International Association of Skateboard Companies
Encyclopedia
The International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) is a profit organization that was established in 1995. Its "goals are to promote skateboarding, increase participation, save its members money, and educate". Its members include skateboard manufacturers, distributors, skatepark designers and contest organisers.
The IASC created the annual Go Skateboarding Day
. which encourages skateboarders around the world to go skateboarding, hold competitions, and generally promote skateboarding.
Its board of directors consists of Tod Swank
, Bod Boyle, Jim Gray, Don Brown, Per Welinder
, Steven Van Doren and Johnny Schillereff.
on January 29, 1994. It was attended by a small group of industry individuals, because of the fear, that a larger group could not discuss the topics seriously. One of the main factors discussed was the perceived problem of increasing blank skateboard decks sales.
In November 2006, the IASC held its annual meet, where the association addressed the issue of blank skateboard decks and talked about it publicly for the first time. In the meeting, which was led by Bod Boyle, the IASC members discussed the large sales of blank skateboard decks and how it affects the skateboard industry. They concluded that, in order for the industry to survive, they must convince skateboarders to buy branded products. Shop branded skateboard decks were also deemed harmful to the industry, both, because they divert the influx of money to skateboard companies which sponsor teams and organize tours and demos.
As a result, two large mail-order retailers have discontinued blank skateboard deck sales. In addition, a website called A World Without PROs has been started by some of IASC member companies, trying to persuade skaters to buy branded products.
The February issue of Transworld Business Magazine, came with a supplement from the IASC called Under Fire: A special report on the skate hard-goods market. Following the release of the publication, there was another meeting in the ASR
.
The following are its main charges:
The only skateboard hard-goods company outside IASC that has publicly stated its opinion is Consolidated Skateboards. They released an advertisement through their Don't Do it Army, that suggests that big skateboard hard-goods companies should stop selling their products to large shopping mall
s and chain store
s, that are a big competition for the smaller 'core' skateshops.
In March 2007, Transworld Business posted an article that analyzed the their publication Under Fire and made suggestions on what to be done next, and the A World Without PROs website has been sized down to only one page that reads:
The IASC created the annual Go Skateboarding Day
Go Skateboarding Day
Go Skateboarding Day is an unofficial annual holiday conceived by the International Association of Skateboard Companies to promote skateboarding. It is usually marked on June 21.-History:...
. which encourages skateboarders around the world to go skateboarding, hold competitions, and generally promote skateboarding.
Its board of directors consists of Tod Swank
Tod Swank
Tod Swank is an American ex-professional skateboarder, TumYeto and Foundation Skateboards owner, photographer, and publisher.He was a professional skateboarder in the 1980s, as well as an accomplished skateboarding photographer, working as the first Senior Photographer at Transworld Skateboarding...
, Bod Boyle, Jim Gray, Don Brown, Per Welinder
Per Welinder
Per Nils Welinder , is a Swedish professional skateboarder. He has the distinction of being the only person to have ever beaten Rodney Mullen in a contest....
, Steven Van Doren and Johnny Schillereff.
Anti-blank skateboard deck campaign
A few months before the establishment of the association, a meeting took place in Poway, CaliforniaPoway, California
Poway is a city in San Diego County, California. Originally an unincorporated community in San Diego County, Poway officially became a city in December 1980. Even though Poway lies geographically in the middle of San Diego County, most consider its relative location as north county inland...
on January 29, 1994. It was attended by a small group of industry individuals, because of the fear, that a larger group could not discuss the topics seriously. One of the main factors discussed was the perceived problem of increasing blank skateboard decks sales.
In November 2006, the IASC held its annual meet, where the association addressed the issue of blank skateboard decks and talked about it publicly for the first time. In the meeting, which was led by Bod Boyle, the IASC members discussed the large sales of blank skateboard decks and how it affects the skateboard industry. They concluded that, in order for the industry to survive, they must convince skateboarders to buy branded products. Shop branded skateboard decks were also deemed harmful to the industry, both, because they divert the influx of money to skateboard companies which sponsor teams and organize tours and demos.
As a result, two large mail-order retailers have discontinued blank skateboard deck sales. In addition, a website called A World Without PROs has been started by some of IASC member companies, trying to persuade skaters to buy branded products.
The February issue of Transworld Business Magazine, came with a supplement from the IASC called Under Fire: A special report on the skate hard-goods market. Following the release of the publication, there was another meeting in the ASR
ASR
ASR may refer to:* Asr, the daily afternoon prayer in Islam* ASR Records, a record label* Academy at Swift River, a coeducational therapeutic boarding school for teenagers...
.
Response
In response to the A World Without PROs website, the A World Without CEOs was created, which displays contrasting views on the subject and also has an unofficial list of companies and skateboarders that support it. One of the skateboarders that support the website is Jim Gray, who is in the IASC board of directors.The following are its main charges:
- Many members buy their skateboard decks from the same source as blank decks,
- The IASC asks skateboarders to support pros, but doesn't care about American workers
- The fight against blanks is in reality a fight against profit margins and this ignores the negative affects that the IASC members have on small skateshops when they sell boards to chainstores that undercut the profits of skateshops
The only skateboard hard-goods company outside IASC that has publicly stated its opinion is Consolidated Skateboards. They released an advertisement through their Don't Do it Army, that suggests that big skateboard hard-goods companies should stop selling their products to large shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
s and chain store
Chain store
Chain stores are retail outlets that share a brand and central management, and usually have standardized business methods and practices. These characteristics also apply to chain restaurants and some service-oriented chain businesses. In retail, dining and many service categories, chain businesses...
s, that are a big competition for the smaller 'core' skateshops.
In March 2007, Transworld Business posted an article that analyzed the their publication Under Fire and made suggestions on what to be done next, and the A World Without PROs website has been sized down to only one page that reads: