OLN killed cycling Sunday in Canada. Bloody bastards...

[Gilbo]

<rant>
I am unable to watch the end of the Giro D'Italia, and damn cranky about it. 'Top Dogs' is on. What kind of idiotic trash is this? Oh, Police Dogs biting people... If that gets better ratings than the Giro D'Italia, one of the greatest road races in the world with many of the most heroic athletes of our day and age, I'll blow my gonads off. The last day of the tour was today!

I just wish I could somehow get UK coverage, or even any European coverage of the event. I'd happily listen to Romanian commentators. But oh no, that's totally illegal. Let's not mention the fact that I have no way of ever seeing this race in Canada legally. Bloody, bloody hell.

I'd pay solid money to see full coverage of the Tour, everyday I'd shell out like it was PPV fight night for nothing more than a torrent --something that costs the provider practically nothing--, but media companies are so bloody busy figuring out ways to sue people who're using modern technology, they don't have time to use the that same technology --that any twelve-year-old can use-- to make money. Setup a torrent for Canadians OLN. You've paid for the rights for the North American market, because you used to show it! Restrict connections to the tracker to the IPs of Canadian ISPs if you want to be all paranoid about it. Just let me watch the only TV all year (except Hockey, but that's been taking from me as well), that I want to watch!


It's the year 2005! You're telling me I can't watch one of the biggest road races of the year in Canada! It's not even like I live in Alert. I live in Halifax. Give me a fucking break!
</rant>

P.S. I'm sorry for the profanity. It's just rather frustrating that I can get millions of channels full of crap, but the one thing on TV this time of year that I'm interested in watching is not available. Does anyone know how I can get Cycling coverage in Canada? I'll download bittorrent trackers from the shadiest of websites. I'll download spyware-infected P2P crap. I'll even build a Windows box if I have to just to download the spyware-infected crap. I'll sell my soul.

P.P.S. jtr, I know you're (were?) a rather serious cyclist. Do you ever like to watch the European road races? If so, how do you get coverage (It's my understanding even Americans can't get daily coverage of anything except the Tour de France)? Any other cycling fans around? What do you guys do...

 

[Howell]

I'd take the frustration out on the bottom bracket if I was in your position. I'd rather train than watch TV, personally.

 

[jtr1962]

P.P.S. jtr, I know you're (were?) a rather serious cyclist. Do you ever like to watch the European road races? If so, how do you get coverage (It's my understanding even Americans can't get daily coverage of anything except the Tour de France)? Any other cycling fans around? What do you guys do...

Well, not serious to the point of having ever considered a career in bicycle racing, but I think riding 55,000 miles since 1980 does make me a bit more of an ethusiast than the average occasional rider. And yes, I still ride, but only about half as much as I used to in my prime.

Anyway, I encounter the exact same problem you do. Other than the Tour de France on one of the ESPN stations, you can't get anything except maybe a few 30-second stories on other races. It's no surprise that a lot of people in this country think the Tour is the only bicycle race of the year. The only exception to this rule is that some of the oddball cable channels such as NY1 news will broadcast local cycling events, but only the one or two large ones like the five borough tour. Yes, it is frustrating, and one reason I never was able to get into watching races. I'll also note that this bias against cycling extends even to the Olympics. While it's true that the men's and women's road races get good coverage, the velodrome events that I enjoy just as much are relegated to brief segments at 3 AM.

I guess TV is like any other business. They go where the money is. Apparently professional cycling doen't have that big a following in North America. Sadly, I think it would have a lot more if only some major events were shown. It's a chicken or egg sort of thing. If it's any consolation, if not for Lance Armtrong helping to put American cycling on the map, we might not even get to see the Tour here. It is a sad commentary of society though that the average person would rather watch some idiotic sitcom, or an equally idiotic reality show, than a good cycling race. Cycling is way more interesting as a sport that the baseball, football, or basketball that Americans seem to love.

I also agree somewhat with Howell on this. Even though I enjoy watching it, I'd rather participate in cycling given a choice.

P.S. I just checked my online cable TV guide. No Giro D'Italia.

 

[LOST6200]

I have never even ridden a bicyle, but agree that TV coverage is inconsistent to say the least. In the US there seems to be more and more of the American footbal and the NASCAR auto racing, which consists of nothing but white guys driving cars in a small circle for hours and hours.

 

[RWIndiana]

I hate TV. I don't care what it is or where it's from, it's all just a show. :lol:

I'm with Howell too. There are thousands of things I'd much rather do than watch the stationary indoctrinator.

 

[Groltz]

Gilbo I searched a few sources to see if it might have been shared on p2p.

No luck.