Look: Tom Asta Breaks Down His Split from eS in a New YouTube Video
The skateboarding world is full of ups and downs. Whether you’re a veteran pro, a rising amateur, hometown hero, TM, brand manager—the list goes on—it can be as rewarding as it is downright scary at times. For better or worse, it’s all part of the game,
That said, sponsors come and go, and Tom Asta recently hopped on his YouTube channel to tell his fans why he no longer rides for éS. I won't spoil too much yet, but let's still break down a few of his points below. Take a look:
Personally, I’m a fan of transparency like this. Especially in this day and age. Not just anyone would hop in front of the camera and explain a situation like the one Asta is dealing with right now, but that doesn't mean it isn't happening all the time.
As Tom mentioned in the video, 10 years is no small feat. Especially in today's climate. The definition of a "pro skateboarder" is so different these days, compared to, say, 15-20 years ago. It's tough out there! And while you can argue there's technically room for everyone, well, that's unfortunately just not always true.
Or, at the very least, it's easier said than done.
I guess the main takeaway here is that Sole Tech (èS, Etnies, Emerica) got sold. Again, these things happen. And unless you're one of the footwear giants out there, it's hard to fight for space on skate shop shoe walls and eCommerce sales all the same. Just look at Lakai. But with that said, there are a ton of talented skaters out there without a proper shoe sponsor right now.
Fingers crossed this isn't going to be a theme in 2025, but who knows?
At any rate, the comments section on the post has basically turned into an open forum. Tom did pin this to the top: "I don’t want this to come off super negative. I’m very grateful & thankful for the years of support from eS. Also wanted to clarify that eS did pay for most of my travel when it was for eS related things along with some contest hotels/travel. I feel like in the video i wasn’t very clear on that situation."
Hey, it's just one of those situations that happen all the time, but are never fun. Cheers to Tom for the transparency. I have no problem believing he'll land on his feet and find a new home.
There's a shift happening right now nonetheless, and I think we can all feel it one way or another. All you can do is grab your board and keep rollin'! New year means new opportunities. Get out there and open some doors!
💻 Don't miss another headline from TransWorld SKATEboarding! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more quality skate content. 💻
