Should le Tour 2012 be on ITV1 next year?

[downfader]

I personally would love to see this. It would bring the sport over to a new audience. It would show ITV1 viewers that there isnt just football as a sport in this world.

Perhaps my memory is clouded by age, but I'm sure we used to watch le tour on ITV when I were a lad in the early 80s.

 

[Paul_L]

Don't remember it being on ITV before but i certainly remember the channel 4 days. If it was on ITV1 it'd be shown at a daft time like 11pm every evening. I'd prefer the prime time slot of 7pm even if it means a minor channel.

I wonder what the typical viewing figures are.

 

[MacB]

would be nice to see it getting more mainstream but there would be a risk of more 'newbies' not understanding sports viewing and releasing spoiler type information

 

[Smokin Joe]

The main channel would not be able to devote a minimum of 2.1/2 hours to the race every day, plus longer for the mountain stages and then highlights later for those who were at work. Better off on 4.

In the eighties the tour was on Channel 4 - half an hour a night minus ad breaks.

 

[leyburnrunner]

it used to be on itv back in the day! itv's 'world of sport' used to devote 20 minutes on a saturday afternoon to review the previous weeks tdf. a whole 20 minutes though it was introduced by the very suave dickie davis. happy days!

 

[JonnyBlade]

I personally would love to see this. It would bring the sport over to a new audience. It would show ITV1 viewers that there isnt just football as a sport in this world.

Perhaps my memory is clouded by age, but I'm sure we used to watch le tour on ITV when I were a lad in the early 80s.

+1 Great idea

 

[downfader]

would be nice to see it getting more mainstream but there would be a risk of more 'newbies' not understanding sports viewing and releasing spoiler type information

How long do you have to watch it then, before you're no longer considered a "newbie"?

 

[mightyquin]

I really enjoyed watching it this year, still got a few highlight shows I've not had time to watch yet. I think I'd rather they devote more time on ITV4 than have a 30 min late night roundup on ITV1.

 

[MacB]

How long do you have to watch it then, before you're no longer considered a "newbie"?

Depends how quick a learner you are

 

[MichaelM]

I'd rather it was on BBC 1.

Why do they have second and third on the podium anyway ?

And as for Marmite recipies...

 

[gaz]

If you show the full stages on prime channels then I doubt it gain much intrest.
The start of some stages could bs perceived as boring and things like te jerseys etc would need to be explained on every show so people understand.

Poker went this way in America and the uk when it went mainstream. Every episode they explain the rules and the hand rankings and in the end I just stopped watching poker as I gets really annoying when you know the rules!

I just don't want that to happen to cycling.

 

[the_mikey]

In France, the Tour De France is shown on France2 and 3 which would be like it being shown on BBC1 and BBC2 over here. I feel as long as it's available to watch, it's fine on ITV4, it's one of the few channels that can be watched easily via a choice of media delivery platforms (internet, freeview, freesat, sky, cable) , and for that I am gratetful.

I tried watching the Eurosport feeds online while servicing my bike in the garage and they kept crashing, tried the ITV4 feed with no problems!

 

[zimzum42]

Am sure there are discussions just like this on a Crown Green Bowls forum after a particularly exciting tournament...


Pro cycling remains a minority interest in this country, and to expect them to show it on the mainstream channels is a bit optimistic. I think the BBC Sport website links tell quite a story in terms of how sport is 'ranked'in the UK:

Football Formula 1 Olympics Cricket Rugby Union Rugby League Tennis Golf Athletics Cycling MotoGP Boxing Snooker Horse Racing Disability Sport Other sport...

Horse Racing is probably the odd one out - but then it's only watched for the betting so maybe it's right...

 

[dellzeqq]

I'm with Smokin Joe on this one. ITV4, or one of the minor BBC channels, is about as good as it's going to get

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I can't see what ITV1 or the BBC would do with it. Everyone is showing the same film. Unless I'm watching it live on ITV4 or Eurosportplayer I tape it and watch it without the ads and unnecessary waffle. Putting it onto ITV1 will just have that channels average ratings plummet, it won't bring in extra viewers, showing it on the BBC might get a few more viewers from folk that boycott ITV because it's common!