Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: Opinion

Opinion Columnist: Chelsea Lankes

Major League Baseball is predicted to pull in $5.6 to $5.8 billion of revenue in 2007, the National Football League is expected to earn $6.3 billion and the National Basketball Association $4 billion. These numbers only confirm America's obsession with sports and the commodities that come with them. However, the billions of dollars don't cast much of a shadow on the rise of action sports such as skateboarding and BMX. A 2002 report from American Sports Data, a marketing research company, confirmed that there were 12.5 million skateboarders around the world.

Historically, skateboarding has been associated with rebel teenagers holding an anti-establishment attitude. Today, skateboarding is recognized as a legitimate and entertaining sport and can hold its own against the big dogs.

You may ask what skateboarding has in common with established sports such as football, baseball and basketball. To begin, there are millions of dollars in endorsements for well-known athletes. Michael Jordan is a household name in basketball and has received about $25 million from his entire product line, but Tony Hawk receives $6 million annually from his video game alone. Sports merchandise, TV shows, websites, video games and equipment make up the all-powerful sports industry - an industry that includes skateboarding.

Since skateboarding has evolved so much over the years, it has created professional and amateur teams, and I can only wonder: why not college teams? It would give students an even greater chance at getting the scholarships that universities offer to athletes. Skateboarders are athletes and skateboarding is considered a team sport that generates revenue. College skateboarding teams could reduce the stigma of skateboarding and those that participate in it and encourage kids to stay in school instead of dropping out to pursue professional skating careers.

As an extreme sport, there is a certain amount of liability. Incorporating such a sport into college forums means incorporating more rules and regulations. Because skateboarding is a sport that is based on risk, creativity, audacious tricks and the social environment, some may not be happy with it becoming a part of the college atmosphere. However, skateboarding has been embraced by the world of sports so well that its athletes should be recognized on a college level. Who knows what benefits such a program could bring the athletic departments and the individuals, while providing an added scholarship opportunity for children that want to get a college education while doing what they love.

- Chelsea Lankes is a junior communication major.

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