paralympics

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Replies

  • Kearsed
    Kearsed Posts: 70 Member
    Without getting drawn into the America bashing argument; the soccer season has started here as the college/NFL has over there, so I don't think its fair to compare the national US leagues to an international competition like the euro finals (forgive me if I've misunderstood the point).

    Plus PLENTY of sports fans over here do not like soccer/football but love to watch the olympics and paralympics. I think there is more than enough tv channels out there to accomodate many different sports. I can only imagine it is the same in the US.

    I still think that until a network takes a risk and shows the paralympics how will they ever really know if there is an interest or not?


    If the World Series and any football game are on at the same time, football blows it out of the water. Baseball is a very popular sport and its the World Series. Two crappy NFL teams will kill it in ratings.
  • m60kaf
    m60kaf Posts: 421 Member
    Without getting drawn into the America bashing argument; the soccer season has started here as the college/NFL has over there, so I don't think its fair to compare the national US leagues to an international competition like the euro finals (forgive me if I've misunderstood the point).

    Plus PLENTY of sports fans over here do not like soccer/football but love to watch the olympics and paralympics. I think there is more than enough tv channels out there to accomodate many different sports. I can only imagine it is the same in the US.

    I still think that until a network takes a risk and shows the paralympics how will they ever really know if there is an interest or not?


    If the World Series and any football game are on at the same time, football blows it out of the water. Baseball is a very popular sport and its the World Series. Two crappy NFL teams will kill it in ratings.

    Oh I love this one too ... "World Series".... how many countries play in this world series?
  • Kearsed
    Kearsed Posts: 70 Member
    Without getting drawn into the America bashing argument; the soccer season has started here as the college/NFL has over there, so I don't think its fair to compare the national US leagues to an international competition like the euro finals (forgive me if I've misunderstood the point).

    Plus PLENTY of sports fans over here do not like soccer/football but love to watch the olympics and paralympics. I think there is more than enough tv channels out there to accomodate many different sports. I can only imagine it is the same in the US.

    I still think that until a network takes a risk and shows the paralympics how will they ever really know if there is an interest or not?


    If the World Series and any football game are on at the same time, football blows it out of the water. Baseball is a very popular sport and its the World Series. Two crappy NFL teams will kill it in ratings.

    Oh I love this one too ... "World Series".... how many countries play in this world series?

    I agree with you on this. Its stupid.
  • misspenfold
    misspenfold Posts: 25 Member
    But the world series still gets shown. There is still an audience for it. I know the paralympics would not be on the same level as the world series over there, but I think that supports my point. A tv channel wouldn't say "we're not going to bother airing the baseball this year because its up against NFL" - likewise the olympics was on during the same time as baseball season - so there is an understanding that there is an audience for both - it may be smaller, in which case they pay less for the rights. Why can't that be the same for the paralympics? It doesn't have to be on a main network. It isn't here, it's on the 3rd largest but not the 2 big boys. I'm just surprised not one network thought it might be worth seeing if there's an appetite for it.

    As a side note, am sad football is more popular than baseball. Maybe its because the time I spent in the US was during the summer at camp, but I really liked baseball. Watched a few college football games when I stayed just out of St Louis in October a couple of years back - bored me rigid. Go Cards!
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    I still think that until a network takes a risk and shows the paralympics how will they ever really know if there is an interest or not?

    I am pretty sure I read somewhere that the London Olympics attracted the single greatest viewing figures in the US ever for a sporting event so where the assumption that "no one in the US would be interested in the Paralympics because football season has started" comes from needs to be clarified.

    How do people actually know this is the case or are they just guessing?
  • MamaDee2
    MamaDee2 Posts: 843 Member
    Watching the guy from South Africia in the Olympics was awesome! He was a great inspiration! I would love to see more! I hate football and there are others that don't like it so one of the networks should give it a try to see just how many folks would watch. They won't know till the try!
  • Mootpoint
    Mootpoint Posts: 14 Member
    May I suggest to one and all that you google "murderball" (or wheelchair rugby if you like). Thanks.
  • Prahasaurus
    Prahasaurus Posts: 1,381 Member
    So much negative energy generated from one thread. And the irony being it was supposed to highlight those that have overcome incredible odds to do some amazing things.

    From the sublime to the ridiculous. Congrats everyone! A group gold medal in pettiness!

    --P
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,585 Member
    People just aren't as interested in it. Like i said before, I don't even like the regular Olympics. Many don't. I think the regular Olympics is a waste of time. Nevertheless, they air it because they think they'll make money - and for the record, in recent years tv networks LOST money airing the Olympics in the U.S. So to think that the paralympics will be some gold mine is absolutely insane.

    So they're not airing the Paralympics because it would lose them money, right? Yet you're saying above that they've lost money the last few Olympics, yes? So... logic tells me that they'll not be airing Rio 2016 in the U.S.? Is that right? :huh:
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    Its not on TV because not enough people are going to watch it. Has nothing to do with us being "stupid americans"

    Get over yourselves you fcks.

    Its football season, no network is going to air some small time paraolympics and lose millions of dollars in ad revenue. If someone wants to watch it I am sure they can get it streaming online.

    ONE BILLION WATCHED THE OPENING CEREMONY ALONE ALL OVER THE WORLD - is that big enough for you? One billion do not watch American Football.

    Do yourself a massive favour and cut out the insults, you are showing yourself up.
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    Its not on TV because not enough people are going to watch it. Has nothing to do with us being "stupid americans"

    Get over yourselves you fcks.

    Its football season, no network is going to air some small time paraolympics and lose millions of dollars in ad revenue. If someone wants to watch it I am sure they can get it streaming online.

    To add to what I said, do you think the UK would be showing the paraolympics on tv if it was going on during the Euro Cup. Yea I don't think so.

    The UK can multitask actually.

    They showed the European Football and Wimbledon Tennis at the same time.

    Oh yes, they can multitask alright.
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    May I suggest to one and all that you google "murderball" (or wheelchair rugby if you like). Thanks.

    Yes I agree - looks bloody brutal LOL!
  • m60kaf
    m60kaf Posts: 421 Member
    So much negative energy generated from one thread. And the irony being it was supposed to highlight those that have overcome incredible odds to do some amazing things.

    From the sublime to the ridiculous. Congrats everyone! A group gold medal in pettiness!

    --P

    No it wasn't... the tread was asking why the US media isn't airing the Paralympics. Not about sport people with disabilities and there unquestioned amazingness

    To summaries main discussion has been around either this being big networks that go for safe options against the possibility that Americans MAY be myopic and not wish to see the event or possibly even that such a media generates myopia

    People commonly mistake healthy debate for negativity, especially if the arguments do not tally with theirs... Now that IS a common occurrence on here
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
    I still think that until a network takes a risk and shows the paralympics how will they ever really know if there is an interest or not?

    I am pretty sure I read somewhere that the London Olympics attracted the single greatest viewing figures in the US ever for a sporting event so where the assumption that "no one in the US would be interested in the Paralympics because football season has started" comes from needs to be clarified.

    How do people actually know this is the case or are they just guessing?

    I think it is a fair guess. College and nfl are going now, so that's really two sports, in a sense. Even today, with college football just starting, I think we have games here on about eight major channels. And if people have sports packages for their cable, the options will be even greater.

    Part of what aids the Olympics so much is timing. they run in a summer dead zone of american sports. There is some baseball, of course. And the little league world series, actually. But that's it. And neither pull anywhere near the numbers as either version of football.

    Honestly, if the Olympics started this week, viewership would plummet. And that isn't because we don't care. We just have a sport we like to watch more than another.
  • deb62pink
    deb62pink Posts: 84 Member
    Nope, no coverage. We are about to start the college football (real football, not soccer) season and the NFL. Nobody would be watching the paralympics.

    Real football involves using your feet, playing a full 90 minutes, no time outs, no video replay delays and is the most beautiful game known to humankind (a fact that is appreciated by the 95% of the world's population outside of the USA....):happy:


    Sadly we have very limited coverage of the Paralympics here in Canada too.
    Oh you've watched Aussie Rules??? I agree, it is real football LOL
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    Nope, no coverage. We are about to start the college football (real football, not soccer) season and the NFL. Nobody would be watching the paralympics.

    Ah of course. A sport only played in the US is naturally far more important....

    Seriously. Sometimes you americans really don't do your own reputation any favours. Rise above the stereotype!

    You will have to take that up with the corporate/political sponsors, they own the media here.
  • Kearsed
    Kearsed Posts: 70 Member
    Nope, no coverage. We are about to start the college football (real football, not soccer) season and the NFL. Nobody would be watching the paralympics.

    Ah of course. A sport only played in the US is naturally far more important....

    Seriously. Sometimes you americans really don't do your own reputation any favours. Rise above the stereotype!

    This is actually really rude. First off, I don't control what gets aired on television and what doesn't. Second, I want to watch what I enjoy. I don't even watch the olympics and find it to be a little boring.

    Get off your high horse and stop judging us Americans. I only speak for myself.
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    I am from the US. I was looking forward to watching the Olympics this year. Want to know why I stopped watching? By the time the events actually aired here, I already knew who won. Its like reading a book and having someone tell you the end. It ruins it.

    Do I wish I could watch the paralympics? Yes. But I also wish that it weren't treated as an entirely seperate event. I believe the athletes should get to compete at one time, not seperately.

    And for all of those people generalizing and bashing Americans because we aren't watching the paralympics, please tell me when was the last time you watched a live game of wheelchair basketball that was played not during the paralympics??? If the answer is never, I wouldn't be surprised. I am glad you can sit atop your high horse once every four years and critisize Americans for not watching.

    See as an American, we are used to being bashed for being Americans. It's sad that when any other country needs help in times of war or natural distasters, we are the first to get called on for help, and we are the first to always get attacked and condemned for everything we do.

    To the OP, why does it matter to you what we watch on tv? I promise not to worry myself with whats on your tv, if you stop worrying about whats on mine.

    Nicely stated.
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
    It should ne noted that the 'only played in the u.s.' is incorrect. Of course, canada has the game as well. NFL europe was around until recently, and there are multiple leagues in, say, france, germany, etc.
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    Well this thread has been fun...

    *slowly backs out*
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    I found this whole thread sort of ridiculous. I watched minimal Olympics coverage...not because I wasn't interested, but because most of the events I wanted to see live were aired at 3 or 4 AM my time and I wasn't able to stay up all night to watch live coverage...and I was out running or working out when events were time delayed. Or I'd already heard who won and it's not as exciting to watch when you know what the outcome will be.

    To make an assumption that Americans as a whole "don't care" about the Paralympics or people with disabilities because we're not glued to our tvs...? That was based on one person's response at the beginning of the thread that now that football season has started in the US, no one would watch Paralympics...I personally watch minimal football, so I don't know...

    I get one BBC channel and all that airs when I'm at home in the evenings is Luther, Copper (BEST SHOW EVER!), Dr. Who (which is usually on after I go to bed, sadly) and some car show called "Top Gear" that I have zero interest in. Does that mean I have no interest in or like of the British...uh, no. It means I have limited access on my TV. It means I might be watching other shows. It doesn't mean ANYTHING.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    Honestly, if the Olympics started this week, viewership would plummet. And that isn't because we don't care. We just have a sport we like to watch more than another.

    I think that's fair enough.

    However, it's still an assumption that there isn't enough interest in the Paralympics for it to be scheduled even factoring this in. I know American football is hugely popular but so is football here in the UK. I am pretty sure, despite this, that there are large numbers of American and British people who actually dislike these sports and would prefer to watch athletics instead. Actually, we know this to be true here as the Paralympic Opening ceremony attracted the highest audience for the commercial broadcaster (Channel 4) who showed it despite the Premier League starting recently.

    Incidentally, it seems the limited broadcasts are a result of a decision by the US Olympic Committee not the actual networks!
  • Nope, no coverage. We are about to start the college football (real football, not soccer) season and the NFL. Nobody would be watching the paralympics.

    Ah of course. A sport only played in the US is naturally far more important....

    Seriously. Sometimes you americans really don't do your own reputation any favours. Rise above the stereotype!

    Not all Americans care about football. I couldn't care less about professional sports in the US and yes I would lump college football in that category since it makes a tremendous amount of money for the colleges.

    But, it makes money and people are driven by the almighty dollar.

    I would love to see more of Oscar Pistorius in the Para's but I will have to get it through social media.
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
    To make an assumption that Americans as a whole "don't care" about the Paralympics or people with disabilities because we're not glued to our tvs...? That was based on one person's response at the beginning of the thread that now that football season has started in the US, no one would watch Paralympics...I personally watch minimal football, so I don't know...

    Actually there were several American people making that assertion. Since there were no people speaking up in the other direction how can one assume any other?
  • Kearsed
    Kearsed Posts: 70 Member
    To make an assumption that Americans as a whole "don't care" about the Paralympics or people with disabilities because we're not glued to our tvs...? That was based on one person's response at the beginning of the thread that now that football season has started in the US, no one would watch Paralympics...I personally watch minimal football, so I don't know...

    Actually there were several American people making that assertion. Since there were no people speaking up in the other direction how can one assume any other?

    So you can judge an entire country by a few posts on a message board? Good to know :laugh:
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    To make an assumption that Americans as a whole "don't care" about the Paralympics or people with disabilities because we're not glued to our tvs...? That was based on one person's response at the beginning of the thread that now that football season has started in the US, no one would watch Paralympics...I personally watch minimal football, so I don't know...

    Actually there were several American people making that assertion. Since there were no people speaking up in the other direction how can one assume any other?

    So you can judge an entire country by a few posts on a message board? Good to know :laugh:

    Wait, that's not how the world works?
  • poncho33
    poncho33 Posts: 1,511
    I am from the US. I was looking forward to watching the Olympics this year. Want to know why I stopped watching? By the time the events actually aired here, I already knew who won. Its like reading a book and having someone tell you the end. It ruins it.

    Do I wish I could watch the paralympics? Yes. But I also wish that it weren't treated as an entirely seperate event. I believe the athletes should get to compete at one time, not seperately.

    And for all of those people generalizing and bashing Americans because we aren't watching the paralympics, please tell me when was the last time you watched a live game of wheelchair basketball that was played not during the paralympics??? If the answer is never, I wouldn't be surprised. I am glad you can sit atop your high horse once every four years and critisize Americans for not watching.

    See as an American, we are used to being bashed for being Americans. It's sad that when any other country needs help in times of war or natural distasters, we are the first to get called on for help, and we are the first to always get attacked and condemned for everything we do.

    To the OP, why does it matter to you what we watch on tv? I promise not to worry myself with whats on your tv, if you stop worrying about whats on mine.

    ^^^This should have ended the thread right here... well stated. The great thing about America is we don't care what you watch on your TV, we don't care what cause you hold dear to your heart, and we don't care what you think soccer or football is... call it what you want, live your life and I will live mine.
  • nevertoolate2
    nevertoolate2 Posts: 309 Member
    I am from the US. I was looking forward to watching the Olympics this year. Want to know why I stopped watching? By the time the events actually aired here, I already knew who won. Its like reading a book and having someone tell you the end. It ruins it.

    Do I wish I could watch the paralympics? Yes. But I also wish that it weren't treated as an entirely seperate event. I believe the athletes should get to compete at one time, not seperately.

    And for all of those people generalizing and bashing Americans because we aren't watching the paralympics, please tell me when was the last time you watched a live game of wheelchair basketball that was played not during the paralympics??? If the answer is never, I wouldn't be surprised. I am glad you can sit atop your high horse once every four years and critisize Americans for not watching.

    See as an American, we are used to being bashed for being Americans. It's sad that when any other country needs help in times of war or natural distasters, we are the first to get called on for help, and we are the first to always get attacked and condemned for everything we do.

    To the OP, why does it matter to you what we watch on tv? I promise not to worry myself with whats on your tv, if you stop worrying about whats on mine.

    ^^^This should have ended the thread right here... well stated. The great thing about America is we don't care what you watch on your TV, we don't care what cause you hold dear to your heart, and we don't care what you think soccer or football is... call it what you want, live your life and I will live mine.

    It's great you don't care what people watch. I don't care what you watch.

    But that's the point. In the land of the free your tv networks are not allowing those who want to watch the paralympics to do so.
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
    To make an assumption that Americans as a whole "don't care" about the Paralympics or people with disabilities because we're not glued to our tvs...? That was based on one person's response at the beginning of the thread that now that football season has started in the US, no one would watch Paralympics...I personally watch minimal football, so I don't know...

    Actually there were several American people making that assertion. Since there were no people speaking up in the other direction how can one assume any other?

    So you can judge an entire country by a few posts on a message board? Good to know :laugh:

    No, I haven't 'judged' an entire country - I've 'judged' those who have responded. The point was that it is not possible to agree with people who aren't posting. Nice try with the petty sarcasm though...
  • nevertoolate2
    nevertoolate2 Posts: 309 Member

    See as an American, we are used to being bashed for being Americans. It's sad that when any other country needs help in times of war or natural distasters, we are the first to get called on for help, and we are the first to always get attacked and condemned for everything we do.

    I take you are talking about Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria,Cuba or Vietnam? Or are you harping back to WW2? America only takes part in wars where doing so serves it's own purpose or it has no choice. No different to pretty much every country, including the UK so please don't hold that out as a virtue.

    I know that's an unfair response but your response deserved it. This thread is about tv networks not broadcasting the paralympics, not about Americans.

    And on the natural disaster front, one previous poster has already pointed out that USA is way down on the list when it comes to charity and international support.

    That said I do think Americans get a bum rap a lot of the time. Unfortunately, as for many countries, it is the stereotyping of the few that dictates how we think of the whole.