Watching Steve Rocco and Mike Vallely sit down on The Nine Club Podcast gives a look at a time when skateboarding media, brands, and riders were all shifting in very unpredictable ways.
The conversation is all about stories that connect business decisions, friendships, creative ideas, and the kind of decisions that shaped skate companies in the nineties.
One of the early topics they talk about is Rocco moving Mike V from Independent trucks over to Venture Trucks.
It was not just a simple sponsor change, it was part of how riders were being placed and moved around between brands in a period when skate companies were still figuring out how to operate more like full businesses.
Mike V shares how those changes felt from his side and how quickly things could shift without much warning.
They also go into Mike V leaving Powell Peralta after signing a ten-year contract. That situation shows how different things were at the time compared to how contracts and sponsorships are handled now.
Mike V explains how that decision came together and what it felt like stepping away from something that was supposed to be long term. It also ties into how World Industries was becoming a major force in the skate world during that era.
But wait, we won’t spoil it anymore, so you have to watch the full episode to get more nostalgia from the golden days of skateboarding. Enjoy!