Dig BMX - Background

Background

From 1994 through 1997, Dig BMX was published quarterly by Air Publications in the UK. In 1998, after the dissolution of Air Publications, Smyth bought the title back during a public auction and entered into a deal with Chris Moeller and John Paul Rogers of S&M Bike Co. Based in CA, the two decided to sell ads for Dig, print and distribute the magazine, offering a wider U.S. based BMX scene a glimpse into Dig BMX's editorial. Issue 11 featured Josh Stricker on the cover, was a travel-based issue that focused on the unusual and outrageous circumstances of travel that had plagued certain members of the international BMX community. The issue sold well throughout the U.S., but was abandoned by Moeller and Rogers after just one issue, who instead decided to produce the short-lived BMX Action, which later became Faction BMX Magazine. After the dissolution of Dig's relationship with their only hopeful U.S. publisher to date, Dig was offered the chance to go bi-monthly by UK publisher Permanent Publishing in mid 1999. Starting with issue 12, which featured the highly influential Spanish rider Ruben Alcantara on the cover, Dig entered into a long and fruitful relationship with Permanent Publishing, home of Sidewalk Skateboard Mag and Surfer's Path Magazine.

For the next three years, Dig published under a bi-monthly schedule, offering exclusive and varied content on the worldwide BMX scene. Dig produced original content that spanned the globe, including Russia, Japan, Western Europe, the U.S. and Southeast Asia.

In 2003, Permanent Publishing offered Dig the opportunity to publish nine times per year (bi-monthly in the fall, winter, spring, monthly throughout the summer months). For the next two years, Dig operated under the cyclical nine issue schedule. In the same year, Permanent Publishing expanded to include a U.S. based office in California, employing U.S. ad sales managers.

In early 2005, Permanent Publishing and Dig BMX went separate ways. The two had produced 35 issues of the magazine in the six years together. The title was again bought by Smyth, who, along with the help of friends, self-published issue 48 in the summer of 2005 which featured Wethepeople rider Stephen Lilly on the cover. And then a new publisher came along from Dig BMX's main competition in the UK.

Ride UK, owned and operated by managing editor Mark Noble under the 4130 Publishing title, had been Dig's long standing main competition on the newsstands throughout the UK. In the fall of 2005, an agreement was reached between Dig and 4130 Publishing to publish Dig under the 4130 Publishing banner. Formerly competitors, Smyth and Noble were now partners. Noble and 4130 offered Dig the opportunity to pursue Smyth's original editorial direction without compromise. Ride UK would continue to cover all things BMX, while Dig could continue to pursue its undecided niche within the core of BMX riding.

The relationship endured for the next year and a half. Under the 4130 banner, Dig was sold on newsstands with cover-mounted DVDs, allowed to offer subscriptions that were affordable for readers worldwide and marketed alongside free t-shirts, stickers and assorted promotional items that its reader base longed for. Dig's time with 4130 also produced interviews with Taj Mihelich and Ian Morris, exclusive photography of Tom White and Edwin Delarosa from Barcelona and exclusive content from the making of the Etnies video 'Grounded.' This period also included the addition of New Jersey based photographer Rob Dolecki as a full time editorial contributor and photo editor.

In December 2006, 4130 Publishing announced plans to merge with UK publishing magnate Factory Media, merging its four titles under the Factory Media name (which would come to include titles from Permanent Publishing and other UK action sports publishers.) Dig has since been allowed to continue publishing under the Factory Media title.