A Million Dollar Idea!

[U2BMATH]

Many of us follow "America's Got Talent". I happen to be one of them, along with my wife. For those of us who have watched the show, we know there's a $1,000,000 prize and a chance to do a show in Vegas. We know that many talented, and not so talented, people come on the show to perform, hoping to realize their dream of instant fame and fortune.

Of late, I've given some back-burner thought to what all these kids in Skateboard Parks could do to make skateboarding a million dollar source of entertainment. Now, I realize there would be avid people who would tell me that skateboarding is a sport, like many others. And I would never profess that skateboarding is easy, or without it's challenges. But I would never pay $1,000,000 to watch someone skateboard, no matter how impressive they were.

However, I'd like some of you to visualize outside the proverbial box for a minute. What could a skateboarder do, that would make him/her - mostly hims - worth $1,000,000?

For instance, here's some of my brainstorms.

1). Obviously, glow in the dark is popular on the show this season. That's one option.

2). How about combining skateboarding tricks with the ability to swipe a paintbrush on a canvas as they went by it, to the end of actually painting a bonafide image of sorts?

3). How about combining water with skateboarding in some way? Probably get an awesome lot of hydroplaning going one, could be fun to watch.

Okay, so you can't take my idea. What might you come up with? Remember though, once you give up your idea on the forum, someone may capitalize on it. Don't be surprised should that happen.

Mike

[somethinglivid]

So you would pay a million to watch some hack sing... but not watch someone with actual skill through hard practice and bodily injury. Right... 

[U2BMATH]

So you would pay a million to watch some hack sing... but not watch someone with actual skill through hard practice and bodily injury. Right... 

Actually, I think "singers" are in the wrong competition. To me, that's what "American Idol" is for. So no, I wouldn't pay them either. Bodily injury isn't entertaining to me. Never said skateboarders don't have skill. But it's boring to me to see them go back and forth on a court, maybe go airborn for a second or two, maybe spin out, and fall down. It's like watching a tennis match. What's the point, I always find myself asking. But what can they combine along with it, to make it a million dollar act? That would be my question.

[oonamas]

Skateboarding already is a million dollar sport. Tony Hawk rakes it in, his talent doesn't go unpaid or unappreciated. In 2008, the X Games gave out $3 million in prize money. Never mind how much money they raked in through advertising and ticket sales, or the fact that there are tons of other competitions every year, not to mention endorsement deals, etc. Shows like America's Got Talent give people with unusual skills who probably wouldn't be able to capitalize on them a chance to go after a prize. Skateboarders don't need to do weird things while skateboarding to earn money - they already are for skateboarding.

[U2BMATH]

Yeah, I suppose you're right oonamas. Skateboarding already rakes in million dollar income on it's own through the means you mentioned. And you're right, too, that America's Got Talent is for people with unusual skills, and skateboarders don't need to do circus tricks to earn money. I'll grant you all of that.

I guess what I was looking for though, IS a circus trick. If a skateboarder was interested in competing on America's Got Talent, what could they do to earn enough votes to win the competition? I don't think just skateboarding alone is going to get them past the judges, let alone the finale.

Would it be? And if not, what idea could we come up with to make that happen? I know it's not necessary, but the question is more of a "what if"?