The Professionalization of Action Sports: Mapping Trends and Future Directions

Thorpe, Holly; Dumont, Guillaume

doi:10.1080/17430437.2018.1440715

Cited by 22 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Unlike alpine skiing where you have the possibility to make a living through good rankings in competitions, the prize money in freeriding is not sufficient to make a living. Sponsorship was named as a possibility to make a living through the sport [ 5 , 45 ]. Sponsorship can be gained and maintained through a good self-representation on social media or through picture and film involvement which subsequently can clear the path for a career in adventure sports [ 31 , 45 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk Factors for Accidents and Close Calls in Junior Freeriders, Adolescent Alpine Skiers and Adult Freeriders—A Comparison

Frühauf

Kopp

Niedermeier

2022

IJERPH

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Understanding factors associated with risk-taking behavior, accidents and close calls could enhance prevention strategies and thus contribute to preventing serious injury or death in the long term. The following study aims to assess these factors in junior freeride athletes in comparison with competitive alpine skiers of similar age and adult freeriders. A cross-sectional questionnaire design was used to assess risk-related variables and potential associated factors. Accident and close call involvement did not significantly differ between the groups (p > 0.080). No significant relationships between gender and risk-related variables were found (|r| < 0.26). Precautionary behavior was higher in freeride adults and freeride juniors compared to alpine skiers (p < 0.001) and deliberate risk-taking was lower in freeride adults compared to junior freeriders and alpine skiers (p < 0.001). Regression analyses revealed that the association between self-objectification and accidents was stronger in freeride juniors compared to alpine skiers of similar age and freeride adults (p < 0.049). Although accidents and close calls were similar between groups, age seems to be an associated variable to deliberate risk-taking and precautionary behavior. The relationship between accidents and self-objectification in freeride juniors implicates a need for risk education in freeriders in the sensitive phase of adolescence beyond the mere presentation of environmental dangers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk Factors for Accidents and Close Calls in Junior Freeriders, Adolescent Alpine Skiers and Adult Freeriders—A Comparison

Frühauf

Kopp

Niedermeier

2022

IJERPH

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“…For example, following the 2016 suicidal death of BMX legend Dave Mirra, Mirra became the first action sport participant to be diagnosed with CTE, the result of multiple concussions. 2 As Thorpe and Dumont (2019: 1642) note, Mirra’s sudden death and subsequent CTE diagnosis “raised concerns across the action sports communities about the long-term consequences of the ‘go hard or go home’ mentality that underpins so much progression in these sporting cultures.” More recently, work from Dean and Bundon (2019) has contributed to the burgeoning body of sociological studies that have explored the topic of sport-related concussion to examine the topic of concussion in surf culture (see Liston et al, 2018; Malcolm, 2018, 2020). In their study, they illustrated that surfers often downplayed the risks of concussion in surfing and pushed through and concealed their concussive injuries as a way of displaying and embodying risk-taking behaviors.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Helmets aren’t cool”: Surfers’ perceptions and attitudes towards protective headgear

Dean

Bundon

2020

International Review for the Sociology of Sport

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Studies indicate that head injuries account for a significant proportion of all surf-related injuries. Yet, despite these rates, the vast majority of surfers do not wear protective headgear. Noting both the high rate of head-related injuries and surfers’ reluctance to wear protective headgear, this sociological study sought to critically explore surfers’ perceptions and attitudes towards protective headgear, and specifically to explore why so few surfers wear protective headgear. To address these aims, the ethnographic techniques of participant observations and qualitative interviews were used. In total, 12 experienced surfers from the West Coast of Canada were interviewed and over 30 hours of participant observations were collected. The findings illustrate that surfers do not wear protective headgear for four main reasons: (1) due to the idea that protective headgear is uncomfortable and could hinder performance; (2) due to the perception that protective headgear is only for other surfers; (3) based on the belief that surfing is not a high-risk sport; and (4) because of aesthetic reasons and/or the appearance of protective headgear. Using the concepts of subcultural capital and edgework, the study demonstrates how larger socio (sub)cultural factors linked to risk, control, and status influence and underline the surfers’ rationalizations for not wearing protective headgear.

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“…There is an expanding and collective scholarship examining the socioeconomic aspects of X-sports as they move to increased institutionalization, commercialization, transnationalization, and professionalization (Edwards & Corte, 2010;Kusz, 2003;Olive, 2016;Rinehart, 2003;Rinehart & Sydnor, 2003;Thorpe, 2014;Thorpe & Dumont, 2018;Tomlinson et al, 2005;Wheaton, 2013Wheaton, , 2015. However, there is little literature covering these sports in Asia, including China (Thorpe, 2014), which addresses skateboarding (O'Connor, 2016; Thorpe, 2014), Roller derby (Pavlidis & O'Brien, 2017), and surfing (Doering, 2017;Evers, 2017).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Parents, Me & X-Sports”: Mapping the BMX Culture in Contemporary China

Ding

2019

Journal of Sport and Social Issues

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Since the debut of BMX (bike motocross) cycling in the Beijing Olympics, lifestyle sports have gradually entered the public limelight and gained popularity in China. Lifestyle sports that celebrate leisure, excitement, and individuality have steadily grown a crowd of youth followers in major Chinese cities. This article contextualizes the BMX culture in contemporary China, particularly the local cultural dynamics of the subculture. Using evidence gleaned from interviews and media representations, I argue that while many of the features of development of BMX culture in China mirror that in the West acceptance by the family has become a central theme when it comes to BMX riders’ career choice in China—a “Parents, Me & X-sports” relationship.

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The Professionalization of Action Sports: Mapping Trends and Future Directions

Cited by 22 publications

References 36 publications

Risk Factors for Accidents and Close Calls in Junior Freeriders, Adolescent Alpine Skiers and Adult Freeriders—A Comparison

Risk Factors for Accidents and Close Calls in Junior Freeriders, Adolescent Alpine Skiers and Adult Freeriders—A Comparison

“Helmets aren’t cool”: Surfers’ perceptions and attitudes towards protective headgear

“Parents, Me & X-Sports”: Mapping the BMX Culture in Contemporary China

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