Why aren't more people taking up scuba diving?

[Bohemian Coast Dive]

I didn't take the time to read other people's responses, but I have a few things to add:

First, the 'PADIfication' of diving, though helpful in terms of thoroughness and consistency, has turned younger would-be divers away from the sport. The overly-glossed dive boat pictures with the right demographics makes it seem about as hip as a pocket protector. Millennials such as myself are seeking excitement and adventure...I have done sky diving, BASE jumping, bmx, cross country backpacking, etc... And feel scuba offers more excitement than any of these alternatives. But unfortunately, the sport hasn't been represented as such. I'm all about inclusiveness, but no young guy wants to participate in something he's convinced his grandmother could do with him...

Which brings me to the second thing: the industry is aging and new divers are not filling in the gaps. Now it's just a bunch of older, affluent dudes chest thumping in-between margaritas at some tacky tiki bar. Talks about the glory days and past exploits are boring and ridiculous. Everyone is a self-professed expert on all things dive-related as if they were God's gift to the sea. "Thank you for your insight, Mr. Cousteau, but I just asked about a quick buddy check..." Droning on and on about side mounts, and gas blends, and everywhere you've been that many will never get the chance to experience. We get it, you have a good job and want to recapture the excitement of life...unfortunately the fish aren't biting.

Finally, people have been priced out of the game. Younger divers are all about free diving now (as opposed to diving for free). Why bother with thousands upon thousands of dollars for training and equipment, when you can get by with mask, find, snorkel, and a wetsuit?

This is mostly intended as parody/jest, but it is all true. We need more cooperation amongst dive providers, rather than the cliquey/tribal mentality and backstabbing. We need to diversify the sport and open it up for younger divers and minority groups. We need to show the excitement of diving, rather than the competitive bragging and bs chest thumping. Finally, we need to recapture the cool factor of diving. It's not James Bond anymore, it's Joe Hasbeen, and the sport will continue to die until it receives a major facelift. I love diving and divers, but these things get on my nerves. Same group on every dive boat, at every dive resort, all telling the same stories and old jokes...I'm trying to do my part to reintroduce the sport and update it. My model is about friendships, about being different, about grabbing life by the horns and taking a few risks. You see, I have a Graduate Degree and sold my first business at 25, so the smart choice would be for me to continue the path I was on; however, I am pursuing my passion now and only time will tell if it will work out or not. Unfortunately, it is going to continue heading downhill before it gets better. Do your part to save the sport!

 

[Leadking]

I sold my business (dive equip. mfg) in 2007. I saw the crash coming. All that said there is always a place for an innovative company to carve out a successful niche in the recreational market. Scuba won't die, it just won't reach its potential.

 

[Bohemian Coast Dive]

Ok, so I did read a few responses, and I'd like to add another thing: ageism. We're not all as soft and 'techy' as you may believe. I spent my early years camping and fishing with my grandpa, which transitioned into a lifelong passion for nature and the great outdoors. Attitudes such as 'those kids and their cell phones' isn't going to save the sport from the old guard. In fact, it is this very attitude that contributed to the problem to begin with and, ironically, it is the old guard that the sport needs saved from! Those aged 18-35 represent more innovation and sports participation than any other group on history. We aren't just sitting around cafes talking about the latest ios software in our skinny jeans listening to that hip hop music! Haha. Just stereotypes and characterizations. These guys are climbing mountains only to fly off the side in a squirrel suit. They are driving hard and living fast and to write them off has dire consequences for the sport. We are so caught up in talks about safety, over analyzing every little thing to exhaustion. People wanting to act brave in an environment with no risks just doesn't exist. That's not being bold, that's playing a part you shouldn't be cast for. Safety is one thing, but it is now ridiculous. We need to come together at some level to show what is so great about diving, rather than talking about who does it better. Rather than talking about the only 'right' way to do it... Anyhow, enjoy your days!

 

[Lorenzoid]

I didn't take the time to read other people's responses, but I have a few things to add:

First, the 'PADIfication' of diving, though helpful in terms of thoroughness and consistency, has turned younger would-be divers away from the sport. The overly-glossed dive boat pictures with the right demographics makes it seem about as hip as a pocket protector. Millennials such as myself are seeking excitement and adventure...I have done sky diving, BASE jumping, bmx, cross country backpacking, etc... And feel scuba offers more excitement than any of these alternatives. But unfortunately, the sport hasn't been represented as such. I'm all about inclusiveness, but no young guy wants to participate in something he's convinced his grandmother could do with him...

I think the dive magazines are starting to figure that out. Nowadays I see more pictures of black-clad tech divers, articles on diving with the sharks, etc. It seems the word is out that diving can be more than just looking at tropical fish and meeting up for margaritas. And PADI is offering Tec-Rec for those who don't think Rec is dangerous enough, er, I mean offers enough "excitement and adventure."

It's been said about a lot of things that if the previous generation did it, the next generation does not want to do it--whatever "it" may be. It's been said about clothing fashion, brands, and even about drugs. If your parents' generation found something appealing, your generation wants to find something else.

 

[Bohemian Coast Dive]

I think the dive magazines are starting to figure that out. Nowadays I see more pictures of black-clad tech divers, articles on diving with the sharks, etc. It seems the word is out that diving can be more than just looking at tropical fish and meeting up for margaritas. And PADI is offering Tec-Rec for those who don't think Rec is dangerous enough, er, I mean offers enough "excitement and adventure."

It's been said about a lot of things that if the previous generation did it, the next generation does not want to do it--whatever "it" may be. It's been said about clothing fashion, brands, and even about drugs. If your parents' generation found something appealing, your generation wants to find something else.

Good points. I would argue though that the Tec Rec courses only further isolate people in terms of costs. I'm not sure there is a good answer, but I agree with you here. Oddly enough though, my dad, who is an 'old school' diver first cultivated my love for the sport. Plus, for me there is nothing better than the glory days of Scuba (I'm thinking mid-60s) with the 'presentation' of diving- movies like Thunderball...Bond drops his gear in the sand with one hand and swoops up the girl in the other. Of course that's Hollywood, but we need more of that! Thanks for the response, my friend!

 

[boulderjohn]

For those of you just getting into this (and other) threads who did not take a look a the market research that led to the thread, people looking for high adventure, risk, etc. are very much in the minority.

 

[Leadking]

You seem to think my remarks were directed to you, well they're not. They are just a statement of fact. As far as your statement that 18-34 year old's are active participants, please back up that with information from a reliable source, like SFIA.
All, and I repeat ALL sporting activities are in decline. Youth softball, baseball, and football are in serious decline. Snowboarding is falling off a cliff. Sports Authority declared bankruptcy and Sports Chalet closed all their stores. I will close with the following from the March 8, 2016 Wall Street Journal;

The sporting goods industry is in a funk.

Less than a week after the Sports Authority Inc. filed for bankruptcy, rival Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. on Tuesday reported weak holiday results and offered a dim near-term outlook as it spends more to revamp stores and build up its website.

Meanwhile, one of the biggest makers of baseball bats and other sporting equipment slashed its profit forecast for the holiday quarter. Performance Sports Group Ltd., which makes Easton bats, Bauer ice skates and other equipment, blamed sudden shifts in demand.

Shares of Performance Sports fell 65% in trading Tuesday to $4.00, while shares of Dick’s edged higher, closing at $44.56.

“This is certainly a unique time in the industry. The competitive landscape is evolving, which is creating pressure for some and opportunities for others,” said Dicks’s Chief Executive Edward Stack.

 

[boulderjohn]

The sporting goods industry is in a funk.

Good examples, but if you really want to see two sports in a participant free fall, check out golf and tennis.

 

[AdivingBel]

Thanks, I'll continue to enjoy the beauty of reefs and small fishy things as well as the margs (not so much the beauty of who I'm sharing the margs with as they are old crusty divers...except my wife who is of course beautiful ). Millennials be damned whether they are the couch potatoes who can't be bothered or the base jumpers who aren't excited enough by strapping on weights & a tank and giant striding into an alien (deadly) environment. Onward into the deep... ok, not that deep.

 

[boulderjohn]

I have some further thoughts on the crash of tennis and golf. I used to play a lot of tennis, and I still play golf.

I started playing tennis as a young adult, using a wooden racket. Soon I switched to metal, then a big-headed metal, then a ceramic of some sort. The selling points on those rackets is that they enabled the weekend tennis player to make the big hits like the pros. They certainly did. It wasn't long before I felt the game just wasn't fun anymore. Those fun, long rallies gave way to aces and winning returns of serve. The real reason I gave it up was knee trouble, but I didn't miss it a bit when I quit, and neither did my wife. The other day, in perfect weather, my wife and I were near a set of public courts that were nearly empty--when we were active, there would have been a waiting list and time limitations on your play.

Something similar happened in golf. A couple of years ago, there were several memorable British and American opens in a row, and people in America got the idea that what American golfers really wanted was a true test of golfing skill. Courses began to be designed with punishing holes. In old course design, if your shot was off target, you might find yourself with an interesting challenge, perhaps slapping the ball between a group of trees. Now off-course shots resulted in balls plunking into lakes, or you would spend 5 minutes looking for it in thigh-high grass where you couldn't possibly hit it even if you could find it. The game was not as much fun. (BTW, golf experts have written about this, and they lament that so many golf courses still try to attract people with descriptions of what a miserable time they will have if they come and play there.)

So how does this relate to scuba?

I think the similarity lies in the call some people have made for the sport to try to appeal more to the true adventurer, the person who wants that thrill of cheating death. As a technical diver, that is probably more along my interests than a lot of people, but (as I said earlier) market research does not support that at all. Sure there are some people who feel that way, but that is a very small minority. It is like the people who want to play high power tennis or play the golf courses with the 138 slopes. They exist, but I don't know a lot of them.