The Best Free Agents in Rollerblading - Joe Atkinson, Julien Cudot, Josiah Blee, Dem George & more

[@juliancoulter]

My two pennies’ worth on this topic: imagine if no major brand would step up to support Leticia Bufoni or Kelly Slater like they deserve. Our brands’ failure to acknowledge, reward and promote our biggest talents is not just a missed marketing opportunity for them - it has a material impact on the mainstream popularity and growth of our sport, which affects us all.

[@wheelsceneblading]

The funny thing is - no brand in blading offers anything that a skater can’t do for themselves. None match competition earnings and very few even pay for travel. In fact, there are at least three or four blading KZbinrs who earn more than most pro bladers. It’s both fascinating and sad in equal measure.

[@cfronin]

Indeed. But the financial strength of skateboarding and surfing is that 90% of buyers of goods do not practice the sport, they are posers or common people buying a cool image. In skating, like in BMX there are only practitioners. Rollerblading was only profitable in the 90s because the masses were into recreational skating.

[@wheelsceneblading]

@@cfronin that’s because rollerblading and BMX have no cultural relevance at the moment. Skateboarding does due to streetwear and the popularity of people like Tony Hawk or Ryan Sheckler or Bam Margera. All that could change though with the Barbie film

[@juliancoulter]

@@wheelscenebladingyes. The orthodox consensus is that brands can’t afford that support because of low skate sales. But I believe it works the other way round too.

[@juliancoulter]

@@wheelscenebladinggreat job shining a light on this topic and on this phenomenal group of skaters btw. This is a dream team lying in waiting 😅

[@chantzk]

I really appreciate this being made and looking forward to more videos like this. I can’t help but call out not everyone wants to ride for these companies. There’s several notable skaters who have turned down sponsorship. Having ties to a company isn’t for everyone and that’s okay too.

[@wheelsceneblading]

I did mention this. Both Julien and Joe have definitely turned down multiple boot brands.

[@Franz_giblet]

Watching Demetrios always gets me pumped 👏🏻👏🏻

[@bladelab]

part 2, yes to that

[@wheelsceneblading]

Depends how well this one does! Give it a share!

[@024fakiegang]

Cody! 🎉 Deserves a them sponsor 🙏

[@wheelsceneblading]

I agree.

[@YellBT]

23:15 if you're talking about Shred da ground in Paris, Joe didn't place, he just did a sick backslide on the last spot for fun. Jo Zenk won. Tho I get the confusion as Atkinson's backslide was reposted a lot at they have a similar first name haha. Great video other than that!

[@wheelsceneblading]

Really?! What was all the gear he was throwing out? That clip of him giving away all the stuff made me think it was his winnings! Hahaha!

[@YellBT]

@@wheelsceneblading He got best trick for the backslide but didn't win the comp, if I remember well he only skated the last spot and pretty much only tried to backslide it, First place was Jo Zenk, Second Victor Daum and third William Cerlo ! haha

[@JoZenk]

@@YellBT thats correct. btw no one that placed on shred da ground is on any team (even tho victor and I are somehwat supported by brands) Heinemann won best OG on salos

[@SoberRollerSlim]

You should definitely do a part 2

[@Martin_Krutina]

Very good video. Julien should be definitely on podcast.

[@wheelsceneblading]

I’ve tried many times!

[@InlineStruggle]

Please make a part 2 ♥

[@Martin_Krutina]

Dave, Jeph Howard also did hurricane fishbrain in his Rare winter VOD

[@wheelsceneblading]

You’re right, he did.

[@Martin_Krutina]

@@wheelsceneblading and Broskow on wall rail if it counts

[@renatoinline]

Great video

[@danielrobinson2123]

Interesting conversation. My 99 cents. I think some of these people do have other sponsors. Just not a boot. Oli used to say to make blading work he had to juggle lots of small amounts of money from various sponsors, contest winnings etc and pool them together to make it work. I think the same is still true today, some are just better at making it work than others. Seeing as pretty much all contracts/salaries for being a pro blader pay less than a minimum wage job I think this creates a strange dynamic when people are looking to turn it into a job. The expectation to produce bodies of work like edits etc for pretty much free and a few pairs of skates and a budget flight here and there just isn’t worth it for a lot of people. It’s amazing to see Joe and Julien getting it done without a regular wage but I think if the incentive was actually there where you could make even a sensible amount then they would most likely have boot sponsors. I guess nobody offered a big enough carrot yet. Then there’s obviously the personal side of things, you see it in all manner of things, not just sport. ultra gifted people often have complexes and can be difficult to work with. I think this is magnified when skaters are offered so little for the amount of work they put in. Ps. Sequel should be “worst free agents in rollerblading” holla if you need some mediocre clips 😂👌🏼

[@cfronin]

When you see Roces skaters, its obvious they are selected has much for their skills as their ability to sell themselves and the brand, provide a positive image and develop the company. Its totally natural, Roces is a business and their skaters are their salesmen.

[@wheelsceneblading]

I was clear I meant boot sponsors and not unsponsored at all. I agree on all points. I don’t believe there is anything brands are currently doing for skaters that skaters couldn’t do for themselves with a decent job.

[@Brianmatthewlewis]

Great vid

[@juandelbare]

Amazing content! Huge fan 🙌🏻

[@wheelsceneblading]

Thanks!

[@ShredCitySkatesKelvW]

Part 2 please 🙏🏽

[@wheelsceneblading]

We’ll see! It was A LOT of editing!

[@ShredCitySkatesKelvW]

@@wheelsceneblading haha, no doubt!

[@JiggyGinJoints]

All mentioned. But yeah, Fabiola. Who will show her respect? And Stuart Bradley, a perfect style gem.

[@wheelsceneblading]

@@JiggyGinJoints agreed

[@jaka.kragelj]

I feel that one assumption in current environment is that by being technically proficient is the best thing one can do for the rollerblading as a sport. This is important, of course, and so are clubs for teaching adults and kids, bringing the community together on the local scene (and sharing knowledge), and organizing bigger events for people that are casually in the sport. The former though is also good for promoting products while all other examples are not.

[@jaka.kragelj]

An interesting fact is also that most rollerblade sales are fitness skates of below average quality that need no promotion to get sold. Perhaps we should advocate for banning sales of budget skates, with plastic frames, and garbage wheels that cannot be reused or sold used and that all end up in waste eventually.

[@cfronin]

Unpopular opinion, Taig Khris is the most successful skater ever, he has had a brilliant skating career, managed to multiply TV appearances and publicity stunts, sure some of them were very cheesy but he became a household name, made a lot of money and transited to entrepreneurship outside of blading.

[@sleepinshinigami7216]

joe atkinson got me into rollerblading with blue

[@Thereal_pukete]

Do it part 2

[@finx1871]

I think some of these guys choose on their own to not be apart of a company. I wish we could ask them their perspectives on if they even want to be signed and if so what are they looking for into that

[@wheelsceneblading]

Two of them definitely did, yes

[@dmgd509]

"Doesn't fit Mesmars image".. aka... he doesn't dress homeless enough 😂

[@wheelsceneblading]

You say homeless, I say awesome!

[@RusPitman]

Homeless would be the Jumbo team 😉

[@kinziemeadows4681]

Yes part 2 please. I assume you didn’t say yandriel because you think he will be on standard. Other skaters that are deserving: Tri Tri Rudolph, Walt Austin, Luke Naylor (does he have a boot sponsor?), Michael Kraft, the mushroom blading guys. Hard to think of other you would pick. Perhaps a few KZbin blading personalities. Lol. Shout out to a couple local North Carolina guys that rip, Lathan Klag, Jeremy Arnold, and Cody Forrester. Check them out.

[@wheelsceneblading]

Luke Naylor has been getting hooked up by Them for a while now. Yandriel and Brian Weis were on the list but I’ve heard they’re both gonna be on Standard

[@hobotechMASTER]

j blee should really be sponsored like crazy. this is one i really dont understand.

[@cfronin]

Still, it's terrible to witness such talented skaters not being able to make a decent living from it. One absolutely lacking aspect of our sport is competition and its coverage, whereas skateboarding excels at that. Each time I hear about a comp here and there in the world, I look everywhere for a free or paying broadcast, and there is very seldomly one, and never of good quality in terms of filming and commenting. How the hell did scooters make a better job at creating a financially viable circuit?! (PS: I love and practiced a lot of other "extreme" sports, sorry, but scooters are really not interesting to watch)

[@wheelsceneblading]

The simple answer is money. To do it properly requires a lot of up front costs.

[@RusPitman]

I guarantee there's skateboard money invested in scooters somewhere.

[@jasonotto9126]

If i put all the riders on it would be an hour video... and. Whats the problem? Do it 😂 this was half an hour too short my friend

[@MontgomeryMonsters]

Because the rollerblading industry is a joke

[@wheelsceneblading]

How so?

[@Toldandretold]

Best is clearly Geoff Phillips

[@wheelsceneblading]

Geoff doesn’t skate anymore.

[@Toldandretold]

@@wheelsceneblading doesn’t have a filmer or care bout social media. I don’t know maybe he announced he doesn’t skate anymore. So did Lampman once Geoff is still the best

[@wheelsceneblading]

@@Toldandretold Geoff said after his last section he was done.

[@Toldandretold]

So did Lampman once he even buried his skates 🙄

[@Toldandretold]

I believe in Geoff Philips And he’s the best one

[@zekwilt]

No Yandy??

[@wheelsceneblading]

He was on the list but if I did everyone the video would have been about two hours long. Also, he’s on Standard.

[@colinweir6616]

Is trigger not a thing anymore? Not sure if Jeff Dalnas still wears them or the clips hes putting up are old. Not seen nothing from Beat neither. Not that the skates will be missed lol. 😂

[@wheelsceneblading]

@@colinweir6616 he quit Trigger a while back

[@nevincaulfield]

The fake FR

[@wheelsceneblading]

Not sure what this is in reference to.

[@jhondiick4202]

good old days of Rollerblading