THIS REALLY BITES !!!!!!!

**MDE3** · 07-06-2003, 03:16 PM

Well the FIRS World Championships for inline hockey have just ended. Team USA wins the gold!!!!!

I went on ESPN sports and could not find one single reference to the event even existing. There were references to some baseball player having his ankle feel better than they thought and a whole paragraph on some Japanese lightweight winning a hot dog eating contest, but Team USA wins the World's Championship in Inline Hockey - not a bloody word!!!!!!!

Maybe we should start a boycott of their tv programming times!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and flood their email lines with Inline Hockey questions and results........

Someone there must really hate the sport given the events that do make there way onto their programming. I would have loved to watch these games on television - anyone else?????

If you read this ESPN (of which I hold little hope), WAKE UP - there is a legitimate sport out there that could actually get some ratings - if you don't put it on at 2:30 am like you did the last time, and wonder why no-one was watching?............Was that done with a little nudge from the NHL? - "make sure we don't ever let this sport get off the ground guys and we'll scrub your back too......"

Well maybe Fox Sports has woken up - we will see.

**columbus_RHstar** · 07-06-2003, 05:57 PM

I've sent e-mails to Ooutside the Lines once they gotthe nightly show. All I got back was a generic reply that they got my submition and appreciated my input.

On another subject, NHL ratings are low and their ESPN contract is done soon (not sure exactly when). Doesn't this seem like the perfect time to get in and get a trial run with a league Speedhockey, MLRH, PIHA, whichever it doesn't matter, for a month or so? see how those rating are, if they are better than the NHL's or close too, why not try and get a TV contract for less dollars than the NHL would have. EX NHL says $5,000,000 and Speedhockey says $750,000 which would ESPN go for? Most likely, if ratings are comparable, Speedhockey.

Strike while the iron is hot eh?

**seyone** · 07-06-2003, 08:22 PM

The NHL might be seeing low ratings but I doubt that roller hockey in any of its mentioned forms could see comparable ratings.
I would however rather see Roller hockey on ESPN than some of the other programs they air. I have seen dog shows, spelling b's and even womens basketball!! I would hope that our sport could generate more interest than some of these "sports".

http://ironmagazineforums.com/avatar...1037164899.jpg

**columbus_RHstar** · 07-06-2003, 08:41 PM

Ture, who watches spelling bee's? besides people who need help falling asleep.

**SpeedDemon** · 07-07-2003, 07:34 AM

Generally, news 'organizations' such as ESPN will not sniff anything outside of their general AOR unless it is formatted as a press release. Perhaps this is as simple as a FIRS employee, Team USA coach or other sending a properly formatted press release to ESPN and other national sports coverage organizations.

**NLane** · 07-07-2003, 09:10 AM

Welcome to the real world of inline hockey!! The "right" person doesn't have a kid playing yet. Let's get recruiting!

**TimeKeeper_CYMRU** · 07-08-2003, 01:39 PM

Colleagues.
The whole match was broadcast "LIVE" on Czech television, both normal (20 minute) periods ending 2:2, plus two 10 minute, goal-less, Golden Goal periods, and a further 1m 22s of the third G/G period when CJY scored, assisted by his brother.

Team USA provided a superb exhibition of Inline Hockey at its best, <font color=red>what a privilege it was to be in the arena!</font color=red>

What a pity the local supporters couldn't put aside their nationalistic support, as the game progressed team USA were subjected to some appalling 'Bird'.

For those spectators from countries other than the Czech Republic, this exhibition of bad (appalling) behaviour by a considerable proportion of the Czech supporters was only matched by the Czech team's appalling treatment of the minor teams. Was it really necessary for Team Czech to thrash Team Greece: 32-0? This is not the way to promote the sport of inline hockey in those countries where the sport is still in the development stage. Surely such teams should be encouraged, not humiliated!

Much better the approach of Team USA when playing the less able teams, they were a joy to behold, Team USA played to win (of course) and then provided the other team(s) with a level of experience, skills and gamesmanship these teams simply don't have available in their respective home countries.

It was indeed a privilege to be in attendance during the 12 days of the event.

As for the broadcasting element of this thread. What the various European TV companies select to broadcast or to ignore is as much a mystery to me as it appears the actions of the USA broadcasters are to some of the earlier correspondents to this thread.
---
John.

**MDE3** · 07-08-2003, 06:20 PM

Repeat my post from FIRS World Cup update. !!!

**MDE3** · 07-08-2003, 06:22 PM

Repeat my post from FIRS World Cup update. !!!

Also it might prove to be of great significance if we could some how relay your post to the appropriate networks - the part about the gracious conduct of our team USA is a story in itself - let alone the winning of the gold Medal.