Olympic/Events/Scoring

Now this is probably a very stuupid idea but...
To make the Olympic events a bit more TV friendly maybe you could have a second TV friendly medal in a few of the classes. Sam comeptitors to keep down the costs.

Idea is this. Just off the beach setup a 500m w/l track with a very small start/finish gate and a windward mark.
At the end of 4 of the days sailing each team in the selected class gets one run up and downm the track which is timed. Best time of the day qualifies for the final unless already qualified, then its the seconmd fastest that qualifies.

On finals day you have 4 teams, each of which takes turns for 3 runs. Best aggregate time for all 3 runs wins. TV should be pretty easy, camera on the windward, camera on the gate, plenty of split times....

Dunno what the Olympic sailors would make of the idea though... Be pretty boring with the leadmins, but ought to be quite fun with boards and 49ers...

Originally posted by Chew my RS ............................... The only reason to make the sport more media friendly is to get more viewers, sponsors and ultimately money. This isn't what the Olmpics are about. I haven't checked out the IOC's charter, but I'm pretty sure the concept is to find champions in existing sports. The Olypmics do not exist as a money making machine, they exist for the benefit of the athletes. ........................... Seriously, if the intention is to increase viewing figures then your idea is a fair one. But why bother, the Olmpics is for the competitors, not the armchair viewers.

You are living in cloud cooking land mate. ISAF's only justification for introducing the 49er was to 'increase viewing figures'. The IOC's charter has nothing to do with finding champions in existing sports and has everything to do with keeping the olympics as a 'money making machine'. It is a money making machine, and the people involved with it get rich. If you think that isn't the case then you need to consider just how much money we are talking about. Its bigger that I can imagine and Ive got a big mind for these things...... the greed is insatiable, the want for it to be bigger and not lose a penny by getting smaller is unquenchable. Its money....not sport..... good old fashioned green. It makes me ill its so much green. Ahh - bless my children, your all so cute and adorable with your little thoughts of 'sporting competition' and 'good game chaps'. I want to hug you all.

Yeah but does the way that boats liek the lasers are portrayed in the news actualy attract more people to the sport. No matter how fun they are to sail in the actual event unless you understand all the tactics involved watching the slower boats can be a bit boring.

The olimpics definatly do need to look  into ways to  make all their sports more viewer friendly that way they can get more soponsorship ... etc but this may take a while with sports like sailing as its not just down to who goes through from heats like other sports.
And as much as it pains me to say this we may have to be content with just a few clases getting the attention first - like the 49er and boards.

Im not too sure how the TV people would react to another medal because (presumably) it wouldnt count in the actual olimpic medals so would take time that could other wise be used to show actual medals

Just my 2ps worth, would b good to get sailing on tv more but i think that is going to have to be the way that it is filmed that is going to draw the viewers in rather than changing the format

It strikes me that most tv coverage of olympic sailing in the uk has been about medal winners. Hence we get as much coverage for the Yngling, Laser, Finn as we do for the 49er.

Isn't this always the way? Success at cycling round a velodrome (not exciting to me) is fascinating when we are winning medals. Likewise rifle shooting, curling and any number of other minority sports.

As a member of Joe Public what i want is TV coverage about GBR winners - any sport, any event. If I want excitement i'll go sail my 49er.

Sailing is just not telegenic lets face it and get back on the water.

Originally posted by Bumble You are living in cloud cooking land mate. ISAF's only justification for introducing the 49er was to 'increase viewing figures'. The IOC's charter has nothing to do with finding champions in existing sports and has everything to do with keeping the olympics as a 'money making machine'. It is a money making machine, and the people involved with it get rich. [/QUOTE Hmm - any proof of that Bumble? I thought I'd heard (no proof I'm afraid) that Olympic Sailing actually cost the organisors money in the sense that the cost of constructing a new sailing centre/marina, accomodation blocks, security, supplying Lasers, Boards etc, etc costs more than the TV rights and sponsorship they are 'paid'. I certainly doubt that anyone is

Hmm - any proof of that Bumble? I thought I'd heard (no proof I'm afraid) that Olympic Sailing actually cost the organisors money in the sense that the cost of constructing a new sailing centre/marina, accomodation blocks, security, supplying Lasers, Boards etc, etc costs more than the TV rights and sponsorship they are 'paid'. I certainly doubt that anyone is getting rich from having sailing in the Olympics.