in ABD’s NFT series. “Torey has been in his prime for over 15 years and his latest ‘Bigger Bang’ video segment is easily one of the craziest segments ever filmed in skateboarding history. ABD’s goal is to showcase the best moments in skateboarding, and he definitely fits that description, Capaldi told nft now.

36 tricks from Pudwill’s latest video project were made available as NFTs, which fans could acquire by purchasing a “pack”.

Each pack randomly generates a clip of Pudwill skateboarding. People who purchase packs had a chance to receive Pudwill’s “legendary” trick. This earned them both an NFT, a physical trading card signed by Torey, and a piece of memorabilia from the day he got that specific trick. This, Pudwill claims, is how he can extend the staying power of the tricks he’s done, without them disappearing into the ether. Instead, they are remembered and made tangible.

“ABD Collectibles has created a new way for skate tricks and footage to really stay strong for years to come. It’s something I didn’t think was possible,” he said.

Money matters

In addition to making tricks stay relevant for longer, Pudwill hopes that NFTs like ABD Collectibles can help skateboarders be supported by their fans, in a world where they’re expected to post tricks daily on Instagram for free. “With Instagram, every skateboarder in the world can be seen, which is amazing. A little kid in Germany could post videos of himself skating, and a professional skater could see it and even communicate with them. The short end of however, the catch is that all of this content is being given away for free. Skateboarders aren’t able to get anything back from it, other than getting eyeballs on them,” explained Pudwill.

To this end, Pudwill notes that NFTs are not just a way to stay relevant. They provide financial support for his career. “I love skateboarding but at the end of the day this is my career and I want to be able to stay in the business for a long time and support myself and my family. “NFTs are a fantastic way to get behind an artist or athlete and show them you value their contribution to the space they’re in,” he said.

NFTs have certainly helped support visual artists around the world to continue doing what they love, and skateboarders may be the next group to say the same.