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Capital Commentary
2006 needs to be the year we turn it all around, returning skydiving to its glory days. We don’t have to wait for the global economy. We just have to revitalize our sport in our own minds and the public eye. Often, it takes a cataclysmic event or an epiphany to turn things around in life. But skydiving doesn’t need something quite that dramatic. We already have the opportunities in front of us just waiting for someone to say, “Hey, over here!” That someone just might be USPA—all 32,000 of us. This July, USPA will mark its 60th anniversary of service to the skydiving community. This is a terrific opportunity to take a look at who we are and who we want to be. In business jargon, it’s time to update the “brand,” while never forgetting our sometimes notorious but mostly glorious past. Refurbishing the brand, in fact, is already underway with the construction of a new USPA Headquarters designed by skydivers for skydivers. When it is dedicated in May, it will sport a new, contemporary look and feel, which includes a new Member Service Center that will capitalize on new information technologies while bringing back the “personal” to membership service. Those wanting to stick with the telephone will be greeted by a person, not a machine. And those who want to interact with USPA via the internet will find the T-1 interface upgrade quite speedy. Although a new building might seem somewhat cosmetic to us within skydiving, it will portray an image of seriousness and professionalism to the rest of the world. How we see ourselves is key to membership retention; how the rest of the world sees us is key to bringing new people into the sport. It also sends the message to the media and government agencies, which sometimes do not look favorably upon what we do. But it will take more than a USPA Headquarters facelift to really get us going again. It will take a serious public relations and marketing effort by both the association and the drop zones. USPA will enhance the sport’s image before the public at the national level, but it will ultimately be up to the drop zone operators to sell the product locally. And this, for some, will require a major new way of thinking. Simply put, drop zones must develop a vision for the future that calls for getting new customers beyond that first jump. Our downward spiral has come in part because too many drop zones have become so attracted to the quick dollars of tandem that they have not developed a pool of returning jumpers who, in turn, go on to become coaches and instructors. And without them, there are not enough people to take up the tandems. And so goes the spiral—downward. Tandem jumping has certainly provided an invaluable opportunity for almost anyone to experience the thrill, but the growth of skydiving lies with the aspiring A-license holders. They are our future. So let’s commit at every level in 2006—the Year of the Skydiver—to bringing back the glory days. Are you with us? |
Alright, participation in skydiving has slowly decreased since the recession and 9/11. USPA membership has followed suit. So, what are we going to do about it? We can sit on our hands and bemoan our lot in life, waiting for the global economy to return to the pre-crash days. We can also tell ourselves that as long as we ourselves are skydiving, the next generation can take care of itself. But that just isn’t like the skydiving community. We’re action-oriented people by nature, and we care about the next generation of skydivers and friends.