[norbar]

Also can we go back on topic on how 30 top riders is shit and UCI and Gary want to destroy downhill?

Since seriously for all I care everyone on earth and mars may watch other sports. Doesn't change the fact that 30 rider qualified is a stupid change. We don't need dh to become mainstream or get viewers. It's a good sport as it is. So stop trying to break it. I'm surprised the resident anti change prophet is of opposite opinion

 

[iRider]

Apparently an Estimated 10-12 million spectators line the roads over the 3 weeks of the tour each year.
I've absolutely no idea who counts them.

Let me guess: they all have a mobile phone on them, so NSA?

 

[norbar]

Let me guess: they all have a mobile phone on them, so NSA?

That's actually doable through telephone providers but european privacy laws mean they wont get that data.

Still my point stands. Popularity or not this is a bad change for DH. Keep 60 riders qualified. Screw whatever the corporate overlords want. TDF can be long, snooker can be long. Ffs Eurosport shows curling and yes it gets viewership but that's because on eurosport. Lets compare return on ratings.

 

[Gary]

you may be grumpy at me since we had a spat yesterday

Hahaha... No mate. you're well off the mark there
Firstly I didn't think we had a spat at all. We simply have differing opinions on something fairly inconsequential. I was just having fun with you as you seemed to want to talk an afwul lot about sports you don't seem to know a whole lot about. I foulnd the whole thing amusing. so i've no idea why on earth you'd think that make me grumpy?
FWIW I've never posted anything in anger here. I just don't take messages on the internet that seriously. Especially when the subject matter is bicycles

Secondly. I simply don't have a whole lot of interest in the backmarkers in DH races. although back in the unsensored Warner commertary days it wa sfunny as hell listening to him intentionally mispronounce their names and laugh when they rode poorly or crashes. I'd love to hear how you've come to the conclusion I want to ruin the sport from that?

Thirdly. and most importantly. You don't actually know ANYTHING about the plans to reduce the field in DH at WC level at all yet. other than one tiny bit of gossip from youtube.
I don't (yet) see how your over speculation and fag packet calculations on spectator/viewer numbers are even relevant.

so how about you wind yer neck back in, eh?

 

[Gary]

curling

Fuck sake!

you really can't help yourself can you?

 

[norbar]

Hahaha... No mate. you're well off the mark there
Firstly I didn't think we had a spat at all. We simply have differing opinions on something fairly inconsequential. I was just having fun with you as you seemed to want to talk an afwul lot about sports you don't seem to know a whole lot about. I foulnd the whole thing amusing. so i've no idea why on earth you'd think that make me grumpy?
FWIW I've never posted anything in anger here. I just don't take messages on the internet that seriously. Especially when the subject matter is bicycles

Secondly. I simply don't have a whole lot of interest in the backmarkers in DH races. although back in the unsensored Warner commertary days it wa sfunny as hell listening to him intentionally mispronounce their names and laugh when they rode poorly or crashes. I'd love to hear how you've come to the conclusion I want to ruin the sport from that?

Thirdly. and most importantly. You don't actually know ANYTHING about the plans to reduce the field in DH at WC level at all yet. other than one tiny bit of gossip from youtube.
I don't (yet) see how your over speculation and fag packet calculations on spectator/viewer numbers are even relevant.

so how about you wind yer neck back in, eh?

1. Gary I love your assumptions. First you don't read what I wrote. Then you tell me I dont know a lot about some sports where you know nothing about. Stop inventing things. I was in a cycle club, had a licence. I used to go to Marco Pantanis birth place every year. Crashed at 70kph trying to do 1 giro stage.

2. I don't knowwhat I talk about? I am talking about TVstats. I work in TV and I work with TV data DAILY. I work for Discoverys big competitor. I run channels that compete with Disco channels. But yeah I'm speculating and you're the expert in the field you know zero about. Gary you would deny any statement just to argue. Even if you have no knowledge about. You are a Golf, Tennis, Cycling, TV expert. Yeah...


3. As for why I Think it ruins the sport? As I've said before. Reading is an important skill. Consider perfecting it. Since I have said why limiting the number to 30 riders is bad. Fewer riders get exposure so fewer riders get sponsor interest. You get fewer privateers starting and lower rotation at the top.This is bad. Also most people not named Gary like Downhill and they like watching it. So they also like watching slower riders. As people have said before. If not for the 60 rider field we would not have many breakout stories.

4. Yes this is speculation but you have turned it into a weird shitstorm about better sports and disputes about data you don't know how is collected and know nothing about.

5. I'm not angry Gary I'd just simply like you to read full posts from other people instead of reading parts of them (like where I claimed TDF takes place in 1 spot or where I didn't write why a 30 rider field is bad...) and maybe not to be making weird comparisons that not only take this off topic but also outside of your area of expertise. Also if you're not angry at me please stop treating me like an idiot since that seems pretty hostile from where I'm standing.

 

[norbar]

Fuck sake!

you really can't help yourself can you?

Aah Gary the well known Head of Global Data and Research for NBC Universal will tell me how Curling is seen yearly by 200 milion people.

Also he will of course tell me this is not due to platforms it's on but that it also gets prime time positioning and gets a good return on schedule in ratings. Curling gets some ratings during the winter olympics. It gets some ratings due to presence on Eurosport. It's a watchable sport. It's not golf or whatever you will compare it to huge. Even if you like it.

 

[toodles]

I like how the "nobody watches road" comment has turned into "it's most likely less than a billion people who watch road" argument

Someone is watching it, I doubt TV companies are paying millions per year for coverage rights for the fun of it. NBC Sports reckons US viewership alone is 0.3 million a day

 

[norbar]

I like how the "nobody watches road" comment has turned into "it's most likely less than a billion people who watch road" argument

Someone is watching it, I doubt TV companies are paying millions per year for coverage rights for the fun of it. NBC Sports reckons US viewership alone is 0.3 million a day

Did anyone really say nobody watches road?

The original comment wasn't "nobody watches road". It was "most people don't watch road" and that's fairly true. Road doesn't get Soccer or US foodball viewer numbers. That was in relation to "most people can understand watching road".

So essentially I said "most people don't watch road but even people that don't watch road are more understanding/watching road because it's an established/legacy sport".

Generally yeah road is reasonably big but not huge. That's why it gets ratings though it gets ratings for select few events. It's not like soccer where league matches are important too so you get tons and tons of content. I have special meetings at work what to do for Olympics and Soccer to counter the viewer drain. Never happened with Road in any European country.


Still that's off topic. The real topic is the rumored 30 rider limit but apparently all everyone wants to talk about are TV ratings now.

 

[iRider]

Somehow I cannot find DH Worldcup or RB Rampage on this list.

Most Watched Sporting Events of All Time

Sports are a universal language. The numbers don't lie.

www.stadiumtalk.com

 

[norbar]

Somehow I cannot find DH Worldcup or RB Rampage on this list.

Most Watched Sporting Events of All Time

Sports are a universal language. The numbers don't lie.

www.stadiumtalk.com

Yeah but no one argues we are enjoying a poplular sport. I'd argue it's good it's not popular so we get less bullshit that goes with it.

Also jesus those lists are dumb AF. This one claims 3.5 bilion TDF viewership yearly. 50% of the planet. I mean there is pulling numbers out of your ass and then there is this. No televised event on earth gets close to those numbers.

Wiki has a more realistic list. Some of them I'd still dispute (the CCTV one) but yeah https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most-watched_television_broadcasts

 

[sethimus]

1,5 mio:

 

[Gary]

Curling is seen yearly by 200 milion people.

I was laughing at you for bringing up yet another irrelevant Sport originating from Scotland in the 15th century.
We need a sweepstake on which sport you're going to mention next to derail your own pointless thread of nothinness?

Bagsie cabre tossing

 

[sethimus]

 

[Gary]

So theoretically the top 30 may refuse to race if they're unhappy with the tracks... but the show being already paid for and set-up that'd leave the door open for 30th-60th place riders to compete making everyone here happy again... well... almost everyone

 

[sethimus]

why are you assuming the crowd here supports unsafe courses?

 

[Gary]

I'm not.
I (wrongly) assumed the crowd here might detect obvious satirical hyperbole and sarcasm

 

[StiHacka]

I'm not.
I (wrongly) assumed the crowd here might detect obvious satirical hyperbole and sarcasm

Your sarcasm is well masked by your Scottish accent.

 

[Gary]

Thanks