Freeride Mountain Bike Association

What Freeride Mountain Bike Association does

The Freeride Mountain Bike Association (FMBA) is a non-profit organization (e.V.) registered in Munich, Germany in 2010, serving as the sole global governing body for freeride mountain biking. It owns and administers the FMB World Tour, an international competition circuit spanning 15 nations across Oceania, Europe, and North America, sanctioning events at four tiers — Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Bronze — across the disciplines of Dirt Jump, Park, Slopestyle, Big Mountain, and Big Air. The FMBA issues athlete licenses (100 EUR/year World Tour License for professionals, free Amateur License for entry-level riders), licenses and sanctions events from organizers, and runs the FMB World Ranking, a rolling 52-week system that considers each athlete's three best results.

Its core product portfolio includes the FMB World Tour, the Slopestyle Super League (SSL, launching 2026 to replace the former Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship with a Regular Season and Playoffs structure), the FMB Gold Cup pathway series, the Red Bull Rookie of the Year awards (Male and Female), and the FMB World Ranking system. The technology stack supporting these products includes the Comma membership platform (adopted for the 2026 season in place of LiveHeats/MemberPro), Rawmotion's cloud-based scoring infrastructure used for remote judging at Slopestyle events, Google Forms for event organizer applications, and Mailchimp for newsletter distribution. Event operations and broadcast are delivered in conjunction with strategic partners Crankworx (Diamond event host and SSL co-organizer since 2010) and Red Bull (flagship Rookie sponsor and media partner), with PinkBike providing media coverage.

FMBA's business model is built on three revenue streams: recurring athlete licensing fees, transaction-based event sanctioning fees from organizers (with tiered deadlines and 50% downpayments for Diamond/Gold/Silver tiers), and sponsorship and partnership revenue from brands seeking global freeride mountain biking audiences. The organization also produces the Red Bull Best Trick Award and runs a Slopestyle World Championship prize fund jointly with Crankworx that reached $500,000 CAD in 2024 with equal distribution between men's and women's categories. Governance sits with a three-member Board of Directors (Tarek Rasouli, Darren Kinnaird, Alexander Dörr) supported by an Administrator (Nicole Freeman), with no disclosed external investment or venture capital funding.

Name

Freeride Mountain Bike Association

Legal name

Freeride Mountain Bike Association e.V.

Website

https://fmbworldtour.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Freeride Mountain Bike Association (FMBA) is the global non-profit governing body for freeride mountain biking, founded in 2010 in Munich, Germany. It administers the FMB World Tour — a 15-nation competition circuit across four event tiers and five disciplines — issuing athlete licenses, sanctioning events, and running ranking and championship systems for professional and amateur riders worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Governing Body

NAICS

Spectator Sports (7112)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

National Governing Bodies (NGBs) (MPAKAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Professional Tour & Circuit Operators (MPAKADAA)

Keywords

• Freeride mountain biking
• Mountain bike competitions
• Sports governing body
• Athlete licensing
• Event sanctioning

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Athlete Licensing Fees: Annual licenses for athletes to compete in FMB World Tour events. The FMB World Tour License (100 EUR/year) is required for Diamond, Gold, and Silver events and provides ranking inclusion in FMB World Ranking, Slopestyle Super League Standings, Gold Cup Standings, and Red Bull Rookie Standings. The FMB Amateur License is free but limited to Bronze-level events only.
2. Event Licensing and Sanctioning: Event organizers apply for and pay to license their competitions as official FMB World Tour events at Diamond, Gold, Silver, or Bronze levels. For Diamond/Gold/Silver events, 50% of the event license fee is due upon application submission, with the remainder due later. Bronze events require full payment upon application.
3. Sponsorship and Partnership Revenue: The FMBA markets sponsorship packages to brands, ranging from worldwide title sponsorships to localized event sponsorships, across its global competition circuit spanning 15 nations. Sponsorship inquiries are directed to [email protected].

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The FMBA owns and administers the FMB World Tour, the official international circuit of amateur and professional freeride mountain bike competitions across Dirt Jump, Park, Slopestyle, Big Mountain, and Big Air disciplines. It sanctions events in four tiers (Diamond, Gold, Silver, Bronze), issues annual athlete licenses, maintains the FMB World Ranking system, and governs progression pathways including the Slopestyle Super League, Gold Cup, and Red Bull Rookie of the Year awards.

Product overview

The Freeride Mountain Bike Association (FMBA) operates the FMB World Tour as its core product—a global competition circuit for freeride mountain biking with four event levels (Diamond, Gold, Silver, Bronze) across Slopestyle, Dirt Jump, Big Mountain, and Big Air disciplines. The portfolio includes the Slopestyle Super League (replacing the former World Championship structure), athlete licensing (World Tour and Amateur tiers), the FMB Gold Cup pathway series, Red Bull Rookie of the Year awards (Male and Female categories), and the FMB World Ranking system. The organization also sanctions events through its event licensing program and runs the Red Bull Best Trick Award. The architecture is a platform with multiple interconnected competitive programs, ranking systems, and membership tiers designed to support athletes from grassroots Bronze events through elite Diamond-level championships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FMB World Tour The FMB World Tour is the official international circuit of amateur and professional freeride mountain bike competitions governed by the FMBA. It sanctions events in four tiers (Diamond, Gold, Silver, Bronze) across Dirt Jump, Park, Slopestyle, Big Mountain, and Big Air disciplines for Open Men and Open Women athletes globally.
• Slopestyle Super League (SSL) The Slopestyle Super League is the highest echelon of Slopestyle competition within the FMB World Tour. It determines the annual Slopestyle Super League World Champion through a Regular Season and Playoffs format culminating in a Winner Takes All Final.
• FMB World Tour License An annual membership license priced at 100 EUR/year required for entry into Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Bronze events. Membership period runs January to December, with Open Men and Open Women categories. Includes listing in FMB World Ranking, Slopestyle Super League Standings, Gold Cup Standings, Red Bull Rookie Standings, and National Standings.
• FMB Amateur License A free annual membership license granting access to Bronze events only. Listed in Red Bull Rookie Standings. Registration is required.
• FMB Gold Cup A competition series comprising Gold Level events where riders accumulate points from their top three results. The Gold Cup winner earns prequalification for all Slopestyle World Championship events the following season, while riders ranked 2-4 receive Golden Tickets to Diamond Level events.
• Red Bull Rookie of the Year Award An award celebrating emerging talent in freeride mountain biking, given to the #1 ranked Male and Female Rookie Athlete based on year-end Red Bull Rookie Standings. Winners receive wildcard entry to the first Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship event, including flights, accommodation, spending money, a trophy, and a World Tour License for the following season.
• FMB World Tour Event License A licensing system for event organizers to host FMB-sanctioned competitions. Events are categorized as Diamond, Gold, Silver, or Bronze based on standards and requirements, with tiered application deadlines (Diamond: Nov 30 prior year; Gold: Dec 31; Silver: Jan 31; Bronze: 10 weeks prior) and fee structures (50% downpayment required at application for Diamond/Gold/Silver; full payment for Bronze).
• Red Bull Best Trick Award A virtual competition where participants submit their best trick video from a sanctioned FMB event to be voted on by fans. Open to both male and female athletes across Bronze, Silver, and Gold level categories, with prize money awarded in each division.

Quantifiable outcome

• The FMB World Ranking uses a rolling 52-week system considering each athlete's three best results
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• iXS Dirt MasterscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024iXS Dirt Masters is a Gold Level FMB World Tour event held in Winterberg, Germany. It serves as a key event on the FMB Gold Cup circuit, one of three Gold Events that comprise the cup for 2024. The event is a critical pathway event for emerging Slopestyle athletes seeking to ascend to Diamond-level competition.
• Male Slopestyle Athletes (Collective)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024In 2024, male Slopestyle athletes temporarily withdrew from the Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship event in Rotorua, prompting negotiations with the FMBA and Crankworx. The resulting agreement addressed athlete concerns around sustainability and accessibility, with a foundational commitment to gender equality extended to female athletes. The agreement ensured the remainder of the 2024 SWC season proceeded as planned.
• FMBA Advisory BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The FMBA Advisory Board, composed of athlete representatives, was consulted in the extensive review process that led to the redesign of the Slopestyle Super League structure for 2026. The Advisory Board contributed to reshaping the global calendar into a streamlined, season-long league.
• CrankworxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Crankworx is a key strategic partner of the FMBA, co-organizing the premier Slopestyle competitions on the FMB World Tour. Starting in 2026, Crankworx and the FMBA jointly launch the Slopestyle Super League (SSL), replacing the former Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship (SWC). Crankworx hosts Diamond-level events including Crankworx Rotorua, Crankworx Cairns, Crankworx Innsbruck, Crankworx Whistler, Crankworx SilverStar, and Crankworx Mont-Saint-Anne. In 2024, Crankworx and the FMBA agreed on a $500,000 CAD prize money fund equally distributed between men's and women's categories.
• Red BullflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2010Red Bull is a long-standing partner supporting the FMBA Red Bull Rookie of the Year award, providing wildcard entries, flights, accommodation, and trophies for emerging freeride athletes. Red Bull also broadcasts Crankworx events via Red Bull TV and Red Bull.com/bike. The Red Bull Rookie of the Year award has launched the careers of multiple athletes including Tim Bringer, Alma Wiggberg, and Lucas Huppert.
• PinkBikeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPinkBike is listed as a media partner on the FMB World Tour website footer, providing media coverage and content distribution for freeride mountain biking events and athletes.
• Comma (Membership Platform)coreTechnology or IntegrationComma is the athlete membership and licensing platform adopted by the FMBA for the 2026 season, replacing LiveHeats and MemberPro. Athletes use Comma to purchase/renew licenses, manage profiles, and link historical results. The platform is central to athlete registration and membership operations.
• Rawmotion (Cloud-Based Scoring)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe FMBA and Crankworx successfully premiered remote judging using Rawmotion's cloud-based scoring service at the prestigious Innsbruck Slopestyle event in 2020, enabling remote judging capabilities for FMB World Tour events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Pinkbike: Pinkbike is the dominant mountain bike media outlet and a listed FMBA media partner. It is not a governing body but is the primary distribution channel for FMB World Tour content and an ecosystem enabler.
• International Olympic Committee (IOC): The IOC governs Olympic sport recognition. It is relevant as the potential super-ordinate body that could choose to recognize (or not) freeride mountain biking as an Olympic discipline, with major implications for FMBA's governing legitimacy.

Broad incumbents

• X Games: X Games is the largest action-sports event/media property and has included MTB slopestyle and dirt events. It competes with FMBA for premium athletes, broadcast reach and headline sponsorship dollars in the broader action-sports market.
• Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI): UCI is the global governing body for all cycling disciplines and operates the UCI Mountain Bike World Series. It is the most analogous institution to FMBA but at a much larger scale, governing all of cycling rather than just freeride MTB.
• UCI Mountain Bike World Series: Operated by UCI, this series governs Cross-Country, Downhill and other mountain bike disciplines globally. It is the principal alternative 'world tour' in mountain biking and competes with FMBA for audience, athlete and sponsor mind-share.

Direct peers

• Dew Tour: Dew Tour is a U.S.-based multi-sport action sports tour that has historically hosted mountain bike slopestyle events. It is comparable to FMBA as a competing competition circuit for action-sports athletes and broadcast inventory.
• FISE (Festival International des Sports Extrêmes): FISE is a multi-sport action sports festival circuit (MTX/dirt/slope/big air) that includes freeride mountain biking. It operates as an alternative tour to FMBA, particularly in Europe, and competes for event organizer licensing and sponsor relationships.
• Red Bull Rampage: Red Bull Rampage is the marquee freeride mountain bike event in North America (Big Mountain). Although not FMBA-sanctioned, it competes for the same elite athletes, broadcast attention and sponsorship dollars in the freeride MTB category.
• Crankworx: Crankworx operates the world's largest mountain bike festival series and co-organizes Diamond-level FMB Slopestyle events plus the SSL. It is FMBA's closest partner and the de facto venue/format owner at the top of the tour.

Regional players

• National Off-Road Bicycle Association (NORBA / USA Cycling MTB): USA Cycling (formerly affiliated with NORBA) governs mountain bike disciplines in the United States and could be a regional alternative federation pathway for athletes, indirectly competing with FMBA for athlete allegiance in the U.S. market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/fmbworldtour
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freeride-mountain-bike-association

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Freeride Mountain Bike Association