There is no broadcast coverage in North America.
Pretty sure EU coverage is scandalously minimal.
The Freecaster/WC coverage 2012 thread
- Thread starter big-ted
- Start date
Pretty sure EU coverage is scandalously minimal.
yes, everything is in english. But if you read it, it looks like it's been run through a translating machine rather than written in english, as illustrated by the quote I included.
Universal HD (I think it is) airs the World Cup rounds in the US with DH/4X as one broadcast and XC as another. Usually on at 3AM or something.
gotcha - since they offer different languages, your post made it sound like you were on a non english page and had to run it through a translator.
I like how every conceivable search term doesn't turn that up. I tried to search for EU coverage as well. That's the sort of crap that we need far less of...
I randomly caught it once and then just set up the DVR. The commentary is unbelievably bad and, when combined with the ridiculous airing times, I can't really imagine anyone watching.
any more specifics?
i just checked the universal hd schedule for july and august - nothing about mountain biking anywhere. searching their schedule for keywords like 'nissan', 'uci', 'mountain biking', etc. shows nothing.
So, a bit of conjecture here: TV channels pay the UCI to purchase their TV programs. And the UCI is paying to produce their programs. But the programs kinda suck, especially for DH, so not many people are watching it because the Freecaster coverage is much better. So Freecaster is pulling viewers away from their TV coverage, which is what is supposed to be making the UCI some money to cover their production costs. Eliminate Freecaster and hope for higher TV viewing numbers, ultimately generating more revenue - possibly to improve the programming or at least cover their production costs.
I don't like guessing, but one possible scenario.
I don't like guessing, but one possible scenario.
Well, I've been without power since early Sunday so...no
Universal Sports, sorry. They also have the occasional BMX event. I see BMX Supercross listed for Saturday.
Edit: But no mountain biking listed at least through Sunday:
http://www.universalsports.com/tv-listings/sport=CY/index.html
I don't know about you but I don't watch the feeds for Rob. I watch for the racing. I don't think they would "lose" anyone if they dropped him.
I have only watched eurosport once but for me it looked like the same video just with a very boring and bland commentary. I thought Freecaster guys were also the producers of the video.
Depends on the substitute. I really lost interest when Nigel was commenting. When Rob does it Im glued, when Page did it I decided it was time to clean up my flat.
Thats when I usually end up providing my own commentary.
Turning up some favorite riding tunes and yelling at the computer screen will keep ones self entertained. 
all i can say is this is perfect timing for me, looking into live video feeds for my new series!
Good logical response to someone saying they probably wouldn't watch.
I have to turn off the sound when Rob's commenting. Either that or wear headphones so he doesn't wake up/offend the rest of the household, but it's not worth being tied to the computer that way so I just turn off the sound.
edited to add: I think my post came off as overly harsh. As I've said before, I think Rob's probably a pretty good guy and would be fun to hang out with. For myself, I can deal with his commentary even if I roll my eyes some times. But for a broader audience, I think he either needs to tone it down. But all this is moot now because the UCI seems hell bent on... ignoring DH MTB and/or keeping it a fringe activity.
Here's a thought: maybe the top pros and teams will get tired of their isht and start racing more in the privately sponsored race series like the IXS Cup and Maxxis Cup. Of course we'd have to have promoters doing the same in the Americas and Oz and NZ too. But I think it's possible. I think that's the way it is in road , where the big races (Tour de France, Giro, Vuelta, Amstel Gold, Paris-Roubaix, Fleche Wallone etc etc etc) are organized by private promoters. They are such big, historic, and important races, with large prize purses that the pros want to race them, and the UCI kinda has to sanction them.
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Anyone else think that something really really REALLY stinks here with regard to this "Rocky Roads Network"?? They come completely out of nowhere and the press release makes it seem like they have been a long standing and established company.
Check out the owner's linkedin profile. The network claims to have started in 2011 and he used to be a hotel bartender?????
http://www.linkedin.com/in/sietseschelpe
Postings on the website only date back to July of this year yet over 200K visit daily? I'm calling BS.
Additionally, the website links to a twitter accoun and most of the 7,000+ followers are of a very curious type such as this one... https://twitter.com/#!/webcashhelp
See a full list of laughable followers here https://twitter.com/#!/RockyRoadsntwrk/followers
Something is seriously shady here. Either the UCI has decided on a very strange bedfellow or they are in on a fix.
Check out the owner's linkedin profile. The network claims to have started in 2011 and he used to be a hotel bartender?????
http://www.linkedin.com/in/sietseschelpe
Postings on the website only date back to July of this year yet over 200K visit daily? I'm calling BS.
Additionally, the website links to a twitter accoun and most of the 7,000+ followers are of a very curious type such as this one... https://twitter.com/#!/webcashhelp
See a full list of laughable followers here https://twitter.com/#!/RockyRoadsntwrk/followers
Something is seriously shady here. Either the UCI has decided on a very strange bedfellow or they are in on a fix.
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Not sure we would lose anyone watching if Rob was gone or stayed, but we probably aren't gaining anyone either. And apparently someone isn't making enough money to keep this thing going on feecaster. I like Rob, and can laugh at his antics for sure but not sure there is enough of the public that would feel the same way. I'm sure a more professional style is what will be needed to compliment the riding that you are watching. Rob's like one of your buds watching it with you in your home talking crazy sh*t but theres always a bunch of people outside that think it's annoying.
And the feed was getting real good this year especially the last few races. Guess we'll be looking for either Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwen or John Madden and Pat Summerall to make the calls for a larger audience. Bummer but understandable.
Also, thought this sport was making its way towards cable tv. Thought we'd see it on Vs. in a few years. who knows....
And the feed was getting real good this year especially the last few races. Guess we'll be looking for either Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwen or John Madden and Pat Summerall to make the calls for a larger audience. Bummer but understandable.
Also, thought this sport was making its way towards cable tv. Thought we'd see it on Vs. in a few years. who knows....
I've dropped notes to some of my chamois-sniffing loudmouth journalist friends from the road world re: RockyRoads. They're always itching for a fight with McQuaid.
The UCI is about to get a pretty serious grilling from people they can't readily ignore...
The UCI is about to get a pretty serious grilling from people they can't readily ignore...
Looks like UCI went full retard this year, about 8000£ for dirt to film 20min over the week. Ironically in a sport were most pepole are in it for just the fun of riding, the most shady buisness ethics is being used and normal human sense is thrown out the window. When everthing was really looking up for the sport the UCI may have almost killed it with a couple of strokes with a pen, really sad.
I must admit, it seems pretty strange. I think their hit counter figures must be fudged. I know there are companies that will take your money to artificially boost your twitter followers and hit counters by getting a load of illegitimate viewers to sign up.Anyone else think that something really really REALLY stinks here with regard to this "Rocky Roads Network"?? They come completely out of nowhere and the press release makes it seem like they have been a long standing and established company.
Check out the owner's linkedin profile. The network claims to have started in 2011 and he used to be a hotel bartender?????
http://www.linkedin.com/in/sietseschelpe
Postings on the website only date back to July of this year yet over 200K visit daily? I'm calling BS.
Additionally, the website links to a twitter accoun and most of the 7,000+ followers are of a very curious type such as this one... https://twitter.com/#!/webcashhelp
See a full list of laughable followers here https://twitter.com/#!/RockyRoadsntwrk/followers
Something is seriously shady here. Either the UCI has decided on a very strange bedfellow or they are in on a fix.
However, there is another possibility here to explain the sponsorship. It could be that Rocky Roads is just a collection of individuals who really like mountain biking, have a marginal website but lots of cash from outside sources (independently wealthy) and they want to take it to the next level.
God knows mountain biking needs sugar daddys!
Wow. That blows.
I was poking around the UCIs annual report to try to get some salary figures, etc. and I did find that mountain biking is their only discipline in which expenses exceed revenues. In other words, mountain biking is in the red. So the other cycling disciplines are slightly paying out to cover the mountain bike events. Road cycling on the other hand brings in 10x as it spends and has a huge net revenue.
Just gives some background as to why the UCI may be hunting for money in the mtn bike discipline and not others.
EDIT: Just looked at it again, BMX also is in the red.
I'm not so sure.
Case in point. Brune Mazereel - Managing Partner, Rocky Roads
A very odd and sporadic career path. I will give the benefit of the doubt with regard to work, but at face value, I consider eyebrow raising, along the same lines of people that publish self help books etc...
http://www.linkedin.com/in/brunomazereel
As for being a cycling enthusiast, not according to his own website.
http://www.brunomazereel.com/
In all seriousness what powers does the UCI have to sue Dirt for filming on the course?
Currious really?
Also, why don't some freelancers just go film, tell them to fuk off and post the vids on youtube?
There is obviously no money in downhill. Look at the pour souls at the Specialized tent and their meager provisions: 
This site seemed a little empty, so i took a look around some of my favorite resources to see if i could find out anything about it's traffic in comparison to some of the most popular sites we all know.
Compete:
- look for unique visitors
Dirt:
http://siteanalytics.compete.com/dirt.mpora.com/
Pinkbike:
http://siteanalytics.compete.com/pinkbike.com/
Ridemonkey:
http://siteanalytics.compete.com/ridemonkey.com/
Rocky Roads:
https://img.skitch.com/20110901-t1i1tr389taf799mmqesdy7j1y.jpg
Alexa:
- Look for rank and traffic information
Dirt
N/A since it's a subdomain of Mpora it gets kinda fudged.
Pinkbike:
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/pinkbike.com
Ridemonkey:
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/ridemonkey.com
Rocky Roads:
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/rockyroadsnetwork.com
Who is:
Rocky Roads:
http://www.whois.net/whois/rockyroadsnetwork.com
Creation date: 14 Jul 2010 15:48:00
Expiration date: 14 Jul 2012 10:48:00
Compete:
- look for unique visitors
Dirt:
http://siteanalytics.compete.com/dirt.mpora.com/
Pinkbike:
http://siteanalytics.compete.com/pinkbike.com/
Ridemonkey:
http://siteanalytics.compete.com/ridemonkey.com/
Rocky Roads:
https://img.skitch.com/20110901-t1i1tr389taf799mmqesdy7j1y.jpg
Alexa:
- Look for rank and traffic information
Dirt
N/A since it's a subdomain of Mpora it gets kinda fudged.
Pinkbike:
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/pinkbike.com
Ridemonkey:
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/ridemonkey.com
Rocky Roads:
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/rockyroadsnetwork.com
Who is:
Rocky Roads:
http://www.whois.net/whois/rockyroadsnetwork.com
Creation date: 14 Jul 2010 15:48:00
Expiration date: 14 Jul 2012 10:48:00
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I think the UCI just got busted for giving out contracts internally. To bad there is no governing body to kick their ass. Man it pisses me off when $hitty people do $hitty things to stuff I like. We had a good thing going... and now--- just a truckload of fvck.
The more we dig, the more it stinks.
Dirt link for more mud flinging: http://dirt.mpora.com/news/uci-world-cup-heading-rocky-road.html
Dirt link for more mud flinging: http://dirt.mpora.com/news/uci-world-cup-heading-rocky-road.html
If it is in the red let the drop it and let some independent governing body take over it. I wouldnt be suprised it is in the red because idiots who dont understand it run it.
I need to point out that the RockyRoad thing is the title sponsor for the entire WC series, IE XC as well. Ain't nobody happy. It is highly unlikely that we'll see RockyRoad on a numberplate come April, as far as I'm concerned.
Every rider and media outlet is out for blood now.
Every rider and media outlet is out for blood now.
Just saw on that Dirt thread that they've been banned from the event.... wtf??!?! should there be a total media boycott of the event now? Maybe industry too?! I mean the UCI are totalling fvcking with their industry...
More details? Out for blood in what way? From a spectator standpoint I can see how this whole situation sucks; but why is industry pissed off?
For the same reason we all are.
There is obvious fraud involved here. Should be a nightmare unfolding.
wouldn't industry be even more pissed than spectators caus' this is their bread winner and the UCI is screwing up the sport? and hence their ability to make money/earn a living?
WOw, what a fawking conspiracy!
UCI-gate?
UCI-gate?
