Summer NAT's

[KC]

Does anybody know if the Summer Nat's will be televised by ESPN2 or something like it?

[achilleus]

[quote]Originally posted by KC:
<strong>Does anybody know if the Summer Nat's will be televised by ESPN2 or something like it?</strong><hr></blockquote>

If they are, I will be very happy and also very upset. The Div 1 are the top fencers, so if anything is going to be televised, it should be those events.

At the same time, any fencing on tv would be welcome. Come on, the show spelling bee championships on ESPN. Why doesn't the USFA do something. Anything.

[edew]

[quote]Originally posted by achilleus:
<strong>

If they are, I will be very happy and also very upset. The Div 1 are the top fencers, so if anything is going to be televised, it should be those events.

At the same time, any fencing on tv would be welcome. Come on, the show spelling bee championships on ESPN. Why doesn't the USFA do something. Anything.</strong><hr></blockquote>

The point is not whether the fencers are the best in the Div I events. The point is whether a certain event will be spectator friendly. I think televising Y-12 foil would be much more interesting to the non-fencing savvy audience. The actions are just a little bit slower to see the parries and ripostes. That little kids are doing it will be inspiring to the whole family of viewers. That the loser will undoubtably cry will bring more drama than watching a Cody Mattern-Jeff Snider bout. There will be less (if any) *****ing and moaning about the referees (although some kids are savvy enough now to start questioning some calls).

A Youth-14 girls epee would be more interesting to the TV audience than Div I women's epee. Also, showing a HUGE crowd of fencers would be a positive indication of the size of fencing, making a positive statement that fencing is a valid sport in its own right.

I've always felt that a good Div II event would be more telegenic than having Jed Dupree battle Jon Tiomkin. Not that they're not great fencers; they are. But Jed and Jon know each other. It'll be a club-night bout, and the action would be too subtle for the immediate audience.

Once the viewers get a constant dose of the sport and can recognize the subtlety and finesse, then feel free to broadcast the Div I level competitions.

[KC]

Here's one way to start by letting them at ESPN know how you feel.

<a href="http://espn.go.com/sitetools/s/contact/espntv.html" target="_blank">web page</a>