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Is it me, or does Fuel TV completely SUCK?

freshwire

freshwire

Monkey
May 24, 2007
105
0
Roanoke Virginia
Well, I had Fuel a year ago and got rid of it after a month because it was basically "The Skate Channel"...then this summer I was in a bar and it was on the big screen and they were showing all these insane epic DH/FR crashes and race footage...still I resisted the temptation...now it's winter and I'm bored out of my skull with short days and no work...so i got it again...and it STILL sucks!!! Skating out the ass...snowboarding, lots of BMX and park...surfing??? At least they have some MX for godsakes!!!

Can anyone tell me why, what with all the miles and miles of mtb video out there that Fuel chooses not to play any of it...?? I know they played the Rampage...but the list ends there, doesn't it??? Why can't they play clips from "Roam" "Earthed" "Drift" "The Tipping Point" etc????

Do people think DH/FR is boring??? I just don't know what this world is coming to????:confused:
 
DhDork

DhDork

Monkey
Mar 30, 2007
352
0
Hell, AZ
Ian Collins said:
exactly....there's no money in gravity cycling compared to surf/skate/snow....it's not as if brands like knolly, cove, and race face have "mad cash" in their marketing budget to spend on ads during fuel tv breaks....
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Yes, but FuelTV is exactly what we would need to start to bring more money into the sport and make it more popular. They could showcase the few select contests such as CrankWorx, Rampage, or the AT showdown. Or hell, maybe show the 7 or so total world cup races on ESPN. It's not like they can't cut out a meaningless basketball game from 1973 or SportsCenter for a couple of hours. That's the same f-n show ALL DAY LONG.

Edit: I actually like FuelTV. I do ride any bike and snowboard, I just don't skate, surf, or ride moto. I probably would if I could afford a moto, had a beach, or could ride a plank of wood without my feet attached. So, I like to watch it all, and understand there is some real talent in some of those sports, and it is an art form. So, if it's raining out, I'm injured, or just bored, I do like to kick back and watch Built 2 Shred.
 
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ridiculous

ridiculous

Turbo Monkey
Jan 18, 2005
2,907
1
MD / NoVA
So True^^^. Also, its not like DH isnt entertaining to watch. People love to see crashes and people taking risks and that pretty much sums up our sport. It wouldn't kill them to show a few things. Especially the WC events, movies, or hell even some of the decent series displayed on pinkbike. stun'd etc.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,063
5,974
borcester rhymes
they could spend an hour and throw up some freecaster coverage from any event...ought to be entertaining enough to watch.
 
bigbirdie

bigbirdie

Monkey
Feb 28, 2002
153
0
CT
they claim to be all about extreme sports but I think that the level of mtn bike riding that is being thrown down these days is steps above the skating, surfing, etc. that they show daily on fueltv.......now don't get me wrong, the BMX stuff I can appreciate but I too don't understand why they can't show some mtn bike racing or events once in a while?.....so, go here: http://www.fuel.tv/contact/ and click on the "suggest an enhancement" link and email them your thoughts/suggestions....maybe if enough of us do it, they may take it seriously......just my $.02.
 
S

sbabuser

Turbo Monkey
Dec 22, 2004
1,114
55
Golden, CO
Built to shred is one of my favorite shows, but mainly because they throw bmx in there. Seems like there's a handful of famous mtbrs that could also ride the stuff they build - wonder why they don't try to expand their audience a little further.
 
woodsguy

woodsguy

gets infinity MPG
Mar 18, 2007
1,083
1
Sutton, MA
MAVTV shows some good mtb. The show Ride Guide had the BC Bike Race, RB Rampage, tours of resorts, etc. Plus, its HD.
 
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BigHitComp04

BigHitComp04

Monkey
Jun 20, 2005
586
3
Morgantown, WV
I probably watch Fuel more than any other channel. If youre watching it for MTB then yeah it sucks...occasionally they will show some Rampage stuff. But i watch it for skate, snowboard, surf, some BMX. I respect what all of those guys are doing. TV sucks in general...
 
MinorThreat

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
DhDork said:
Yes, but FuelTV is exactly what we would need to start to bring more money into the sport and make it more popular.
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It doesn't really work that way, though. Usually a sport has to be popular first before it gets on media outlets' radar enough for them to 'discover' it and then to finally start delivering it.

Motocross in the U.S. was virtually ignored until some savvy promoters figured out how to repackage it, jam it into big sports arenas in the center of major metropolitan areas, call it as supercross and arenacross and turn it from a small enthusiast's sport into a bona fide spectator sport with mass appeal. Then the sponsors and TV naturally came with it.
 
DhDork

DhDork

Monkey
Mar 30, 2007
352
0
Hell, AZ
MinorThreat said:
It doesn't really work that way, though. Usually a sport has to be popular first before it gets on media outlets' radar enough for them to 'discover' it and then to finally start delivering it.

Motocross in the U.S. was virtually ignored until some savvy promoters figured out how to repackage it, jam it into big sports arenas in the center of major metropolitan areas, call it as supercross and arenacross and turn it from a small enthusiast's sport into a bona fide spectator sport with mass appeal. Then the sponsors and TV naturally came with it.
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Our sport already is quite popular. When I tell people I ride DH mtn bikes, the first thing that comes to there mind is clips from rampage or older race footage. Get the current footage in their face and they may just pick up a bike. You can't tell me AT showdown, Crankworx, or any other big contest we have can't be packed into an arena to appeal to a wider audience. Contests like that don't really need a mountain, just massive gaps and riders with a bag of tricks.
 
MinorThreat

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
DhDork said:
Our sport already is quite popular. When I tell people I ride DH mtn bikes, the first thing that comes to there mind is clips from rampage or older race footage. Get the current footage in their face and they may just pick up a bike. You can't tell me AT showdown, Crankworx, or any other big contest we have can't be packed into an arena to appeal to a wider audience. Contests like that don't really need a mountain, just massive gaps and riders with a bag of tricks.
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I won't tell you that because that is exactly the point I was trying to make - - you need to figure out a way to get it in front of a layman crowd in large urban centers in some exaggerated format in order to build awareness.

And, realistically, in terms of mass awareness and appeal, the sport is downright tiny. Yes, it's finally reaching the consciousness of people outside cycling enthusiasts; but don't kid yourself that - - in the States at least - - it is "quite popular."

NASCAR is "quite popular"
Motocross is "quite popular"
NHRA drag racing is "quite popular"
Even downhill skiing is "quite popular" - - because it gets good coverage in the Winter Olympics; and because millions more average people downhill ski for recreation than do downhill mountain bike.

Downhill mountain biking just looks to the layman like adults playing a big BMX on an engineless motocross bike.
 
woodsguy

woodsguy

gets infinity MPG
Mar 18, 2007
1,083
1
Sutton, MA
You really want people to think mountain biking is all about gap jumps? I would rather they think of it as a super fun way to get a work out while enjoying beautiful scenery and fresh air.
 
supercow

supercow

Monkey
Feb 18, 2009
969
128
I love fuel as I watch all the surfing on it.
The Fuel android app suck haemorrhoids and has never actually played a video for me (an no, im a tech geek who designs software for a living, it's not my fault it aint workin!)
 
DhDork

DhDork

Monkey
Mar 30, 2007
352
0
Hell, AZ
woodsguy said:
You really want people to think mountain biking is all about gap jumps? I would rather they think of it as a super fun way to get a work out while enjoying beautiful scenery and fresh air.
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No, but that is about the only realistic way I can see putting it in front of a large mass of people, in a city, without a mountain.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,871
24,456
media blackout
DhDork said:
Yes, but FuelTV is exactly what we would need to start to bring more money into the sport and make it more popular.
Click to expand...
it's kind of a catch 22, you need money to get onto fuel tv (be it the money to produce a show or advertising money)

And let's face it, not a ton of bike companies are dumping oodles of money into dh/freeride be it race teams or sponsoring events. Yea, trek/SC/spesh and a few others have world cup teams, but that's the extent of their investment.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,871
24,456
media blackout
MinorThreat said:
Motocross in the U.S. was virtually ignored until some savvy promoters figured out how to repackage it, jam it into big sports arenas in the center of major metropolitan areas, call it as supercross and arenacross and turn it from a small enthusiast's sport into a bona fide spectator sport with mass appeal. Then the sponsors and TV naturally came with it.
Click to expand...
they also used monster trucks.
 
Hesh To Steel

Hesh To Steel

Monkey
Dec 12, 2007
661
1
Hell's Kitchen
DhDork said:
Our sport already is quite popular. When I tell people I ride DH mtn bikes, the first thing that comes to there mind is clips from rampage or older race footage. Get the current footage in their face and they may just pick up a bike..
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This sport is definitely not "quite popular". Maybe the people you talk to just happen to be more aware of outdoor/extreme activities, but pretty much everyone I've ever talked to about gravity riding who wasn't a cyclist or happened to have a friend who raced (this happened exactly one time) has needed an explanation on what DH really is.

I think this happens in all little subcultures. People within the group sometimes start feeling as if their activity/interest is mainstream when in reality, that couldn't be farther from the truth.
 
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