It was Jason Dill who compared sponsored skateboarding in the modern era to society in India- a handful of people doing super-well and then multitudes barely getting by, with the middle strata thinned to vanishing point. I’m paraphrasing, clearly- but probably for the best.

It wasn’t always this way: at the turn of the new millennium, skateboarding was a big part of the youth-cultural soup thanks in no small part to video games. Add to that the fact that the footwear market was not as yet dominated by non-endemic sportswear brands and you had a situation where brands were not only spending within skateboarding, but not all the profits from the shoe game were going straight out the back door.

There were tiers of sponsored skateboarders within that era- and even those skaters not far above shop-sponsorship level could make a living from half a dozen low-paying sponsorship deals, a couple of grand here and there from doing demo’s, and the occasional contest payday.

These days it is much, much harder for talented skateboarders to establish themselves and get their name out there- and so we are delighted to be able to get a perspective on just that situation from Greg Rodriguez.

Greg is a well-known face on the LA skate scene, and has become a fixture on the World Skateboarding Tour representing Mexico from which his lineage hails a generation back. Currently lying in 51st position on the World Skateboarding Ranking, he memorably made it to the semifinals of the 2023 Tokyo World Championship in what was only his second outing on the WST.

There are a group of skateboarders on the Tour who we always monitor as ‘bubbling under’- fearless, hungry young bucks who just need a little window of daylight to take their shot among the top tier. Mauro Iglesias is one example; Gabryel Aguilar another.

Greg Rodriguez represents that hustling groove, too- so we are delighted to hear what’s up from the man himself.

Aspiring pro skateboarders: listen up!

Ph: Kenji

Hi, Greg! Now: although we know you from the World Skateboarding Tour, you are a pretty well-established face within the LA skate scene at this point. Can you tell us a bit about your upbringing and life in skateboarding up to now?

Well, I first started skating in 2013- my Dad got me my first complete, and that’s where I first got familiar with skateboarding. My Dad used to hate me skateboarding just because of the reputation it had- but it never stopped me from skating and having fun. After a while, he realised I was taking it more as a sport than a hobby so he let me skate more- and I’m really grateful for the tough love. It made me want to skate even harder. Looking back, it really moulded me to always achieve my goals. Especially growing up in Los Angeles, there was so many great skaters to see and learn from. 

Ph: Kenji

How is the life of a sponsored skater in LA these days? Is it a case of too many MC’s, not enough microphones- or how does the landscape of opportunity appear to you, right now?

The life of a sponsored skater in LA is really a dream come true. Never would I have imagined that I would be a sponsored skater, to be honest; in my opinion I think right now, with social media, it’s a lot easier to get opportunities. 

You joined the WST in Switzerland in 2023, and within nine months you had competed in Japan, Dubai, China and Hungary- quite an adventure?

Honestly, it was one big roller coaster of emotions, especially these big contests- being able to perform at such a high level, with the most talented skateboarders in the world. It was a journey I am never going to forget. Switzerland was the first country I’ve travelled to outside of the US besides Mexico- and then being able to visit so many more in the span of nine months… is a very monumental moment for me. 

You made it into the Semifinals of the 2023 World Championship in Tokyo- that must have been a big confidence boost, to be able to go all-in against the top names in the world?

I did make it to the semi finals in Japan… and going up against the biggest names in the world, and being able to compete against them was a big confidence boost. It was very nerve-wracking to compete on a big stage like Japan, but definitely a big confidence boost as well. 

Ph: Atiba

Where are your top three sushi spots in LA?

That’s a great question! I think my top sushi spots in LA right now, well- they’re a little bit further than LA, but it would be… SushiHolics at #1, #2 would probably be All That Sushi in Chino Hills… I think I only have two that I can think of!

You were sponsored by the clothing brand Pro-Club, but have also done some modelling and events for Collectiv store in LA at the same time- how does that work?

Well, Collectiv is my homie’s brand, and I always show love to brands on the come up. As of right now I don’t have a contract with Pro-Club, so it doesn’t breach any sort of deal. 

Innercity Skate Store also help you out by getting you involved on weartests and other promotions which help keep your name in the marketing slipstream of big shoe launches that are vital windows these days- how did that hook-up come about?

Well, when I was still trying to get deeper in the industry, my homie Victor Brooks- also another team rider- helped me get in contact with the shop owner. I showed him some of the clips I’ve been working on from a street part, and the rest is history. Adrian Morales is the shop owner and he has helped me through this whole journey with as much as he can- and I’m very grateful for him to put his trust in me, and help me stay in the mix. 

Ph: Kenji

Is El Sereno your favourite skatepark in LA?

El Sereno is in my top three for sure, but lately there’s a new-ish park in Anaheim that I’ve been skating a lot more… and I think that has been one of my favourites of this year.

You won a Damn Am stop in Houston right before the start of the summer: did that make you hungry for more quick wins, or are those smaller events like a side-mission for you relative to your day-to-day skating lifestyle in LA? 

Yes, I did win DamnAm Huston. After winning Damn Am, it did make me a lot hungrier for more wins- but I also like skating them to prepare for World Skate events. 

How far away from having hardflip front blunts on lock are you?

I’ve been working on them more. I have them on lock on bump-to-rails, but my main goal is to be able to have them on lock down rails soon. They’re a hit-or-miss right now, but hopefully that’ll change soon! 

Ph: Arias

What would it mean to you to make it into the cut for LA28?

In reality, this is my dream goal- to make the 2028 cut, especially because it’s in LA. But it would mean everything to me; especially representing my family’s roots and being able to be that role model for the skaters and people in Mexico- that it is possible.

Ph: Atiba

The floor is yours amigo: any last words of advice, or people you want to shine a light on?

I wanna give a big shout out to Steven Vasquez, Carlos Puigdollers and Filipe Mota, for always keeping pushing me to be better…shout out to everyone in Mexico that supports me and shows me love!

And shout out to my Dad and my sister, for always having my back and supporting me through thick and thin.

And to all my fans- new and old- I appreciate every single one of you!