Classic Coverage

[bassmanic1]

Hey guys
Here is a link to let ESPN know what we think about thier crappy coverage -
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?page=contact/espntv
fill it out and let em have it !

Tight lines

[idbefishing]

This is what I wrote them. It's very hard to 'let them have it' with just 500 characters. Give them your input guys, each of us add something that someone haven't already said to get our whole point in their heads.


"We, as fisherman would like to see FISHING when we tuned in to a fishing show. We didn't tuned in to the Classic to see the personal lives of the anglers. I understand that you tried to let the viewer get to know the angler, but we don't care. Use the time to show the FISHING ACTION PLEASE, we like to learn the techniques of top anglers in the pinacle of competition. We would like to see the weight in live instead of 10:00 pm. Fisherman goes to bed very early. The Classic is dying, it your fault."

[10-0 sports]

Guys, I agree that the coverage is terrible, but it has nothing to do with NASCAR. Yes, it is the same crowd, but believe me the classic is not in that league yet. The real problem is with college basketball. This is the time of year, that games are played every saturday and sunday and the vast majority of the country wants to see basketball. Why they dont put the classic on one of their other channels like ESPN classic is odd. I was at the classic all weekend and loved it.
I will say the live weigh in on Saturday was nearly 6 hours long and way to darn long. We left before it was over and didn't really miss much.

The Classic isn't dying, by the way. It is skyrocketing, but it will take some time, before we get the real coverage we want.

[DSPCHAMY]

Guys, I agree that the coverage is terrible, but it has nothing to do with NASCAR. Yes, it is the same crowd, but believe me the classic is not in that league yet. The real problem is with college basketball. This is the time of year, that games are played every saturday and sunday and the vast majority of the country wants to see basketball. Why they dont put the classic on one of their other channels like ESPN classic is odd. I was at the classic all weekend and loved it.
I will say the live weigh in on Saturday was nearly 6 hours long and way to darn long. We left before it was over and didn't really miss much.

The Classic isn't dying, by the way. It is skyrocketing, but it will take some time, before we get the real coverage we want.

I don't agree. The classic coverage used to be much better, even two years ago in Pittsburg it was much better. The classic is not dying, but the television coverage is, and if the tv coverage starts losing money then the sponsors will start to dissapear and then the classic will die. The money they are fishing for has increased do to the ability for spectators to see the sponors logo's and spokespersons. If you don't believe that read the article about the money these guys are making from sponosors. Cant remember if it was f&S or Bassmaster mag but either way, these guys are paid on the amount of times they are seen on tv in their sponsors logos.

I am not asking to see 12 hours a day of fishing or the whole weigh in, but showing the top 20 would be nice and seeing more than 10 minutes of fishing in a three hour program, and then to see the same 10 minutes of fishing again in the evening program is a little weak.

After 10 years of busch series sponsorship my company pulled its sponsorship do to the fact that it was not a visable enough sport. FX and Speed didn't cut it for a fortune 5 company...how long will these smaller companies that are non tradtional to fishing be interested if they are not getting the visability that they desire.

[idbefishing]

I will say the live weigh in on Saturday was nearly 6 hours long and way to darn long. We left before it was over and didn't really miss much.

The Classic isn't dying, by the way. It is skyrocketing, but it will take some time, before we get the real coverage we want.

I meant it's dying as in entertainment value and tv rating. There is something very wrong when it took 6 hours to weight in 50 bags and that was on Sat. I don't mind to see that being delayed. On Sunday, there were only 25 bags to be weighted. I'm sure it can be show in a 2 hours time slot.

[10-0 sports]

Well, we are in total agreement that the coverage is no good. We were telling anyone with an ESPN jacket or or press credential that we wanted live coverage and that it needed to be more focused on fishing. ON that we agree.
But, since the classic went to a winter time event....like February, there is much more competition for air time. NCAA basketball is in full swing and the classic just can't get that airtime. REmember the pitt classic was in September, not alot of comp.
I really hope they go back to showing it somewhere. I think ESPN has done a mierable job. I wonder if the Outdoor Channel wouldn't have been a better fit for BASS.
I am telling you this...I have been to many many professional sporting events and the tension at the docks for the day 3 launch was second to none. I was very impressed and the coverage I saw when I got home didn't capture it at all.