(5/20) Contemporary research reports suggest that the skateboarding industry is currently valued at $1.4 billion, its market catering to over 11 million skateboarders worldwide. The sport, which came to be in the 70's, has matured into one of the most exciting and stylish scenes in modern sports today. Just last year, skateboarding made its stunning debut in the Tokyo Olympics where Japan's very own Yuto Horigome took home the first-ever gold medal for the sport.
Needless to say, skateboarding is now bigger than ever before. With so much attention being drawn to the sport in today's world, the scene has attracted some of the biggest brand names in sports and fashion, injecting millions of dollar's worth of sponsorship into the sport.
As a result of this, a fair number of professional skateboarders have managed to become millionaires through their passion for the sport, whether it be from competition wins, sponsorships and endorsements, or business ventures within the industry of skateboarding.
In this article, we are going to be listing some of the richest professional skateboarders and tell you a little bit about every one of them.
Nyjah Huston ($12 000 000)
Nyjah is the undisputed jock king of the competitive skateboarding scene. Boasting more 1st-place podium positions in Street League Skateboarding (SLS), Nyjah not only takes home hundreds of thousands of dollars every time he wins a gold medal but he also rakes in a pretty penny from his Nike SB and Monster Energy sponsorships. He has also recently started his own board company by the name of Disorder.
Ryan Sheckler ($16 000 000)
For fans of the Jackass movie series and the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater video games, Ryan Sheckler is a memorable face from skateboarding's early 2000s. Aged 32 now, Sheckler was in fact once the youngest professional skater in the world, earning his stripes at the ripe age of 14.
Stefan Jenoski ($20 000 000)
Here is a man of many skills. After becoming a world-renowned skateboarder in the professional scene, Stefan Jenoski would use the money, acclaim, and connections he made through skateboarding to pursue a successful career as both a musician and a shoe designer. The latter of these jobs is what we remember him most for.
Rodney Mullen ($30 000 000)
Mullen is considered to be the father of modern street skating. While his contemporaries, like Tony Hawk, were flying up and down mega-ramps, Rodney Mullen pioneered the art of skateboarding on flat ground. The trick that Rodney Mullen is most famous for creating is the kickflip. Rodney Mullen has since spent a lot of time doing public speaking following his departure from professional skateboarding.
Tony Hawk ($140 000 000)
Undeniably the most recognisable personality in skateboarding, the Birdman himself is understandably the wealthiest skateboarder in the world. Despite being 54 years old, Tony Hawk still actively pursues his skateboarding career.
Skateboarding Is Becoming Big Business
Although salaries in skateboarding are nowhere near what traditional athletes get paid in sports such as soccer or the wins you can land at Lucky Creek online casino, the industry is nevertheless on the rise. We can no doubt expect a lot more skateboarding millionaires soon.
