The Action Sports Industry

Here’s your chance to sound off on the “Industry” in general. It’s an open mic, use it.

I like chicken…oh and skateboarding…I’m happy that skateboarding has gotten so big over the past few years….I thank ESPN and Tony for that…....cuz now there are so many parks in the Phx metro area…...I remember when the first one opened back in 97…..I was there opening day…..Most kids don’t even know what it was like with no park and hate on the ones we have now …....big babies….....P.S. why do people ride razor scooters??

I think “Action Sports” is a lame term in general. Ya all this stuff has a similar vibe to it but its just like on big marketing demographic that just waters down everything. I skate but I actually feel sorry for my friends that board because of how flooded it is right now with people claiming to be “skaters” just as an excuse to act like ass holes and try to look cool. I wish skates were still as popular as skateboards so I could still watch it on TV, so I wouldn’t have to come to sites like this only to find they don’t even have an inline skating category. But at the same time I’m kinda glad its not trendy like that, it just means what I do is that much more real. I’m sure everybody can relate to that what ever you ride.

unfortunatly as much as the industry is run by greedy business men who dont know anything about action sports it is the best way to get the sports out to the masses. I agree it is unfortunate for rollerblading to have been basically banished from the industry due to the pressure and opinions of the industries most valuable athletes (skateboarders), and their hate for rollerblading. Because the xgames could have easily given rollerblading a true street event or showed the inline park reruns at times other than 3 in the morning if they really cared about rollerblading. But they were all skateboarders so rolling never got respect and eventually was removed after the popularity decreased. Now even without the xgames inline has continued to grow in every aspect accept for popularity. Bad decision by xgames because anyone who has been to a big rollerblading comp knows that if it was televised all over the world xgames would suddenly be interested in rollerblading again. and im sure it would be more interesting of an event. They might as well call it motox and skateboard games. dont get me wrong both of those sports are amazing but they need a little more variety, and not rally cars. Notice how travis pastrana, now one of their sacred names to advertise races rally cars and most likely the cause of this event. Proving my point that the decisions of the xgames are highly influenced by the top athletes and when the top athletes didnt like rollerblading well you can guess would happen. If Xgames keeps being the same you will soon be forced to watch razor scooters and heelys in the near future. O and a little irony to end my rant The huge rollerblading boom in the 90s is one of the main if not deciding factor that started the Xgames, true story, bye

It takes money & overall investor confidence to keep these giant events rolling to the next, ratings are important unfortunately. Talents like Tony, among some others were able to appeal to the right people when the time was right. I ‘m sure it was a struggle, with tuns of pitfalls, but look at it now. I don’t think that any athletes are guilty of selling out FMX, Skating, etc. I think they should be rewarded for making it possible for us to turn the channel from football to some of the best, on going and dramatic events on TV. A good percentage of our generation finds common ground with this type of thing, it gives us something to call our friends about, even if they didn’t grow up on a skateboard or BMX bike etc. – Example: Holy crap Matt, dude you gotta turn on the tv and see what’s his name, he did a freekin back flip on a dirt bike. Ya, remember that? ................ Big events + Talent = Progression…............In response to “Snuffer”, remember that it is the responsibility of the event planners and producers to build up and stand behind the top and extraordinary athletes within these events, it is what they do. It is their job to announce leaders in the sport. If legends aren’t made and the dialog of visual competitive drama fades between riders, who would be there to back and support? Certainly not the money guys, and there goes the progression, the events, and my ability to watch TV and feel GOOD ABOUT IT:)! If “rolling” as you call it ran its coarse and didn’t go anywhere yet, maybe it will, maybe it won’t. Attitude I believe plays a big roll. Get some of the top blader guys together and approach someone like Tony about it, you never know. The first and only time I met Tony was when his little boy slammed into me on his ROLLER BLADES at the YMCA skate park in Encinitas California! Tony apologized to me for the slam, then I said, “no worries, roller blades??” (because Tony skateboards) He said, “what ever keeps him happy.” Growing up on a skateboard, I always thought the Rollerblade stigma was more talk than actually how skaters really felt about roller bladders. If ever I saw someone ripping on blades I made sure they knew they had my respect, who knows, maybe an x-games producer will feel the same way. Here is an idea; Make a compelling video that makes people feel the way you do about the situation, post it on the site. Bottom line, if the bladers have a great attitude, if they focus on making strong relationships with good people, and they are killing it, they will get to where they should be. Aloha

snurfer said:

unfortunatly as much as the industry is run by greedy business men who dont know anything about action sports it is the best way to get the sports out to the masses. I agree it is unfortunate for rollerblading to have been basically banished from the industry due to the pressure and opinions of the industries most valuable athletes (skateboarders), and their hate for rollerblading. Because the xgames could have easily given rollerblading a true street event or showed the inline park reruns at times other than 3 in the morning if they really cared about rollerblading. But they were all skateboarders so rolling never got respect and eventually was removed after the popularity decreased. Now even without the xgames inline has continued to grow in every aspect accept for popularity. Bad decision by xgames because anyone who has been to a big rollerblading comp knows that if it was televised all over the world xgames would suddenly be interested in rollerblading again. and im sure it would be more interesting of an event. They might as well call it motox and skateboard games. dont get me wrong both of those sports are amazing but they need a little more variety, and not rally cars. Notice how travis pastrana, now one of their sacred names to advertise races rally cars and most likely the cause of this event. Proving my point that the decisions of the xgames are highly influenced by the top athletes and when the top athletes didnt like rollerblading well you can guess would happen. If Xgames keeps being the same you will soon be forced to watch razor scooters and heelys in the near future. O and a little irony to end my rant The huge rollerblading boom in the 90s is one of the main if not deciding factor that started the Xgames, true story, bye

I love it. ASR is an awesome trade show for this industry as well. Keep skating!