The OHLAY brand was founded by Jared Adelson in 2018. He started riding a scooter as a teenager and later traveled as a professional rider, competing and filming. While studying advertising and graphic design at the University of Tampa, he began thinking about how to combine his professional skills with scootering.
At the same time, he noticed that the world was missing a platform that would monitor the global freestyle scootering scene, consistently showcase both the best and up-and-coming riders, and give the sport broader media exposure. Therefore, he seized the opportunity and began building it into the largest and most influential media platform in the world of freestyle scootering - OHLAY.
The name OHLAY is derived from the Spanish "Olé," or an exclamation of appreciation, triumph, or encouragement. This aptly captures the original idea: to support progress, the joy of riding, and the community, regardless of where a rider comes from or what style they ride.
Why the OHLAY platform is important for the community
- Gives space to talent: Alongside well-known professionals, it also features lesser-known riders. Its "AM Spotlight" and the ability to submit your own content show that the platform is not built only on established names and demonstrates the diversity and scale of the scene.
- Connects local scenes: A rider from a small country or city can reach an audience around the world thanks to a shared platform. OHLAY thus helps to overcome the boundaries between individual communities.
- Documents the culture of the sport: Video parts, interviews, and articles capture not only tricks but also the personalities, style, and stories that make up the history of freestyle scootering.
- Creates opportunities: In addition to content, it has also organized events and online competitions. In a 2021 interview, Jared cited projects in more than ten countries and the Trick of the Year competition with prize money of 10,000 USD.
OHLAY podcast
OHLAY launched its own podcast, with the first episode released on April 8, 2019. In it, Jared explained the origin of the project and subsequently conducted interviews with, for example, Kai Saunders, Benjamin Friant, and Dylan Morrison. At the same time, the platform published and showcased the work of other creators, such as Mokovel.
In 2021, Jared also reported on the development of ScooterFlow, a freestyle scooter video game, as another way to expand the freestyle scootering experience beyond just riding. This shows that OHLAY's ambition was not just to publish videos, but to create a broader ecosystem around the sport. The game was officially launched in the summer of 2026.