Invest in Rolling

Tuesday October 28th, 2008Written by Jeff

Over the last few years, The Powerslide Conference has become a power play of rollerblading. They have most recently added the Xsjado skates to their line up which already includes USD and Deshi. Meanwhile, the Benetton Group owns Rollerblade and there's only a few other aggressive skate manufacturers still in the game. The ecomony is currently being hit hard and the entire in-line skating industry hasn't been doing well over the last several years either.

After the peaks of aggressive rolling in the 90s, the sport has been on a downward spiral of popularity. Meanwhile, skateboarding has become something every teen does rather than just a fad from the 80s or something kids did as they were rebelling from parents. BMX and other alternative sports have also gained in popularity, but inline skating has been largely forgotten. This might all be background for you and you might already be nodding along asking "so what?", "who cares?" or "what can I do to change that". I can't help but think that almost everyone who rollerblades would ask that last question because I feel that just about everyone participating in the sport right now is extremely passionate about it. Just like people that are early adopters of new technology, the people skating right now will be the forces of change and inpsire others to start as well. The passion and authenticity of these rollerbladers is what will motivate more people to take up skating.

Since the boom of skating in the 90s, the skates and tricks have evolved a great deal. We've got universal parts, clever skate designs and tricks that seem to defy the laws of gravity. The trouble is that all these great products and tricks are largely hidden the general public. In the 80's, the Senate Brand became hugely successful almost overnight by creating an image for the aggressive skaters that young people were prepared to embrace and they targetted the youth culture correctly.

I believe that rollerblading is in position for a huge comeback, but it will take lots of work and word of mouth. It's also a good opportunity to create a business that fills a gap within the sport. Now is the time for the average rollerblader to make their mark and invest their time in creating a brand. This will need to be more than just shirts and hoodies, but something that truely adds to the sport. I don't have the answers on what exactly it would be, but you already have ideas if you're passionate about the sport, skating everyday and talking with other rollerbladers. Of course, there's always the chance that you could waste your time and money. However, some patience, a good plan and a good understanding of the industry could also be the perfect way to get your first successful business on track.

 

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