I think most yoyoers keep their yoyo in their pocket when in public and almost everyone they know that is aware of their yoyo hobby are online friends. There are about 60 employees at work and I meet and speak to sometimes 200 guests and only my boss knows I carry a yoyo. I may have spoken to a guest with a One Drop in their pocket who was thinking “man, I wish there was at least one thrower I could meet while on vacation!”
11 Likes
For me that’s sound honest.
I came back to yoyo mainly due Covid, and here in Brazil, Covid still on full power, so for me that’s a solo play, and in order to interact more I came to this forum and even made IG account…
6 Likes
Non-yoyoers too! Because if I’m in the mood, I occasionally do a “reverse pickpocket” and sneak a yoyo into people’s pocket. Confuses the heck out of them.
11 Likes
This has been a cool thread. The saturation of the yoyo market is definitely an interesting topic. It’s amazing how many quality yoyos there are under $100 these days. A budget yoyo can take you as far as you need to go. The market for these 56mm, V-shaped, low walled, high performance but budget throws is so extremely saturated, that I don’t know how these manufacturers are able to sell so many similar throws.
5 Likes
Oh yeah, in Japan yoyoing is pretty big
4 Likes
its soo true! I feel the same about new organic throws from small companies. its sooo over saturated but still nothing stays in stock. its weird. I really blame the outrageous resale price of already overpriced yoyos. like why not just buy every yoyo when you know you can get a full return from resale…
3 Likes
Just wanna throw this out there: pretty sure that’s Brian Melford on a Google Pay ad I keep seeing on Reddit. Just seemed appropriate given the conversation.
6 Likes
I nominate ads as the best measure of yoyo popularity
4 Likes
There’s also Justin on Duncan who seems to be doing some main stream throwing on video or movie sets.
5 Likes
Another metric you could add is the amount of posts on YYE❤️ and other forums asking “Best first/beginner yo-yo”. Would show you the people taking an interest in yoyo, although as mentioned previously, is not absolute but an interesting tick to watch.
I think yoyo popularity is healthy, vast and good natured. That’s more than you could wish for.
Past is the past if your judging only on popularity.
You have more people making and being able to make their own yoyo than ever before. 3d printing, lathes, indy projects, and the boutique to mass pro.
But I’m so new to all this and my views are narrow to the wide world of yo’s.
It’s esp great for balancing and focusing my mind - benefiting my mental health. For so many others in a difficult time too it’s help with the trials of life.
Also it’s a friendly environment here to mix and chat with some randoms:+1:
It’s a great time to yoyo.
4 Likes
Sales in Japan are through the roof, sales in the US during the past year of quarantine have been incredibly high in general, yoyo players are breaking 1 million followers on social, and the yoyo episode of We Are The Champions was one of the most viewed of the entire series.
Yoyoing is not waning in popularity, you’re just looking in the wrong places. 
18 Likes
I like the sound of that. I’m curious, though, how YoyoExpert has fared, financially speaking, during this past year with the pandemic and all.
3 Likes
Got more info about this? I’ve loved finding yoyoers in movies/TV ever since I learned @unklesteve was Owen Wilson’s “stunt hands” in Zoolander!
Most recent one I saw was Harrison Lee in The Interview, they’re yo-yoing at the front of a cart that Seth Rogen’s character rides about 16 minutes into the movie. Was the highlight of the movie to me mostly because I turned it off after that hah.
3 Likes
I don’t think it’s ever been popular. And As far as I have been told, girls don’t find it attractive or cool. Except for that one guy. Yes you. You were popular. So no need to remind the rest of us. Again.
Don’t worry. When the hobby hits the end of the rope, it will return again. Because that’s what they do.
9 Likes
I refuse to believe this.
10 Likes
he meant to say - women (not interested in the hobby in the first place)
everytime I show my significant other my new trick, its always met with a pity “cool”“neat” “keep trying” lolol
12 Likes
Me too. But after 30ish years my wife still disagrees.
6 Likes
Have you tried looking more like Hugh Jackman?
12 Likes