Tag: Hawk

The Decline of the Action Sports Lifestyle -A Wake-up Call to an Industry That Still Thinks Its Hot

Comparing youth consumer insights over 9 years, Label Networks reveal which demographics, brands, and retailers are in decline and why, plus which sports and lifestyles are poised to pop.

Skateboarding Potential: What’s It Take to Get the Next Gen Involved

Data from Label Networks’ annual Skateboarding, Snowboarding, Skiing Profile Report reveals ideas for increasing participation.

E3 Expo Reveals New Energy for Video Gaming Industry, New Releases, and Star-Power Including the Beatles, Tony Hawk, Steven Spielberg, and More

This is one genre of entertainment that’s still going strong. Here’s the Label Networks report from the show.

Levi’s Powersliding”Extreme Sport” Marketing Plan and Other Marketing Oxymorons

While the yPulse Mashup was a great success overall, one concept caught our attention of what NOT to do to reach youth markets.

X Games Re-Instates Vert Competition After Heat from Pro Skaterboarders BMX Rider-What This Means about The State of Halfpipe Competitions, Including the Youth Olympic Games

Heated talks between ESPN X Games organizers such as Chris Stiepock and professional skateboarders such as Bobby Burnquist, Tony Hawk, and a slew of others (not to mention those flaming message boards on various skate-related sites and blogs) have caused the X Games to continue with its 13-year-tradition of holding a vert (a.k.a. halfpipe) competition for both skateboarding and BMX at the Summer X Games in Los Angeles in July.

New Sports Trends Impacting Youth Culture Lifestyles Indicate Changing Marketplace Especially for Skateboarding, Rise of Fixed Gear Cycling, Aggressive Inline, Other Sporting Cultures

Two weeks ago, we were quoted in USA Today in an article that the newspaper was working on regarding a story that noted Tony Hawk was the highest recognized athlete among young people. This, to them, marked a serious change in sports. At Label Networks, we have been tracking so-called youth sports or action sports since our inception and even before that, personally, as the former senior editor of Snowboarder Magazine. In the article, I was quoted for saying that it’s “not uncommon” that action sports heroes would rank higher within certain demographics than football, basketball, and baseball players.

Olympic X Games Gold Medalist Shaun White Moves on to Target Deal as Volcom Contract Expires; Trend Continues as Mass Retailers Gobble-up Action Sports' Label Networks Reveals Data on Where Volcom Ranks in Youth Culture Fashion Preferences What This Means for Target

It's not all that surprising that Target Corp. would want an icon like Shaun White. As an Olympic gold medalist in 2006 in Snowboarding SuperPipe, X Games Gold medalist in Vert Skateboarding and Snowboarding SuperPipe, video game character, and 10-year-contract holder with snowboarding's largest brand Burton, to get the Flying Tomato on a contract may mean big business towards reaching youth culture. Or clearly Target thinks so. And they may be right.