Freestyle's future?

[Ethan]

Really good question.

I think the mainstream will chew it up and spit it out, adverts, Christiano Ronaldo iPad games etc. the way it does with these things, and the hardcore will carry on pushing it forward regardless.  It'll drift in and out of fashion, like for instance skateboarding, but it'll always be there to the people that matter.

Use your other account.

And in case others were wondering - this 'alien' is patrick edwards

I talked to him and apparently it's his dad.

hahahahahaha

so whats up mr edwards

yeah i realised it probably was his dad after that post cos i remembered he reads BF :P

we welcome our oldest member to the forum!

[Adi]

Welcome to the forum!  Nice to see a mature opinion from a fan rather than an actual freestyler.

This leads to my next point... I hope the freestyle community wins over more fans and not necessarily freestylers.  I hope to see millions of fans watching videos on Youtube and passionately posting their opinions on forums and facebook.

We need to expand this fan base.  Right now, 75% of the freestyle community is freestylers.  I'd love to see a bigger percentage of fans to help the sport grow.

[Max]

Welcome to the forum!  Nice to see a mature opinion from a fan rather than an actual freestyler.

This leads to my next point... I hope the freestyle community wins over more fans and not necessarily freestylers.  I hope to see millions of fans watching videos on Youtube and passionately posting their opinions on forums and facebook.

We need to expand this fan base.  Right now, 75% of the freestyle community is freestylers.  I'd love to see a bigger percentage of fans to help the sport grow.

I dont really see that happen. freestyle is just too easy to start with because all you need is a ball so if you are a fan you will automatically begin start to learn at least basic tricks ( or jump to eatw after 5 months) .

[Adi]

I hear ya on that one, but what about the older audience... maybe 25-40 year olds?  They might not have the time or fitness to go out and train, but they might still like freestyle tricks and general footy videos.  It might draw them in.  Freestyle allows you to have an opinion even if you don't know all the tricks.  You can have your favorites by what's good on the eye in your opinion.

I think this 25-35 age group is very weak in freestyle.  The avg age in the community is going up, but we need to get it even higher with fans.

[Max]

I hear ya on that one, but what about the older audience... maybe 25-40 year olds?  They might not have the time or fitness to go out and train, but they might still like freestyle tricks and general footy videos.  It might draw them in.  Freestyle allows you to have an opinion even if you don't know all the tricks.  You can have your favorites by what's good on the eye in your opinion.

I think this 25-35 age group is very weak in freestyle.  The avg age in the community is going up, but we need to get it even higher with fans.

well all you will hear from these generations is that they are closed minded and ask the typical question: how does that benefit your play in the pitch. and considering the only older member we had on this forum ( reece80 or something) was also freestyling i dont think that older generations could become fans.

[Palgi]

I hear ya on that one, but what about the older audience... maybe 25-40 year olds?  They might not have the time or fitness to go out and train, but they might still like freestyle tricks and general footy videos.  It might draw them in.  Freestyle allows you to have an opinion even if you don't know all the tricks.  You can have your favorites by what's good on the eye in your opinion.

I think this 25-35 age group is very weak in freestyle.  The avg age in the community is going up, but we need to get it even higher with fans.

well all you will hear from these generations is that they are closed minded and ask the typical question: how does that benefit your play in the pitch. and considering the only older member we had on this forum ( reece80 or something) was also freestyling i dont think that older generations could become fans.

My grandpa (R.I.P.) asked me the same question, but every time he saw me training, he spent hours watching me and asking questions about freestyle. We just need to break those stereotypes that when you do something with a ball you are a footballer.

[DanTheMan]

freestyle is gonna keep getting bigger and bigger and it will get in the xgames or olympics im 100% sure and my goal is to make either of those 2 things happen

[Fye]

freestyle is gonna keep getting bigger and bigger and it will get in the xgames or olympics im 100% sure and my goal is to make either of those 2 things happen

never in the olimpics cos its "freestyle" for sure in the xgames! ;)

[Adi]

well all you will hear from these generations is that they are closed minded and ask the typical question: how does that benefit your play in the pitch. and considering the only older member we had on this forum ( reece80 or something) was also freestyling i dont think that older generations could become fans.

You're probably right, Max.  I think this could change however.  Freestylers don't necessarily want to be associated with footy, but most regular footy fans don't know that.  Here is what I think needs to happen when this arguement comes up... the freestyler should simply tell the person that their moves are not meant for the pitch; the moves are simply an art and a learned ability.  They are not trying to compete with footballers.  Freestyle is separate and shouldn't be compared.  I think a lot of freestylers get defensive when confronted with this arguement.  Rather than argue it, simply let the person know the difference and that your goal is not to step on the pitch.  This will give the person a new angle to see things from.

[DanTheMan]

i usually just act like i know nothing about football and have never heard of people like ronaldo or messi
im just like.. who? what? oh i dont watch football
it confuses the FUCK out of them haha

[alien]

I'm 40, I'm not going to start football freestyle although I can just about pull off an atw.  If people outside of 'the community' weren't interested none of you would ever do an LP. 

I get a lot of people talking to me about my son being signed to a team, I don't hear 'no use on the pitch' so much.  I tell them it's a different discipline, that you wouldn't expect a sprinter to run a marathon (or vice versa) just because they use the same equipment. Some people understand and some don't.

[G-Kid]

Interesting opinions

I mean to cause no offence to anyone by this, this isn't an attack from a bitter ex freestyler, i still love and admire the sport and i usually try my best to posses and optimistic and progressive opinion on everything

I've been a keen fan and participant in the sport for over 5 years now, however i personally believe to compare the scene now to the scene a few years back would  be ludacris, I really feel as if Freestyle is now a Stagnating sport

If we look at the UK game, i've never seen such a prosperous scene, filled with people who had a genuine passion and intrinsic motivation, crumble in the fashion it did
I don't think it is a quality that's the problem, in this country, there are remarkable people like Ethan, Andrew, TF and Budz who have achieved staggering heights in the sport, however in terms of quantity the entire scene is depleated
There was once a time where 2 new freestylers was taking up the sport every month, whereas now, 2 seem to be leaving every month

I don't think UK is the only one this can be applied too, i do have a rather ethnocentric knowledge, however, from what i do know, all the scenes (Except russia) seem to be stagnating, there seems to be more and more freestylers leaving the scene, and fewer and fewer joining the scene

Can I just point out by saying before concluding, i love everyone in the scene and the genius freestyle is, however I don't see Freestyle being anything like Parkour, Skateboarding or Break dance, I think these are thing's that have a genuine long lasting life span, however the Freestyle Scene seems to be more of a "Fad", i'm not saying it will be non-existent in a few years time, however i do believe freestyle is more of a craze, than an actual rooted sport
I think personally, Freestyle has had it's peak and it is slowly a sinking ship

I know i will get attacked by people for saying this, however im not saying this from a "Fixed mindset" point of view, i believe im just being a realist and a rationalist

PS, I genuinely hope im proved wrong, i really hope I do live to regret this post and see it at the X-Games and/or Olympics

G