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View Full Version : Local media=no race coverage?



Crankin
07-02-2007, 07:39 AM
This is not the most important topic in the world, but it was a topic of discussion in my house over the weekend. Last Thursday-Sunday was Fitchburg Longsjo Classic Stage Race. This is a well attended race that attracts teams from all over the country. OK, it's not as big as the Tour of CA, but it definitely isn't a small little thing. I have been 3 times in the past 6 years and there were lots of spectators each time. So why was there not ONE mention of this in any local newspaper or TV station? The only thing I saw was last week there was an article about one of the local women racers, who rides for the Terry Precsion Cycling Team. This was before the race started. In the past, the Boston Globe has covered the race, although with a small amount of attention. It always was a good lead up to TdF coverage. Cycling is a hugely popular sport here so there's no lack of interest. I am going to write a letter to the Sports Editor of the Globe, but it just seems weird that there was nothing, not even a final results review this morning.

rapid cycler
07-02-2007, 10:18 AM
I hear you, especially given sporting events that do get television coverage. I guess people like sport fishing and strongest-man competitions, but really…

My beef is the almost total lack of coverage of women's cycling at all outside of tris, the Olympics, and the occasional mountain biking competition. I know male viewers drive the market, but sheesh, watching sports TV you'd hardly know a woman has ever mounted a road bike.

Zen
07-02-2007, 10:24 AM
Watching televised sport you'd probably not know women existed unless the "card girls" in wrestling and boxing and NASCAR champagne girls count.

Hey! Let's watch people sitting on their @sses playing poker!

rapid cycler
07-02-2007, 10:41 AM
Watching televised sport you'd probably not know women existed unless the "card girls" in wrestling and boxing and NASCAR champagne girls count.

Hey! Let's watch people sitting on their @sses playing poker!

Agh! Yes, I forgot to mention the endless card-playing coverage. Zen, you always make me laugh.

Maybe Lifetime "Television for Women" could show a couple fewer movies about women being abused and/or killed by their boyfriends/husbands and show us some women sweating and achieving stuff. Or is women's television like the new P.E., where no one's allowed to want to win?

Crankin
07-02-2007, 01:18 PM
I do agree with you about the women's sports stuff, but this race is not just a women's race! It's a race for all categories, women, juniors, masters. That's what was so surprising to me. I think the fact that there was some type of NASCAR race in NH this past weekend took it off the radar screen.

Eden
07-02-2007, 03:23 PM
Yeah - usually you can find out who won the high school football game or who placed in the track meet before you hear anything about a cycling race around here, but occasionally
http://www.theolympian.com/sports/story/150555.html
(this is the race I participated in this weekend - no they don't talk about us only the 1/2 women and men and the 3 men were interviewed, but hey at least they mention that we raced!)