Skateboarding is one of the sports that has shaped and redefined American culture over the years since the 50s. And though there isn’t any single person that can be credited for this amazing invention, it has had a rollercoaster of popularity given the negative aspect of the sport.
The recent years conjoined with the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the market has experienced a resurgence in popularity. With more and more people engaged in skateboarding, gaining more notoriety, even having been featured in the Olympics.
While it may not be in the position to compete with other dominant sports, skateboarding has seen a positive surge in traction though not equivalent to the 2000s popularity. The sport has experienced several challenges, however, its resilience has been exceptional. Here is some more information on if skateboarding is still popular.
Challenges Experienced
Despite the challenges experienced over the years from parks, closure and construction halted in the 70s right when skateboarding was being commercialized. With the decrease in search volume in ‘skateboarding’ and ‘skatepark’ falling a whopping 90% and 85% respectively, in the last two decades, there are a few positives to celebrate.
The redefining of skateboarding by Rodney Mullen gave a fresh face to the sport after nervy few years where sales plummeted. High liability costs from insurance led to skatepark closure.
Prior to the industry explosion experience in the millennium, with the inception of X-Games, video games, and merchandise that appealed to the market. The film Back to the future receives great accolades for influencing legendary renowned pros to engage in the sport.
The great recession in ‘08 and the technological advancement on the lithium-ion battery led to the increased popularity of scooters, electric skateboards, and unicycles that created a dent in an already controversial industry.
This saw a decline in participants aged between 6-17 from 2006 to 2014 from over 8 million to 3 million in the US. A couple of skateboarding brands bore the blunt with a number filing for bankruptcy.
The dwindling sales meant fewer companies got involved in the production and promotion of skateboarding products. From companies to pro skateboarders, the industry seemed to head to its twilight.
What Has Characterised Skateboarding Resilience?
Despite the gloomy picture depicted above, the overall skateboarding market has seen a gradual growth year after year. There has been an estimated 3.1% annual growth since 2019 projected to hit over the 2.4 billion mark by 2025.
The significance of skateboarding is also vivid through the street league skateboarding which has grown exponentially and even diverging to the women league. The expansion to the global market seems to be the key driving force in circumventing its dwindling popularity in the US.
The Asian, South American, African, Russian, Brazil and Indian markets have shown positive increase and offer a more stable market. The boom in the Asian market led to the establishment of the largest skatepark in China.
While the punk scene in the 90s and the X-Games soon after saved skateboarding popularity then, it seems the Olympics is the silver lining that is expected to catapult this sport to even greater heights.
Google search has soared since its inception into the Olympics, with parks now getting a lot of skateboarding traffic. Skateboarders are trying their hand in roller skate riders, inline skating, vert skating and even longboarding.
How To Retaining Skateboarding on an Upward Surge?
It’s keen to note that the popularity of social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and facebook has created a more global community. The wider audience, both novice and experienced skateboarders, interacts and showcases their prowess and gets to learn new stunts.
To capitalise on this trend it’s prudent that the stakeholders in the skating industry cultivate a positive image of the sport that cuts across globally.
