Skateboard Poster Presentation
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^ _ ^ _ ^ _ ^ _ ^ _ X-Games V, VI San Francisco, CA X-Games III, IV San Diego, CA X-Games IX - XV Los Angeles, CA X-Games VII, VIII Philadelphia, PA X-Games I, II Providence, RI Locations of Major Skateboard Competitions Sources: www.skateboardermag.com www.thrashermagazine.com www.skateboarding.transworld.net www.focusskatemag.com www.theskateboardmag.com Cartographer: Andy Miller 12-09-09 Legend ^ _ X-Games Locations Skateboarding Department of Geography, University of North Alabama Timothy Andrew Miller & Michael Pretes Abstract Skateboarding is one of the newest American sports and one for which global diffusion has been rapid and immediate. Like other sports, it diffused beyond its hearth region. Some American sports, such as baseball and basketball, have diffused so thoroughly that their original Northeast hearths have no special dominance or meaning. Unlike most other sports, skateboarding is still dominated by its California hearth. The bulk of skating locations, professionally sanctioned events, and place of residence of top skaters are all in the Los Angeles area. This project explores the factors behind the continued dominance of southern California in the skateboarding world, examining the spatial distribution of leading skaters, skateboarding events, and skateboarding magazine publishing and readership. We also consider the landscapes of skateboarding and the impact of perceptions of the California landscape on skaters. Methods For this project we identified 40 top skaters, based on information about professional standing available from several skateboarding websites. Biographical information about these skaters, including their birthplaces and current places of residence, were collected from other online sources (for details of sources, see maps). From the same sources we gathered data on the number of skateparks in each state. We identified the geographic locations of the publishing offices of major skateboarding magazines from online sources and the magazines themselves. In addition, we collected data on major professional skating competitions. These data were mapped and the maps are used to identify spatial patterns. Findings The results show that for each indicator (top skater birthplace, top skater place of residence, number of skateparks, skateboarding magazine publisher location, and major professional skating competitions) California ranks number one. California dominates in the number of top skater birthplaces, with 60% of top skaters born in that state. California also dominates in the current place of residence of top skaters, with almost 88% of top skaters residing there) with the remaining 12% residing in only two other states). California has more than two and a half times the number of skateparks as does the next leading state, Texas. Of the five leading skateboard magazines, four (80% of the total) are published in California. The most popular and competitive skateboarding event, the X-Games, has held 15, including the past 7, in California. Data Source: www.concretedisciples.com Acknowledgement: Funding for student travel provided by Department of Geography, University of North Alabama. California’s Continuing Dominance of a Global Sport Conclusion California, particularly the Los Angeles region, is essentially the central hub of skateboarding. Professional skateboarders, if not born there, flock to California to pursue their love and passion for the sport. We speculate that the traditional culture of skating, the large number of skateparks, and year-round pleasant weather account for California’s dominance. Competitions along with magazine distributors congregate in California as a result of the high interest in the sport there. The magazine exposure and televised events highlight skating in California, resulting in increased skater migration to the hearth area, as new skaters hope to leave their mark on sport. ^ _ ^ _ ^ _ ^ _ ^ _ Thrasher Magazine San Francisco, CA The Skateboard Mag Solana Beach, CA Transworld Magazine Carlsbad, CA Skateboarder Magazine Orange County, CA Focus Skateboard Magazine Philadelphia, PA Locations of Major Skateboard Magazine Distributors Sources: www.skateboardermag.com www.thrashermagazine.com www.skateboarding.transworld.net www.focusskatemag.com www.theskateboardmag.com Cartographer: Andy Miller 04-06-2010 Legend ^ _ Magazine Locations Top Professional Skateboarder Birth Locations Sources: www.skateboardermag.com www.thrashermagazine.com www.skateboarding.transworld.net www.focusskatemag.com www.theskateboardmag.com www.theberrics.com Cartographer: Andy Miller 12-09-09 2 3 3 24 Legend Skateboarders (40) 0 1 2 3 4+ Top Professional Skateboarder Current Locations Cartographer: Andy Miller 12-09-09 3 35 2 Sources: www.skateboardermag.com www.thrashermagazine.com www.skateboarding.transworld.net www.focusskatemag.com www.theskateboardmag.com www.theberrics.com Legend Skateboarders (40) 0 2 3 4+
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Transcript of Skateboard Poster Presentation
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X-Games V, VISan Francisco, CA
X-Games III, IVSan Diego, CA
X-Games IX - XVLos Angeles, CA
X-Games VII, VIIIPhiladelphia, PA
X-Games I, IIProvidence, RI
Locations of Major Skateboard Competitions
Sources: www.skateboardermag.com www.thrashermagazine.com www.skateboarding.transworld.net www.focusskatemag.com www.theskateboardmag.com
Cartographer: Andy Miller12-09-09
Legend
_̂ X-Games Locations
Skateboarding
Department of Geography, University of North AlabamaTimothy Andrew Miller & Michael Pretes
AbstractSkateboarding is one of the newest American sports and one for which global diffusion has been rapid and immediate. Like other sports, it diffused beyond its hearth region. Some American sports, such as baseball and basketball, have diffused so thoroughly that their original Northeast hearths have no special dominance or meaning. Unlike most other sports, skateboarding is still dominated by its California hearth. The bulk of skating locations, professionally sanctioned events, and place of residence of top skaters are all in the Los Angeles area. This project explores the factors behind the continued dominance of southern California in the skateboarding world, examining the spatial distribution of leading skaters, skateboarding events, and skateboarding magazine publishing and readership. We also consider the landscapes of skateboarding and the impact of perceptions of the California landscape on skaters.
MethodsFor this project we identified 40 top skaters, based on information about professional standing available from several skateboarding websites. Biographical information about these skaters, including their birthplaces and current places of residence, were collected from other online sources (for details of sources, see maps). From the same sources we gathered data on the number of skateparks in each state. We identified the geographic locations of the publishing offices of major skateboarding magazines from online sources and the magazines themselves. In addition, we collected data on major professional skating competitions. These data were mapped and the maps are used to identify spatial patterns.
FindingsThe results show that for each indicator (top skater birthplace, top skater place of residence, number of skateparks, skateboarding magazine publisher location, and major professional skating competitions) California ranks number one. California dominates in the number of top skater birthplaces, with 60% of top skaters born in that state. California also dominates in the current place of residence of top skaters, with almost 88% of top skaters residing there) with the remaining 12% residing in only two other states). California has more than two and a half times the number of skateparksas does the next leading state, Texas. Of the five leading skateboard magazines, four (80% of the total) are published in California. The most popular and competitive skateboarding event, the X-Games, has held 15, including the past 7, in California.
Data Source: www.concretedisciples.com
Acknowledgement: Funding for student travel provided by Department ofGeography, University of North Alabama.
California’s Continuing Dominance of a Global Sport
ConclusionCalifornia, particularly the Los Angeles region, is essentially the central hub of skateboarding. Professional skateboarders,if not born there, flock to California to pursue their love and passion for the sport. We speculate that the traditional culture of skating, the large number of skateparks, and year-round pleasant weather account for California’s dominance. Competitions along with magazine distributors congregate in California as a result of the high interest in the sport there. The magazine exposure and televised events highlight skating in California, resulting in increased skater migration to the hearth area, as new skaters hope to leave their mark on sport.
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Thrasher MagazineSan Francisco, CA
The Skateboard MagSolana Beach, CA
Transworld MagazineCarlsbad, CA
Skateboarder MagazineOrange County, CA
Focus Skateboard MagazinePhiladelphia, PA
Locations of Major Skateboard Magazine Distributors
Sources: www.skateboardermag.com www.thrashermagazine.com www.skateboarding.transworld.net www.focusskatemag.com www.theskateboardmag.com
Cartographer: Andy Miller04-06-2010
Legend
_̂ Magazine Locations
Top Professional Skateboarder Birth Locations
Sources: www.skateboardermag.com www.thrashermagazine.com www.skateboarding.transworld.net www.focusskatemag.com www.theskateboardmag.com www.theberrics.com
Cartographer: Andy Miller12-09-09
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3 3
24
Legend
Skateboarders (40)
0
1
2
3
4+
Top Professional Skateboarder Current Locations
Cartographer: Andy Miller12-09-09
3
35
2
Sources: www.skateboardermag.com www.thrashermagazine.com www.skateboarding.transworld.net www.focusskatemag.com www.theskateboardmag.com www.theberrics.com
Legend
Skateboarders (40)
0
2
3
4+
