From: RAJA@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
Subject: Re: USA Today on Triplecast
Date: 28 Jul 92 18:34:59 GMT
 <bfmmjna@lynx.unm.edu> <1992Jul28.073058.4282@erg.sri.com>
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

In article <1992Jul28.073058.4282@erg.sri.com>, vlad@erg.sri.com (vlad) says:
>
>In article <bfmmjna@lynx.unm.edu> blowfish@carina.unm.edu (rON.) writes:
>>
>>I don't feel bad for NBC. I've given it much thought. I just don't feel
>>bad for them. They had the potential to make an absolute >mint< on this.
>>Re-coup all thier expenses from these games, and turn a profit type mint.
>>
>>And lets face it...it would have been >so< >easy< too. Agreed upon points:
>>
>>Problem: Not Enough Events.
>>Solution: One of two possible solution:
>>1) Take 1 of the three channels and devote it exclusivley to minor sports.
>>Live and pre-taped events in a variety of sports. Don't have to show all
>>the heats in all the events, but even just the finals in all the minor
>events.
>
>Amen. The stupidity and ignorance of the NBC TripleCast bosses is amazing.
>You will not see any of the exciting track cycling races, including many
>favoured US cyclists going for the gold. No badminton, table tennis,
>fencing, martial arts, rowing, kayaking, team hadball, field hockey, etc.,
>etc. Why? Becuase "there is no room on the 3 channels for these events."
>
>So, what do they have room for? Let's take a look at the schedule. My
>favorite highlights (REAL ONES):
>
>Volleyball Cuba vs. Algeria. Watch the greatest team in the world play
>against one of the worst. Who will win? The excitement is kiling me.
>
>Five basketball games per day. Yes, for all of you working stiffs who don't
>know how to waste 10 hours per day.
>
>Nine (count them!)  hours per day of tennis prelims. Yes, indeed, this is
>for me. I will gladly cancel my own tennis games, plop myself on the sofa
>and spend the next 9 hours staring at some strangers getting a workout on
>the court.
>
>Diving prelims. Where else can you see people jump into the water ten
>thousand times in a row. There will be a quiz later: you will have to name
>every dive you saw and explain the differences between them.
>
>Prelims in wrestling for 6 hours per day. Watch fat men from obscure places
>hug each other for 6 minutes, at the end of which both men get disqualified
>either for inaction or for indecent show of mutual affection.
>
>Prelims in bosing for 6 hours per day. For all of those who enjoyed
>torturing frogs in their childhood. Six hours per day of non-stop brain
>damaging and brain damage!
>
>Look, I am not against any of these sports. I like them. Especially
>volleyball and tennis. But one has to have a sense of proportions. Ten
>hours per day of any sport is ridiculous. Especially when we are talking
>about preliminaries. No fan will want to watch that much. Thus, NBC did not
>win any more subscribers by, say, showing 9 hours of tennis per day as
>opposed to, say, 3 hours.
>
>However, by not showing any of the "minor" sports, they have lost millions
>of $$$$ in revenue. Because the number of cycling fans may be smaller than
>th enumber of boxing fans but by subtracting a total of 5 hours from the 80
>or so hours of boxing coverage and giving it to cycling, they would have
>lost none of the boxing fans and would have won thousands of new cycling
>fans.
>
>But they did not. Why? Are htese people REALLY idiots with respect to
>business decisions? Or are they so out of touch with their fans that they
>have no idea of what people like and don't like?
>
>Of course, we can call NBC and complain. but do not expect them to pick up
>the phone: all of them are too busy watching the Cuba vs. Algiers
>"cliffhanger" or the USA_Angola "nailbiter".
>
>Vlad
>
>Employer disagrees

Amen! Amen! I think the problem is the decisions were based on a warped sense o
f priorities. Whatever I think of the Dream Team,am I the only one who finds th
is grating at times, I take no pleasure in seeing our big boys beat up on other
 teams,in more ways than one.

I don't have the triple cast, can't afford it and don't have the time for it an
yway. But on the Network broadcast when all they show is an entire basketball g
ame with brief shots of swimmers and gymnasts(falling all over the place for so
me strange reason) I say Aaaaarghhh!!

Any road there is not much i can do except vent my feelings on the net

rajagopalan
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics