The Growth of Footbag

[shredzilla]

The Growth of Footbag
Well, that was a great thanksgiving. So much food! Ahh, I'm just gonna kick back, relax and start another bag. I guess I'll see what's on TV. Hey, what's this on ESPN2? Professional Table Tennis? AKA 'Ping Pong'.

We all love Footbag. There's obviously no debate about that. Do we want Footbag to become a widely-recognized sport? At least as much as freakin PING PONG?? I don't know the answer to that yet. In a way, it's nice that Footbag is the way it is: small, close-knit, almost like a family. But there's a lot of us that play competitively that would like it to be recognized and respected in the sports world.

If we do want it to become a sport that is televised, and marketed and endorsed we should use this forum to collectively come up with ideas on how to do so. When we come up with these ideas, we can petition the IFPA to put our ideas into action. Footbag isn't going to 'sell out' by any means. It's just gonna be a little more accessible to the public, and hey, maybe some of these hard working pros can do it for a living.

Hey, I'm fine either way. But in all honesty, eventually I want to be able to tell someone 'I play freestyle footbag' and have them understand what I just said. I don't know why really, I guess I shouldn't care what people think. But it's more that I just want to brag about it really. I want to say that to someone, and have them respond 'Wow, that's awesome!' Instead of, 'Huh?'

Again, I don't know if this is the right thing to do. I'm fairly new in the scene, although I played Hackeyslug for YEARS. Which is another reason why I think it should be more popular. Maybe people wouldn't waste so much time hacking if they knew what freestyle was all about. I'm just offering up an opinion, and an idea.

My first idea to make Footbag a more recognized sport is to petition the IFPA to meet with ESPN2 to televise a tournament. And during that tournament, we can have commercials marketing footbag products like the ToT videos, so people watching can do all the cool stuff they're seeing on TV. And like maybe http://www.worldfootbag.com stuff, or whatever we want. Commercial spots are cheap on ESPN2 during late night. But hey, it'll at least get the sport noticed, ya know? I have a million and one other ideas as well. But I'd like to see what other people think.

This is a two-part thread, similar to several others we've had recently. But the difference is, let's do it this time.

Let's decide in this thread once and for all if we want Footbag to be a recognized sport. And then set goals, and meet them. We can do this together, if it is the collective will of The Footbag Community.

[footbinc]

I guess I'll see what's on TV. Hey, what's this on ESPN2? Professional Table Tennis? AKA 'Ping Pong'.

We all love Footbag. There's obviously no debate about that. Do we want Footbag to become a widely-recognized sport? At least as much as freakin PING PONG?? I don't know the answer to that yet.
...

If we do want it to become a sport that is televised, and marketed and endorsed we should use this forum to collectively come up with ideas on how to do so. When we come up with these ideas, we can petition the IFPA to put our ideas into action. Footbag isn't going to 'sell out' by any means. It's just gonna be a little more accessible to the public, and hey, maybe some of these hard working pros can do it for a living.

Maybe people wouldn't waste so much time hacking if they knew what freestyle was all about.

My first idea to make Footbag a more recognized sport is to petition the IFPA to meet with ESPN2 to televise a tournament. And during that tournament, we can have commercials marketing footbag products like the ToT videos, so people watching can do all the cool stuff they're seeing on TV. And like maybe http://www.worldfootbag.com stuff, or whatever we want. Commercial spots are cheap on ESPN2 during late night. But hey, it'll at least get the sport noticed, ya know?

This is a two-part thread, similar to several others we've had recently. But the difference is, let's do it this time.

While I like your enthusiasm, it needs to be tempered with a small bit of realism.

Ping Pong and Footbag are in different leagues. Anyone can pick up a ping pong racket and in a few hours get the basics down. Freestyle, no way, Net, no way.

If you want IFPA to do things, get on the board. Start a Committee, just do it! The executive all have full time jobs and run IFPA for the benefit of the community, and I cant imagine any of them have the time to be courting ESPN.

And while commercial space may be cheep at 3:00 AM on ESPN2, I still dont think they would carry it, nor would any stitchers be coughing up the $5000 for 30 seconds it probably still costs on a national cable channel. Footbag just isnt popular enough. Its too hard. How long before you learned how to bust out a mirage or could return a decent serve in net. Fuck, I still cant return the best serves in net and Ive played a few times...

Bottom Line, its easy to make polls on modified, but its alot harder to stand up and do it. I know, i used to talk about this and that and how great it could be, but never did anything, but we are having our second tourney this year, so its a start.

Just my 2 bits.

Ben

P.S. - Nor should we be stealing old advert slogans from other "underground" sports"
[/b]

[shredzilla]

Bottom Line, its easy to make polls on modified, but its alot harder to stand up and do it. I know, i used to talk about this and that and how great it could be, but never did anything, but we are having our second tourney this year, so its a start.

Just my 2 bits.

Ben

P.S. - Nor should we be stealing old advert slogans from other "underground" sports"

Thanks for your input. The reason this thread is here, is to see if people really want it to become a big sport or not. If so, I will form a committee to execute the will of the people on modified. Hopefully we can get together and make it happen. As far as coughing up 5,000 or whatever arbitrary ammount, that's what sponsorship is for. If we can get some other companies to advertise with us during that time, then we can cover that expense. Maybe that's why you never did anything, because you were too busy spending time on saying things that Footbag can't do.

As far as stealing Skateboarding's old slogan, that's completely obvious, but I put the (It's a sport) thing on at the end as a twist, and as a joke. Plus it's just another thing in my signature. Please don't say 'we' when talking about something in my signature. It's completely out of context to this thread.

[footbinc]

If you can raise 5000 for a footbag event, all the power to you. If you can get on ESPN, even better. Im not shooting you or your ideas down, but if you look through the forums, there are many threads like this and each time its the same result. Maybe im just too negative

As for your sig, i was just givin you a hard time, maybe the smiley didnt show up in your browser. Its all good fun man.

[Shredder-]

I want footbag to spread, but not too much. It would be awesome if you could just go anywhere and meet people who shred. But I prefer it to be small, not everyone has seen footbag, but when they do they are like . As much as I want to spread around, I still want it to be not so spread.. Spread but not so much... Not like crazily.. But thats just my opinion, take no offense if you already have 'cuz I mean none.

[shredzilla]

None taken Shredder. I honestly think promoting and marketing the sport isn't going to take away from the cool, close-knit, family atmosphere of footbag. There will still be the core group of footbaggers that have been with the sport thus far. But I just feel that Footbag is too cool of a sport to just keep to ourselves, and not share it with the world. It's going to happen eventually anyway, the only real question is if we at modified want to be a part of that growth.

[RawSko]

I just feel that Footbag is too cool of a sport to just keep to ourselves, and not share it with the world.

Absolutely!!

Give me a job or mission or whatever you want. I swear we can make this happen!! I've read a bunch of threads just like this one, that never got off the gound. This is because nobody tried hard enough! I am a grade 10, unemplyed, with an easy semester. I've got truck loads of time to devote to this endevor. I did alot of busking this summer (I play the fiddle) so I've got an alright savings account. If me donating a few hundred bucks will thrust footbag into the eyse of late-night TV watchers, I'll do it!!! I've been wanting to do something like this ever since I got into the sport, I've just never had initiative to run it myself. Let's do it!! How can I help??

[Shredder-]

Don't get me wrong, I want to spread Footbag everywhere But not where its just too much. I doubt there is a point of too much. I'd like to help spread (especially in Hawaii since there is only a few people here who shred). I'm hoping of making brochures with my friends, then shredding at a mall or something and giving them out. I'm making footbags and my latest one is pretty nice, so I figure maybe I'd give them one for free just to make them join? Well I'll worry about that later, first get people interested

[footjoe]

god dammit why are all you people so conservative about this sport!!!!

I would love for it to become huge so you can turn on the tv and watch some crazy ass shredders or people on the street name out tricks like oh man you see that montage. it would be the best for it to become big , even if it sells out the "real" footbaggers will still stand out and not care if its big or not they still do it for the love of the sport.

all im saying is footbag would be great to be huge think of it just think.

everyone always says ohh ohhh i want to keep it small so all the new people who come in are like oh yah me to just because everyone esle says it and think they know somthing ,

MAKE 29381290$ PLAYING FOOTBAG AND GET THE CHICKS TO

[Jeremy]

I want to be able to walk into town and find a bunch of guys freestyling who I never played with before of even contacted and be able to join in. I want the sport to be the biggest sport in the world. Probably that wouldn't happen in my lifetime or even ever but it definitely won't happen unless we try to make it happen.

Regarding the IFPA and getting footbag on TV - the IFPA has a very very small amount of committed freestyle footbaggers who actually put in the time and effort to try and get things done - it's simply not possible at this stage for the IFPA to work on such a task. Also the IFPA is International and struggles to get support outside of North America because of an incorrect perception that it only deals with North American things. Fact of the matter is that it would be inappropriate to for the IFPA to try and put footbag on tv only in America - you guys should set up your own association with national goals like that like the rest of the world.

[shredzilla]

I would love for it to become huge so you can turn on the tv and watch some crazy ass shredders or people on the street name out tricks like oh man you see that montage

Word.

I want to be able to walk into town and find a bunch of guys freestyling who I never played with before or even contacted and be able to join in.

Exactly.

you guys should set up your own association with national goals like that like the rest of the world.

You mean, like a USA Footbag Association? Good idea Jeremy. That will probably go a long way in organizing Footbag players and agendas in the US. Thanks for the idea. Also, we can make a website too. Let's use the tools we have to our advantage. Obviously neither of these things will happen overnight, but I am dedicated to making Footbag big in the US. We don't have to break our necks trying to get this stuff done, but if each of us does a little each day, or a couple times a week, you'll be surprised what we can accomplish!

-Chris

[RawSko]

I think a leaf from the IFPA's book should be taken. Charge a membership fee, the same way they do. I'd sign up!! The only thing I'm having trouble with, is that I don't even know where one would start as to getting footbag on TV.... can you just phone'em up out of the blue and be like "hey! here's a new show!!"?

BTW, having it on TV would be great, but I'm just saying that, personaly, I would not benefit from it directly... I can't watch TV. I can just dl other vids from the net though. It'd be sweet just to know footbag was out there, on air.

Keep it real

[shredzilla]

Well, once we get this thing organized, then it's going to be a matter of calling, emailing, and courting every single tv station, website, corporation, hotel, skate shop, whatever, til we find what works. But making ourselves official will be the first step. If anyone knows a good site designer, we could use one. I know a little html, enough to get SOMETHING up.

[Jeremy]

Can I make a quick suggestion. I think it's great to see somebody motivated to do this. There are a lot of people in the US who have great organising skills and have been around the sport for a while. Daryl Genz, Ethan Husted, Steve Goldberg and Brad Kaplan would be great people to start with. Also the IFPA in general. The stronger your connections to the IFPA the more legitimate it will make your organisation. Try to get the right people on board before getting to far ahead of yourself. Don't let the cyncism of particular people get to you.

[mahhkohh]

i´d love to get it bigger.i would piss my pants on air if it would get olymoic...but thats a real long way.
if u wanna get on tv,u would have to make them intressted,like telling them there is a real big event,and this sport performed there is the next big thing,and theycould have started it and stuff...and call the right stations,u wont want bbc at worlds,while a channel for specially fun-sports would be cool!
a few years ago the german open were on tv,and they had to do some hard working to get the camera team there i guess.i for myself make a footbag jam next year,and i went to the daily press here and told them and asked if they wanna make a article.and first they decliened but then i told them were this happens and what happens and stuff,now they are intressted and maybe bring a article.and this is a good first step,get your event into the news papers.then some guys may read it,these guys may contact you,your faction may grow and then u may be able to pull something big...

oh...and while all of your growing plans...never forget...KEEP IT REAL!

[Bander87]

One thing that people holding jams can do is invite the local media to the events.

[RawSko]

oh...and while all of your growing plans...never forget...KEEP IT REAL!

hahahaha
Was that a shot??

Clearly it wont help quite as much for me to hold a street promotion with media and all as it would if somebody in a bigger town could. The biggest thing here is a lack of footbagers... maybe if I went to Barrie and got some of the people from there to join in?

The snow is supposed to melt this weekend, and if it looks like it'll hold off until the following weekend I'll do my best to organize a lil sumthin either here in Orillia or in Barrie. I'm not in a finantial posistion to rent a place and hold the pro-mo indoors... I'm sure that some of you guys have done this kind of thing before!! Any tips'd be great.

I'm going to attempt to contact as many Barrie players as I can right now!

Keep it real

[Guest_2]

What happens when a sport goes public?

No skating signs everywhere

I was just told to put my bag away yesterday by mall security

The same at a movie theatre today

Not to mention. As a small sport, albeit difficult to become started on it weeds out the people who buy lavers and then decide to do something else. Lavers are hard to come by and only those who really want them are able to achieve them. I think keeping it small keeps it real

[edit: I didn't even read the 2nd page , that was pure coinkydink]

[Jeremy]

Yeah I think it's very hard for freestyle footbag to become a widely played sport - that will take decades. However it's much easier for it to become a widely recognised sport. I mean I don't surf but I know who the top surfers in the world are. How many female surfers are there in the world? Yet I think everybody in Australia knows who Layne Beachley is. Footbag could be massive without many people actually doing it. And then we could get a lot bigger because you don't need particular weather conditions, water, a board and have to get cold, wet and bruised to be able to do play. Plus we don't get attacked by sharks.

[shredzilla]

What happens when a sport goes public?

No skating signs everywhere

I was just told to put my bag away yesterday by mall security

The same at a movie theatre today

Edit: Sorry, I won't respond to that. I'm trying to keep this thread positive. I'll just say you come across a little whiny in that post Vindicator.