I'm tired of lurking the shadows!
We need to fix the rolling scene in the US. I feel like we're Beatrix Kiddo from Kill Bill trying to claw our way out of the a grave that we were prematurely put in. What can we do to get back in to the US limelight? How to rekindle what we once had? I refuse to believe that being removed from the xgames was the nail in our sports coffin. Rollers of UWR unite and help bring our sport to the forefront where it belongs.
Discussion started by Tommy V , on 519 days ago
Replies
We are right now where other action sports were about 15 years ago. Underground. I think we all need to relax. History is cyclical. There are some areas where the sport is growing. Slowly but surely. And definitely more carefully. There is a skatepark where I live called We Are One skatepark. Built by rollers. But just as the name states anyone and everyone from any sport can go ride there. No bias. No hate. Stuff like that really helps OUR sport grow. I am already seeing little kids in there buying blades and learning to blade. All it takes is for us that are already in the game to be a good example (it doesn't hurt to be able the completely shred a spot either), and the kids will come back.
I agree with tommy that pros need to do more to champion the sport. They have been creating amazing video edits and the fact that they're so accessible helps keep those in the sport up to date. And the numbers or WRS Uploaded were ridiculous. But these things don't expose the sport to the outside.
Your point is very valid. It seems like we're taking a queue from early skateboarding ATM by staying underground. It's good for cred but, horrible for publicity. In the mid 90's we had more comps than you could shake a stick at and we had all kinds of TV coverage and movies like Air Borne to bring us in to public view. I hate to say it but, we really need the backing and support of other "Action Sports" to get back in the game. I remember when being on a team/sponsored meant that not only are you rolling for a company and doing comps but, you were out in the public doing demos and championing the sport as a whole. That kind of effort, time and money just isn't being put in to it anymore. The problem is we rose too fast with out gaining the cred and respect required to be everlasting that say Skateboarding and BMX have. There has to be a way to rejuvenate our sport be it through getting back in the Xgames or starting our own venue that can be viewed on a massive global scale.
Public visibility is a huge issue for us. Back in the day, rollers would blade from spot to spot. You'd see them out -- you couldn't ignore their presence even if you didn't like them. Now they drive to spots hidden from view. Who sees them? Security guards and police! But that's just from my experience, it could be different elsewhere...
Your thoughts?
Your thoughts?