The $20k Shopping Trip That Led to Italo's Nike Sponsorship

"Let's talk about Nike, they're one of the biggest brands in the world, right?" You can clearly see he's hyped up. "When I lost Billabong (in 2023) I was injured and I knew it wasn't going to be a clear switch to another big sponsor, I didn't have much value... One day I was in Rio de Janeiro and walked by the Nike store and saw some cool gear and I had a vision, like, 'I wonder if I can get their attention.' So I went in and dropped $20k and walked out with a bunch of bags... I then posted this photo of me all decked out with a Brasil shirt by Nike, pants, shoes, the whole bit."

"They then hit me in the DMs and asked about me not having a clothing sponsor and were like, 'Well, we're here. We should talk.' So we kept talking and I got in touch with the head of Nike Brasil, he's become such a huge partner and friend, and we were able to make an incredible partnership."

As surfing's first-ever Olympic Champion, a perennial threat on the Championship Tour, and mega-star in Brazil--who is perhaps more universally liked than both Gabriel Medina and Felipe Toledo--having Italo on your team is a no-brainer. But it was after Billabong let him ago that the champ was in a tough spot that's becoming increasingly familiar for top-tier surfers: being too valuable for any endemic surf brand to afford.

At one point, when discussing the evolution of surf culture, he says "Look at my surfboard, you have to adapt." What he means is that his sponsors include the likes of Ford, Red Bull, Vivo (Brazilian telecommunications), Riachuelo, Agua Coco, and others that aren't exactly your classic brands. He adds, "Being on tour is very expensive, you travel around the world and you have a crew. I have my trainer, photographer, filmer, and then everything needs to be edited too, it all adds up, you know? Thank God, I have these brands (points to his board) that all support me and make it possible."

"The exchange, for the representation on my board, I believe is something that I do well--I work hard to get them all types of content that they can then use for their promotion and financial reimbursement. It's all about the financial return."