Sutton Bank’s Post

Skating to Success: How Skateparks Are Transforming Communities and Empowering Youth Skating to Success: How Skateparks Are Transforming Communities and Empowering ... Read More - https://lnkd.in/drM_gYFf

172-TDS_Highs on Wheels and Eco Wonders: Flower Bowl, Austin Baseball Expansion and D&B Betting Trouble Get your wheels and wits ready as we take you through a thrilling journey from Orlando's skating highs to the UK's eco-entertainment innovations. This week, we're broadcasting sunshine vibes from the Roller Skating Association's annual extravaganza, where trade shows and sessions skate alongside insights into CJ Barrymore's three-story go-kart track phenomenon. Their pre-marketing genius had fans itching for the launch, and we've got the scoop on how they kept the anticipation at fever pitch. Plus, we'll steer into the technical triumphs of their go-karts and the resolved rumblings with J and J carts—because who doesn't love a happy ending to a bumpy ride? Switch gears and cross the pond with us as we explore the verdant marvel that is the Flower Bowl Entertainment Center. Imagine striking a bowling pin, swinging through a golf simulator, or pondering a shot in Crazy Pool—a brilliant mélange of mini-golf and billiards—all under one eco-friendly roof. We're not just talking fun; we're talking sustainability with style. This UK gem might just be the blueprint for future entertainment centers, marrying leisure with an eco-conscious ethos that's as refreshing as the vegetated roof atop this venue. Join us for a peek into a world where entertainment and the environment dance in perfect harmony.

🌟 Cultivating Authentic Community 🌟 🛹In a field historically dominated by men and/or legacy brands, it’s truly inspiring to see women-run companies thrive and redefine and invigorate skating and surfing. One group that particularly motivates me is Grlswirl, the largest women’s skate collective. Their journey from facing catcalls to becoming a formidable presence on Venice Beach Boardwalk (my old stomping grounds) and around the globe exemplifies resilience and empowerment. 🌴Their collaborations with brands like ROXY were done in all the right ways. And they've turned the tables, showing the world that strength comes in many forms. They’ve made it not only acceptable but also COOL to own the title of "World’s Okay-ist" – a nod to authenticity and self-acceptance that we all need a reminder of sometimes. They are SERIOUS community activators! 💞I love my Carver board x GRLSWIRL. I still eat sh*t sometimes, but it's fun, and I know there's a group of women just like me around the world stoked to try and get out there. This group is not just about skating; they are a movement, inspiring others and creating space where everyone is welcome. Check out the video below from the #Olympics Channel that showcases how impactful they are. A special shout-out to the incredible women-led brands we collaborate with at Yulex LLC, like Seea, WALLIEN.com, Atmosea, and AVALY. Your creative spirit and commitment to sustainability are nothing short of inspirational. Keep killin' it. https://lnkd.in/g4VR8QbQ #Authentic #Inclusion #WomenEmpowerment #Skateboarding #Surfing

For many people skateboarding is an enigma; is it a sport, a form of transport, or way of expressing creativity? If you’re a skateboarder it’s most probably all of the above. But if you’re not a skateboarder then this report is a great way to build an understanding of the impact skateboarding has, who does it, and why they skate - you might be surprised. Well done the SBNZ team and everyone involved in putting this together.

We had some fun analytics done recently to kind of snapshot where we are at with content being a huge part of the way people consume media currently. Its fair to say, that comparing The Rumble with the NRL would leave us in the dust, but its cool to see where skateboarding tours in Australia rate against other sports. We thought the A-League Soccer would be a good example, but would still dominate heavily over skateboarding. We have seen a huge growth in viewership lately, but didn't expect it to be comparative on this level. The Rumble Pro tour alone with 4 stops produces more social media viewership than the National Soccer league, even more interesting, is the womens channels in skateboarding, which were only launched around late October last year, is performing about 3x higher than the A league. With a young audience i think skateboarding viewership and utilising these mediums is a wise choice, and knowing our womens social media is performing is also a massive bonus for them in general and the current level of skateboarding they are performing at.

Highlighting: "“The idea is that if you immerse Westerners in that kind of art and music from the region, you’ll start to actually see people from the region as human beings,” Palestine Skating Game’s current project lead told Aftermath in November." ----- Polygon: "Palestine Skating Game team urgently raising money for developer in Gaza. Later, it’ll work on funding the game" (Nicole Carpenter) "Before Israel’s war in Gaza, Palestinian programmer Doaa Ghandour was working on Palestine Skating Game’s grind rails. In Palestine Skating Game, these grind rails weave through the West Bank, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater-style, for use as you spray graffiti on the Israeli-built separation wall. It’s easy to see the appeal of Palestine Skating Game in its early prototype on Itch.io: The futuristic Bethlehem is made all the more colorful with paint splatters and graffiti, set to what the team describes as “Arabic electronic music.” And it’s designed to be enticing: “The idea is that if you immerse Westerners in that kind of art and music from the region, you’ll start to actually see people from the region as human beings,” Palestine Skating Game’s current project lead told Aftermath in November. But Ghandour’s been unable to focus on Palestine Skating Game as Israeli forces continue to destroy Gaza. On Dec. 3, Ghandour’s family home was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike that killed several family members and injured their sister with special needs, according to the GoFundMe page. That’s why the team is looking to raise $48,000 in funding for the family as they look elsewhere for their basic needs and shelter. Israel’s war in Gaza is entering its fourth month. Nearly 28,000 people have been killed in Gaza, 388 in the occupied West Bank, and 1,139 in Israel, according to Al Jazeera. “Israeli Occupation Forces have cut off all medical supplies, as well as water and food, from Palestinians in Gaza, amidst the continued carpet bombing and genocide. It has left our friends to navigate the most severe humanitarian crisis of our time,” the fundraiser reads. Palestine Skating Game has been in development for roughly two and a half years. “We have to acknowledge the existence of a lot more suffering,” the project lead told Polygon. “We are having to do the thing where we had one creative vision for the project, and now we have to figure out how that changes with respect to the events unfolding.” The project lead said the team want to make it easy for people to see what’s happening in Gaza. “We want to make it easier for people to see, Oh, here’s how the West Bank has been slowly eaten up and vulcanized,” he said. “We also just want it to be something that people want to share with their friends. There should be so many fucking cool things in this game that people will immediately want to say, ‘Hey, you’ve got to see this.’” Polygon: https://lnkd.in/gs-up9z8 #gameindustry #diversitymatters #videogames #gamedev #indiegames

Warmer winters will make it increasingly difficult to build outdoor skating rinks in North America without artificial refrigeration, with projections showing that by the 2050s and 2080s, average January temperatures will become too mild in many areas, impacting the ability to build outdoor rinks regularly and creating social, cultural, and health implications for residents. A team led by Robert McLeman at the Wilfrid Laurier University (2023) report that outdoor skating rinks in Canada and the northern US are at risk due to climate change. By the 2050s, temperatures may be too mild for rinks, and by the 2080s, many areas may not have suitable conditions. The Rideau Canal is not a reliable indicator of climate change effects on rinks. Studies show a decrease in suitable skating days in cities like Toronto and Montreal. The decline in outdoor skating spaces will continue, with private yards offering the best opportunities. McLeman, R., Golian, S., Murphy, C., & Robertson, C. (2023). Future prospects for backyard skating rinks look bleak in a warming climate. Canadian Geographies / Géographies Canadiennes. Portico. https://lnkd.in/gAJhhxti

Community partnerships

There have been almost as many pronouncements about the death of skateboarding as there have about advertising or TV. And yet here we are. It's fascinating to delve into a genuinely nuanced debate about skateboarding's fluctuation in popularity and whether it's ultimately a good thing when it's on the rise. Skate's continued commercialization (there was an awful low point when it seemed to feature in every other runway show), and acceptance via corporate global events like The Olympic Games, has definitely made it feel utterly mainstream and sanded off some of the edges of a subculture built on a mix of ingenuity, rebellion and outsider status. Yet in truth, that hardcore punk element in skate started dissipating long ago now. Far from being insular, kids today skate one day and play football the next, maybe even do theater after that. They even wear football shirts to skate in. If a rise in skateboarding's popularity means less gatekeeping and a more inclusive culture that's inviting to more communities I'm all for its continued popularization. The only thing I think all skaters can agree on is making sure the funding trickles down to the grassroots level and endemic scene. Now who is excited to watch the women skate the Olympic Park and Street courses this week? https://lnkd.in/e5Y2_p8F

I recently went on Vacation to Austin with my dad. As a figure skater, I still want to practice even on vacation. That and I also just like skating in new ice rinks. The thing is, most ice rinks have poorly designed websites which can be confusing to navigate. I was going to reserve ice time at a rink but couldn’t figure out their calendar and booking system, so I ended up going to another rink. Why did I just tell you that? Because my boyfriend is a software engineer and he wanted to do a design challenge with me. We started with a booking app that would work for anything involving reserving tickets or appointments, but that was way too complicated. Then I thought, ICE SKATING! Let’s make an app for figure skaters to reserve ice time from any rink. It’s like Google Maps for ice rinks, but you don’t have to go to the ice rink’s website to reserve a spot. The business side of this can be complicated. We’d need every ice rink to agree to use our app so that when skaters book in our app, the reservation will be sent to the ice rink. Right now this is a conceptual idea, but what do you think? Any figure skaters out there that think this would be useful? #figureskating #icetime #designchallenge