How do I get a snowboarding sponsorship?

Question

I am a 16 year old snowboarder, and that has become my passion over the past 6 years. My brother is a snowboard instructor up in Glenwood Springs, Colorado (he is simply amazing and taught me) but sadly I live in Phoenix, Arizona, where, as you can guess, I get very little "snow" time. I ride mainly blue runs, although I love the challenge of the diamonds. I have taught several people and they have caught on very quickly, so I understand the concept fully. Last season I started riding through the trees, and I absolultey loved it. What my only problem is, is the fact that I live in the middle of the desert, and the closest mountian is in flagstaff...2 hours away, and the snow up there completley sucks. I guess what my real question is, any suggestions on bettering myself so I can get a snowboarding sponsership by the time I am 18? Or will I need more time considering where I live?

Answer 1

you definately need to get into competitions. it could be in park or it could also be in boarder cross. from what it sounds like, you like freeriding more than tricks. check to see if they have any boardercross races that you could compete in and maybe you will get noticed if you are winning alot of your races.

Answer 2

I also live in an area not so close to snow (three hour flight minimum) but i have been overseas on holidays and love boarding.

From what ive read, watched, heared and speaking to people i know this: most poeple that snowboard send in a sponsor me video to a brand eg. burton, ride, etc. of which these companys get thousands each year.For people that are succesful at being sponsered it usually goes like this: They get realy good for a start, enter competions, they ask or get asked by their local ski/snowboard shop for a sponsorship, after a while when the rider gets themselves noticed some more their local shop sponsor will reccomened them to a company or if they are good enough then they will just get asked straight up.

What you should do: If you really want to make get sponsors you will probarbly need to move somewhere where you can goe snowboarding in every spear minute you have, then practice boarding, go as often as u can and practice tricks over and over until your super good, enter some local competitions and get yourself noticed, (after a large amount of time and several comp's later) ask your local shop for a sponsorship and see where it goes from there.

From what you've said it sounds like you have a long way to go and it is actualy going to be a lot harder than you think. It sounds like you are mainly into freeriding and that's all well and good but a serious sponsor is going to want an all roun rider or even someone who spends most of their time in the park.

I'm sorry if i have put you off a bit but it is reall not an easy task obtaining sponsors. I think you should put as mch time into your passion as possible and go as often as you can. if you persue snowboarding as a career it will change your life.

Answer 3

what u do is locate a company online, and then u go there and snowboard for them. tell em what u want. they can give u a yes or no.

Answer 4

Getting sponsored to snowboard is probably one of the hardest things to do in life. I've been snowboarding for 7 years and i only know two people who have gotten sponsored, they were the best people around where i live, then moved to whistler where they weren't even noticable among the all riders man. There is so much talent out there its ridiculous. If you want to become sponsored you need to move somewhere where the scene is good and coverage is available like whistler or tahoe. Then you need to snowboard full-time man. If you want to get sponsored by the time your 18 runs through the trees won't cut it, you need to be able to do tricks in the park, i.e 540's 720's, which i just learned and im no where near to getting to sponsored.

Answer 5

To get sponsored you need to be the best of the best.  You need to be riding contests all year long and you need to be placing in the top 30.  Snowboard sponsors dont come easy any more.  They are looking for awesome.  You sound like a intermediate snowboarder at best.  By this point you should be able to crank 720's off kickers and ride the entire mountain.  I hate to kill your dream here but you simply are not good enough and you dont ride enough.  Most snowboarders that are sposored ride 200+ days a year.  For some that number is close to 300.  You just cant progress enough in 2 years.  I apologise but that is the truth.

Answer 6

win contests send vids into companys u like and hope ur good enough to get sponsored but ubetter be competing thts how get a good sponsorship then u can compete less