Tony Hawk Skates
Tony Hawk Skates Signature Series
The world knows the man and his brand Tony Hawk Skates Signature Series both as a legendary skateboarder, entrepreneur, video game creator and founder of The Skatepark Project — but how exactly did he get there?
Tony Hawk was nine years old when his older brother changed his life by giving him a blue fiberglass Bahne skateboard.
He’d turned pro at 14, and by 16 was considered the best competitive skateboarder on earth. He was World Champion for 12 years in a row, he continues to do skate demos and exhibitions internationally, and remains one of the most recognized action-sports figure in the world.
Nowadays his success may sound predestined, but it was more about following his passion and lots of practice. “The first time I picked up a skateboard, I ran into the fence because I didn’t know how to turn,” he answered Rolling Stone magazine.
In 1999, Tony together with Activision, create the popular video game called Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™. After that his life would never be the same. In a stroke of good timing, in that same year at the world known X Games , he became the first skateboarder in the planet to ever land a 900, which was considered the holy grail manoeuvre of vert skateboarding at the time.
Tony Hawk “I never wrote a script for myself”
Today, his business skills have helped create a Tony Hawk brand that includes a billion-dollar video game franchise, with a remastered Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 1+2 game released in 2020 to rave reviews.
Also in his portfolio are Hawk Clothing apparel company, Birdhouse Skateboards and the Tony Hawk Signature Series sporting goods and toys.
His speaking engagements draw huge crowds, as he inspires everyone, from media millennials to corporate veterans. An intuitive marketeer with a special skill for social networking, Tony Hawk has millions of fans on social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
Today, Tony Hawk regularly appears on television and in films, and hosted a show on Sirius XM radio’s Faction channel for 14 years. His autobiography, HAWK — Occupation: Skateboarder, was a New York Times bestseller, and his book How Did I Get Here? The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO, covers the business side of his career.
Tony’s production company, 900 Films, continues its work in television, film and commercial video, and content production.
Tony’s take on it all? Always follow your heart. “I never wrote a script for myself,” Tony told ESPN.com. My goal was that I was always thinking, ‘I want to learn that trick.’”
Tony Hawk is a role model for fans of all ages around the world. He founded The Skatepark Project, which has given away more than $10 million to over 600 skatepark projects throughout the world. The foundation helps underserved communities create safe and inclusive skateparks for youth.