Mixed doublehander in the Olympics.

[McGyver]

Recently I've read some editorials breathlessly telling us how exciting and fantastic and wonderful for us sailors is going to be the new mixed doublehander for the Olympics, and all the tremendous media coverage that it will get.  Recently we had boats:

racing for the America's Cup

flying (literally!) at 50+ knots

doing races lasting no more than 30 minutes

and we could not get decent TV coverage.  Who the hell is going to care about broadcasting (or watching) slow boats racing for 48+ hours?

 

[crashtack]

"Coverage" will probably be an online tracker with some live feeds from the onboards. Maybe with some start/finish commentary. Don't really see how else you can feasibly cover a distance race.

 

[dogwatch]

and we could not get decent TV coverage.  

Is that so? So all those hours I thought I spent watching Prada Cup/AC were in my imagination.

 

[McGyver]

Oh yes, I also spent hours watching Prada Cup and AC... after VPNing my YouTube to Canada.  That's not what I call decent TV coverage.

 

[Potter]

Don't worry, it's out anyway, which will mean one less sailing event in the Olympics. 

 

[Secret Experiment]

Yeah, but look how good the coverage was for the Vendee Globe, and not a TV crew in sight for most of the race.  And, the You Tube format gave the sailors the chance to comment on their races, not some idiot talking head.  Great potential for human interest stories that could capture wider public imagination given the right promotion.

 

[LB 15]

How were they going to deal with crew who were non-binary?

 

[Rotnest Express]

How were they going to deal with crew who were non-binary?

Carefully.Just go the grope for for confirmation.

 

[onepointfivethumbs]

Yeah, but look how good the coverage was for the Vendee Globe, and not a TV crew in sight for most of the race.  And, the You Tube format gave the sailors the chance to comment on their races, not some idiot talking head.  Great potential for human interest stories that could capture wider public imagination given the right promotion.

With the VG you also had the luxury of being able to check in at your leisure over the course of 70+ days after highlights had already been compiled. A 24-48hr race isn't going to have the time to create favorites or cultivate human interest stories and you'll see the best programming after the fact even with premade graphics and every shred of media being blasted across the twittersphere.

 

[McGyver]

I think the confusion springs from not realizing the difference between double-handed RACING, which is exciting, and double-handed racing WATCHING, which can be like watching paint dry.

Anybody who has done an overnight race knows that in stable conditions there are long periods of time when the driver drives and the crew hikes and calls puffs and that does not make for exciting television.  If we cannot get good coverage of the 49ers and the NACRA 17s, the only way to make mixed double-handing exciting is to allow the crews to have graphic sex on camera.

 

[Devoforedeckus]

Rich sailors from rich nations trying to buy gold medals. It's the 5.5 meter debacle all over again.

 

[10thTonner]

I think the confusion springs from not realizing the difference between double-handed RACING, which is exciting, and double-handed racing WATCHING, which can be like watching paint dry.

(...)

Isn‘t that the „problem“ with sailing and TV in general? 

 

[McGyver]

Yep, that is the problem, and some morons think that the way to solve it is having the slowest boat do the longest races.