heltzer 0 #1 July 13, 2005 I want to thank all of you for your support in helping to keep skysurfing as an event at the US Nationals. The letters I've receieved have been overwhelming and encouraging. Below is a copy of one letter that I wanted to share with you. It's from Tom Sanders, whose talents in cinemaphotography and stunt coordination are probably responsible for getting more people into our sport than any other individual. [It is posted here with Tom's permission.] ________________________________ Dear USPA Board of Directors; I would like to express my opposition to eliminating skysurfing at the US Nationals. I doubt that there has been anything since the movie Point Break that has done more for new membership in USPA than skysurfing. Instead of eliminating skysurfing it would be better to try and get the US Nationals televised if only on a small cable network like FUEL to help turn around the two year drop in membership. Of all the events that the non-skydiving public can relate to and be inspired by it would be skysurfing. To eliminate skysurfing is just going to support the decline in interest in skydiving. I find it amazing that ABC Wide World of Sports covered the US Nationals over 20 years ago and nothing anywhere close has happened since. Instead of hiring outside marketing firms I think USPA would be better served utilizing the talents and skills of those in the sport. Fund some film projects for top of the line cameramen to get on TV. Help finance the documentary of world records on a professional level so we can get the positive exposure skydiving deserves. Get skysurfing at the Nationals on TV, not eliminate it! Aloha, Tom Sanders Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #2 July 13, 2005 QuoteFund some film projects for top of the line cameramen to get on TV. Help finance the documentary of world records on a professional level so we can get the positive exposure skydiving deserves. Get skysurfing at the Nationals on TV, not eliminate it! Call me silly on two counts: 1) Because I am giving up an idea that I could make money at if I sold. 2) Because it sounds silly going in. I think it is funny that skydiving does not have more of a following once I got into the sport... But before I got in, it was overwhelming, so I can see both sides. I wish we had double the people in the sport, because double the dropzones and double the gear sold, would provide more cash flow for R&D and even make things cheaper. Reality TV... A commercial for our sport???? First there was American Chopper... The guys who yell a lot and make a motorcycle every once in a while. Now they are millionaires. Then there was Airline - a show about passengers flying Southwest. I am sure Southwest loves the weekly half hour long ad. Then there was a show about the remodeling of a cruise liner... Only 4 episodes long, but still a show. Blowout is a TV show about Jonathan, a guy who opens a Hollywood salon. He opened a second salon and even has his own product line from the exposure. You can see his Mercedes got more expensive as the season went on. Now there is Miami Ink - a new show about 4 guys opening a tattoo place. The next millionaires. Hey up and coming DZOs... How about a TV show of the politics and real life drama in a DZ. Who would have thought watching a guy cutting hair would make it to the second season, I think DZ politics could make a great show. From packers to TIs in a midsized DZ, there are many stories to be told. Throw in 5 minutes of skydiving a hour and you have Xgames meets Reality TV. Anyway, that is my weird idea of the morning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heltzer 0 #3 July 13, 2005 Travis, You should get a job in development in Hollywood. That's brilliant. Skydiving culture is truly untapped material. And it has every element of great story line. Lawrence Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #4 July 13, 2005 Sure, keep skysurfing... But lets not ruin the sport by linking it to the (hopefully) dying genre of reality tv. Thats just silly. -Karen "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heltzer 0 #5 July 13, 2005 Here's another letter I've been asked to post: ______________________________ Dear USPA, I am writing to express my concern regarding the possible future of skysurfing competition as relating to the USPA. I have been a skydiver for seven years, a videographer for six, an instructor for the past four, and a competitor in skysurfing at the 2004 Nationals in Perris Valley. My points relating to this subject are brief, but I believe very valid: 1) Skysurfing is an international sport. As members of the international community, and given the size of our skydiving population, I believe that it would be a humiliation for the United States and the USPA to tell the IPC that we will not be sending a skysurfing team to a world competition because there is “not enough interest”. 2) Everyday that I take people up for their first jumps, I am asked a question, “Have you ever done that board thing???” Although the general public does not know the specifics relating to skysurfing, it is the most extreme of the extreme to these people, and is one of only a handful of images that they have about skydiving. It is a draw for our sport and for the USPA, and I believe not only should it not be allowed to fade away, or be treated as the red-headed stepchild, but it should be acknowledged and used as the marketing tool that it has been and can be. 3) The inclusion of skysurfing at the nationals is a minimal burden on USPA, and the cost of its inclusion is negligible, if anything at all. The rules are already in place, and require only minor review and revision. It is the host dropzone that coordinates the competition schedule, and to my knowledge, no dropzone has submitted any complaint regarding skysurfing’s participation at nationals. I ask that you please consider these things when making any decisions regarding the future of skysurfing. Thank you, Steve Sanderson D-24339 Skysurfing Videographer/Competitor AFF/Tandem Instructor/Videographer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #6 July 13, 2005 QuoteSure, keep skysurfing... But lets not ruin the sport by linking it to the (hopefully) dying genre of reality tv. Thats just silly. -Karen No Kidding.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrBrant 0 #7 July 13, 2005 QuoteSure, keep skysurfing... But lets not ruin the sport by linking it to the (hopefully) dying genre of reality tv. Thats just silly. -Karen Yeah, but you gotta admit, an OCC twin-otter bike would be damn cool Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
