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SimpleJack

Skydiving in a dying state?

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I have had a similar conversation with a DZO and CCI here in the UK. He noticed that most people now seem to be leaving earlier on the weekends, whereas it would be common to have people stay until sunset on the sunday before going home (this will usually be 8-9pm in the summer). And all this would be 5 years ago. He "blames" various things.

I think a big "problem" now is that people are focusing more on training camps, wind tunnels and foreign trips and spending less weekends at a dropzone just to do "fun jumps". In a good way this is meaning a lot of people are constantly focusing on skills, but it means people see the fun jumping as not progressing their skills as much as saving the money for a training camp would.

With the 2 new tunnels in the UK, opened in late 2005, our FS nationals has had a slight decrease in numbers (record was 52 teams in 2004, with 43 teams this year) but the quality across the board, especially the lower catagories, has increased significantly.

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Of course the economy, etc. are big factors, but I think THE SPORT NEEDS MORE PROMOTION. Skydiving is surreal to most people. It does not even enter their thoughts unless they are watching a movie or TV show that happens to have a skydive scene.

The USPA and the various DZ's around the country have a product\experience to sell. It is a great product, but IT IS NOT BEING MARKETED EFFECTIVELY.

Of course, marketing costs money, which is why it has not been done. I would suggest the USPA and DZ's get together and chip in for a good marketing campaign. One that is designed to promote the sport, not any particular DZ. I'm talking about well placed print, TV and internet ads. Big bucks I know, but I think that is what needs to happen.

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>Perris & Elsinore are looking pretty shabby these days. Peeling paint,
>old facilities. These places look virtually deserted.

Ah, I see the problem here! You're in Perris proper and not at the drop zone. Go about 3 miles directly south to find the DZ. You'll recognize it from the big wind tunnel out front.



LOL :D:D

To the OP, I'd also point out that

1) Seems like Cal City had enough government contracts to keep it going for a long while, but Van & Alberta got an insanely-good offer from the city that they couldn't refuse. Retirement = cause of closing.

&

2) Elsinore recently got fixed up - they had previously let it go a bit because they thought they were going to have to move. Not so much anymore.

New paint, fences, creeping area covers...and hands-down the nicest DZ bathrooms I've ever seen. :D
Signatures are the new black.

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Skydiving is expensive, but a high quality set of golf clubs will run you $5,000, plus $75+ for a round at a decent club. But hey, some people get their kicks by hitting a little white ball, the rest of us jump out of planes.



Geez. $75 for a round of golf? Be glad you aren't playing in S. Fla. where a round of golf at a "decent" club will run you between $150 and $400.

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Of course the economy, etc. are big factors, but I think THE SPORT NEEDS MORE PROMOTION. Skydiving is surreal to most people. It does not even enter their thoughts unless they are watching a movie or TV show that happens to have a skydive scene.

The USPA and the various DZ's around the country have a product\experience to sell. It is a great product, but IT IS NOT BEING MARKETED EFFECTIVELY.

Of course, marketing costs money, which is why it has not been done. I would suggest the USPA and DZ's get together and chip in for a good marketing campaign. One that is designed to promote the sport, not any particular DZ. I'm talking about well placed print, TV and internet ads. Big bucks I know, but I think that is what needs to happen.



We need a "Tony Hawk" and a Skydiving video game. USPA membership will skyrocket.
Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

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Of course the economy, etc. are big factors, but I think THE SPORT NEEDS MORE PROMOTION. Skydiving is surreal to most people. It does not even enter their thoughts unless they are watching a movie or TV show that happens to have a skydive scene.

The USPA and the various DZ's around the country have a product\experience to sell. It is a great product, but IT IS NOT BEING MARKETED EFFECTIVELY.

Of course, marketing costs money, which is why it has not been done. I would suggest the USPA and DZ's get together and chip in for a good marketing campaign. One that is designed to promote the sport, not any particular DZ. I'm talking about well placed print, TV and internet ads. Big bucks I know, but I think that is what needs to happen.



I don't know if you know this or not, but USPA has paid a couple of PR firms over $100,000 over the past couple of years.
These firms produced some additional coverage. The bang for the buck still remains lower than what I would expect.

Another thing to consider is that in the US, there are about 300,000 people making tandems jumps each year.
Only about 4000 of these people become new USPA members. Only about 2000 go on to get an A license.
(Numbers come from USPA HQ staff or USPA minutes.)

If you ask me, the problem in membership augmentation is that we collectively do not get that first time jumper to do a second, third etc jump. There are several reasons for this. One is that some first timers have had a tainted first jump experience. Another reason is that they do not know what the next step is to becoming a regular skydiver. The DZ hands them a couple of pieces of paper to 'explain' what comes next. Too many places are tandem mills and do nothing to encourage first timers to continue on. Another reason is that students and up jumpers are segregated, especially at the larger DZs. The first time jumpers enthusiasm gets quashed by their whuffo friends instead of being encouraged and built up by up jumpers.

We get over a quarter of a million potential new USPA members walking onto DZs each year. Yet we only entrain 1.3% of those people onto student status. Only half of those new members, 0.6%, continue to get an A license.

The problem is not that we do not have public awareness. The problem is that we do not bring the first timers and NGs into the fold.


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I was not aware of that. However, 100k is not very much money in terms of advertising. I still think more effective marketing marketing would help.

On the other hand, I also think you are 100% correct in saying "Another reason is that students and up jumpers are segregated, especially at the larger DZs. The first time jumpers enthusiasm gets quashed by their whuffo friends instead of being encouraged and built up by up jumpers." I have experienced that myself. I am constantly told by my friends that I should invest my money instead of planning to spend it on jumping, etc, etc. Being able to establish a connection with people in the sport, even if it is only online, makes a huge difference...for me at least.

Fortunately, I have met several people on this site that have been very friendly, and gone out of their way to try and bring me "into the fold." I appreciate it very much.
:)

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I started putting up Christmas lights today and had the radio on. Out of nowhere I heard an ad for Skydive Spaceland inviting people out to do their first tandem jump. Apparently they are taking marketing into their own hands, and rightfully so. Skydiving is a business and it is up to them to make a profit and get people jumping. Right?

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Which States are dying? Skydiving in Texas is going along just fine, so I guess Texas isn't a dying State.



Perris & Elsinore are looking pretty shabby these days. Peeling paint, old facilities. These places look virtually deserted.

.



I was in Perris last month and it was humming, very far from deserted.

If you want a skydiving resort, try Skydive Chicago, with canoing, horseback riding, fishing, swimming, hiking trails, oh yes, and world class skydiving too.
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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Of course the economy, etc. are big factors, but I think THE SPORT NEEDS MORE PROMOTION. Skydiving is surreal to most people. It does not even enter their thoughts unless they are watching a movie or TV show that happens to have a skydive scene.

The USPA and the various DZ's around the country have a product\experience to sell. It is a great product, but IT IS NOT BEING MARKETED EFFECTIVELY.

Of course, marketing costs money, which is why it has not been done. I would suggest the USPA and DZ's get together and chip in for a good marketing campaign. One that is designed to promote the sport, not any particular DZ. I'm talking about well placed print, TV and internet ads. Big bucks I know, but I think that is what needs to happen.



I don't know if you know this or not, but USPA has paid a couple of PR firms over $100,000 over the past couple of years.
These firms produced some additional coverage. The bang for the buck still remains lower than what I would expect.

Another thing to consider is that in the US, there are about 300,000 people making tandems jumps each year.
Only about 4000 of these people become new USPA members. Only about 2000 go on to get an A license.
(Numbers come from USPA HQ staff or USPA minutes.)

If you ask me, the problem in membership augmentation is that we collectively do not get that first time jumper to do a second, third etc jump. There are several reasons for this. One is that some first timers have had a tainted first jump experience. Another reason is that they do not know what the next step is to becoming a regular skydiver. The DZ hands them a couple of pieces of paper to 'explain' what comes next. Too many places are tandem mills and do nothing to encourage first timers to continue on. Another reason is that students and up jumpers are segregated, especially at the larger DZs. The first time jumpers enthusiasm gets quashed by their whuffo friends instead of being encouraged and built up by up jumpers.

We get over a quarter of a million potential new USPA members walking onto DZs each year. Yet we only entrain 1.3% of those people onto student status. Only half of those new members, 0.6%, continue to get an A license.



I suggested to one DZ that they should put a promotional video highlighting freeflying, RW, CRW, and wingsuits on every tandem video DVD. Don't think they did, though. Does anyone do this? Seems like a cheap way of getting a lot of exposure.
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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We need a "Tony Hawk" and a Skydiving video game. USPA membership will skyrocket.



What do you mean? We have about 100 of these if not more. Think about all the disciplines we have and all the terrific skill level people each has. That's the great thing IMO about our sport. Look at some of the great events in the last few years: 400 way, 4-way VRW, swooping events (no longer the one trick pony), 4 way teams averaging 20's with blocks, the amazing distances people are covering in wing suits, the list goes on and on...
-Patrick

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I suggested to one DZ that they should put a promotional video highlighting freeflying, RW, CRW, and wingsuits on every tandem video DVD. Don't think they did, though. Does anyone do this? Seems like a cheap way of getting a lot of exposure.




Cal City used to do something like this - though not a *full* promo video, it did have a brief teaser at the start of each tandem vid that at least gave the students a taste of other things that went on at the DZ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qqg9C4W0Vk

I always thought it was a great idea.
Signatures are the new black.

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Perris always seems busy to me, w/ all the international teams and stuff, even when I call in sick during the week to jump (dont feel like working that day) loads are always going. San Diego is nice on weekends also....
The general lack of appeal of Skydiving is its specialized training, gear, etc required. Much like general avaiation you dont just decide to become a pilot that weekend.....it takes lots of cash-o-la and time to get your ticket by wings or chute. Makes it kind of a special club but definitely keeps new recruits down. How many of your buddies take up Skydiving, get their Private Pilot rating or fly gliders ?
Aviation in general costs too much.
There are lots cheaper sports out there....I wish I liked surfing as much as I used to, but Skydivings too dam adictive.
In regards to shabbiness Perris is way better than some of the CA GA airports.....like SDM, you wonder where those fed dollars go ? :S

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We need a "Tony Hawk" and a Skydiving video game. USPA membership will skyrocket.



What do you mean? We have about 100 of these if not more. Think about all the disciplines we have and all the terrific skill level people each has.



Apologies. I meant no disrespect to the many amazing and talented people in the sport. I'm just saying that I'm not aware of any "household names".

Tony Hawk certainly wasn't the first talented skateboarder... but he was the first to breakthrough the barrier and appeal to those outside the sport.
Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

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Tony Hawk certainly wasn't the first talented skateboarder... but he was the first to breakthrough the barrier and appeal to those outside the sport.



Ok fair enough, I understand the spirit of your comment. The only counter I have for that is that a lot of sports struggle with this and just because there is no mass media appeal doesn't mean the sport is dying.
-Patrick

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I was not aware of that. However, 100k is not very much money in terms of advertising. I still think more effective marketing marketing would help.



The money was for PR, not advertising.

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I suggested to one DZ that they should put a promotional video highlighting freeflying, RW, CRW, and wingsuits on every tandem video DVD. Don't think they did, though. Does anyone do this? Seems like a cheap way of getting a lot of exposure.



Skydance did this when I lived in NorCal.

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Make It Happen
Parachute History
DiveMaker

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Ok fair enough, I understand the spirit of your comment. The only counter I have for that is that a lot of sports struggle with this and just because there is no mass media appeal doesn't mean the sport is dying.



Never meant to imply that I sincerely thought it was. Just having a conversation. :P And...

I certainly hope it isn't!! I'm brand new. I'd like to get at least a couple of hundred jumps in before the ol' girl goes. I've never even jumped from a balloon or a chopper, I'd like to actually learn to fly a canopy, and maybe do a hoop jump before Skydiving kicks the bucket... [:/]

Incidentally... what do you think is on SKYDIVING's "Bucket List"?? :D
Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes possibles.

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Apparently he doesn't.
Only 1000 jumps in 10 years?
I wouldn't consider that "regular".
More like occasional diarrhea.
:P

Attitudes like the OP are the only issue I see in sky diving. Those that put into the sport what they want out of it get just that. We've got to change our attitudes outwardly to make people more welcome.
;)
What goes around comes around.

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I suggested to one DZ that they should put a promotional video highlighting freeflying, RW, CRW, and wingsuits on every tandem video DVD. Don't think they did, though. Does anyone do this? Seems like a cheap way of getting a lot of exposure.



Perris does this. It may be as, or more useful to have a clip after the video where the DZO talks/shows a few minute clip on how their training program works.

Skydance did this verbally with their tandems after the jump, which is great, but given the mental state the people are in post jump, not sure how much is absorbed.

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The promo video is a neat little add-on to any Tandem video but lets face it... the average Tandem student is a 45 year old house mom who is about 50 pounds too heavy to wear a sport harness.



Your experience is moms doing tandems at ratty dzs ?

Are you really seeing this?

Are your friends just telling you this junk during lunch period ?
:S

Just wait until you are old enough and then try it.
Come back then and post your personal experience.

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Back in my day, Trolls had big goofy looking faces, poofy hair and were collected by weirdos.

Now they appear to be collected by internet threads.
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