DC Slalom Scene Opportunity Calling

[David Riordon]

I got a call tonight from the owner of EastCoast BoardCo. http://www.ecboardco.com/ and he is real stoked on sponsoring the local slalom scene. As a matter of fact, he wants to meet us at the Arlington Skatepark Thursday evening about 6:30 pm or 7 pm to brainstorm what he can do from the shop perspective.

Apparently EastCoast will be carrying slalom gear in the near future. Goes to show their commitment. What can we do to make this work out?

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Here are some of my background thoughts:

-> Need to grow the sport with the younger skaters (25 and well below)

-> Need to keep the veteran slalomers interested (GBJ, Ohm, Parsons, Dillon, Vlad, PADan, etc.)

-> Need to support shops like EastCoast to make it worth their time to support slalom skateboarding.

-> Need to figure out how slalom specialty on-line shops like Frank's Strange House and local skate shops like EastCoast can enter into a symbiotic relationship when it comes to selling slalom and longboard gear while not stealing customers from each other.


Here are some ideas to accomplish the above thoughts:

-> Hold regular slalom & longboard clinics sponsored by EastCoast and the manufacturers of slalom and longboard gear.

-> Consider having EastCoast sponsor the DC Outlaw Series or start up a complimentary slalom series. Need either A, B, C, groups or age groups with points and standings posted at EastCoast and on their web page.

-> Have EastCoast dedicate a section of their shop to slalom skateboarding and longboarding. We could help set up the section and post up how to information, photo's of past races, profiles of local racers, riders, news, etc.

-> As for a symbiotic relationship with on-line retailers, maybe EastCoast would be willing to do a combination of consignment sales and referrals to the specialty slalom and longboard on-line retailers. My biggest beef with on-line sales is that I can't put my hands on the equipment and I have recently purchased some equipment that is not that good. While my biggest beef with retail shops is that they don't have all the gear we need.

-> An example of the symbiotic relationship is Florida's 'Skim City' http://www.skimcity.com/ (specialty skimboard on-line shop) that has a corner section located inside The Pit Surf Shop in Kill Devil Hills, NC. The rationale is that skimboarding is such a niche market that the two businesses have entered into a partnership of sorts to promote skimboarding in the Outer Banks while profiting both businesses. Maybe EasCoast would be willing to enter into a similar relationship with one or more specialty on-line slalom/longboard shops.


Anyway, I'm probably way off topic on how to resolve the retail v. on-line battle but we should take advantage of EastCoast's offer to support DC Area slalom scene. If we don't seize the moment right now, I predict the DC Slalom scene will be gone in a few short years.


I invite all to post up your thoughts on this topic even if you are not a DC Slalom local. All thoughts are needed. I would even like to here from the likes of Jack Smith, Paul Dunn, etc.

Thanks,
DR

[Mike Ohm]

Interesting.

[Guest]

Wait one second. People still skate in DC?

You learn something everyday.

[Wesley Tucker]

Dave,

Here's my one suggestion: if an established business wants to get involved, then scout a location somewhere in the DC area with a good road, good pitch, good surface and find out what it takes to GET THE ROAD FOR A RACE!

The outlaw thing is fun, but the P&R and Fountainhead are sort of maxed out. So getting a municipality involved would make it even more appealing.

I guess what I'm saying is that if someone wants to sponsor the racing, that's great. The first thing, though, the racers should consider doing is getting away from an "outlaw mentality." Then everybody wins.

[Mike Ohm]

WT, are you calling us OUTLAWS mental?

[Slappy Maxwell]

Skateboarding and Pepsi/Mountain Dew made the front cover of Promo Magazine this month.
Shaun White is on the cover.
The feature is on how companies can use 'X-treme' sports for marketing.
http://promomagazine.com/mag/marketing_ ... genxtreme/

[Wesley Tucker]

WT, are you calling us OUTLAWS mental?

Of course not, Mike. "Mental" implies some sort of higher brain function.

[Brian Parsons]

What...organized slalom in DC....are you kidding me.....are you sure........I dont know......will we have to skate in the rain......will I have to pick up cones........what will we do if there is a start ramp.......will there be a start box....and what about back stops.....how will the bracketing work......how many qualifying runs will I get.....what is the cone penality.....do raw times count.....what if I jump the start......whats a DQ......how many pushes do I get.....Can we only skate straight cones...can we only skate offset cones....do we really need cones......can I enter on the right or the left.....are rollerblades allowed.....can I wear spandex.....what age group will I be in......will there be a A,B,C,D,E group....what group will I be in.....Will the timer go the the 4th decimal place......what if there is a tie.....can I knock over all the cones and still get a time.....what happens if I miss the tapeswith do I still get a time......if I am not ready to skate when its my turn will you wait untill I get ready.....will there be rain dates......will we skate on sundays.....if it rains on both Saturday and Sunday will we skate on Monday.....what does it mean if I win....what does it mean if I lose...will there be prize money......IF you say the race starts at noon does that mean I need to be there by 12.....how much practice time do I get..... If I am late an the race has already started can I still practice.......If I miss the racers meeting will you still tell me rules......

Not sure about this slalom thing.........

[Brian Parsons]

Sorry about that. My alter ego got the best of me.

Dave this is really a great thing. Hopefully we dont screw up a great opportunity to develope a partnership that is both beneficial to the shop and to the local skaters.

I will try to make it tomorrow night.

[Vlad Popov]

I stopped by that store not long ago to check if they have any spacers, not for my Biltins, but for slalom completes for people far-far-far away. A nice girl gave me some spacers free of charge. It turns out that some longboard customers actually get rid of them right in the store when they buy bearings that include spacers and complete sets. The store doesn’t have any spacers for sale. But it does have a good quality Indy 109 Truck for $19.99. When asked what kind of a truck is was, the salesperson said that it’s a “mini”.

[Anthony Smallwood]

Sounds good, Dave. After awhile, the outlaw lifestyle catches up with you. Get Legit!!

Anthony, I'll try and make it Sat. I'll have Alex with me and I'll see if I can get Doug and maybe Ben Ashworth. Ben has been showing an interest in downhill and he'll probably show up and destroy us all.....

Ohm, how were the waves??

lbk, check your mail

[Mike Ohm]

WT, HUH?

Anthony, surf was small. I was paddling with one arm, I guess my shoulder hasn't healed yet. Fun though. Let's plan a little surf trip with the boys, LBK, Parsons whoever.

[Vlad Popov]

Something tells me when and if they have a sales’/marketing session on what slalom stuff is, what to do with it and how to sell it, it’s going to look like a presentation of a new toy in the *** shop. If you ever worked in a *** shop somewhere around the Dupont Circle in the early 1990s, you’d know how the presentation of a new toy looks and feels like.

[Eric Brammer]

Once shops discover that those new toys can be 'pumped' they'll be All Over It

[John Dillon]

Yo folks,

I'll be at the meeting today....but I just found out that one of my former work leaders died last week and the wake is tonight 6-9pm, in southern PG County(on the way to Arlington) so I may try to catch the wake before the mtg. This should be a win-win opportunity for all those interested in slalom. We can school the shop employees how to sell slalom, we can make some promo displays for slalom, the shop can stock slalom gear or hook up w/Frank and consign it, plus w/the sponsorship of ECBC...perhaps they could supply water, some demo gear, maybe a new timer(?), safety gear loaners like they already do for the longboard jams.....we can provide consultation, training, outreach,and steer customers in their direction who want to purchase gear in person. I see it as a great opportunity for us all. Also, with a business behind us, they can use their clout to help get not only a road closed for racing, but also perhaps our own dedicated slalom hill in Fairfax County...that's the only thing that keeps me from moving there....well, that, and the high price of housing and the outrageous traffic!