Why Rollerblading Was Dropped From The X Games

I would love to see in-line skating back. I am 40 now, but I grew up in that era. I remember always getting the t.v guide and highlighting the time and dates of my favorite shows [N.I.S.S (National Inline Skate Series), A.S.A (Aggressive Skaters Associate) and 720. I would record the shows on VHS and watch it over and over to learn new tricks. It was a huge shame X-games removed in-line.

As a new skater, I really appreciate learning the history of this sport. I've always been fascinated by skating but I never learned how. Seeing how the scene has struggled against the odds so long makes me want to get better so I can do my part and help spread the word.

The biggest reason why blading is no longer with Xgames or other big events is not flagged in this video… blading brands were not able to match the budgets coming from the skating and bmx brands anymore… it sadly makes a lot of sense if you think about it from a business investment perspective.. another angle you can see this from would be the fact that blading companies didn’t sell footwear (like skating and bmx) and that’s exactly where the big cash was coming from for these events.

Arlo isn't responsible for inline's downfall. That's absurd. He did a lot to advance the sport.

I was an street skater in NYC from 1993-1997. Some reflections from that period: 1. Inline street skating came on fast and furious, and blew up big quickly. It didn’t have the many years of maturation that skateboarding had by that period. For many inline skaters, the experience was a head-spinning whirlwind, and there wasn’t much time to stop, relax, and take the growing sport at your own pace. You had to be badass, land crazy jumps and big rail grinds, and get onto a video, or you weren’t doing it right. The skateboarders, by comparison could just chill and be happy with a small bag of tricks at their own pace. 2. InLine skating got extremely competitive quickly. In those days, it was all about being sponsored and getting free stuff. Almost every skater I would meet at Union Square Park or Central Park would quickly ask “are you sponsored” or “can you get me free stuff”. I did graphic design for a skate wear company, and by that alone, I had kids throwing themselves at me for free stuff or to be sponsored. It was kind of crazy, especially for those of us that just wanted to skate. 3. Inline skating failed to attach itself to the larger inline, ice, and roller skating community, whom would have given inline street a lot of support. I got into inline street through speedskating, and wished that the inline street scene would have spent less time trying to attach itself to skateboarding and BMX, and more time to general skating community.

I don't think we need to go back. I think there is a great argument for a contest circuit, but it should be done in house in the blading community IMO. It would be rad for us to have street and park style and vert in a blading only environment, but that would take a TON of money. Until then I think there are several amazing contests and we should focus on documenting those even better with live coverage and detailed professional style edits after events. Just my thoughts.

I just bought a pair the other week only to learn that it's not like riding a bike. The amount of shit I've gotten from people when I'm in the parking lot next to my studio is crazy.

We don't need the x-games. I think the culture is better off with out that. Thanks for sharing this amazing content 👏

Skateboarders in the 90s: we just want to be accepted into the mainstream as a sport and not just a toy little kids ride Rollerbladers: we want the same thing Skateboarders: your gay you can’t skate with us

I was part of the rise of aggressive skating in the 90s. I was living for it and I was 12h each day Vert and Street-skating. It was a life style. I didnt know about the story why it was dropped from x-games and from mainstream. Its heartbreaking. We had no chance to react or to even understand whats going on and that we would have had to fight, run protests etc.. we were too young and all we were interested in was to finally land the trick we were tryn and tryn and then the next one. How high can you push your air? How to grow the balls for a backflip etc... We never thought that there were politics in the background.

The year before tony did the 900, cesar mora landed a 1080

As someone who grew up skateboarding, doing Rail 360 flips and going to skate parts and crap like that; ironically I only ever watched the X Games for Aggressive Inline Vert. Because it was something I just couldn't do myself, and the tricks were so much cooler than what I could do with a skateboard. Triple Vert with the breakdancing medalists and Matt Lindy throwing out Triple Backflip attempts are so memorable and symbolic moments that defined what the sport was for me. It's really tragic how it evolved and we lost that kind of spirit that it had. All the Inline Medalists deserve to be listed and remembered on the X-Games site. ESPN to me only even blew up because of the X-Games, so it's just so weird to see this was the future of it all.

Awesome video, bro! I started skating in the Aggresive in-line/X-games era and it was fenomenal, not only for that contest, ASA, X-Trials, Gravity Games, MSS, B3... all that TV exposure we had a the time was massive, and that made lot of people get to know the sport, brands and stuff. I hope we get back not only in the X-games, also in the spotlight again now that we grew more and the foundation is stronger than those days.

We definitely need blading back into a multisport, televised event. I think we'd all prefer it be skater ran, so the representation of each sport could truly be accurate. Obviously, the exposure would be great as well, but it also will connect people with themselves again. Blading helps me focus on myself and clear my head of the current issues. It makes us all happy, it definitely could make a lot more people happy as well. Let's encourage each other to pursue the things that are good for our health and accept all who want to do the same. Plus the hype of a competition is always fun

Really enjoyed this one. One of the few times this story has been told where it’s recognised that rollerblading was probably a bit immature to be on the pedestal so early among all the other stuff. No ones fault really, it is what it is. Personally i think if the x games happen with skating in the future there are a crop of elite skaters who could rip it and i think that would be cool to see but it’s also not important at all for skating. Great production and research on this one Dave. Great soundtrack as well 😉

I really would like to see a comeback...but more than that...the aggressive sports holding hands together. I wish we could all go to the same skate park and really, cheer, support and celebrate each other's achievements independently of the sport. Skateboard, inline, roller skates, BMX, scooter, parkour...whatever. Stop the hating and together make the aggressive sport grow BIG.

Another great video my dude 🙌 I sure would love to see rollerblading return to the xGames… I think it would be all positives if it came back!

Nice work Dave. Ultimately It seems like just a lack of solid foundations. We’ve now laid those over the last 15 years, so my guess is we are here to stay and the only way is up. We will witness some amazing things in the years to come.

Nowadays what we need is some sort of Jet Set Radio

Nice work fella- really enjoyed this one 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻