From the Vault: Skateboarding's Most Epic Sponsor Me Tapes
Once upon your favorite pro was just like you, practicing kickflips in their garage during a rainy winter, and pestering any pros visiting their podunk town with questions like, "Can you hardflip?" and "Give me your skateboard".
But the times, they change, and somewhere along the way, Jerry Hsu learned that you can't film tricks on three stair ledges.
But you, you somehow never learned this, and that's why you don't ride for Chocolate.
- Brian Anderson
Brian Anderson's sponsor me video was so good that it landed him a position on Toy Machine and most of the footage was used to make his debut video part in 1996's Welcome to Hell. So BA made his debut with a frontside bluntslide on Hubba Hideout. What have you done for the world lately? - PJ Ladd
We just watched this for the first time and were surprised to find tricks that we had never seen before, like PJ's noseslide to backside tailslide. Actually, I can't say we were surprised because it's PJ fucking Ladd after all, and the dude has more talent in his pinky than the rest of us have in our entire bodies. - Sean Malto
We're not sure if this is an official sponsor me vid or not, but whatever it is, little Malto is just cute as a button. - Jerry Hsu
Jerry brings it to classic San Jose spots in his sponsor me video debut and, true to the format, ends his video with a darkslide. - Erik Ellington
This looks like a debut video part from Ellington in an old Balance video. We deduced this based on the words "Balance" in the corner of the screen at all times. This video is notable for Ellington's lack of flowing locks as well as his skating of The Wedge, an Arizona classic. - Mike Mo
Mike Mo gave us the sponsor me video that changed everything. It hurt the skate world like a ton of bricks, and at least to date, nobody has been able to bring it in their sponsor me debut in quite the same way that Mr. Mo did in 2011. Game changer.