Skateboarders’ Growth Running Rampant

Businesses that zero in on surfers, skaters and snow sports lovers are aiming at a broad target.

There are about 2 million surfers (at least by one estimate), 6.3 million skateboarders and 2.5 million snowboarders, according to statistics presented during an ASR seminar by Angelo Ponzi, president of Trabuco Canyon-based research firm Board-Trac.

And there’s considerable crossover in these sports. For example, 41% of all surfers also skateboard and 31% of them snowboard.

Skateboarding’s popularity is growing nationwide faster than the other sports, partly because it’s relatively inexpensive and kids everywhere can do it, Ponzi said.

“The thing with skate is you don’t need water and you don’t need snow,” said Ponzi, whose presentation was designed to show manufacturers and retailers how to use research to get a better understanding of the youth market. “Skateboarding has tremendous influence across the country right now.”

This was a first-come, first-served luncheon seminar that drew a good crowd. Unfortunately, the free food ran out before the multitude was fed, leaving some sizable young men lunching lightly. One nibbled from a plate of raw vegetables, while another ate cake and olives.

But nobody seemed to mind much. In fact, the crowd was so laid-back that even a fire alarm stirred very few from their seats. (It turned out to be a false alarm, anyway.)