It can’t be hidden forever, but sports like skateboarding, BMX, Bouldering and breakdancing were brought into the Olympics for one Purpose, high participation and ratings.
With these sports here to plug the ever declining hole of other olympic sports ratings, there’s a big stalemate with government funding for these new sports, or lack thereof, which from a community perspective and surveying comes from:
People in positions of power continually fund the traditional sports they know and grew up with
(have a look at swimmings funding and where it comes from)
People in positions of power are from another generation and have no comprehensive understanding of modern sports.
There’s been maneuvering and displacement, but anything to avoid supporting the programs that grow them.
Swimming can no longer hide behind its ratings with the new kids on the block coming in heavy.
Skateboarding as an example, has an Auskick roadshow style program, 6 major events on the calendar and a national junior league. Its produced 14% of the skateboarders in Paris competing, but there is a tiptoe from state and federal government about supporting it.
With the exception of Tourism and Events Queensland, the entire country is writing cheques for the sports that need skateboarding to boost their ratings.
With the matildas hype we had recently, skateboarding can exceed their heights, but is it being crippled by traditional sport enthusiasts who don’t want to make way for the future.
It will be interesting to see how these leaders step up after Paris and into the future.
Media Contacts:Name: Donny FraserCompany: The RumbleEmail: [email protected]Phone: 0488478746Share:FacebookPinLinkedInEmailTweet
PRESS RELEASE: Is Australia intentionally crippling the new Olympic Sports
