Partnership provides up and coming action sports athletes opportunities for huge exposure while delivering new premium content to Hookit.com

FUEL TV, a leading provider of action sports media coverage, and Hookit.com, the largest social network for lifestyle sports, today announce a unique promotion and content partnership. The highlight of the agreement is the launch of a new online community for FUEL TV’s ‘Unsponsored’ segment. This community provides aspiring amateur athletes in skate, surf, snow, motocross, BMX and wake their potential two minutes of fame – and some serious exposure – on FUEL TV, which is now broadcast in more than 30-million homes nationwide.

In order to be eligible, any ‘Unsponsored’ athlete must submit their video online athttp://unsponsored.hookit.com. Once a month, a panel of judges from FUEL TV and Hookit.com will review the submissions and select unsponsored athletes for a chance to be featured on FUEL TV, as well as receive introductions to top industry brands. For the athletes, this also means no more cumbersome mailing of DVDs or emailing clips in hopes they will get viewed. Athletes who don’t get selected to be on FUEL TV can still get exposure, promote themselves and connect with brands for deals on products through the Unsponsored community and their profile on Hookit.com.

“Our roots started in sponsorship and helping open doors for young up-and-coming athletes. There are so many athletes who have the skills, but need that one big break to help them get to the next level,” said Scott Tilton, CEO of Hookit.com. “This partnership with FUEL TV provides our ‘Unsponsored’ members with an exceptional opportunity for amazing exposure while adding great content for all of our members to browse and share.”

As part of the partnership, Hookit.com is also hosting premium online video content from FUEL TV. The content will be featured across various sport hubs on Hookit.com helping create new advertising revenue opportunities for both properties and highlighting popular shows like “Bubba’s World,” “The Daily Habit,” “Firsthand” and others.

“Hookit.com has an incredibly targeted and passionate community of action sports athletes who need exposure and want great content,” said Gene Pao, FUEL TV’s VP of New Media and International Development. “Their history in sponsorship made this partnership a perfect fit for Unsponsored as well as a great avenue for us to promote and distribute FUEL TV content.”

For more information and specifics, check out www.fuel.tv/unsponsored orhttp://unsponsored.hookit.com.

original story via fueltv

see video of event on facebook

O’Neill’s first-ever earth-conscious collection, Eco’Neill, made its debut on 4.22.10 in collaboration with j.k. livin artist MISHKA @ Saturdays Surf NYC in the heart of SoHo*. The intimate cocktail party and preview event for the Spring 2010 Men’s Collection welcomed fashion, music and lifestyle media, industry execs and trendsetters to the coolest art-gallery-turned-boutique location on Crosby Street.

Guests checked out the clothes and silent auction items, ranging from a signed Jordy Smith surfboard, TAYLOR guitar, j,k. livin shirt autographed by Matthew McConaughey, surf lessons with O’Neill rider Cory Lopez, a trip for two to Hawaii, and more.

Gourmet hot dogs, Vita Coco water and cocktails were served, while Mishka performed a very cool acoustic set featuring tracks off his newly released album “Talk About”on the outdoor patio.  The show was streamed LIVE on O’Neill’s facebook page for those unable to enjoy it in person – facebook.com/ONeill

A variety of men’s ECO’Neill styles hitting stores this week were on display including soft bamboo beanies, graphic tees, eco wetsuits, signature 1952 Heritage Logo tees made of organic slub, eco twill khakis, organic flannels, and “green jeans.”

A 14-year-old boy named Wonder clambers out of the ocean and onto Durban’s South Beach, exhausted after hours of surfing, and collapses on the sand.

At the end of the day, he’ll return his surfboard to a nearby community centre and then curl up on a downtown sidewalk to sleep.

Wonder is among a dozen young black boys taking to the waves every day through a community group called Umthombo, which is coaching street kids in surfing and other sports to keep them off the street while providing counselling to find more lasting solutions to their problems.

“When I’m surfing, I don’t sniff glue. I want to leave it behind,” said Wonder.

His parents have both died, and he ran away from his uncle’s home, where Wonder says he was beaten and often denied meals.

He says he’d rather live on the streets than return to his uncle. In his tattered wetsuit, he’s found a new identity. After a year of practise, he won second place in a local competition, scooping a trophy, a T-shirt and “a big bag of chips”.

Emma Sibilo, one of the social workers at Umthombo, said Wonder’s story is typical of the estimated 400 street kids in Durban. Most have turned to the streets after their parents died, or to escape abuse at home.

But life on the streets exposes them to drugs and often forces them into gangs that wage violent turf wars in the city, she said.

“Surfing takes them away from drugs. They go there, they become active, they get fit, meaning they engage in less anti-social behaviour,” Sibilo said.

One of the smallest surfers is nine-year-old Khetho, who has spent most of his life on the streets. He sleeps with his three brothers on the sidewalk, has bounced in and out of temporary homes, but was mainly spending his time begging for money and sniffing glue.

Since he started surfing two years ago, he eats two meals a day at Umthombo and spends most of his days in the water.

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