I canceled my Flotrack subscription some time ago. They suck. Their content isn't really worth it and what they do show - well, you see what happened today.
If one is a real runner and/or running fan, you could shell out a couple hundred bucks a month to follow the whole sport, whether it's ESPN, Flotrack, Runnerspace, etc, etc. Meanwhile, the shoe and apparel companies are financial monsters. If only we could pry some money out of their cold, dead hands to actually support the sport.
I have no problem paying for streaming services to follow the sport, within reason. But anyway you cut it Flotrack is a poor value. I can live with some occasional short feed interruptions and amateurish commentary. But to just be down almost the entire time during one of the biggest running events of the year is just inexcusable.
If I could be certain there would be no issues, I would've happily paid $50 to watch yesterday's race (maybe $100 if they got rid of the wheelies).
There's just always something wrong with Flotrack though, and so you can never actually enjoy these events - because there's always that lingering feeling, that at some point, the stream is gonna mess up.
I have no problem paying for streaming services to follow the sport, within reason. But anyway you cut it Flotrack is a poor value. I can live with some occasional short feed interruptions and amateurish commentary. But to just be down almost the entire time during one of the biggest running events of the year is just inexcusable.
If I could be certain there would be no issues, I would've happily paid $50 to watch yesterday's race (maybe $100 if they got rid of the wheelies).
There's just always something wrong with Flotrack though, and so you can never actually enjoy these events - because there's always that lingering feeling, that at some point, the stream is gonna mess up.
I would pay-per-view as well. American Track League, Sound Running (aren’t they the ones currently doing that format?).
FloTrack is terrible. Now that I've found highlights of the broadcast in Spanish (apparently FloTrack doesn't have Spanish language rights so we can see the Spanish highlights) on YouTube, I see just now incredible what Hassan did was. She stopped twice, missed her last bottle, turned around and ran backwards to get it, then offered to share it with a competitor before dropping a kick and winning. Too bad it wasn't on broadcast TV.
Yes, I was delighted to find that on YouTube. I don't speak Spanish but it doesn't matter, all you need is the video to recognize what an amazing feat that was.
The Spanish marathon race coverage channel. Unlike FloTrack, it seems to work fine. It's kind of a Spanish version of a meld between Runnerspace and the ShoeTubers.
ok, so we all need to learn Spanish so we can ditch the English-language broadcasters and watch a livestream run with at least a baseline level of competency!
This is 110% A+++ thinking and do not limit it to spanish alone. Everyone here is a hardcore fan of running and can observe the basics of what is happening. But with your interest in sport, your window into learning a new language is as open as it will ever be! Because you already kind of know what is going on, youre at your leisure, in your pastime and youre excited to be watching.
FloTrack is terrible. Now that I've found highlights of the broadcast in Spanish (apparently FloTrack doesn't have Spanish language rights so we can see the Spanish highlights) on YouTube, I see just now incredible what Hassan did was. She stopped twice, missed her last bottle, turned around and ran backwards to get it, then offered to share it with a competitor before dropping a kick and winning. Too bad it wasn't on broadcast TV.
s. She stopped twice, missed her last bottle, turned around and ran backwards to get it, then offered to share it with a competitor before dropping a kick and winning To The Gills 💉
Keep trashing volunteer officials, massage therapists, cameramen, annoucers, doctors, writers, vloggers, high school photography interns, athletic trainers, EMTs, track crews, ushers, etc. and see how many quit. Then we'll see how happy you are when we don't have meets to run in anymore.
Keep trashing volunteer officials, massage therapists, cameramen, annoucers, doctors, writers, vloggers, high school photography interns, athletic trainers, EMTs, track crews, ushers, etc. and see how many quit. Then we'll see how happy you are when we don't have meets to run in anymore.
It’s a very specific complaint, of a very specific company that has earned thousands of dollars from me over the years. They fumbled the coverage of the probably the greatest single marathon ever to be held.
Flo is not making any money. No one in running, track and field media makes any money. It's volunteer work. It's for the Love of the Sport.
On a side note: FloTrack has posted a full race replay. On YouTube. With commercials (of course). So they made money off my monthly fee. Now they’re making money off the commercials.
I’m fine watching it to see what all I missed when it happened LIVE yesterday. At least they did this. (But they ARE making money).
I am not sure why the BBC does not just offer a pay per view "watch the London Marathon" option for a reasonable price. They would not need much in the way of additional infrastructure. Just a way to create the licensed feed. We would get their production and commentary. Personally, I just want to watch a select few races per year on TV. FloTrack, whether it works or not, is not worth it to me. I strongly suspect I am not alone.
Thats not how it works. BBC has to pay for the rights to broadcast in each country. Flotrack probably offered the London Marathon more money for the US and Australian markets than the BBC was willing to pay.
I am not sure why the BBC does not just offer a pay per view "watch the London Marathon" option for a reasonable price. They would not need much in the way of additional infrastructure. Just a way to create the licensed feed. We would get their production and commentary. Personally, I just want to watch a select few races per year on TV. FloTrack, whether it works or not, is not worth it to me. I strongly suspect I am not alone.
Thats not how it works. BBC has to pay for the rights to broadcast in each country. Flotrack probably offered the London Marathon more money for the US and Australian markets than the BBC was willing to pay.
WAY too many technical issues when you’re paying over $30/month. I was really happy with how they covered the 2022 Penn Relays. But it’s been absolutely abhorrent since then.
The London Marathon coverage was the last straw for me. 1 hour and 10 minutes later after technical issues started and it’s STILL not on. As I mentioned on a previous thread, imagine if during the SuperBowl just suddenly coverage stopped. The teams are scoring left and right, all kinds of excitement happening, but you didn’t see ANY of it because of technical issues. That would; of course, never happen.
I’ve canceled my multi-year subscription history with FloSports.
Since? They've had a long bad history of poor coverage for over a decade. Gleaming hints of limited success here and there that never stick for long. I think its ridiculous to pay for such poor service.
WAY too many technical issues when you’re paying over $30/month. I was really happy with how they covered the 2022 Penn Relays. But it’s been absolutely abhorrent since then.
The London Marathon coverage was the last straw for me. 1 hour and 10 minutes later after technical issues started and it’s STILL not on. As I mentioned on a previous thread, imagine if during the SuperBowl just suddenly coverage stopped. The teams are scoring left and right, all kinds of excitement happening, but you didn’t see ANY of it because of technical issues. That would; of course, never happen.
I’ve canceled my multi-year subscription history with FloSports.
Since? They've had a long bad history of poor coverage for over a decade. Gleaming hints of limited success here and there that never stick for long. I think its ridiculous to pay for such poor service.
I am not sure why the BBC does not just offer a pay per view "watch the London Marathon" option for a reasonable price. They would not need much in the way of additional infrastructure. Just a way to create the licensed feed. We would get their production and commentary. Personally, I just want to watch a select few races per year on TV. FloTrack, whether it works or not, is not worth it to me. I strongly suspect I am not alone.
Thats not how it works. BBC has to pay for the rights to broadcast in each country. Flotrack probably offered the London Marathon more money for the US and Australian markets than the BBC was willing to pay.
Isn't BBC a free channel...where does the 'pay per view' come into play? I watched it free by registering as a Londoner ;-)
Anyway, BBC doesn't pay London for Aussie coverage. That would be one of the Aussie free to air channels, inc public govt owned channels ABC or SBS, or it could be Fox Sports pay cable channel, or streaming channel Stan
Alas none were interested in a niche sport up against the highest rating programs of week on a Sunday night.
Where are you looking? ESPN+ has multiple college track meets every weekend. Not to mention the Boston Marathon was on the main network last week.
Not even close. There were six track meets listed on the ESPN app, compared to dozens of baseball/softball games. Also on Hulu/ESPN, the softball and baseball games were all featured on the "live now" section at the top, to find the track meets, you had to scroll way down where nobody would ever see them. They also got rid of the "track and field" category under their sport listing. It now just says "Olympic" which has no content.
Of the six track meets on the app, all but two were locked behind restrictions. I had to input my TV provider information, which I did, but then they told me my TV provider doesn't allow those meets to be shown. I could watch the two unlocked meets, which were the lowest level meets and I couldn't watch the meets I wanted to see.
It is clear to me that ESPN has disappeared track and field on purpose.
This post was edited 28 seconds after it was posted.