When I told a co-worker last week that I was looking forward to watch the women's marathon this weekend, she said to me:
"They run the marathon in the olympics?" I told her it is the classic Olympic race and she said: "I know but I thought it was too long so they replaced it with some sort of relay or something."
Does this surprise anyone? I found it depressing. Is this why NBC is short changing track?
I think it's just been unfortunate in some cases with regard to the scheduling. For example, Phelps has obviously been the Olympic darling, so his stuff is top priority, but what works out with that is that the races are early in the morning or right before noon there, which makes it live primetime here. That works out perfect for NBC with the swimming. Track is the opposite for the most part. They're running at night there, which is morning here and what are they showing in the morning here when they play? The USA basketball team, of course. No way is track taking priority over that, unfortunately. Some of the prelim track stuff is during the middle of the night here, too. They want to show the big time events primetime here for track and field, too. The 100 meter final, even though it was like 7 hours ago, will be shown primetime tonight. It is extremly disappointing that we miss out on so much as big track fans but hey, at least we aren't big time soccer fans here in the U.S. Then we'd really be screwed.
How dumb wrote:
When I told a co-worker last week that I was looking forward to watch the women's marathon this weekend, she said to me:
"They run the marathon in the olympics?" I told her it is the classic Olympic race and she said: "I know but I thought it was too long so they replaced it with some sort of relay or something."
Does this surprise anyone? I found it depressing. Is this why NBC is short changing track?
Ask that lady what she knows about the trampoline competition. Or, ask her about the rules of synchronized diving. She probably won't know what you are talking about but they both get better coverage than T & F.
rebound tumbling please
Here's the thing though.. I'd agree that track would be second to basketball and swimming, but it's not like NBC is only showing this stuff on one channel.
No on USA and CNBC and MSNBC, they are showing crap. Water Polo,Equestrian, baseball. They should dedicate one of those channels to Track and everyone would be much happier.
Yesterday, with "no track" on TV, I watched:
Lagat in his 1500 heat
Lomong in his 1500 heat
2 or 3 800 heats (remember Hazel Clark and Mutola in separate heats)
Tyson Gay in his prelim and QF heats of the 100
Today, I have seen Fam in his SC prelim, and expect to see at least the 100m final, some of the womens 100 heats and likely Sanya Richards and others.
Remember, there is "no" track coverage on TV.
Don't say TRACK when you mean DISTANCE RUNNING. They can't show track events live that go in the afternoon in Beijing--other than that, coverage of track is just fine, and as a MD coach, I've got nothing to complain about.
But DISTANCE RUNNING?? How many people REALLY want to watch long distance running? 150, all of whom post on letsrun? That's why they showed repeats of the gymnastics instead of the women's 10000. If you want NBC to show a 10000 or something, you need to have an athlete that makes it half as exciting as a beach volleyball match. It would help if somebody went out and won something. The reason they don't show distance running is that it isn't interesting to watch-- period--and their audience will just change the channel.
Quite honestly, if I have to sit through a f---ing marathon to get to see Usain Bolt win the 100m, I'm going to be pretty pissed.
I know why this site short changes T&F. Basically just incompetence, but that is no excuse. This site is the Paris Hilton of Track.
Coach D wrote:
Yesterday, with "no track" on TV, I watched:
Do you work at NBC?!?
What are you watching this on? Your crystal ball made for you by a genie?
I haven't seen any of that...
getaclue wrote:
I think it's just been unfortunate in some cases with regard to the scheduling. For example, Phelps has obviously been the Olympic darling, so his stuff is top priority, but what works out with that is that the races are early in the morning or right before noon there, which makes it live primetime here. That works out perfect for NBC with the swimming.
The only reason swimming works out well for NBC in terms of timing is that they demanded swimming events be moved to the early morning, the same with gymnastics. I'm glad they didn't make the 100 final at 7 am just so it would be easier for Americans to watch.
Coach D wrote:
Don't say TRACK when you mean DISTANCE RUNNING. They can't show track events live that go in the afternoon in Beijing--other than that, coverage of track is just fine, and as a MD coach, I've got nothing to complain about.
But DISTANCE RUNNING?? How many people REALLY want to watch long distance running? 150, all of whom post on letsrun? That's why they showed repeats of the gymnastics instead of the women's 10000. If you want NBC to show a 10000 or something, you need to have an athlete that makes it half as exciting as a beach volleyball match. It would help if somebody went out and won something. The reason they don't show distance running is that it isn't interesting to watch-- period--and their audience will just change the channel.
I'm not sure why they couldn't show distance running?
In New Zealand we got the whole women's 10,000 m live on TV (and streaming video online) and today we got most of the women's marathon on TV and if you wanted to watch the whole thing and miss the commercial breaks it was online too.
Last night (NZ time) we got Shot Put, Men's 100m and the 800m of the Women's Heptathlon... all of these were either live or slight delay in some cases.
Are there really less people that follow distance running in the USA than in New Zealand?
Here in US they did show nearly the entire women's marathon. So I give them props for that.
It is crap they can't show the whole women's 10k, especially considering an American took 3rd. Yet they show endless hours of beach volleyball.
But overall, I'm not disappointed with the Track coverage. I'm a distance runner but I love to watch the sprints, too. But if NBC doesn't show the whole 5000m men's and women's, I will be pissed. NBC, listen up.
................ wrote:
Are there really less people that follow distance running in the USA than in New Zealand?
No, we are just a country ruled by GREED. That GREED is what causes the networks to make the decisions they make. That GREED is why we woefully lag behind every other country in the free world in technology. The large corporations can make more profits by limiting the amount of "product" they give to consumers at any one time. Why give 3 units for 3 bucks when you can give 1 unit for 2 bucks 3 times? Who cares if that GREED is going to screw us in the future?
ripvanracer wrote:
That GREED is why we woefully lag behind every other country in the free world in technology.
Maybe it is that greed that helps us to actually be one of the forerunners in technology.
I hate enormous amounts of advertising as much as the next guy, but dont kid yourself.