Is snowboarding dead? According the the NY Times, yes

[Philpug]

As the Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov twisted, flipped and spun above the halfpipe at X Games Oslo last week on his way to a silver medal, the bottom of his board — one of the more valuable pieces of advertising real estate in the sport — displayed no corporate logo. Instead, it was adorned with an artistic design he had created for a college class assignment.


The reason for the triumph of art over commerce: Podladtchikov, 27, the 2014 Olympic halfpipe champion, no longer has a board sponsor.

Snowboarding — which scarcely existed 30 years ago and took over ski resorts around the world seemingly overnight, adding 5 million participants in two decades — has tumbled to earth recently. As the sport has been abandoned by participants and advertisers, equipment sales and sponsorship opportunities for athletes have dipped below their peak numbers of five years ago.

“It’s gotten really challenging,” said Podladtchikov’s agent, Circe Wallace, a former professional rider. “We’ve got one-percenters in snowboarding, and then everyone else fighting for amateur dollars.”

Full article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/07/s...d=nytcore-ipad-share&smprod=nytcore-ipad&_r=1

 

[Tricia]

Working at Northstar, where there is one ski shop and two snowboard shops, I'm skeptical that snowboarding is dead.

 

[Philpug]

I see all ages out there snowboarding, I don't think it is dead by any means but I do see the growth is stagnant. Snowboarding could use the shot in the arm that skiing got from shapes and widers skis that skiing ironically got..from snowboards.

 

[Warp Daddy]

At best i think based on personal observation that it has peaked . It seems like there are fewer younger boarders now but this is strictly limited by my bias and the my limited range of skiing venues

 

[Monique]

Working at Northstar, where there is one ski shop and two snowboard shops, I'm skeptical that snowboarding is dead.

I think I remember reading some PSIA article saying that snowboarding is most popular on the west coast (out of US regions). So that lines up.

 

[Eleeski]

Snowboarding is not dead - but it's not what it used to be either. At Squaw, there used to be boarders all over. Now, my totally informal and biased survey puts a maximum of about 10% boarders. Less in the KT line. Almost none on tower 16 (poor guys had to take off their boards and hike - "I gotta switch to skis" was heard there).

Big Bear is different. More boarders than skiers. The hill is ideally suited for boarders and the management enhances the boarder experience with fun parks and features. Maybe the skier percentages have climbed from 10% to 25% but boarding is still king in socal.

But I personally see more injuries on boards. Again, no real statistics just all my injured friends have been on boards. They are planning to ski instead of board next year. I quit boarding because the falls hurt my aging body too much (and I sucked at boarding).

Still boarding is fun and will always have a dedicated following. It's not dead and I hope it never really dies. But all outdoor activities seem to be in decline. Darn video games. And ESPN shows poker as a sport?

Eric

 

[cantunamunch]

. And ESPN shows poker as a sport?

Eric

I know, right?

 

[Core2]

At my local hill here in AZ we have a 70/30 boarder to skier ratio, and they are mostly college kids from the local school. Definitely not dead or dying at our mountain but I don't see that ratio anywhere else I ski. I look at boarding as being way more trendy than skiing, people do it as a way to get on the snow and look cool but don't keep it as a life pursuit like skiing.

 

[ErikL]

I look at boarding as being way more trendy than skiing, people do it as a way to get on the snow and look cool but don't keep it as a life pursuit like skiing.

Yup. My roommate did that -- wanted to take it up, went out for two days, and never got back into it. I think part of the problem with snowboarding is its learning curve, in that it's so difficult to pick up. Beginners are moving on a weird surface, in a weird orientation, with their feet bolted to this big, unwieldy board. Skiing is much easier in that regard, where beginners get to move forward, where they're looking, with what is basically an extension of their foot underneath.

That said, snowboarding is definitely not dead. Head to Boreal for night riding any night, and it's maybe 90% snowboarders. I think boarding is much better suited for the park than freeride/all-mountain stuff. It's just the ebb and flow of things, though. Snowboarding will be back once skiing (especially park, which is the most visible discipline) has run its course as the "cool" thing, and the cycle will continue.

 

[Ecimmortal]

I think as time goes by you the ratio will definitely even out more. Snowboarding used to be the young cool thing to do. But with freeskiing, kids now see skiing as a viable if not preferable option.

 

[James]

We've known it's dying for some time now. Lessons are way down. It's the walking and standing that are tough. And bumps.

It's easier to be a not very good skier. You can have some glide at least. And walk to the lift. So you've got that.
If you can't go heel to toe in a snowboard, aka make a real turn, you just scrape along. Essentially falling leaf everywhere. That's fun?

I can't remember seeing a border my one day at Chamonix (Grand Montets/Argentiere). I saw a fair amount in Verbier. Still, that would be well under 5% and maybe like 1%.

 

[Carl Kuck]

I remember hearing a report out of Whistler a couple of years ago that they reported a first-time drop in the percentage of boarders in the overall rider population. But outside of the terrain parks at PC last month, I sure didn't see many on the slopes compared to the # of skiers...

Anecdotal evidence, YMMV.

 

[Monique]

If you can't go heel to toe in a snowboard, aka make a real turn, you just scrape along. Essentially falling leaf everywhere. That's fun?

I saw a guy scraping his way down the Lake Chutes at Breck =/ Falling leaf at least usually involves some lateral movement. This was more like a full sideslip.

And as for tough, man, I pity snowboarders on T-bars. Pity and fear (if they're in front of me).

 

[James]

And as for tough, man, I pity snowboarders on T-bars. Pity and fear (if they're in front of me).

Is it really that hard to ride a tbar ona snowboard?
This video is pretty funny for his fails:

 

[Xela]

My two boarder friends just bought skis in the last couple seasons.

 

[Alexzn]

In junior freeride competitions skiers outnumber boarders 10:1, if you a are a snowboarder you often are guaranteed a podium spot. The sport is definitely an pit with the new generation. My guess is that adoption has peaked shortly before the wide adoption of the fat skis that made off piste skiing easier and more fun. Now we coming to a logical conclusion.

 

[Monique]

Is it really that hard to ride a tbar ona snowboard?
This video is pretty funny for his fails:

Well, I've never ridden a snowboard, so I can only go by observed success rate - it's low. On top of that, there are very few snowboarders who even line up for the Breck T-Bar.

That being said, one of the smoothest rides up the T-Bar I ever had was with a very proficient snowboarder. YMMV.

 

[cantunamunch]

Note to self: never, ever ride the T-bar with Monique, she's a'testin' ya.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Monique's boarder partner probably knew how to stay on the edge away from her so his board stayed away from her. Wish I could make my wife understand she's not supposed to put her ski on mine when we ride the T.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

All the new-hire board instructors at Breck this year were required to train on skis so they could be used for ski lessons at busy times.