Sunday, December 28, 2008

Radio New Zealand News: Swimming NZ has been forced to withdraw from hosting a round of the 'FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup' next year

They've been unable to raise the $80,000 in sponsorship required to host the event in Wellington even though they have secured US television coverage to over 30 million homes.

This is a problem open water races are going to have to face head-on in 2009 and I suggest they hold events in striking locations with extraordinary water clarity. Perhaps this way television exposure could reach 100-million homes due to better network visibility rather than 30-million homes on a cable TV channel subsequently making sponsorship of the event look more attractive.

Open water looks beautiful in hi-def. Perhaps this is the carrot that pulls in a higher caliber network?

Open water swimming is very difficult to film - I almost think that all open water events for TV should be filmed in crystal blue water in the Bahamas so as to make the event look both look sexy and eventful underwater.

[Link]

1 comment:

Steven Munatones said...

You make an excellent point. The pro swims in the Mediterranean, the swims in the Caribbean and the South Pacific, the competitive races in Hawaii and Florida would all provide beautiful backdrops for hi-def open water swimming broadcasts. The pro swimmers on the 2009 Marathon Swimming World Cup and Open Water Swimming Grand Prix will be competing in several visually dynamic places that would also show well in hi-def: New York City (within view of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline), London, France, a fantastically deep and dramatic canyon river in Mexico, Hong Kong and 29 locations around the world. USA Swimming produced a great show at the 2000 World Open Water Swimming Championships, held in Waikiki, that was broadcast on the Outdoor Living Network. The RCP Tiburon Mile gets some local television exposure in the Bay Area. Perhaps some time in the future, your suggestion will be taken to heart and a visually stunning production will be broadcast from somewhere tropical?