MTB Media Exposure

[TylerDurden]

Anyone else notice that the local stations have picked up the local Freediving Championships which has like 20 competitors and little $$ spin off's (ie nobody is buying tix to see em, and little in the way of corp sponsor)? There's been like 3 difference stories on the local news tv.

Now think back to GrouseMt WorldCup and all its spectators, yet there was hardly any newscast coverage. Same goes for Crankworks - lots of people and sponsors, but mass media didn't really pick it up on my 6 oclock news.

What gives? Are we really that bad at marketing events? Do organizers focus too much on running a smooth event but don't know who to call for a news cameratruck to show up on site?

What does the freediver comp organizer know that we don't?

Hey, NSMBstaff are part of the media....maybe they have some thoughts on the "who you know" game of getting a piece of the action and exposure to the masses (ie non-riders) so badly needed for this sport.

discuss......

[Ghetto Smurf]

probly cuz mountain bikers are sterio typed as reckless teenages, they think we are like skateboarders. do you think a new station would send a camera crew down to an event they thought would be a bunch of kids screwwing around, with no story. also, think of who the media's audience is, most people who watch the news probably dont give a rats ass about mountain biking (i know lots of mtbers watch news, im talking about the majority, like seniors and watnot)

what it comes down to is we have to make people realise that we arnt a bunch of hooligans and reckless teenagers

[Bukkake]

Originally posted by Ghetto Smurf

what it comes down to is we have to make people realise that we arnt a bunch of hooligans and reckless teenagers


That's not it at all. Look at BMX and Skateboarding. Everyone thinks it's all punk kids but still it gets tons of media attention, lots of money support and big events that play on espn on a rotation throughout the year.

The reason MTB does not get this coverage is that if YOU yourself are not a freerider it just doesn't look cool enough to care about.
BMX and skateboarding looks cool to a lot of non-extreme athletes thus it gets exposure through public demand.

[Ghetto Smurf]

ya but thats all because tony hawk sold out. not that im against him selling out tho, i sure as hell would have in his position

[Bukkake]

That's because people wanted to buy him. Nobody's driving dump trucks full of money to Wade Simmons doorstep so they can make a video game about him.

Given the opportunity I bet lots of pro freeriders would "sell out" as well , the just aren't being given any opportunities.

[Del]

Originally posted by "Bukkake Barak"
That's because people wanted to buy him. Nobody's driving dump trucks full of money to Wade Simmons doorstep so they can make a video game about him.

Given the opportunity I bet lots of pro freeriders would "sell out" as well , the just aren't being given any opportunities.

im in the process of selling out right now, I just need to get back to my contacts and they said the trucks should be arriving at the shop any day now since they had to come ground from Quebec.

[Bukkake]

Originally posted by Del
im in the process of selling out right now, I just need to get back to my contacts and they said the trucks should be arriving at the shop any day now since they had to come ground from Quebec.

Can I have some? Or did you promise it all to that stripper?

[Uncle Duke]

mtn biking is still a young sport..
live to ride not ride to live.
any more exposure for this sport and I'll never get parking anywhere again....

[couch@nsmb.com]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ghetto Smurf
ya but thats all because tony hawk sold out. not that im against him selling out tho, i sure as hell would have in his position [/QUOTE

I am very curious about what you mean by selling out?

Tony Hawk took a dieing sport, brought it to the masses and because his sister is a good business person, he made alot of money. Sounds like progression not selling out.

[Uncle Duke]

tony is the man.
thats just plain marketing genius.
oh, being the best in the world doesnt hurt.

[Darryl]

I know it might not be the local news but NBC was filming crankworx, It probably won't be airing until later this year.

http://www.worldofadventuresports.com/schedule.html

this will probably be what crankworx is featured on. I watched the episode this afternoon, they mention that they will be covering events that aren't well known.

[h4mst3r]

mountain biking doesnt have an ambassador

[rcoope]

Reporters seem to be incredibly lazy and/or overworked. They much prefer to get stories very close to home, and the top of Grouse, Squamish or Whistler are just too far away. Enhanced freeride coverage may also be coming because the mainstream media is slowly, (over the last decade), beginning to realize that Vancouver is the world center of freeriding, so they're paying a bit more attention. Finding out you're the world center of anything should get even the most jaded reporters somewhat interested.

[Emmens]

i love robin coope and once or twice i was at his house he mixes a mean drink or two

[Uncle Duke]

some of that exposure stuff is chqanging tho...I mean the north shore show was on tv 2 wks ago and all.seriously how popular do you want it to be?
as far as really big pay chqs go...it will take some x game coverage for that...IMO.

[chauncy]

Originally posted by duke
some of that exposure stuff is chqanging tho...I mean the north shore show was on tv 2 wks ago and all.seriously how popular do you want it to be?
as far as really big pay chqs go...it will take some x game coverage for that...IMO.

I doubt moutainbiking will ever be in the x games. Even though mountain biking is way more dangerous then bmx, it doesn't have the x games mentality. Freeriding is more calculated then bmx and most freeriders are wearing alot of pads. It also has a different vibe. I personally would never want it in the x games.

[Darryl]

Mtb was in the first x-games way back ten years ago. they had dual dh races with a big cross over ramp. it was a huge 6 ft wide ramp with a small 6 ft gap in it. one rider would go up and over and the other rider would go between. it was soooo EXTREME!!!! I remember guys racing in it like Todd tanner for specialized, and jurgen Beneke racing Barracuda. i think Jurgen won.
They also had a dual slalom race Mike king racing for GT won

[Duncan]

Originally posted by chauncy
I doubt moutainbiking will ever be in the x games. Even though mountain biking is way more dangerous then bmx, it doesn't have the x games mentality. Freeriding is more calculated then bmx and most freeriders are wearing alot of pads. It also has a different vibe. I personally would never want it in the x games.

Yeah, just like freestyle motorcross. Too much padding, so nobody cares. :???:

Anybody see "the burial" motorcross move that was pulled at the X-games? The guy hung off the back off the seat and spun himself 360 degrees, going onto his back and around again. Saw that on National TV, I think it was "Good Morning America" or something like that. D.

[FullMonty]

A slopestyle event a la crankworx is perfect for the x-games... Lotsa "X-treem" in a small area. Hell, as far as I know, snowboarders have a similar thing. Those type of events are the future of MTB exposure. They solve the problems of DH racing coverage. You can have a zillion cameras covering the entire course, so you can have multiple angles on the same stunt for that instant replay and quick cuts on live TV. You can pack massive amounts of spectators into the area and they will see the majority of the course. I really hope some goober from ESPN sees footage of the crankworx event and is impressed, so we can get some more money in the sport, and we'll see kids cruising to the corner store on DH bikes.

[Broken Fusion!]

Originally posted by Ghetto Smurf
ya but thats all because tony hawk sold out.


That's the stupidest thing ever. That guy has worked pretty damn hard to get to where he is. How is he "selling out"?

[thedude]

FullMonty knows what he is talking about.

DH racing, XC racing and Freeriding is very difficult to film. We as bikers can cover way too much ground in a very short amount of time so all you really get to see are short clips. Unless the course is wide open and no trees, it is very hard to film and involves tons of cameras and cost to film.
4 Cross is perfect for TV coverage.
Contests like Crankworks are in the open and easily filmed plus you have the atmosphere with all the fans.

If what we are seeking is more media coverage and the mainstreaming of our sport, we are very likely to fail unless there are more arena type contests like Crankworks and the Red Bull Rampage. I highly doubt you are going to see CBC coverage of the '05 NS Ripper. We are victims of the landscape.

[tazzmenn]

Yup I agree the easier you make it to produce and cover. The more airtime it will get.

[SprockinCat]

There was a short blurb about the CBC race today on CTV's 6:00 news.

Lousy footage but its better than nothing I guess.

And I have to agree with earlier comments about the difficulty of making MTBing look good on TV. Although it looks like with events like the slopestyle at Crankworx, biking is finally getting to the level that makes it look non-dorky to the non-biking public (especially clueless local news reporters).