"Sponsor me" section?
 

Alright so I just got this idea... what if we add a "sponsor me" section to SF were you can post up all of your videos? It keeps everything organized and makes it easier for people to find you. That way if companies are intrested in sponsoring people they can log on/ be a guest, lurk in their for a little bit, find an aspiring snowboarder, and BAM, the sponsors come flying in.


Thoughts/ideas?

Great idea - but not that easy.

No rep is going to come on a forum and flip through hundreds of youtube videos to find some kid to sponsor.

Sorry, just the way I feel...

Now I'm sure adding a section is easier said then done, but think about it. If your just some random kid that loves watching snowboarding videos, this is your archive. Just by some random kids watching, the number of views will grow. Hopefully, those kids will like/comment/subscribe, adding even more traffic to your videos. Then finally, with all that added traffic, some scout will see it because it will be at the top of the list of videos. Even if they wont get sponsored because the scouts will find it through SF, it will still hopefully add LOADS of traffic. win-win? I think yes ^_^

I'm not into this side of the sport.
But wouldn't a sponsor be more local. Like a local shop or hill or business. The shop I frequent, I talk with the guy on FB often and via phone as well, when I'm not at his shop. We also talk a lot about our families and what not, kinda a more personal relationship.
Isn't that the kind of relationship you would need to be sponsored? Someone you get gear from regularly and are friends with and you would then promote his shop/gear at any event you were in???

Just thinking out loud, again not my thing but I have a good relationship with my local guy. I was actually gonna see if he would be interested in hiring my son in the shop to help learn the retail/shop side of the sport.

Well that is a means of getting sponsored too I guess. A sponsor is somebody who pays for your competition fees as long as you rep their gear (they usually give it to you) That is just being friendly with him. Now if he starts giving you free hats, in exchange for you wearing them on the slopes, your sponsored.

Isn't this your best means to get sponsored though??? More of a local guy?? If it is just someone over the web wouldn't they want to meet you and see your personality etc to see if you the type of guy they want to sponsor. Making the sponsor incur more costs by meeting you and actually seeing you ride or train.

As a 5 second - 5 minute video can't tell the whole story.

Again not my thing, just wondering.

this stuff ruins snowboarding for me - i hate it.

/going to the backcountry section

That is true, and I never said your idea won't work. Most people earn sponsorships through competitions. Scouts usually hang out and watch and sponsor the winners. Now you got lucky, you have a great shop near you. Most shops aren't that friendly. Even then though, a shop won't sponsor you because you look good. I doubt they will go out and ride with you - they require a video. So not only would I give the shops that are around me my video, but I can put it up on youtube. Now youtube has a HUUUUGE archive of sponsor-me videos. This would just make getting noticed easier. Now wether you hate the competition side of snowboarding or not, wouldn't you agree that this would help those that are interested in it?

no no I wasn't bashing or putting you idea down either.
again, I don't know much about this side of the sport. I always just thought most guys that were sponsored are nearly always sponsored via local shops. As the local events I have attended/watched always seemed to have sponsored riders from a near by city that I knew of.
Video's are a great idea to get much more exposure for sure!!

Have you ever applied for a job? Like a job, a company wants to sponsor someone so it will benefit them. It's advertising. Getting your name out there is the way to get noticed. Put yourself in the sponsors shoes...

"Why should I sponsor you and give you free gear based on an edited youtube video of your riding and not your contest (publicity) results, what does that do for me?"

Frankly, if I were a company looking to sponsor riders, the only videos I'd take seriously are the ones sent to my company directly, not posted on a message board or youtube only hoping someone will see it and it damn well better be the best of the bunch. I'd be willing to say half the kids wanting sponsored only want it for status, telling high school friends about it, and they are the only ones who will even care that you are. Way too many people are way too serious about it and don't just ride to have fun. When you start riding for yourself, that's when things happen, keep riding for status and you'll burn out.