Burry's result - it was all a figment of our imagination...

[tombeej]

... Well according to the Sunday Times, that is.

 

Not one mention of the PMB races on Sat, nor any mention of the DH today in the 'Best of TV sport' section which lists the highlights for Sunday TV viewing.

 

So mtb is apparently the fastest growing sport in the country? Even with all the big international events now being held in SA, with all the biggest names in the sport currently here on our doorstep, the eyes of the cycling world on us, according to SA's biggest broadsheet it's not even worth a couple of lines in a corner somewhere.

 

Well done Sunday Times. You are clearly on top of your game.

[Bram_on_Madone]

I also noticed this, I guess they only have Koos and Pietie reporting on Cricket and Rugby and they've spent all their spare cash on the tabloid writers, so they can't afford a cycling correspondent....

[RoboLuke]

I compete in paragliding champs - nationals and pre-worlds. Paragliding covered as much as underwater pigeon shooting. Unless someone of course crashes off table mountain then we get front page. At least MTB has the Epic

[Capricorn]

well, they gonna have to pull finger if they want good local support for the MTB World Champs next year. Why not start now: this weekend was perfect!

[Stretch]

nicely said!

[GLuvsMtb]

Mountain biking need to get their act together and get some development riders to the top tier of the sport. Without some colour at the races we will never get proper media exposure.

If Nhlapo was riding in the BMX finals yesterday it would have been on Carte Blanche right now.

[scotty]

I compete in paragliding champs - nationals and pre-worlds. Paragliding covered as much as underwater pigeon shooting. Unless someone of course crashes off table mountain then we get front page. At least MTB has the Epic

The coverage for the Epic sucks as well, 1/2 hour highlights late evening.

[GLuvsMtb]

The coverage for the Epic sucks as well, 1/2 hour highlights late evening.

The cost of live broadcast in some of the most remote and inaccessable areas in the Western Cape far outweighs the demand for such coverage. The prologue gets live coverage because it is more accessable for the media. This is also one of the reasons that the race is now doing clover leaf type loops. The old point to point was very difficult to cover and process for quality TV production later the same evening. If we want better coverage Grandstand Management will have to procure a presenting sponsor that is willing to fork out 10 times what is being paid now for coverage.

[Spinnekop]

There are still people reading the Sunday Times?!?!?!?!?!?!???!!

[Stretch]

Mountain biking need to get their act together and get some development riders to the top tier of the sport. Without some colour at the races we will never get proper media exposure.

If Nhlapo was riding in the BMX finals yesterday it would have been on Carte Blanche right now.

 

regardless - this was an international event with our our sportsmen competing and podiuming against the best in the world.

[Purnjap]

Rapport had a full page on MTB, including burry's achievements

[kosmonooit]

Up to now its been a fringe sport - also I see it as off the commercial radar screen i.t.o. of big name sponsors / bill boards (thankfully) but that means local media not interested really since that's what media coverage is mostly about (plugging your sponsor) There was at least something on News24 about the XC, last year there was zilch and I sent a letter of complaint, never got a reply.

 

But according to the twitter feed on the home page: "Hooray. Buy The Star tomorrow to read about @GregMinnaar @africanmtbkid at the #MTBWorldCup"

 

 

Also other events like stage races have to pay for SuperSport coverage - and that's where part of your entrance fee goes. Personally I would prefer lower entry fees and no TV media coverage.

Edited March 18, 2012 by kosmonooit

[Capricorn]

why isnt CSA pushing harder? Alot of the pushing seems to come from the lower tier organisations, or am I missing something? I know DSTV has it, but why cant the public broadcaster have a dedicated sports channel (i dont have a tv, havent had one for years now, so excuse me if i dont know what's cutting on SABC and it's ilk), to assist 'fringe sports' with exposure. Even though i dont like being a coach participant, sometimes, watching unusual sports has a surprising amount of spectator_value. Hell, darts and snooker gets more coverage than MTB. I'd normally root for DH only, but that XCO today pretty exciting to watch. Big up to teh course designer for making it interesting.

[Oceana]

This is the case with all lower profile sports. It was the Canoe Marathon World Champs in Rome this weekend ... SA got bronze in Mens K2, Gold in U23 Mens K1, silver in U23 women K1 .... and numerous other medals in the various age categories .... unfortunately both Hank McGregor (3rd) and Len Jenkins (5th) were disqualified in Mens Open, but anyway zero coverage in any of the press so far.

[goya-goya]

The cost of live broadcast in some of the most remote and inaccessable areas in the Western Cape far outweighs the demand for such coverage. The prologue gets live coverage because it is more accessable for the media. This is also one of the reasons that the race is now doing clover leaf type loops. The old point to point was very difficult to cover and process for quality TV production later the same evening. If we want better coverage Grandstand Management will have to procure a presenting sponsor that is willing to fork out 10 times what is being paid now for coverage.

 

Oh the the Tour de France is easy to cover.... yea! you keep believing it... make excuses for the act that I recorded the UCI mens WC and it turned out to be *** cricket!!!!

[tunariaan]

ek kyk eerder minder op tv as om dieselfde junk te kyk van some or other upcoming development rider

At this stage i am pretty gatvol of seeing the poor previously disatvantiged rider on tv like in all the other sport

Show me all the top racer and the normal guys like you and me dont bother with bee stuff