Project RAILS : Reviewing and Analyzing the International Level of Snowboarding

Abstract

First, the report produces a map of the current situation of the organization of international competitive snowboarding. Second, based on the current situation, the project out-lines five possible future scenarios for the organization of international snowboarding. Little research has previously been done in this field.

The report is focused around two main variables based on information gathered through the data collection: (1) a unified ranking system, and (2) the Olympic qualification. The base scenario, which is the current situation, shows an organization of competitive snowboarding that holds an uncoordinated diversity of different events, actors and systems. The network seems fragmented because of little and informal communication. The actors taken into account in our analysis is TTR, WSF, WAS, X Games, Dew Tour, IOC and FIS.

Five future scenarios were developed based on the map of the current situation. The scenarios are named: Fragmented, Cooperation and co-existence, FIS-dominated, Centralized and FIS-free and Chaotic. The scenarios depict some possible futures for the organization of international snowboarding.

Conclusions: There is an inherent friction within international snowboarding between a need for coordination and professionalization on one side, and basic values such as independence and play on the other. The international organization of competitive snowboarding can develop in quite different directions, depending on the actions of the main stakeholders. Based on our findings, more cooperation within the snowboarding community, alongside constructive coexistence with FIS when it comes to Olympic qualifications, seems like the most desireable and realistic scenario, at least in the short run.