Breaking: Versus Airs Tour Down Under
by Chris... on Dec 17, 2008 10:50 AM EST
in News
79 comments
I get emails. A sign of things to come?
VERSUS' on-air television coverage of the 2009 Tour Down Under, the first race of the year on the UCI ProTour calendar, will include 30-minute highlight shows each day from January 20-24. All telecasts will air at 4 p.m. ET except for the January 24 telecast which will air at 3:30 p.m. ET. On January 24, the network will stream the final stage of the race live on www.VERSUS.com and will produce a one-hour highlight show of the final stage which will air on VERSUS on January 25 at 5 p.m. ET.
Obviously Versus is taking cycling more seriously this year, and whether it's an appreciation for the sport or just Lance Armstrong, it still bodes well for the Giro. A related question: where is Cycling.TV in all of this?
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I agree...
This is a good sign for the rest of the year.
by cg. on Dec 17, 2008 11:31 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
ctv never showed the race live... just the 30 min daily highlights, which versus will now show
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
by umwolverine on Dec 17, 2008 11:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
tho, i am hoping that ctv will have the race highlights as well
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
by umwolverine on Dec 17, 2008 11:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Has anyone heard from CTV?
(a serious question)
by Sui Juris on Dec 17, 2008 11:46 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
No but
business as usual. They have their 2009 calendar posted, and it’s massive. TdU, ToC, all the classics, Giro, Romandie, etc.
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris... on Dec 17, 2008 11:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yeah, they did that last year, too
and didn’t deliver on it, iirc.
by Sui Juris on Dec 17, 2008 11:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Just a christmas list
That is what they want; but know they won’t get.
by australopithecine on Dec 17, 2008 12:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Um, that link was to the 2008 calender
that is probably why it looks so much like this year
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Dec 17, 2008 12:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
the race calendar is different from the races broadcast calendar
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
by umwolverine on Dec 17, 2008 1:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
we all know that the only reason that versus is showing any race live (other than the Tour) is Lance's presence
I sure hope that versus learned from the previous years of showing cycling. Let’s be honest, the man will retire (again!) and Vs (still a stupid name) needs to also focus on other riders and teams, and the races themselves to build up a relationship with fans that show up to watch Armstrong.
by lyne on Dec 17, 2008 2:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
oh and (dear Santa, please send us an edit button)
however, given the lameass survey that they put together for the Tour, I am not holding my breath that their coverage will be ny different from years past. And that would be such a missed opportunity.
by lyne on Dec 17, 2008 2:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
they have to realize
that it’s in their best interest to try and promote the sport and the other riders, don’t they? As you say, Lance will retire again, and then what? No cycling on TV? Maybe more rodeos and cage fighting? Let’s hope they see this as an opportunity to use Lance to get viewers and then try to keep them by making the race more than just Lance in a parade with a bunch of anonymous bike riders.
by jsallee00 on Dec 17, 2008 2:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
the problem for Canadians with races on Versus
is that ctv doesn’t always get that Canada is separate from the US and lumps “North America” all together … just because Versus is showing something doesn’t mean that our Canadian OLN (it’s still called that) will show it too, so hopefully ctv doesn’t bail out on coverage for Canada and elsewhere for such races.
by guidemd on Dec 17, 2008 2:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Same
with any coverage by NBC. Unfortunately, the reason that they lump us in with our neighboUrs to the south is that we are such a relatively small viewing population.
by Hons on Dec 17, 2008 5:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
America Jr.
Not a place at the big folks’ table.
by ursula on Dec 17, 2008 6:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Chris, really...
“Obviously Versus is taking cycling more seriously this year, and whether it’s an appreciation for the sport or just Lance Armstrong”.
An appreciation for the sport, Chris you know better. Do you type your posts out too fast or what? This is the channel that shows 4 consecutive hours of bull riding daily, and I can’t count the number of hours fighting in a cage. The people at Vs. have never heard of the TDU, not until Lance signed up. Love him or hate him, it seems most of you are coming to the realization that Lance is good to have around. Bfor a couple more years of him racing because when he’s gone again, so will the coverage.
by sminer on Dec 17, 2008 3:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
You didn't know that Lance has been bull riding these last years?
that’s why they have been showing so much of it. Now that he’s heading back to cycling, bull riding will probably be shown much less on versus.
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Dec 17, 2008 3:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The full name is
Lance VERSUS the world.
by Hons on Dec 17, 2008 5:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
So OLN stood for Only Lance Network right?
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Dec 17, 2008 5:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
No!
I have been told that there is a group of people in the company who are really dedicated to cycling. I think it insults the efforts of those people to say the channel only cares about Lance. Obviously having Lance around makes it easier for them to get the company to commit. But I would not say that it’s pure and simply about LA; at most I would say we don’t really know.
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris... on Dec 17, 2008 6:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That doesn't surprise me
At the outset – the OLN days – they really seemed to want to make a significant commitment to cycling that went well beyond Armstrong. Certainly, live coverage of Paris-Roubaix did not have much to do with Armstrong, nor did the live daily coverage of the Giro. Lots has happened since then, natch.
by gavia on Dec 17, 2008 6:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
also, SMiner
Someone here has to be nice to Vs. Do you want that job? No, you do not. I do not. Chris, my friend, is taking one for the team.
by Sui Juris on Dec 17, 2008 6:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh C'mon
I thought you were all waiting for my stories from the TDU, I’m sure they wil be more exciting :-)
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
by CycleGirl on Dec 17, 2008 3:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Dear PdC
I never thought it would happen to me . . .
by Sui Juris on Dec 17, 2008 6:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
LOL
The possibilities for finishing that sentence are totally endless.
by gavia on Dec 17, 2008 6:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Especially with the rumors floating around that girl. Wow.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Dec 17, 2008 11:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
There are no rumours :-) LOL
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
by CycleGirl on Dec 17, 2008 11:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh yes... I forgot. Just subtle whispers....
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Dec 17, 2008 11:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Last I saw
This year’s Tour got a .3 rating while say the Oregon-Oregon State football game got a 1.2. Early season NHL games get a .3 too, which will rise as the playoffs near. So I see no reason why Versus should expand non-Lance cycling coverage as its a money loser.
by ursula on Dec 17, 2008 6:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, their ratings are crap
they need to find a better way to promote the sport here. Also American cycling needs a big time young star to emerge soon, Hey Bert, wanna become American? You can hang out in New York with Madonna and A-Rod, or go snort cocaine with Lindsay Lohan in Hollywood. How about it Bert?
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Dec 17, 2008 6:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Never happen
Food’s better in Spain.
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris... on Dec 17, 2008 8:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
In fairness
There were, what, 90 points in that game?
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris... on Dec 17, 2008 8:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well yeah
Still other college football games score better than the Lance-less Tours too. USC-Stanford or BYU-Utah for instance. Suposedly their college football ratings went up this year when they put on a pre-game and highlights shows.
I haven’t seen their ratings for things like Criterium International but I can imagine very very small numbers.
I also haven’t seen ratings for TapouT or rodeo, etc. I imagine they are around the cycling Lance-less ratings.
by ursula on Dec 17, 2008 9:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The question is money not ratings
Vs paid relatively nothing for several years of tour coverage and get many many hours out of it. I am guessing with a few BoE calculations, but I think they are making money. Don’t look at Saturday afternoon ratings of football vs the Tour look at Tuesday morning or Thursday night ratings of whatever they had on vs the tour.
by Markk on Dec 18, 2008 11:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I bet Tapout is up there
MMA is on a big wave. Those guys sponsor everybody and everything in all the big leagues.
by dheadrick on Dec 18, 2008 10:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Nobody was watching the tour
I have anecdotal evidence.. they volume on the Versus channel was so low at my house that I had to turn it up into the 70’s on my teevee to be able to hear the commentators. As a point of reference, for all other channels I only need it in the teen or twenties to be able to hear it… 30’s will wake up my kids, 40’s will wake up my neighbors, and the 70’s would break my speakers… any way, I figured something was wrong with the cable at my house, so I called and schedule an appointment to get a tech to come out. They guys shows up, he listens for about two seconds, and then calls back to HQ where he asks some other tech to check the feed. Three seconds later, the volume goes up to normal (which was really loud). It was not my house, it was the entire freaking county!. And this was on like stage 3 or stage 4? Nobody in my cycle crazy county had noticed but me. So Versus, I love you people. Please keep showing cycling even if you can only afford Al Trautwig and Hummer.
by Jimbo... on Dec 18, 2008 12:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Just noticed
VeloNews has a massive typo in the headline of their coverage of this story.
And y’all thought I spelled badly…
by gavia on Dec 17, 2008 7:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Vesus Christ!
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris... on Dec 17, 2008 8:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
bahaahahaha!
beautiful.
can you believe that shit? i mean, like i said, i do spell like crap. but really, vn…
by gavia on Dec 17, 2008 8:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Capmared to Velo news
gavia, you are the big leagues. You are the Show. And I’m not being silly here.
by ursula on Dec 17, 2008 9:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
"Compared"
Add me to the “I wanna edit button” camp.
by ursula on Dec 17, 2008 9:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
oh, and...
still not fixed.
lol, it almost deserves a fan post. but that would be snarky. and i’m never snarky.
by gavia on Dec 17, 2008 10:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i have yielded to temptation
no doubt karma will kick my ass at some point.
but heh, they do get paid.
by gavia on Dec 17, 2008 10:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I just noticed, Jens! will be at the TDU
There’s your explanation why Versus will be showing it. Lance, schmance………….
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
by Jens on Dec 18, 2008 1:27 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Has it been confirmed yet about Jens!
Phil H mentioned it the other day and i stopped breathing, but it wasn’t confirmed…
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
by CycleGirl on Dec 18, 2008 4:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Read it in this interview
feltet.dk (google translate it) Can’t find the original source. Feltet are embarrassingly bad at linking what sources they steal their news from.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
by Jens on Dec 18, 2008 5:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
talk about your classic case of delusional delirium
by sminer on Dec 18, 2008 3:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
talk about your classic case of lackofsenseofhumor delirium
by lyne on Dec 18, 2008 3:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
more ASSuming
my comment was intended as humor as well, unless of course there really is such a thing as a classic case of delusional delirium, if so then no offense to Jens and good luck with your therapy
by sminer on Dec 18, 2008 11:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Don't
Where the hell do you “sit” in life that you presume you can feel sorry for me, save your pityfor someone you know.
by sminer on Dec 19, 2008 6:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I sit in a place where people are respectful and polite of other people's opinion
and that’s all you’re going to get from me from now on.
by lyne on Dec 19, 2008 8:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Respectful
I don’t pretend to be polite and respectful of other people’s opinions, as you do. While opinions might be referred to as assholes in that everyone has one, I just happen to think that some stink more than others and I don’t always keep quiet about it. It’s extremely disrespectful and pretentious to tell someone “I feel so sorry for you”, so you contradict yourself by claiming to sit with the respectful and polite. You also misinterpreted my comment towards Jens and proceeded to hold fast to your inaccurate judgement of me. And for the record, Cancellara is the most awesome power on a bike, and I love Jens too. (lyne, don’t feel like you have to stick to your last comment and remain unresponsive)
by sminer on Dec 19, 2008 11:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
polite?
we all agree to disagree here, on any matter or topic, no need to be rude towards a poster you disagree with, just stay respectful with your response and avoid insults, they don’t belong here.
by Bruce Suomi on Dec 20, 2008 6:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Lyne, Sminer is acerbic with dry humor
and has a brisk “snap back” when teased. And that’s when being nice. Which is actually quite often. So I don’t think the edge is intended as meanness. Err on the side of assuming good will, and cross-check before you fire back, if there’s an outside chance that something could be meant ironically, or “fresh-like but not combative.”
Sminer, tone doesn’t carry over well in text. Someone can be cheeky or quick-toungued or entertainingly bitchy in person, and seem like an asshole squared, in type. (And no-one wants a square asshole.)
Heck, I hope I am less fatuous than some of my posts. (I only notice if I re-read them months later, though.)
As you asked, “Delusional delirium” is not a term only because delirium is intrinsically delusional…and both of them are pretty strong terms.
At a guess, you think that emoticons are for gormless pre-teens. But you could try using them, or a [wink] (like so) in the text box, as an experiment.
I know you know better than to pick on Chris. And Chris doesn’t need defending. And it’s all words. But giving someone (Lyne) a verbal wedgie because they come rushing up to defend Chris seems unnecessary.
Everyone: there are plenty of places in the world where you can say, “your opinion is total rubbish,” and so long as you do it with a nice smile and a modicum of charm, you’re still considered a fine person. But there are also places where a smile is not enough. Some other show of good fellowship and respect is needed. That doesn’t mean one region is “honest” and one is “dishonest,” or that one is “rude” and the other is “polite.”
Because we have people from all over the planet, in and from many walks of life, and with very different styles, it helps to bend over backwards just a tad. Telegraph your intent just a bit more than you would with your buddies, who know the local conversational conventions. And if you think you are seeing intentional rudeness, first try to defuse it, instead of firing back.
by JFS_PGH on Dec 26, 2008 3:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It's not about the Lance
I think you’re all overlooking the fact that this is no backwater club race and it is no co-incidence that it is the first Pro-Tour race of the year. Contador also used the TDU as a comeback race after his accident and many have used it as a springboard to Classics success. That being said, the ‘Lance effect’ is turning this (next) years event into a whole different proposition with public, security and media interest much higher than in previous years…. I hope it doesn’t spoil it.
errrr....am i supposed to sign this??
by Flatbagger on Dec 18, 2008 8:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I don't honestly get this
“Lance bringing more media, security, fans etc, hope he doesn’t spoil it” attitude?
How on earth could he spoil it?
I think most people are curious to see how he does, no matter if you like him or not? I am at least.
Anyone know if we can watch the race in Europe? I’m not counting on CTV…
by Bruce Suomi on Dec 19, 2008 5:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
thanks for the honesty
I didn’t say that Lance would spoil it. The best thing about the TDu (for me anyway) was the informality of the whole thing….being able to get up close and personal with your heroes….going for a ride on your own training routes with international teams etc. It seems that for the first time in it’s history Teams are going to have to inform the local Police the route of their training rides and Astana will even have security to stop ‘groupies’. Surely if I can keep up with them through the hills I should be allowed to tag on :-)
I love Lance…I even donated BOTH of my testicles to Formaldehyde and was a cycling one-nut way before he….but I love cycling and the Tour Down Under even more.
I did Stage 4 on Saturday in under 5 hours on my lonesome….Menglers Hill is such a fantastic climb….see you on the top of the hill CycleGirl
errrr....am i supposed to sign this??
by Flatbagger on Dec 21, 2008 5:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
my bad,
I read your post wrongly, obviously, sorry about that!
I’m Finnish after all, with pretty poor English skills…
Keep us updated with your race along with CG!
by Bruce Suomi on Dec 21, 2008 6:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
See you there.
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
by CycleGirl on Dec 22, 2008 4:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'll be at the TDU
and the
“How on earth could he spoil it?” but since the announcement, the VIP access has been stopped, the stage transfers have moved, and they are blocking the road so the public can’t see the riders coming out of the Hotel etc…. so the feel of meeting, chatting and seeing the riders is being taken away, because of “Lance”.. Sorry but it is true!!!!
Hey i’m glad to see him race, but i was going before lance was announced, and i’m going to see my favourite team ride, not just Lance…
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
by CycleGirl on Dec 19, 2008 6:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
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