The former NBA player, Gary Payton II, ventures into the world of skateboarding with the launch of the Skate Board Association (SBA), a professional league that promises to revolutionize action sports.
A League with a Vision for the Future
The SBA, a mixed street skateboarding league, is scheduled to begin its inaugural 10-game season next summer in Big Bear Lake, California. Payton, who last played for the Golden State Warriors, founded the league alongside Royce Campbell and Sheldon Lewis, motivated by his childhood passion for skateboarding.Payton will serve as director of VIP relations and owner of one of the league’s six teams, each of which will have six athletes: three women and three men, as well as reserves and coaches. Equal pay between men and women will be guaranteed. The league has already signed non-exclusive contracts with 18 athletes, including Kelvin Hoefler, 2020 Olympic silver medalist; Manny Santiago, SLS Select Series champion; Ryan Decenzo and Pamela Rosa, X Games gold medalists; and Samarria Brevard, silver medalist. The league’s structure seeks to alleviate the stress and uncertainty currently faced by athletes, allowing them to focus on competition. In addition, unlike most skate competitions, the SBA will offer salaries, bonuses, and a share of revenue from merchandise sales. The top picks in the draft will receive six-figure salaries, while the less prominent will earn mid-five-figure salaries. The SBA plans to sign at least 18 more athletes before their draft in Los Angeles later this year. The SBA joins a series of new leagues seeking to address fragmentation in sports like skateboarding and provide better support for elite athletes. Payton II expressed his desire for skaters to be valued and receive the appropriate sponsorships to take care of their bodies, their families, and acquire their own homes. His goal is to change the game for them. The league plans to hold its inaugural six-month season in Big Bear, with plans to expand to other cities in the future. Payton envisions the SBA as a league in the style of the NBA, with multiple venues across the country, training facilities, and an annual draft. He believes that skaters take greater risks than athletes in other sports and deserve the same treatment as NBA players. Payton believes that other professional athletes will join him as team owners in the new league. Many athletes, who practiced skateboarding in their youth, had to give it up to dedicate themselves to their professional sport, but they still maintain that connection with skateboarding.I grew up wanting to be a skater. The skate park was right next to the basketball court. I would go skate with my friends and they would skate at the park while I played basketball.
Gary Payton II
