Because most figure skaters are gorgeous females that spread their legs numerous times throughout their routine while wearing very skimpy outfits. Flatlanders on the otherhand are generally unkempt dirty derelicts who usually are skinny, pale and riddled with scars from riding. If women's figure skating didn't exist in the Olympics you can bet men's figure skating wouldn't exist there either.
I'm thinking more about how figure skating is the same kind of technical, subjective sport like flatland, yet it enjoys much more widespread appeal. The compulsory part of competition doesn't have anything to do with that part of it. People will tune in for hours and 99.99% of them couldn't tell you one figure skating thing from another. Whys is it so watchable, but flatland isn't?
Quote from: D on March 02, 2010, 05:23:58 PMI'm thinking more about how figure skating is the same kind of technical, subjective sport like flatland, yet it enjoys much more widespread appeal. The compulsory part of competition doesn't have anything to do with that part of it. People will tune in for hours and 99.99% of them couldn't tell you one figure skating thing from another. Whys is it so watchable, but flatland isn't?Among others differences, one thing you won't find in bmx flatland is the choreography that goes with a selected music that defines figure skating very much also. I think it's a very important part of the figure skating that makes it enjoyable for the people watching it, and it's a thing the judges look at closely also.
Old school flatland contests let you pick and ride to your own music. You were out there for anywhere from 1.5- FIVE minutes. It was all part of a "showmanship" score that also included how you were dressed! Riders didn't seem to like it though and eventually it was changed. But choreography was a big part of flatland back in the 80's. It might be worth mentioning that people made tens of thousands of dollars doing hopping tricks back then.