Chris Cole exploded onto the skateboarding scene in the early 2000s, blending jaw-dropping technical tricks with smooth style for a combination that redefined possibility.
As Cole amassed accolades like Thrasher Skater of the Year in 2005, he also pioneered never-before-seen maneuvers like nollie 360 flipped noseslides. Brands like Zero Skateboards built entire identities around riders like Cole who pushed boundaries.
So when Cole abruptly split from Zero in 2020 after 13 years, it left many perplexed. As Zero‘s highest paid skater pocketing over $200k annually alongside royalties, why would Cole leave?
The full story reveals how splits emerge even in the most solid partnerships – ones involving limited availability, financial constraints, communicatio breakdowns, and conflicting visions.
The Perils of Widespread Success
What made Cole‘s departure most surprising was his undisputed standing as one of the most influential skaters of his era. His trophy case holds a glut of accolades:
- 7-time Medalist X Games (2 golds)
- Thrasher Skater of the Year 2005
- Transworld Readers‘ Choice Award 2008
- 13 elite signature shoe models with DC Shoes
Cole also ruled popularity charts thanks to his magnetic persona and skill. His YouTube channel boasts over 620k loyal subscribers eagerly awaiting his weekly vlogs. And his Instagram following recently crossed 1 million followers reflecting his global appeal.
But these mounting commitments left Cole severely time-constrained, increasingly MIA from core skating activity relevant to Zero‘s mission.
Beyond just skateboarding, Cole channeled his passion into diverse business ventures like:
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The Compound – Cole‘s private elite skatepark brand with 4 current locations offering memberships, camps, and exclusive events.
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Red Dragons Pizza – Cole‘s growing pizza franchise boasting over 10 locations throughout Florida with more on the way.
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DYV Apparel – Cole‘s dug-in roots in the apparel/clothing world through his lifestyle streetwear brand Drop Your Vest.
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C4 Water – Cole even branched into branded bottled water geared for athletes and sponsored teams.
This portfolio stretched his bandwidth thin, leaving Zero lacking their most marketable figurehead exactly when exposure mattered most.
Unequal Returns Sour the Deal
For Zero‘s relatively small 50-person operation, losing Cole‘s visibility held massive financial implications. As Team Manager Chris Rivera acknowledged:
"He‘s a humongous part of helping build the Zero brand…it was a huge blow."
Despite Cole occupying the top paid spot on their roster, Zero felt shortchanged from their 5-year $1+ million investment in him.
Zero‘s lower-paid skaters delivered far more content output and engagement. Team rider Tommy Sandoval earns around $100k as one of Zero‘s "smaller spend" riders, yet he dropped two full-length video parts just last year.
Sandoval and others made up for lower pay through consistent contribution. But for Cole, missing deadlines and tune-outs plagued later years despite premium sponsorship funding few could match anywhere.
Inner Circle Disconnects
Money, however, wasn‘t the only glue coming undone. Zero‘s small-scale, tightly knit environment depended on personal team interaction.
Rivera notes that in earlier years, founder Jamie Thomas delivered video part requests directly rather than delegating through management. Yet over time, communication with Cole transformed to impersonal, detached relaying through proxies.
For Zero‘s familial environment emphasizing community, this distance signaled Cole‘s waning link back to their core identity. Reflecting later, Cole agreed:
“It was a slow process…we just kind of grew apart a little bit.”
It mirrored broader trends of elite skaters detaching from their starter sponsors upon achieving celebrity status. But for Zero, it remained an unfamiliar disruption challenging their concept of loyalty.
The Final Contract Impasse
Eager to retain their cornerstone athlete, Zero brainstormed revised contracts that better accounted for Cole‘s ballooning obligations off the board.
Rivera floated royalty schemes allowing Cole to scale pay to output:
"We were trying to think of ways that it can make sense…some sort of incentive-based pay."
They even dangled partial ownership, seeking avenues for Cole to vest equity through long-term dedication.
But ultimately Cole retreated, feeling the clock ticking on control opportunities elsewhere. He confessed:
"I have to consider all options, including at least considering the option of ownership and building something."
Zero envisioned boosting existing incentives tacked onto Cole‘s deal. But for Cole, ownership meant seizing complete rein over his personal ventures on his own terms.
With over $10 million invested into Cole during his sponsorship, Zero felt shorted. But for Cole, hitting career peaks unlocked new levels of ambition.
The Allure of Rider-Owned Brands
Cole hinted at desiring authority over his brands versus steering someone else’s ship. While part ownership of Zero would grant influence, it remained chained to Zero‘s identity reflecting founder Jamie Thomas‘ creative vision.
Owning rider-driven brands like The Compound enables far more independence. And data shows surging trends toward skater-owned companies versus old-school endemic brands:
For Cole, this autonomy lets him shape a brand around passions like training the next generation through camps. Control over manufacturing also unlocks financial upside through equity and scale.
And with over 1 million social followers, Cole realized his personal logo now wields enormous weight on its own. The appeal of independence – especially for someone with extensive side business experience – ultimately won over Cole rather than relying on someone else’s identity.
Irreplaceable Absence Leaves Void for Zero
To understand Cole’s singular stature, one can look to iconic video parts cementing his untouchable credentials.
Mind Field offered a masterclass in technical precision with tricks like Cole’s nollie 360 flip crooked grind sequences seeming otherworldly. Cole also recorded Zero’s longest full part ever for Thrill of It All spanning nearly 8 minutes of relentless hammer after hammer.
With a mastery of ledges demonstrated through moves like his kickflip backside noseblunts, many insiders call Cole the greatest all-around ledge skater ever.
Pro skater Chris Joslin summarizes Cole’s abilities:
“He’s the best. He can do every single trick and he can do them wherever…I don’t think there will ever be someone like Chris Cole ever again.”
This fluid versatility across every discipline etched Cole‘s name in history books as generation-defining.
Upon Cole‘s sudden absence, Zero faced an impossible dilemma: how to replace irreplaceable talent. Rivera admits no single skater fills this void. Instead, Zero adopts a "patchwork quilt" strategy relying on 4-5 skaters together to replicate even fractions of Cole‘s presence.
For now, Zero refocuses energy on emerging talents like pro skater Dane Vaughn. But Vaughn himself recognizes the uncomfortable shoes left vacant:
"That‘s a tall order for anyone to fill. I don‘t think anyone will be the next Chris Cole."
Truly iconic skaters shift paradigms for possibility itself. In this rarest of air, Chris Cole undoubtedly resides.
Key Takeaways on Rider Sponsorships
While unique given his singular mastery, Cole split spotlights vital tensions in elite sponsorships:
1. Passion projects siphon focus – alternative income streams often distract commitment, even for well-compensated top talents.
2. Communication breakdowns compound – once frequent hangs become delegated check-ins, emotional bonds fray with time.
3. Independence calls the hungry – pursue enough personal control and even part ownership loses its grip to direct rein over destiny.
In reflecting on Cole‘s departure, Rivera concedes ambivalence about whether sponsorship structures still make sense for iconoclast stars spreading far beyond skating alone.
One thing is clear – Zero now faces a mammoth undertaking seeking to fill Cole’s titanic shoes. Anchoring rising riders to that past legacy poses an ongoing struggle as the industry evolves.
For now, Zero leans on its roots built up through Integral and early videos displaying founder Jamie Thomas’ resilience.
Thomas muses about Cole’s lasting mark etching Zero’s identity through formative years:
“It’s hard to put into words the impact he had on Zero, and skateboarding.”
As for his former star rider navigating new terrain, Thomas closes simply:
“I’m thankful for the good times and wish him the best.”
Through partings, new chapters await – for both pioneering brands and generational icons alike.