For those of us who missed the NBC Ironman Kona coverage today... (Page 2)

Celebs have been going to Kona for years.

I tuned in expecting to be disappointed and my expectations were met.

And I'll go ahead and say it... I would have preferred some more info on the pros or maybe a segment on what it takes to prepare, rather than a 15 minute recap of Sandy Hook. Thanks for that NBC.  

See my post on page 1.  The broadcast isn't just for those of us who are fans of the sport.  It's for a much wider audience.  They put together the broadcast that they feel will have the widest market appeal.  It's not intended to provide detailed race coverage.

I enjoyed the telecast and even the recap of the father of the Sandy Hook victim. I did my first 140.6 this year and it reminded me of all thje time I had to think on the ride, and I am sure he was thinking of his little girl and family this race. So I enjoyed seeing him race and the "reason" behind the race of why it was important for him to finish.

I sort of watch it as "my duty" as a triathlete but thank goodness for DVR.  It used to be more entertaining/exciting in the past.  Maybe it was shown as more of a real sporting event?  Now it's fluff pieces that take up 50% of the time, if not more. 

I agree, when I watch a sport, I want to watch THE SPORT, and I want to watch the pros play the sport.

No offense to all of the age groupers out there, but if I want to watch a bunch of age groupers racing I will just look around next time I race. After the race I can talk to them about their families, life struggles, and other such things. In a nationally televised sporting event, it should be 90% about the pros.

I don't mind following them on the course.  Some of the best stuff is seeing them deal with things on the course.  Watching the people struggle to get to the finish by midnight is some of the best drama of the show.  I guess I'm talking about is what seems like 10-15 minute spots that don't show any racing and just talk about back stories.

I'd agree with this.

I remember one of the years Chrissie won and they kept referring to her current run speed and would compare it to an "average" runner. Like one mile up a hill she had SLOWED to a 5:45 pace or something. I think they could have incorporated more of that type of stuff while not losing the "non-tri" viewer... but instead I was left wondering how Rinny made up all that time! It was like "Oh she is 8 minutes behind, but catching up" - "Now she's in the lead" - "Oh look she won" all strewn together.

I thought the Sandy Hook segment was about 14 minutes too long. 

I enjoyed the Hines Ward stuff and seeing his learning curve.

So....unlike every other sporting event that is on TV, for Ironman World Championship we have to be fed 30-40% human interest stories in order to make it interesting enough to be on TV in the first place?  I think that's crap.  Concentrate on the race, and the people who are racing to win the race.  If you need to cut away for some human interest drama then find some with one of the stars of the race.  If triathlon is going to ever be considered anything but a novelty, then it deserves better coverage to the masses then the complete dog and pony show that NBC puts out year after year.

And yeah, I know where to find the live feed if I feel like watching it, and I know how to work a dvr.....what's the point?  I already think triathlon is a serious sport and great to be involved in on many levels.  NBC treats it like a carnival act.

This.

Your kidding me, right?  I thought if I watched it I would die.

So, go ahead and tell me who the show is for, and what it does to push triathlon toward mainstream consciousness.  In fact, tell me what the NBC coverage of what is billed as the World Championship does for our sport at all?  Does NBC cover the last place foursome at the Masters?  Maybe go on and on about how one of them lost a kid and how remarkable it is that he was able to show up and finish in the lower half of the competitors.  Maybe show the kids name over and over written in golfballs on a green somewhere......that'd be cool, huh?

It's a race.  In fact, it's the World Championhsip at an epic distance.  Show the pros, let the public get to know them and what it takes to actually compete at that level.  Hell, I'd venture a guess that the majority of people who do triathlon and actually watched the show couldn't name 10% of the pros.  I guess that's good too.  Instead, the public gets garbage so that their general perception of triathlon is that show and the person at work who does triathlon and won't shut up about it......great.