Im sure this is a been-there-done-that discussion topic, but one thats been getting me recently. I go to 164productions.com to procrastinate work. I started going years ago when there was a plethora of videos with good music and killer footage of lesser-known riders. The videos decreased, but the photos and commentary got better and more entertaining. However, the banter about racers versus freeboonhuckmeistermaniacs is making me angry. This is not because I dont agree with it, but because I dont see how it is a point of contention. Maybe I dont know enough about contracts and rider support, but what other sports concentrate their sponsorship (
advertising) dollars on racers when the majority of enthusiasts arent racers? They seem to put the money on riders that the general public can identify with. The racer lifestyle (not necessarily the riding) is something that most people simply cant grasp, and that seems to create a disconnect that would inhibit marketability. Certain racers make time for a more diverse lifestyle, but racing is limiting.
Snowboarding rocks. Boardercross riders are talented in almost all facets of the sport, but the money goes to the hucksters that end up in videos and can sell products. The only reason I even mentioned 164 was because the banter is coming with someone with an obviously deep-seated love for skateboarding. I cant think of another sport that concentrates more sponsorship and advertising money on hucking (or whatever one might call it within the sport). ©2001 also obviously loves the tech stuff BMX riders are killing these days, but I rarely see them getting torn apart because they might not hold there own on a track.
Obviously downhill racers have a broad skill set and could, probably in general, pull anything a huckster might go for. But why is the rift such a point of contention in this sport versus others. Am I missing an issue?
Snowboarding rocks. Boardercross riders are talented in almost all facets of the sport, but the money goes to the hucksters that end up in videos and can sell products. The only reason I even mentioned 164 was because the banter is coming with someone with an obviously deep-seated love for skateboarding. I cant think of another sport that concentrates more sponsorship and advertising money on hucking (or whatever one might call it within the sport). ©2001 also obviously loves the tech stuff BMX riders are killing these days, but I rarely see them getting torn apart because they might not hold there own on a track.
Obviously downhill racers have a broad skill set and could, probably in general, pull anything a huckster might go for. But why is the rift such a point of contention in this sport versus others. Am I missing an issue?
