Does that general lack of mainstream exposure affect flat in anyway?
The lack of flatland in the big-money TV contest series certainly has had an effect on flatland as a whole. I always thought it was good that flat was a part of the X Games. A lot of people felt like it was a sideshow to the rest of the BMX events. That’s pretty much what it was. There were no bleachers, JumboTrons, or lines of people waiting to see flatland. I think the people with HSA [Hoffman Sports Association] were doing a decent job and fighting to keep flatland involved. Maybe someone from the flatland community could have stepped up to play a larger role in the organization or presentation of flatland in those contests. Ultimately, flatland just wasn’t very TV-friendly. That has caused a sort of rebirth in flatland. There are a lot of jams being held around the world and a new style of contests happening. A handful of people have been organizing these flatland-only events. Those events are pretty wild. Flatland is the main focus, and they seem to be getting bigger all the time.
