What is Tony Hawk net worth?
Tony Hawk is a famous skateboarder and businessman with a net worth of $140 million. He is the highest-earning skateboarder ever. Tony has made a lot of money from endorsements, tournament prizes, and appearance fees. His video game, which has made billions, has also contributed to his wealth. Even as a teenager, he earned over $100,000 a year from prizes and sponsorships. When he was in high school, he made more money than his teachers and even bought a house for his family.
Early Life
On May 12, 1968, in San Diego, California, Tony Hawk was born. His parents are Nancy and Frank Hawk, and he has three siblings. Tony got his first skateboard when he was eight, a gift from his older brother. His parents liked skateboarding because it helped him use up his extra energy. Tony was very good at skateboarding, and he got his first sponsor at age 12 from Dogtown Skateboards. He turned professional at 14.
Career
At 14, Tony joined the Powell Peralta professional team and starred in the Bones Brigade videos. He was known as a great street skater, but he wanted to show he was also good at vertical skating. By age 16, he was one of the best skateboarders in the world.
Tony won numerous competitions and was the National Skateboard Association world champion for 12 years in a row. He invented many skateboarding tricks, like the gymnast plant and the ollie-to-Indy.
Skateboarding became less popular in the 1990s, but things changed when the X Games started in 1995. Tony won many medals in the X Games, including 10 gold medals.
In 1999, at the X Games, Tony became the first skateboarder to land a 900, a trick where the skateboarder spins 900 degrees in the air. It took him 11 tries, but he finally did it, and he called it the best day of his life.
After this, Tony retired from competitions but stayed active in skateboarding. In 2009, he was the first person allowed to skateboard on the grounds of the White House. One of the first Skateboarding Hall of Famers. In 2021, Tony came out of retirement briefly to compete in the X Games' Vert Best Trick event, finishing fourth.
Endorsements and appearances
Tony's net worth is high because of the many products that bear his name. He founded Birdhouse, a skateboarding company, and Blitz, a distribution company. He also launched Hawk Clothing in 1998, which makes skateboarding clothes for kids.
In 1998, Tony signed a deal with Activision to create the "Tony Hawk Pro Skater" video game series. The series has made over $1.4 billion and is one of the most successful video game franchises.
In 2002, Tony started "Boom Boom HuckJam," a live sports and music show. He has also appeared in many movies and TV shows, like "The Simpsons," "Jackass," and "The Masked Singer."
Investments
Tony has invested in many businesses, including Birdhouse Skateboards, Hawk Clothing, and 900 Films, a production company. He was also an early investor in Blue Bottle Coffee, which Nestlé bought for $500 million in 2017.
Philanthropy
Tony is very generous and wants more people to enjoy skateboarding. In 2002, he started the Tony Hawk Foundation, which helps build safe skateparks in the U.S. The foundation has given over $5.8 million to build more than 596 skateparks. In 2020, the foundation changed its name to The Skatepark Project.
In 2015, the foundation won the Robert Wood Johnson Sports Award for helping communities through sports. Tony also helped start Athletes for Hope, encouraging athletes to volunteer and support good causes.
In 2023, Tony auctioned a signed photo to raise money for the Tyre Nichols Memorial Fund. He plans to build a skatepark in Nichols' honor.
Personal Life
Tony Hawk married his high school girlfriend Cindy Dunbar in 1990, and they had a son, Riley, in 1992. Riley is also a skateboarder. Tony and Cindy divorced in 1994. Tony then married Erin Lee from 1996 to 2004, and they had two sons, Spencer and Keegan. He married Lhotse Merriam from 2006 to 2011, and they had a daughter, Kadence. In 2015, Tony married Cathy Goodman. Tony and his family live in Encinitas, California.
In 2016, Tony bought a century-old house in Detroit. The building had been a home, then a hospital, and later apartments. His wife Cathy is from Detroit.