Things are looking very different for the Converse CONS skate program right now, with several longtime team members reportedly parting ways with the brand.
As we previously reported, Sean Pablo and Sage Elsesser have officially parted ways with Converse CONS after spending 12 years with the company.
READ MORE: Sean Pablo’s Run With Converse CONS Reportedly Comes to an End After 12 Years on the Team
Milton Martinez has also announced that his 15 year run with Converse has come to an end and said that almost the entire team has been let go.
READ MORE: Converse CONS Cuts the Team, Milton Martinez Closes the Chapter After 15 Years
With several established names no longer on the roster, the future of the CONS skate program is now up in the air.
Converse has had a respected place in skateboarding for years, building a team around skaters with different styles and personalities.
The roster has included some of the most recognizable names in the scene, giving CONS an identity that went well beyond simply putting skate shoes on the market.
Now, that roster has been dramatically reduced.
The changes come at a difficult time for Converse's parent company, Nike.
READ MORE: Corporate Skate Shoe Giant Nike Cuts Converse Marketing 44% Despite CEO’s Turnaround Promise
The skate shoe giant has been carrying out a broad restructuring program that has included thousands of job cuts and changes across different parts of the business.
Nike has also been looking closely at its spending as the company works to reshape its operations and focus on areas it considers important for its future.
Converse has not been immune to those changes.
READ MORE: Corporate Skate Shoe Giant Nike Cuts 1,400 Jobs as Restructuring Includes Converse Operations
Team cuts can have an impact far beyond the names printed on a team page.
Riders spend years creating video parts, traveling for projects, attending events and representing a company at shops and skate spots around the world.
A skate team can also become an important part of a brand's identity.
When several longtime riders leave at once, it can completely change how that company is perceived within the scene.
Sean, Sage and Milton's departures leave CONS with history but a much different roster than the one skateboarders have become accustomed to seeing.
It is still unclear what the next version of the Converse CONS skate program will look like, as Nike's new Chief Financial Officer, David Denton, has been working to improve profitability and ensure the company's investments are delivering a strong return on investment.
READ MORE: Corporate Skate Shoes Nike Names Pfizer Exec David Denton as Next Chief Financial Officer
Nike has been making changes throughout its business, and the skate division appears to be dealing with its own restructuring.
The company could eventually build a new roster, scale the program down or take the brand in another direction.
Right now, the biggest story is simply how many longtime names have disappeared from the CONS lineup in such a short period.
Converse has been part of skateboarding for decades, so the brand is not going anywhere overnight. But the team that helped shape its recent identity is looking very different.
The next generation of CONS riders will have some pretty big shoes to fill.