Professional Cycling For the Fans - How does OLN suck, let me count the ways...

OK, everyone complaining about OLN, please give me at least 1 example of a previous network whose coversage didn't "suck."

Here's an analogy, if I have 5 cents and everyone else has empty pockets, does that make me rich? I think OLN got a great big piggyback ride from Lance and the tour and haven't reciprocated, unless you count Motocross races and Hunting shows as cycling, (maybe you do.) I'll make a deal with you though, if I single-handedly put Outdoor Life Network out of business with my internet rants, I will apologize to them and everyone on these forums with no sense of humour, (if you haven't noticed, a lot of these posts have had a humorous tinge to them.) Lighten up, it's the internet. Maybe OLN will broadcast the Tour next summer, that's all cycling fans want, right, one race a year?

Here's an analogy, if I have 5 cents and everyone else has empty pockets, does that make me rich? I think OLN got a great big piggyback ride from Lance and the tour and haven't reciprocated, unless you count Motocross races and Hunting shows as cycling, (maybe you do.) I'll make a deal with you though, if I single-handedly put Outdoor Life Network out of business with my internet rants, I will apologize to them and everyone on these forums with no sense of humour, (if you haven't noticed, a lot of these posts have had a humorous tinge to them.) Lighten up, it's the internet. Maybe OLN will broadcast the Tour next summer, that's all cycling fans want, right, one race a year?
I agree that OLN's cycling coverage is better than any other channel--just look at my earlier posts. As to "lighten up," I think I have done that (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=77723).

I agree that OLN's cycling coverage is better than any other channel--just look at my earlier posts. As to "lighten up," I think I have done that (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=77723).
Wasn't really directed at you...

Wasn't really directed at you...
Thanks. It's good to remind people what cycling coverage would be like without OLN.

Thanks. It's good to remind people what cycling coverage would be like without OLN.
You mean exactly like it is now, except for once a year during the tour?

OK, everyone complaining about OLN, please give me at least 1 example of a previous network whose coversage didn't "suck."

OLN 2003

Just went to OLN's website again. Let's see, 1 hour of programming out of the entire month dedicated to cycling, if you don't count the rerun about LeMond. What would you call BAD coverage? A half hour every two years? Must be some OLN employees around here...

Well it IS a seasonal sport. Now we can complain about how much they cut world cup skiing coverage. Bode Miller has won an unprecedented 4 out of 5 events so far and second place in the one he didn't win. Catch OLN coverage this weekend, when the circus returns to Europe next week we won't see any more skiing until next year!? Last year they showed a couple races each week. It's not going to happen this year.

Daron Rahlves was second yesterday behind Miller, Lindsey Kildow won on the women's side and many US skiers in the top 20. Skiracing.com called it the greatest day in american downhill history.

It comes down to ratings, nobody wants to watch bicycling or skiing. The sports that are popular don't interest me very much. Too bad for me.

You mean exactly like it is now, except for once a year during the tour?
Full coverage once a year during the Tour is better than one hour a week during the tour. And it's fair to argue for more. It's fair to chide OLN for not doing more. But I think some of the anger in this thread is excessive.

Anyway, who wants to sit inside and watch even more cycling when you can be outside riding? That may be the big problem for cycle racing on TV. The real fans don't plop themselves in front of the TV when they could be riding.

Well it IS a seasonal sport.

Actually it's not a seasonal sport. There's lot of good cyclocross and track riding going on now.

But if you want to talk about road racing, the season basically runs from February to November. OLN's cycling season is April to July.

OLN broadcoasts more then just the Tour De France. For instance, the Tour de Faso which I just watched 2 days ago? There's probably 12-15 races a year on OLN. Which is a whole lot more then 1, and a whole lot better then 0.

They also ran a viewer survey a couple months ago so they could improve their 2005 cycling coverage. I'm sure you didn't fill it out, because you'd rather complain about it and then act like a smartass when challenged. Mature.

By the way, since you're missing the supreme point, krispi, I have news for you. There's this thing in the TV world, it's called ratings. They dictate programming.

Look up the ratings for the cycling OLN is kind enough to show us. It's amazing someone buys the commercials.

It's just TV. It's not worth getting mad about, on either side. My suggestion: Before anyone clicks the "submit" button on an angry reply about TV programming, they should stop, suit up, and go out for a mind-clearing ride.

OLN broadcoasts more then just the Tour De France. For instance, the Tour de Faso which I just watched 2 days ago? There's probably 12-15 races a year on OLN. Which is a whole lot more then 1, and a whole lot better then 0.


I said it before, but giving 40 minutes to an 11 stage race a month late is really not much more than nothing. I actually don't know why they bothered at all.

Where were the worlds? Where was the Tour of Lombardy and the Hew? Where was the damn Vuelta coverage? How many people signed that petition???

Come on OLN, show your commitment to cycling. In return it's up to cycling fans to return that favor by actually watching something other than the TDF.

Hey, I admit I was probably being more of a smartass than is necessary. Some people responded to this thread as if I'd hit old Grandma and I guess I thought I'd have some fun. If I offended anyone I apologize. Maybe I spend too much time in the P&R forums, where this is commonplace, maybe I drink too much caffeine! :D
If you agree that cycling coverage is lousy on OLN, their website does have a feedback page,(as well as some articles by the delightful Mr. Bob Roll.) I have politely told them my opinion,and so should you. Now I'm off to the hunting forums, to talk about how wonderful OLN is!

I think Bac, is right. FOr one thing, OLN is making themselves out to be the cycling network, when we know that's not true. One race per year does not make them the cycling anything; would ESPN only broadcast one football game? And why shouldn't we voice our dissatisfaction? It's not an angry attack;it's our opinion. We as viewers are the public they are trying to reach,and they are failing. The upshot is that we are all supposed to be satisfied with one race a year and a couple of hours here and there among the fishing shows and bull riding. THat's insulting- they're assuming their audience is a bunch of idiots who know nothing about cycling, and that we'll buy this 'we're the cycling network' promo. Well, we now know that's not true and we are perfectly entitled to let them know what we think. I don't agree that oh, we should be grateful becuase years ago we got nothing. That's true, but it doesn't mean we should just accept this lousy programming and not expect more. If it were another network, or any other sport, we'd all be up in arms.

THe funny thing is that OLN canada is even worse; they only showed the tour and NONE of the other stuff like the giro or vuelta. I don't get OLN anymore on my cable and it'snot worth it just for one race. NOw it seems there's not that much difference. BUt there's another channel in french, Evasion, which showed the exact same tour coverage only in french. Now that I don't get OLN, I'll probably watch evasion this year, if they air the Tour. Who cares if it's in french? It's not like I can't understand what's going on.

Don't forget the bullriding shows.

If only they'd combine some of these shows and give us hunters going after the bullriders or buckin' broncos in a bass boat. Hell, i'd watch that.

Old thread. I'm not really so mad at them nowadays. "Cyclism Sundays" is pretty cool, in my opinion.

I like the fact that they sometimes extend coverage with the classics. But man... when it comes time for the tours, if Lance isn't participating, what's the likelihood they will actually fully cover it anyway? It'll be a 30 minute wrap up show with an hour of running through all the stages up to the finale.

Koffee

I guess we should be glad lance isn't retiring this year- at least we'll get cycling coverage for one more season.

I can't wait for Armstrong to retire.

After that we can go back to watching 30 minutes of TDF coverage per week--cuz that's probably all we're gonna get. My understanding is that crappy fishing shows actually get much higher ratings than the Vuelta. Sadly, cycling is a fringe sport in America.

You all have to remember that the network is a money making venture that shows what people, the most amount of people, will watch. Some is better than none, always.
A

I only wish cycling on OLN had better ratings so advertisers would advertise more than the six commercials I got to see over and over during the tour. The two that almost caused me to pull an Elvis on my television were: 1) a horrible Powerbar series "Ride like Lance," and 2) AOL for Broadband that had a 12 year old boy watching porn on his computer with a large man standing behind him in his bedroom (wtf was that commercial about?)

I'm actually getting TiVo® just so I don't go crazy this year and probably save 15-30 minutes a day watching the races.

TiVo is God's answer to bad commercials. I thank God every night because it totally cuts out a lot of television I used to waste watching commercials alone. A 30 minute program is only 13 minutes now! Yay! :)

Koffee

I just got cable for cycling season coverage on oln, I go to schoo full-time and work full-time. all I have ever seen is either rodeos or fishing on oln though

You all have to remember that the network is a money making venture that shows what people, the most amount of people, will watch. Some is better than none, always.
A

I'd forego the some for none if somewhere down the road ther'd be 'all'. :D