Hi All, Where are the sailing-channels, who covers the America's Cup, the Hobart, Volvo Ocean Race (Formerly Whitbread) etc. Thanks for info. Peter / Nepomuk
Sailing on TV...?
- Thread starter Morski Krastavac
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Sailing? What's that?
Contrary to our beliefs, sailing is not a spectator sport. Most people who have not experienced anything more sophisticated than hitting or throwing a ball aren't entertained by watching any other 'sport'. Actually, sailing is not a sport...it's a way of life! Sailing moves way too slow for commercial TV. Forget about seeing the elimination process, if the finishes are exciting, you may see a minute or less of the finish....interrupted by 10 or 12 commercials, and the incessant babbling of a commentator who probably knows nothing of which he speaks. If anything is actually shown on ESPN or others, rest assured it will be on at 0200 - 0400 on weeknights........ :-( I do sound rather negative today, don't I? Maybe it's the 29 degrees and snow squalls....
Contrary to our beliefs, sailing is not a spectator sport. Most people who have not experienced anything more sophisticated than hitting or throwing a ball aren't entertained by watching any other 'sport'. Actually, sailing is not a sport...it's a way of life! Sailing moves way too slow for commercial TV. Forget about seeing the elimination process, if the finishes are exciting, you may see a minute or less of the finish....interrupted by 10 or 12 commercials, and the incessant babbling of a commentator who probably knows nothing of which he speaks. If anything is actually shown on ESPN or others, rest assured it will be on at 0200 - 0400 on weeknights........ :-( I do sound rather negative today, don't I? Maybe it's the 29 degrees and snow squalls....
Not here in the States
If you want to see sailing on T.V., I'm afraid you'll have to go to France.
If you want to see sailing on T.V., I'm afraid you'll have to go to France.
water channel
if you have dish network channel 216 is the r&r channel or water channel, pretty cool stuff, also on mens channel 218 i think latts&atts has there tv show, cool sailing show
if you have dish network channel 216 is the r&r channel or water channel, pretty cool stuff, also on mens channel 218 i think latts&atts has there tv show, cool sailing show
Cable OLN
OLN (Outdoor Life Network) will carry the Americas Cup from Loui Vitton through the finals but you will have to wait until next year. Hey, if they can make Golf exiting on TV sailing should be a "Breeze".
OLN (Outdoor Life Network) will carry the Americas Cup from Loui Vitton through the finals but you will have to wait until next year. Hey, if they can make Golf exiting on TV sailing should be a "Breeze".
TIVO
I have my TIVO set to search for program listings containing the words sailing, yachting, boating and others. I can confirm that there isn't much on my cable service along those lines, except for the occasional Swedish Match Racing on OLN, Offshore powerboat racing on the Speed Channel, and some maintenance shows on DIY. There are a few short and lame instructional videos on Comcast's "On Demand".
I have my TIVO set to search for program listings containing the words sailing, yachting, boating and others. I can confirm that there isn't much on my cable service along those lines, except for the occasional Swedish Match Racing on OLN, Offshore powerboat racing on the Speed Channel, and some maintenance shows on DIY. There are a few short and lame instructional videos on Comcast's "On Demand".
TV
During the Olympics in Greece, I had my son-in-law tape the sailing venue. 30 minutes about midnight. Only got the last week of it. More interviews and idle chit chat. As I recall, they did try to get the sailing closer to port with the idea that more people would watch. Also, I believe they mentioned that the 49er was supposed to have been designed with spectators in mind, maybe I read that. It seems that anytime sailing is on tv, it will be at midnight.
During the Olympics in Greece, I had my son-in-law tape the sailing venue. 30 minutes about midnight. Only got the last week of it. More interviews and idle chit chat. As I recall, they did try to get the sailing closer to port with the idea that more people would watch. Also, I believe they mentioned that the 49er was supposed to have been designed with spectators in mind, maybe I read that. It seems that anytime sailing is on tv, it will be at midnight.
curling
My God, you can get curling out of the Windsor Ont. channel (9)yawn; but any good sailing stuff is so rare as to hardly exist. It seems that if you want to watch someone hit a small ball off the ground with a crooked stick then THAT is all over the TV. Or if you want to watch a bunch of pampered millionaires run around in their under wear playing a child's game then that too is all pervasive on the tube. If sailing is such a rare sport that not enough want to watch it on TV to make it commercially viable then I guess that puts us sailors in exclusive company. Cool! As another post said: "I'd rather do it than watch it." My sentiments exactly. Mike
My God, you can get curling out of the Windsor Ont. channel (9)yawn; but any good sailing stuff is so rare as to hardly exist. It seems that if you want to watch someone hit a small ball off the ground with a crooked stick then THAT is all over the TV. Or if you want to watch a bunch of pampered millionaires run around in their under wear playing a child's game then that too is all pervasive on the tube. If sailing is such a rare sport that not enough want to watch it on TV to make it commercially viable then I guess that puts us sailors in exclusive company. Cool! As another post said: "I'd rather do it than watch it." My sentiments exactly. Mike
Grand Prix Sailing
In the mid-late nineties, OLN (Outdoor Life Network) broadcast a daily dish of highly entertaining competitive sailing called Grand Prix Sailing. It featured the fabulous Australian 18 foot Skiffs in their national tour. I totally got hooked on this series and watched it faithfully every day. The tour moves around each week like golf and Nascar. The racing is very exciting, lots of speed and a few spectacular crashes. These skiffs are the Formula One of sailboatracing. Very light, hugely overpowered and very demanding to sail. Anyone who says sailboat racing is boring or slow has never seen the 18 footers in action. Check out the link http://www.pegasus.com/gallery/18footskiffsydney02_2005.htm The last year the series was on the McKee brothers upset the Aussie sailing world by winning the tour championship. I was very enthusiastic about OLN at the time. With promises of even more, because they became involved with the Americas Cup and my other favorite event, The Tour de France. Fortunately. They still carry those two events, but the rest is usually just hunting/ fishing and bull riding. My only complaint about their Americas Cup coverage is the constant running of the same commercials over, and over, and over.....
In the mid-late nineties, OLN (Outdoor Life Network) broadcast a daily dish of highly entertaining competitive sailing called Grand Prix Sailing. It featured the fabulous Australian 18 foot Skiffs in their national tour. I totally got hooked on this series and watched it faithfully every day. The tour moves around each week like golf and Nascar. The racing is very exciting, lots of speed and a few spectacular crashes. These skiffs are the Formula One of sailboatracing. Very light, hugely overpowered and very demanding to sail. Anyone who says sailboat racing is boring or slow has never seen the 18 footers in action. Check out the link http://www.pegasus.com/gallery/18footskiffsydney02_2005.htm The last year the series was on the McKee brothers upset the Aussie sailing world by winning the tour championship. I was very enthusiastic about OLN at the time. With promises of even more, because they became involved with the Americas Cup and my other favorite event, The Tour de France. Fortunately. They still carry those two events, but the rest is usually just hunting/ fishing and bull riding. My only complaint about their Americas Cup coverage is the constant running of the same commercials over, and over, and over.....
ESPNU Sometimes
TIVO is the answer ("Sail" "Sailing" "Sailboat" as keywords. I will add that I have foudn college team sailing races on ESPNU from time to time. And a while back I saw and east coast FL catamaran 5 day race - beach launch and finish from Miami to Soth Georgia I think it was.
TIVO is the answer ("Sail" "Sailing" "Sailboat" as keywords. I will add that I have foudn college team sailing races on ESPNU from time to time. And a while back I saw and east coast FL catamaran 5 day race - beach launch and finish from Miami to Soth Georgia I think it was.
sad, sad, sad
Thanks for the replies, unfortunately most of you confirm what I feared: No sailing on US-TV. I do disagree with self-proclaimed "negative" sailme2 though: the races I spoke of ARE a spectator sport..., for most of us anyway. I certainly prefer to drive my Audi fast, but still enjoy watching F1 on the screen... Generally sailing could be great on TV, they already proove it with the America's Cup, which is a hit in Europe (Germany broadcasts all the acts live) with cameras mounted near the "18th man" and nifty computer-animation showing the progress of each boat. Ironic that it's not receiving same recognition over here, after all American ships won the kettle for (was it) 138 years...
Thanks for the replies, unfortunately most of you confirm what I feared: No sailing on US-TV. I do disagree with self-proclaimed "negative" sailme2 though: the races I spoke of ARE a spectator sport..., for most of us anyway. I certainly prefer to drive my Audi fast, but still enjoy watching F1 on the screen... Generally sailing could be great on TV, they already proove it with the America's Cup, which is a hit in Europe (Germany broadcasts all the acts live) with cameras mounted near the "18th man" and nifty computer-animation showing the progress of each boat. Ironic that it's not receiving same recognition over here, after all American ships won the kettle for (was it) 138 years...
sorry morski
but we aren't that limited. We do get the america's cup here, ever since Freemantle, and we are very aware of the technology. The sad think is that we only get in depth racing coverage when it is the americas' cup.... which is like every 4 or 5 years. I thing the AC will be very succesful in Spain... But, if the single American syndicate fails to make it to the finals...americans will probably lose interest...even though the crews are multi-national.
but we aren't that limited. We do get the america's cup here, ever since Freemantle, and we are very aware of the technology. The sad think is that we only get in depth racing coverage when it is the americas' cup.... which is like every 4 or 5 years. I thing the AC will be very succesful in Spain... But, if the single American syndicate fails to make it to the finals...americans will probably lose interest...even though the crews are multi-national.
Yea for Sat TV
I just had satelite tv installed on Saturday. In the evening I enjoye Latts and Atts on the Water Channel (216). I also enjoyed the show Boating which had a 30 minute documentary on a boat builder (can't remember the or boat, too $$$$$$). Very nice programs, just not long enough.
I just had satelite tv installed on Saturday. In the evening I enjoye Latts and Atts on the Water Channel (216). I also enjoyed the show Boating which had a 30 minute documentary on a boat builder (can't remember the or boat, too $$$$$$). Very nice programs, just not long enough.
Yea for Sat TV
I just had satelite tv installed on Saturday. In the evening I enjoye Latts and Atts on the Water Channel (216). I also enjoyed the show Boating which had a 30 minute documentary on a boat builder (can't remember the or boat, too $$$$$$). Very nice programs, just not long enough.
I just had satelite tv installed on Saturday. In the evening I enjoye Latts and Atts on the Water Channel (216). I also enjoyed the show Boating which had a 30 minute documentary on a boat builder (can't remember the or boat, too $$$$$$). Very nice programs, just not long enough.
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