the decline in popularity and subsequent recession in most action sports at the end of the 80s, flatland went "underground". It resurfaced in the late 90s with the return of media attention in the form of events such as the X Games. Flatland was dropped from the X Games and other large-scale events in the early 2000s, forcing the sport/artform to become more independently run and owned. Most flatland companies and events now exist outside of other BMX circles, although there is still, somewhat limited, coverage in mainstream BMX magazines and videos. With the removal of flatland from events such as the XGames, many independent event organizers have stepped up and taken flatland to the masses through creative, independently organized events such as the Red Bull Circle Balance, Circle Cow, and BMX Masters events in Europe, the Elevation Flatland series and Voodoo Jams in the US, and smaller "jams" such as the Athens Jam and Hollywood Jams which take place in the US. These independent events and jams are what has helped keep flatland "alive" and thriving over the years. The decline Extremely aggressive marketing is responsible for the decline of flatland in the US in the late 1980s. Many major sponsorships and BMX companies at this time were simply being pioneered from scratch. Teams were hired to scout out BMX racing events and set up their own mini shows in the parking lots. Sponsorship booths over-promoted the sale of helmets, pads, and other gear that is simply not required for being a successful flatland rider. Customers could see what was going on and once people caught on to this no one wanted to pay such a high price for protective gear when the only thing truly required to learn/ride flatland is 4 pegs and a BMX. Flatland only declined as a competitive sport and only appeared to fade out due to no media attention on television after the late 1980s. Instead flatland in the early 1990s took on a new type of popularity with the poorer to mid-class Americans as a pass-time activity done in mostly parking lots, garages, and driveways throughout the US. Flatland bikes Although the flatland bicycle is similar to most other BMX bicycles, flatland is often performed with specially designed frames with geometry (head tube angle, top tube length, etc.) suited to the needs of flatlanders. Front and rear bolt-on pegs, a hollow compression bolt