Skateboarding

"Skateboarder" redirects here. For the magazine, see Skateboarder (magazine).

Skateboarding
Skater in front of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York (2019)
Highest governing bodyWorld Skate
Characteristics
Mixed-sexYes, separate competitions
Presence
Country or regionWorldwide
OlympicSince 2020

Skateboarding is an action sport that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry job, and a method of transportation.[1][2] Originating in the United States, skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2009 report found that the skateboarding market is worth an estimated $4.8 billion in annual revenue, with 11.08 million active skateboarders in the world.[3] In 2016, it was announced that skateboarding would be represented at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, for both male and female teams.[4] Skateboarding made its Olympic debut in 2020 and was included in the 2024 games.[5]

Since the 1970s, skateparks have been constructed specifically for use by skateboarders, freestyle BMXers, aggressive skaters, and more recently, scooters.[6] However, skateboarding has become controversial in areas in which the activity, although legal, has damaged curbs, stoneworks, steps, benches, plazas, and parks.[1][7]

  1. ^ a b Borden, Iain (2019). "Skateboarding and the City". Skateboarding and the City: A Complete History. Bloomsbury, London, England: Bloomsbury Publishing. doi:10.5040/9781474208420. ISBN 9781474208420. LCCN 2018015183. OCLC 1083120279. S2CID 200160492. Retrieved December 31, 2020 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Ocean Howell (2003). "Extreme Market Research". Topic Magazine. Archived from the original on August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  3. ^ Montgomery, Tiffany (May 12, 2009). "The state of the skateboarding industry". Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  4. ^ "Skateboarding Is Officially an Olympic Sport. What Now?". August 6, 2016. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  5. ^ "When do the Summer Olympics start? What you need to know ahead of Paris 2024". ABC News. July 21, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  6. ^ Steve Cave, about.com. "Skateboarding: A Brief History (page 2)". Archived from the original on February 14, 2007. Retrieved December 13, 2006.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference skateboarding was invoked but never defined (see the help page).