Track&Field Network

[hbcu fan]

Craig Masback was recently interviewed
in this magazine about having a network
for track and field and I believe he
said that the public would not be
receptive toward this idea but
this is a idea who's time has
come after all every other sport
has sometype of network exposure
why can't t&f have it also?

[tafnut]

Re: Track&Field Network

>>why can't t&f have it also?<<

$$$

[gh]

Re: Track&Field Network

For an overview of how tough the cable business is, read this recent column. How can you resist a story whose lead is

<<What do Al Gore, God and Larry Flynt have in common?

Their cable channels could all fail. At the very least, all three will struggle. And a good bet is two of them -- you can pick the two -- won't see their fifth anniversary.....>>

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 3BCI18.DTL

[tafnut]

Re: Track&Field Network

While out on my LSR (Long Sunday Run – but let’s not kid ourselves here, my longest LSR is shorter than MJD’s SSR), the genius that IS tafnut had a Coleridgean reverie (he got to smoke opium – all I get are a few molecules of endorphins before I fall back into the stupor of the slogging gait that I pitifully call a ‘run’).

My great idea is called ON – the Olympic Network!

The IOC, in its infinite wisdom, sees that the greater the interest in their little quadrennial show, the better off their bottom line is (and you thought they were in it for the sport – shame on you). So they issue a fiat to all the world governing bodies – IAAF, FIFA, FINA, Dodgeball Int’l, etc. These bodies issue fiats to their NGBs, USATF, USSF, American Tiddlywinks Union, etc, who solicit their primary equipment & apparel manufacturers (hello – like Nike and adidas ain’t got no coin), and ALL these people and resources PULL TOGETHER (stop laughing!) to create a network that primarily features the third and fourth tier sports under the OG umbrella (OK – we can leave off rhythmic gymnastics and ice dancing),

Here in North America (see how I even include all my brethren and sistren from the Tundraland and SOB (South of the Border – what were you thinking?)) we should have enough resources to pull this off. The beauty of the plan is that whoever ponies up the most doremi gets the most air-time (I’m really hoping T&F can edge out field hockey, badminton and luge).

The network features all levels of sport, but most importantly all the Olympic Trials events (I consider any Visa Challenge event an ‘OT’ meet) and stuff like Grand Prix, GL, all the way down to NCAA Regionals.

We can even include Road Racing and Cross Country, because after all, those are not REAL sports, merely cross-training events for our 5K, 10K and Marathon runners.

Now, before you start tearing apart my stupendous idea, stop for a second and think about what Thumper’s mommy told him, ‘if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.’

[Jon]

Re: Track&Field Network

>a network that primarily features the third and fourth tier sports under the OG umbrella


That is pretty much what Eurosport does already.



>Thumper’s mommy told him, ‘if you can’t some something nice...


I can't remember her having a stammer!




In all seriousness though, it sounds like a pretty good idea. All the struggling individual sports would never be able to afford their own networks, but if they all club together under the Olympic umbrella (and I suppose winter sports can be included) then it all seems a bit more achievable. It's definitely a more solid concept than a T&F network which is something, IMHO, we will never see in our lifetime.

[tafnut]

Re: Track&Field Network

>>it sounds like a pretty good idea.<<

thnaks, Jon, the 20 quid (or is it 'bob'?) is in the mail.

and yes, anyone who names their kid Thumper must have some issues.

[det]

Re: Track&Field Network

Has anyone noticed how many hours of eXtreme sports are on TV? Advertisers are only interested in the audience, not the sport. Unless track wants to tie-in with beach vaults, street sprints, and WWF type shot competitions (all have been tried), is there really an audience for high level track and field that is of interest to advertisers? Bottom line- those of us who watch T&F in the US are a bunch of cheap bas#@rds, not easily fooled by marketers, not the type who buy expensive cars, and a advertisers nightmare.


Gaitlin, Crawford, Wariner, Mack, Hayes, etc....what percent of TV viewers could name what these folks have in common right now? Athens left the American public without a single name to remember from track. Other than "us," no one is going to watch. Definitely not the teens and tweens that advertisers crave.

[Pego]

Re: Track&Field Network

FSN Midwest televised the Darts World Championship from London today (at least according to the TV Guide).

[gh]

Re: Track&Field Network

>While out on my LSR (Long Sunday Run – but let’s not kid ourselves here, my
>longest LSR is shorter than MJD’s SSR), the genius that IS tafnut had a
>Coleridgean reverie (he got to smoke opium – >>

Actually, Coleridge drank laudanum (opium dissolved in alcohol). In the British Museum once saw a Coleridge exhibit that had the original hand-written manuscripts of some of his stuff, complete with laudanum viles that were said to be his! (In Xanadu did Kublai Khan a stately pleasure dome decree....)

[PeteM]

Re: Track&Field Network

I’ve noticed those darts shows, too. What could possibly be next?

I would like to see a weekly one-hour track-and-field show that summarizes the last week-end’s accomplishments, previews the upcoming week-end races, highlights stars, new faces, and trends, and builds enthusiasm leading up to major events. The look and feel would be like the many NFL pre-game or the “Baseball Tonight”-like recap shows on ESPN. Televising on Thursday nights leading into the weekend would work for me, but there are other possibilities.

A less glitzy version might resemble the “Wind Tunnel” shows hosted by David Despain on the “Speed” channel. I’m impressed by how calmly and engagingly he rambles around the racing world, complete with call-in segments, guest hosts, and the like.

To be any good, USATF and the NCAA would have to cooperate fully (though coverage would be by no means limited to events sponsored by those organizations). There might be a role for Track and Field News in all this, too.

[MJR]

Re: Track&Field Network

I've brought up this very concept a few times w/ the powers that be. The same answer given is one that it cannot be done instead of finding a way to make it happen.

Excuses are just reasons for making failure and mediocrity the accepted norm. Our sport is too full of this mentality.

[sluhtaf]

Re: Track&Field Network

Personally I'd go with Tafnut's idea of an Olympic Network. Sports like volleyball (not beach), track and skiing get good ratings every 4 years, they might get good ratings on cable every weekend.

We already get figure skating (even if the NHL was going this year skating would be on ESPN and its related networks more times than hockey) and gymnastics ad nauseum, and I don't watch those. However I WOULD watch track if it was on more!

[gh]

Re: Track&Field Network

<<Excuses are just reasons for making failure and mediocrity the accepted norm. Our sport is too full of this mentality.>>

Wonderful words Mike, and I mean that in all seriousness. As Browning said, "... a man's grasp must exceed his reach, or what's a heaven for?"

But if it were your money would you be willing to gamble with it? Count me among those who accept "failure and mediocrity" but prefer to think of it as taking a realistic approach towards life (and more importantly, business).

[wineturtle]

Re: Track&Field Network

How much does NYRR Club pay to have their show on OLN-Time Warner?

[MJR]

Re: Track&Field Network

>But if it were your money would you be willing to gamble with it? Count me among those who accept "failure and mediocrity" but prefer to think of it as taking a realistic approach towards life (and more importantly, business).<

In a word, yes. I'd rather fail trying than fail to try, which has been the company line for too many years.

The idea to get the Olympic Sports together for an entire network is a good one. It would attract just about every demographic imaginable and there should not be any problem selling advertising either. The USOC's marketing efforts are pretty horrific, no wonder people still think that Olympians are Amatuer Athletes and only train for the Olympics.