Remember when extreme sports and the X-Games exploded into the mainstream in the late 90s? How about when streetball and And1 became the next new sports craze in in the early 2000s. But what about now? What's next?
The answer: Tricking. It's a new wave of extreme flipping mixed in with martial arts and breakdancing moves.
Over the last ten years, thousands of "tricksters" have popped onto the tricking scene and tricking is headed towards being the next big thing in sports entertainment.
But why tricking? Gymnastics never hit it BIG.
Well, tricking ISN'T gymnastics. It's much more laid-back in style and the flips and twists have a completely different appeal to them. Plus, as far as tricking spreading, with the advent of video sharing websites like Youtube and Divshare, people have been able to learn flips and flashy kicks in their backyard and a whole subculture of tricksters has arisen all over the world, from Finland to Japan-- across the ocean to the US and down on to Brazil. It's becoming a favorite international pastime and it's becoming more and more competitive with new teams and battles (through online video and in real life). Plus, it doesn't have the men-in-tights factor as gymnastics does.
But what about a market?
Who doesn't like to watch people flip all over the place and compete for who can do the coolest combination of tricks?
So, who's pioneering this?
Street Flips, along with many other small companies and tricking teams are working to expand the sport and spread the love of tricking.
So, when will this finally hit it big time?
Once a large company like ESPN features the sport or a company like Nike releases commercials featuring tricksters to promote their products with flips off of walls, spinning kicks, crazy flips, and insane moves that make people say "Woooo, what the hell was that?!!!"
Whoever jumps on this first will be behind a sports and entertainment revolution that will be only be as insanely revolutionary as the tricking battles themselves.
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