Nike Skateboarding
Sub-brand
UnclaimedNike's skateboarding sub-brand, known for skate shoes, apparel, equipment, athlete programs, films, and limited-edition collaborations. Nike's skateboarding line blending street culture and performance.
Last updated October 16, 2026
Overview
Nike Skateboarding, commonly abbreviated as Nike SB, is Nike's dedicated skateboarding brand. It develops and markets skate shoes, clothing, accessories, equipment, athlete signature products, and skateboarding media. The brand is a specialist division within Nike rather than an independent company, and its identity is built around the adaptation of Nike footwear to the technical and cultural requirements of skateboarding. Nike's first attempt to enter skate footwear began in 1997, but the company initially struggled to gain distribution and credibility among specialist skate shops. At the time, the skate market was strongly associated with established brands such as DC, Globe, eS, Emerica, and Vans. Nike was widely viewed as an athletic-footwear corporation rather than a core skateboarding company, limiting the acceptance of its early products. Nike formally introduced the SB designation in 2002. The first Nike SB Dunk Low incorporated skate-oriented changes including a padded tongue and collar and Zoom Air cushioning. Although the initial SB Dunk did not immediately achieve strong sales, Nike expanded the range with models including the SB Angus, SB FC, SB Delta Force, and SB URL. The company also began building a dedicated skate team and working more closely with professional riders, skate shops, and the wider skateboarding community. The recruitment of Paul Rodriguez in 2004 was an important step in establishing Nike SB's professional identity. The brand subsequently developed signature footwear for Rodriguez and other prominent riders, while existing Nike silhouettes such as the Dunk and Blazer were redesigned with skate-specific padding, cushioning, construction, and materials. Eric Koston, Sean Malto, Luan Oliveira, Stefan Janoski, Brian Anderson, Grant Taylor, Ishod Wair, Youness Amrani, and other riders became associated with the brand at different points. Their video parts, signature shoes, contests, tours, and collaborations helped Nike SB compete more directly with specialist skate labels. Nike SB also invested in skateboarding media and physical infrastructure. Its films included On Tap, Nothing But The Truth, Debacle, The SB Chronicles series, Trust Fall, and Constant. In 2012, Nike opened the 6th and Mill private training facility in downtown Los Angeles, which became a venue for team activity, demonstrations, and online skate content. Digital competitions such as Mr. Control It All connected product launches with user-generated skate footage and online communities. The Nike SB Dunk became particularly influential through special editions and collaborations. Releases associated with Tiffany, Supreme, Staple Design, Stüssy, Concepts, Ben & Jerry's, Travis Scott, StrangeLove, Jarritos, Yuto Horigome, Crenshaw, and Born X Raised helped connect skate footwear with sneaker collecting, streetwear, fashion, and popular culture. The SB Dunk experienced a major resurgence in the late 2010s and early 2020s, with scarcity, distinctive storytelling, and collaborative design contributing to high demand. Some releases generated notable retail disruption and secondary-market attention. Nike SB continues to operate as a global skateboarding business within Nike's broader portfolio. Its current proposition combines performance-oriented skate footwear with athlete-led design, heritage Nike silhouettes, limited collaborations, apparel, team content, and participation in skateboarding culture. The brand's history reflects Nike's transition from an outsider in specialist skate retail to a significant participant in both core skateboarding and the wider sneaker market.
History
Nike's relationship with skateboarding developed gradually. In 1997, the company began producing skate shoes, but its first efforts encountered resistance from specialist retailers and skateboarders. The category was dominated by brands with deep connections to skate shops, professional teams, independent videos, and local skate culture. Nike's corporate reputation and limited credibility in the core market made it difficult to secure the same level of acceptance. Nike reorganized its approach in 2002 by introducing Nike SB. The Nike SB Dunk Low was designed to resemble the padded, cushioned skate shoes already familiar to skateboarders, using a padded tongue and collar and Zoom Air insoles. Initial sales were described as mediocre, so Nike broadened the line with the SB Angus, SB FC, SB Delta Force, and SB URL. The shift involved more than a new label: Nike began pursuing specialist distribution, team-building, skate-specific product development, and a more visible presence in skate media. The appointment of professional skateboarder Paul Rodriguez as a brand figurehead in 2004 was a key turning point. Nike released a skate-focused Dunk collection that year with increased padding, Zoom Air cushioning, stronger materials, and triple stitching. In 2005, Rodriguez received a signature Nike SB model, while Lance Mountain helped adapt the classic Blazer basketball shoe into the Nike SB Blazer by adding features relevant to skateboarding. These products established a pattern that continued throughout the brand's history: Nike SB frequently reworked well-known Nike silhouettes while adding construction intended for repeated impact and board contact. Nike SB's professional roster and media output expanded during the late 2000s and early 2010s. Eric Koston joined Nike in 2009, and the company released the amateur video Debacle. The SB Chronicles series followed, with its first volume premiering online in 2011 and its second volume released in 2013. Other projects included On Tap, Nothing But The Truth, Don't Fear The Sweeper, The Bird Is The Word European Tour Video, The SB Chronicles Vol. 3, Trust Fall, and Constant. These films provided product marketing, but also functioned as records of the team's skating and as cultural objects within the skateboarding community. The roster continued to develop through signings such as Sean Malto and Luan Oliveira in 2012. Nike also pursued branded experiences. In July 2012 it opened 6th and Mill, a private training facility in Los Angeles. The site hosted team activity and online segments, linking physical skateboarding infrastructure with digital promotion. The Mr. Control It All contest similarly used online challenges and rider participation to promote Eric Koston's signature footwear. In 2013, the brand promoted Koston's second signature shoe through the #thelegendgrows campaign and produced a range of content around the launch. A major part of Nike SB's later cultural influence came from collaborative and limited-edition Dunks. The 2005 Tiffany and Staple releases demonstrated the ability of a distinctive colorway and restricted supply to generate demand beyond core skateboarding. Collaborations with Supreme, Stüssy, Concepts, and other fashion or streetwear names further connected SB with sneaker collecting. The Staple 'NYC Pigeon' release became especially notable because of disorder and intense crowds at the New York launch. The SB Dunk saw a strong resurgence in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Collaborations with StrangeLove, Travis Scott, Ben & Jerry's, Concepts, Atlas, and others brought the model to a broader sneaker audience. The 2020 Chunky Dunky, made with Ben & Jerry's, sold out rapidly and became one of the period's most visible examples of the model's crossover appeal. In 2023, Nike SB released collaborations involving Jarritos, Yuto Horigome, Crenshaw, Supreme, and Born X Raised. The Born X Raised release was delayed following the death of founder Chris 'Spanto' Printup and was framed around Los Angeles street identity. Nike SB remains an active Nike sub-brand with global reach. Its business combines technical skate shoes and apparel with professional athletes, specialist storytelling, heritage models, limited collaborations, training facilities, competitions, and video production. The brand's evolution illustrates how Nike adapted from an outsider in skate footwear to a major participant in both specialist skateboarding and the international sneaker market.
- 2023
Major collaborative release year
[1]Nike SB issues prominent collaborations with Jarritos, Yuto Horigome, Crenshaw, Supreme, and Born X Raised.
- 2020
Chunky Dunky collaboration releases
[1]The Ben & Jerry's collaboration becomes a high-profile example of the SB Dunk's crossover appeal.
- 2013
Nike promotes the Eric Koston 2
[1]The #thelegendgrows campaign supports the launch of Koston's second Nike SB signature model.
- 2012
6th and Mill opens in Los Angeles
[1]Nike SB establishes a private training and content facility in downtown Los Angeles.
- 2007
Nothing But The Truth premieres
[1]Nike SB releases its first major team video.
- 2005
Nike SB Blazer and early landmark collaborations
[1]Nike introduces the skate-adapted Blazer and releases highly influential Dunk collaborations including Tiffany and Staple.
- 2004
Paul Rodriguez joins the brand
[1]The professional skateboarder becomes a central Nike SB athlete and later receives a signature model.
- 2002
Nike SB launches
[1]Nike introduces the SB designation and releases the skate-oriented SB Dunk Low.
- 1997
Nike begins producing skate shoes
[1]Nike enters skate footwear but struggles to gain acceptance and specialist retail distribution.
Products and positioning
A performance-led, athlete-driven skateboarding brand that combines Nike footwear technology and heritage silhouettes with specialist skate construction, skate-shop distribution, team culture, and highly collectible collaborations.
Skate shoes · 2002
Nike SB Dunk
The SB Dunk is Nike SB's defining footwear family. It began with a skate-oriented version of the Dunk Low in 2002, adding a padded tongue and collar and Zoom Air cushioning. Later versions used construction and materials intended for skateboarding. The model became especially prominent through limited editions and collaborations with skate companies, artists, fashion labels, food brands, and athletes. Its combination of Nike heritage, restricted availability, distinctive color stories, and skateboarding associations made it a major bridge between skate footwear and global sneaker culture.
Skate shoes · 2005
Nike SB Blazer
The Nike SB Blazer adapts Nike's early-1970s basketball silhouette for skateboarding. The SB version added features such as a padded collar and Zoom Air insoles, making the shoe more suitable for repeated impact and board use. Its appeal comes from combining a relatively simple heritage profile with skate-specific cushioning and construction. It also exemplifies Nike SB's broader practice of reworking established Nike designs for specialist skate use.
Skate shoes
Nike SB Janoski
The Janoski line is associated with professional skateboarder Stefan Janoski and became one of Nike SB's best-known signature footwear families. It is recognized for a relatively low-profile shape compared with bulkier skate shoes and for its connection to Janoski's technical street skating. The model helped Nike SB offer a signature shoe with a more minimalist everyday appearance while retaining a skateboarding purpose and athlete-led identity.
Signature skate shoes · 2005
Nike SB Paul Rodriguez
The Paul Rodriguez line was developed around Nike SB professional rider Paul Rodriguez. His first signature model, the Paul Rodriguez Zoom Air Low, appeared in 2005. The series represents Nike SB's emphasis on athlete-specific footwear and helped establish Rodriguez as one of the brand's principal public faces during its formative period.
Signature skate shoes
Nike SB Eric Koston
The Eric Koston line is a series of signature skate shoes developed with professional skateboarder Eric Koston. Nike promoted the second model through the #thelegendgrows campaign in 2013. Koston's involvement connected performance footwear, skateboarding credibility, digital content, and broader Nike athlete marketing.
Skate shoes
Air Jordan 1 SB
A skate-oriented adaptation of the Air Jordan 1 released under the Nike SB line, recognized as one of the brand's iconic models alongside the Dunk SB.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013#thelegendgrows
Global
Nike used the hashtag and a multi-athlete advertisement to promote Eric Koston's second signature shoe, with supporting behind-the-scenes video content.
Outcome. The campaign positioned Koston's skate shoe within Nike's larger athlete-marketing system.
- 2013Marrakesh Express
Morocco · Belgium · Global digital
Nike SB, Almost, and TransWorld Skateboarding created a print and video feature following Youness Amrani's journey and skating between Casablanca and Marrakesh through several Moroccan cities.
Outcome. The project combined travel storytelling, editorial media, and an amateur rider profile.
- 2012Mr. Control It All
Global digital
An internet-based series of skate challenges hosted by Eric Koston with Sean Malto and Justin Brock. Participants submitted edited footage performing specified tricks, linking community participation with the launch of Koston's first Nike SB signature model.
Outcome. The campaign extended the product launch into online skateboarding participation and content.
Brand decisions
2020
Launch the Ben & Jerry's Chunky DunkyProduct launchBackground
Nike SB used a consumer-brand collaboration to extend the SB Dunk's appeal beyond specialist skateboarding.
Action taken
Nike released the Nike SB Dunk Low Chunky Dunky with Ben & Jerry's-inspired colors, textures, and graphics.
Aftermath
The shoe sold out very quickly and became one of the most visible collaborations in the SB Dunk's resurgence.
2012
Open the 6th and Mill facilityStrategyBackground
Nike SB sought to support its athletes and create a dedicated setting for training, filming, and digital programming.
Action taken
The brand opened a private skateboarding facility at Sixth and Mill Streets in downtown Los Angeles.
Aftermath
The facility became a visible location for team activity and online skate content.
2002
Create the Nike SB divisionStrategyBackground
Nike's earlier skate-footwear efforts had difficulty gaining credibility and distribution in a specialist market dominated by established skate brands.
Action taken
Nike introduced the SB designation, redesigned the Dunk for skateboarding, expanded the product line, and began developing a dedicated team and skateboarding program.
Aftermath
The division gradually established a stronger presence in skate shops and later became influential in sneaker and streetwear culture.
Recent events
- 2023
Nike SB collaboration releases expand during 2023[1]
Product launch · Campaign
The brand released prominent collaborations involving Jarritos, Yuto Horigome, Crenshaw, Supreme, and Born X Raised, reinforcing the SB Dunk's position in sneaker and streetwear culture.
- 2020
Nike SB collaborates with Ben & Jerry's on Chunky Dunky[1]
Product launch · Campaign
The food-brand collaboration translated Ben & Jerry's visual identity into an SB Dunk Low and sold out rapidly after release.
- 2020
Nike SB receives a Webby People's Voice Award[1]
Other
Nike Skateboarding won the People's Voice Award for Best Home/Welcome Page in the Web category.
- 2013
Lewis Marnell dies[1]
Other
Nike SB announced the death of longtime professional rider Lewis Marnell and published a tribute. The announcement did not provide details about the cause of death.
- 2012
Nike opens the 6th and Mill skate facility[1]
Other
Nike Skateboarding opened a private training and content facility in downtown Los Angeles, named for the intersection of Sixth and Mill Streets.
- 2012
Nike SB's Mr. Control It All online competition[1]
Campaign · Product launch
Eric Koston, Sean Malto, and Justin Brock hosted an internet-based challenge series tied to the promotion of Koston's first Nike SB signature model.
- 2007
Nike SB releases Nothing But The Truth[1]
Campaign · Product launch
Nike SB released its first major team video, documenting its professional and amateur riders and reinforcing the brand's commitment to skate media.
- 2005
The Staple Nike SB Dunk Low 'NYC Pigeon' release causes retail disruption[1]
Product launch · Other
The limited Staple collaboration became a landmark SB Dunk release and attracted intense crowds and disorder around its New York launch.
- 2004
Paul Rodriguez joins Nike SB[1]
Leadership change
The signing of Paul Rodriguez strengthened Nike SB's professional-athlete identity and preceded the launch of his signature footwear.
- 2002
Nike introduces the SB brand and SB Dunk Low[1]
Product launch
Nike formalized its skateboarding program under the SB name and released the SB Dunk Low with skate-specific cushioning and padding.
Sources2 sources
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