# ESPN's coverage of tour...



## NYBigfoot (Oct 18, 2009)

Or lack there of....I wonder why ESPN doesn't care too much about the tour while there are so many americans and american teams in it. Sometimes, they do have a 30 second highlight of a stage but that is it. This morning they had a highlight of two tour cyclists fighting each other at the end of yesterdays stage (actually didn't know that this happened). Barely any race coverage. The commentator guy was kind of making fun of them saying, "nothing beats two men fist fighting in tights". He also said something about men in tights and spandex. It kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Not only is their coverage minimal at best, they (ESPN) seem to not treat these professionals as respected athletes...Just my thoughts.

Todd


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

Theres another channel thats got the Tour covered pretty well 

ESPN's a joke. Tour aside, they have become really bad with ALL their coverage. Its more or less eye candy for kids in dorm rooms.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

No motors, no balls, no ESPN coverage


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## nayr497 (Nov 8, 2008)

Rk said it very, very well...eye candy for frat dudes.

I really, really hate that station. I actually started a thread bashing it in the Lounge not so long ago because of how much I hate it. I don't even have a t.v. anymore but I hate it.

They don't cover sports. They cover the NFL non-stop, too much NBA, and way too much baseball. They'll cover hockey when their is goonery. Oh, and lacrosse when there is a rape or murder.

I hate nearly all of their personalities. Just announce the highlights and stop trying to be a celebrity. That stupid morning show they have is awful. 

Anyway, that station sucks. They aren't about covering sports, but sensationalizing and dramatizing events around sports. I could go on and on about how much I hate it. But, why bother. They suck. Their message boards are populated by ignorant, rude, hateful people. (yeah, I know...I'm being a little angry myself here)

But, I got my first exposure to TdF on ESPN when I was around 10 or 12. Used to be a great station. I used to love a lot more sports. Now I can't stomach that station, nor the NFL, nor the NBA. It's all a joke.

This is just one more sign that marketing and technology are going to be the end of the humanity part of humans. It scares me. I want the station to implode. ESPN really saps the vitality and spirit of sports. Just endless coverage of drama...that THEY stir up. Oh, and I didn't even mention how easily the bottom line ticker can ruin a good soccer match.

Seriously, FFFFF ESPN.

Okay, that is it I'm going back to watching the TdF on Eurosport. Sorry for all the negative energy, but that station is truly horrible. It's like MTV for sports. Nothing worthwhile, but frighteningly influential on a LOT of people.


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## yater (Nov 30, 2006)

They did an hour-long special on which team Lebron was going to pick. That says it all.


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

I don't understand why they pick up bowling and billiards, but brush the TdF aside as if it is child's play. (Actually I understand exactly why and disagree with it completely)


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## nayr497 (Nov 8, 2008)

yater, right on! If they are going to give that much coverage to where a dude is going to play next year but none to this huge, exciting race going on...well, that does say it all.

I think the whole lebron thing actually managed to overtake the favre retiring/not retiring fiasco for the most annoying recent sports dramasoapopera. I can't stomach the NBA, as it's just a small step from the WWE. 

I am tickled pink that the whole thing has backfired on dim james and people are pretty angry with him. That really (almost) made it worth while to have to see headlines on him nonstop for a year or more.


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

As I get older and wiser, I start taking the stations for what they're worth, and hold no ill will towards them for not covering my preferred sports. The fact is, if you're an nba, nfl, mlb, golf, and now nascar, espn does a good job.
They don't do jack for soccer, which is arguably my favorite sport now. That's what FSC, and GOL tv are for. ESPN, and american sports media/fans generally have no desire, or understanding of european games, Cycling included.
Yesterday, on PTI, the guy said that the cycling fight was exceptional, and worthy of an "A" (whatever) because they "are now in the Alps and ride 120-150 miles per day, UPHILL the entire time"
I actually used to respect that reporter. But to be that uninformed, and ignorant is unforgivable in my opion.
I wouldn't criticize ESPN, for lack of coverage of the peloton, the same way I wouldn't criticize them for their coverage of the EPL, while MISSING the games or coverage on FSC.


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## wheelerfreak (Nov 13, 2007)

jsedlak said:


> I don't understand why they pick up bowling and billiards, but brush the TdF aside as if it is child's play. (Actually I understand exactly why and disagree with it completely)


 I was thinking the same thing while I was at the gym yesterday. They were showing full coverage of a college Lacrosse game, and not a single mention of the tour?!


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## Comer (Jan 13, 2009)

ESPN is the MTV of sports channels.


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## moabbiker (Sep 11, 2002)

Didn't know anyone even watched ESPN anymore. They went downhill over a decade ago.


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## JimT (Jul 18, 2007)

Everyone complains about commercials and commentary on Versus, imagine how bad it would be if ESPN had it.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Is it that ESPN simply doesn't care OR that there are enough cable channels that it's no biggie? I could imagine that 10 years ago it might have torqued people the wrong way if they didn't cover the Tour in favor of bowling, but not a huge issue in an era of plenty of channels and DVR.


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## King Arthur (Nov 13, 2009)

*Espn*

Lebron who?
As far as serious sports coverage, they are the suxxor:thumbsup:


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## denversean (Jun 14, 2004)

EPSN will cover it a little more if Lance wins or appears like he has a shot (or somehow pops a positive b sample). Then, inevitably, one of their 400lb, former Div 1A Football scouts-turned sports journalists will write up a piece saying that any of America's top Athletes from 'real' sports could come in and win the tour at will. They'll argue that guys like Lebron and Tom Brady are such naturally gifted athletes that heading out on a bike for 20 days would be a cakewalk. Throw in a little anecdote or two about their childhood experiences riding a bike and voila! [email protected]#$%% ESPN.

I'm a huge fan of many sports, but having ridden on a bike for many many miles and having an idea of what these guys put themselves through, I am simply entranced by the grand tours, the classics, and the tall skinny cat that can outclimb me on the local hills. Outside of IronMan contestestants, I can't think of better conditioned pure athlete's than pro cyclists. The physical and mental toughness it takes to win a stage, let alone a Tour make it the one of the most demanding sports we humans play.


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## atown117 (Dec 1, 2008)

On one of the ESPN shows that I caught a glimpse of while flipping through the channels. It showed the guy who crashed first in stage 2 on the descent which caused the moto to crash while trying to avoid him. Sorry I can't remember his name as of right now, but anyways they said it was Fabian Cancellara when they were showing the clip. ESPN is a joke when it comes to covering sports like cycling.


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## Ken in Vista (Feb 10, 2005)

ESPN covers mainstream sports (and poker). Pro cycling isn't as popular as we like to think it is.


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## NYBigfoot (Oct 18, 2009)

Yeah, I forgot about that.....POKER? Are you kidding me? Seriously though...Poker over Cycling? That seems backwords to me.


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

NYBigfoot said:


> Yeah, I forgot about that.....POKER? Are you kidding me? Seriously though...Poker over Cycling? That seems backwords to me.


How can you not understand that?

American men can identify with poker. They play it online, play it with their buddies.

They don't identify with "wearing tights." A very high majority of the people watching ESPN aren't doing it as they suit up in lycra and stuff Gu's in their jersey.

It really is as simple as that. Until we have another couple of Armstrongs that boost the nation's level of interest, cycling won't be taken as a serious sport on networks such as ESPN.


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