According to news source "The Canadian Press", Nike * SB, the skateboarding branch of the megalithic sports shoe giant, premiered their first skateboard movie in Vancouver, British Columbia *. Unlike most skateboard videos, which premier in grassroots-fashion at smaller locations like skateshops, Nike rented out the 1,000-seat Commodore music venue. In addition, reports indicate that they also sported for catered food, free swag, and local Vancouver DJ Jason Sulyma. Vancouver is called by some the hub of Canadian Skateboarding, likely because of it's association with nearby snowboard mountains and its relatively mild winters.

But many in the city and elsewhere are skeptical of Nike's foray into the skateboard market. Some criticize Nike for entering the market for the wrong reasons. ""They're a big company that bought an image, which anyone with money can do," said Michelle Pezel, co-owner (with pro Rick McCrank *) of Vancouver skateshop AntiSocial.

Ultimately, some say, it comes down to the shoes. "The people that skate maybe destroy (their shoes) every month and people need shoes every month because it's the instrument for the sport," said Recardo Campa, owner of a local "shoe boutique" called Headquarters.

Steve Guisinger of Consolidated Skateboards, which began a "Don't Do It" campaign against large sporting goods companies entering the skate/surf/snowboard market in 1997 *, sees it from another angle. "Nike doesn't care about these (small) shops, they're not the ones that move volume for them. But they have to have (the core shops) or they can't get in (to the market). It's kind of like they're distracting these core shops, while they're hijacking the industry in the background."

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