--- title: "Child’s Play: Reviving the Snowboarding Industry" id: "15427" type: "post" slug: "childs-play-reviving-the-snowboarding-industry" published_at: "2013-01-18T18:50:24+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T19:02:43+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/01/18/childs-play-reviving-the-snowboarding-industry/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/01/18/childs-play-reviving-the-snowboarding-industry.md" excerpt: "The plan to revive the snowboarding industry after a report shows its decline." taxonomy_category: - "Business Development" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "industry growth" - "ski resorts" - "snowboarding" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "For-Profit CEO / President / Owner / Partner" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Child’s Play: Reviving the Snowboarding Industry The warmer-than-usual January weather might not make for wintry wonderlands this year, but those involved with snowboarding are hoping for more than just a good snowfall: They want their industry to stay on top. > We need skiing and snowboarding to grow in lock step. [According to a new report by The New York Times (opens in a new tab)](http://travel.nytimes.com/2013/01/20/travel/has-snowboarding-lost-its-edge.html?pagewanted=1&hpw) , it seems that snowboarding is on the decline. The study by RRC Associates, which tracks trends affecting the winter-resort industry, points to snowboarding as a thing of the past. “Today, there is every indication that the growth in snowboarding we took for granted has stalled, and visitation from snowboarding is headed toward a path of substantial decline,” Nate Fristoe, the RRC’s director of operations, wrote in the *National Ski Areas Association Journal*. According to MSN.com’s [report on the study (opens in a new tab)](http://money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=9dc08b32-2c83-41e1-a524-ca6690fca0c0) , the number of snowboarders visiting U.S. ski areas has dropped for two years in a row, which means a decline for ski resorts as a whole. Some reasons for the decline: Snowboarding is seen as a “male” sport, and young adopters are now, well, not so young. To combat the drop, Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association, is suggesting the [trend du jour](https://associationsnow.com/2013/01/lunchtime-links-collaboration-in-2013/) : Collaboration. “We need skiing and snowboarding to grow in lock step,” Berry said to the *Times*. To further this, many ski resorts have upped the ante to attract snowboarders, such as offering lessons for those as young as 3 years old to start snowboarding. The obvious hope here is to instill a sense of loyalty to the sport from a young age. It seems the United States of America Snowboard Association [agrees (opens in a new tab)](http://www.usasa.org/home/news/press/21-press/503-usasa-announces-new-executive-director.html) : Its newest executive director, Peter Millis Davis, has experience with getting children to love snowboarding as a coach, teacher, and director of special events for a local school. What advice would you give the ski resort industry to revive their stake? Has your association ever been faced with a downturn? (iStockphoto/Thinkstock) [Chloe Thompson](https://associationsnow.com/author/chloe-thompson/) Chloe Thompson is a contributing writer to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/chloe-thompson/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#industry growth](https://associationsnow.com/tag/industry-growth/) [#ski resorts](https://associationsnow.com/tag/ski-resorts/) [#snowboarding](https://associationsnow.com/tag/snowboarding/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [Video2026 Summit Awards DinnerOctober 2, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/02/2026-summit-awards-dinner/) - [VideoAmerican Geophysical Union: Standing Up for Science: AGU’s Year of Action for Scientists and SocietySeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/american-geophysical-union-standing-up-for-science-agus-year-of-action-for-scientists-and-society/) - [VideoAmerican College of Emergency Physicians: ACEP Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation ProgramSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/american-college-of-emergency-physicians-acep-geriatric-emergency-department-accreditation-program/) - [VideoPartnerships that Drive Success: ASAE Strategic Partnership AllianceAugust 26, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/26/partnerships-that-drive-success-asae-strategic-partnership-alliance/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2013%2F01%2F18%2Fchilds-play-reviving-the-snowboarding-industry%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !