Be sure to check out HUF Team Rider Dan Plunkett's new interview up on the Jenkem site. In this interview Dan touches upon having a degree in welding and his plans after skateboarding, Brad Staba's morning ritual, as well as going to run-down strip clubs for a laugh. Check out a preview of the interview below, and click here to read the entire interview.
What are your plans to fall back on after skating? Do you have anything?
I have a degree in welding, I could always go back and do that. I like it and look forward to doing that again one day. It’s something I really want to do, cause then skating is not a priority and I can skate whenever the fuck I want, when I’m off. Like “earn” the skating I guess. Work your ass off and get a little time at the park or whatever. Then it’s not, shoot a photo, video, we need an ad tomorrow…. I mean It’s not really like that now, but I won’t have to worry about any type of sponsorship or keeping sponsors happy. I don’t wanna try to ride it out forever either. I don’t wanna milk the shit out of it. If I know I’m not doing anything cool, or don’t think I can produce anything cool, then I think, eh, it’s time to get a real job.
Do you have a financial plan or savings as a pro skater?
Nah, I just have a savings account that I throw a good chunk of each check into. I mean, that’s all gonna go to taxes anyway, right? Taxes for skaters are so jacked, just because you’re an independent contractor or whatever. It’s like, you might as well take half of every check and just throw it in savings. Not even savings, just call it the fucking IRS’ savings. It’s ridiculous.
What do you think the average pro skater makes? Like, not Street League skater.
Depends, you know. Do they have a shoe sponsor? With just a board sponsor, maybe you make like $2000 a month or something like that. Maybe $1500 to $2500. For a full set of sponsors, at least like, $5000 a month… I’d say somewhere around there. But some people get $5000 a month, just from one sponsor, depending on who you are hooked up by. Like when Quicksilver was going, riders would get $5000 just from that, it was just gnarly. I wanna know what Sheckler makes a month, do you know?