Strategy- Bringing Fencing to Television

**D'Artagnan1673** · 08-02-2002 08:51 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Fencing could, I'm sure, do the same thing, but that requires quite a bit of capitol.
<hr /></blockquote>okay you rich people, hand it over!! Eitehr that or we go to the lottery.

**counter riposte** · 08-02-2002 09:41 AM

There have been some excellent ideas placed out there. The problem however is publicity. How exactly do you market a gentleman/woman's sport, whose primary following is in Europe? Personally, I think that the history of our sport has something to do with it. There must have been a reason that fencing competitions fell off from the public view.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know the history of this? I heard somewhere that fencing was once promoted (Late 1930's) and had the same following as boxing, just more expensive and reserved for those upper echelon of people, who can afford it and have dinner and dancing with the gallant fencers afterwards. It's following may have fallen off due to the great depression, but that is of course conjecture.

Maybe if we can understand that history, we may be able to correct the problems, and get fencing into mainstream.

[ 08-02-2002, 01:50 PM: Message edited by: counter riposte ]

**Inquartata** · 08-02-2002 07:25 PM

Heh, D'Art, if one of us owns a capitol he or she must be rich indeed! especially if it's the whole city and not just the building...

Yeah, Gav, I know what you mean. It wasn't my intention to imply that the type doesn't exist; I know all too well that it's prevalent ( depending on the group ). It's getting better, at least in the rapier community---there's a lot of attention being paid to the historical manuals, of which there are a lot. It's tougher amongst the armored lot, who have been using sticks and plastic and carpeting for so many years that it's ingrained ( not many applicable manuals, either ). Still an awful lot of silliness all around, though.

**three_hundred_fifty_five** · 08-02-2002 09:48 PM

This topic has been risen from the grave so often it should be the zombie topic of the year.

**D'Artagnan1673** · 08-02-2002 10:14 PM

Counter Riposte,

I think that the era you are referring to was more along the lines of the late 19th century to early 20th, more along the teens. However, I am not positive.

Yeah, Inquartita, I'd like to have a whole city myself. I could tax them to pay for our fencing network.

Mo · 08-02-2002 11:49 PM

The ultimate decision will be made,(about who is in the Olympics) not by Olympic officials, but by corporate America. A dozen major corporations which are the principal sponsors of the Winter Games, including Coca-Cola, Xerox, Visa, John Hancock Financial Services, Lucent Technologies, Delta Airlines and US West, were reviewing their commitments. US West announced it was withholding the first $5 million of its planned $50 million contribution until the bribery allegations were investigated.

I have been reading about the sponsorship of the Olympic games and the OIC. If you want fencing on tv, there has to be a reason. Some big ole corporations need to see some need to have fencing associated with their companies.
Reading about the bribery and corruption that is present in the IOC is interesting to say the least. It is really too bad that fencing NEEDS to be an Olympic sport but that is the way the FIE and USFA gets money to support the sport.

Write to the above companies and tell them they are supporting sexist behavior in a sport that has been in the Modern Olympics since the beginning.
Women's saber needs to be an Olympic sport and the Women's Saber team can probably bring home some medals. There are some very strong women out there right now fencing all the weapons and they all should be able to compete.
We as Americans vote with our money. Write and tell the corporations how you feel about fencing and how nice it would be if they took an interest in it.
Do not fail to mention your 400 dollar a week Diet Coke habit or whatever creative thing you can come up with to show them you are a loyal and needed customer.
Just do it.

**135711** · 08-03-2002 05:06 PM

i can't believe womens saber would bring about so much controversy! what difference does it make! if they enjoy fencing sabre and they fence it to the point of international competition, why should it matter to anyone. simply because i, as an individual don't choose to fence saber, doesn't mean that i don't want others to fence saber.

[ 08-03-2002, 09:07 PM: Message edited by: 135711 ]

Mo · 08-03-2002 09:48 PM

i can't believe womens saber would bring about so much controversy! what difference does it make! if they enjoy fencing sabre and they fence it to the point of international competition, why should it matter to anyone. simply because i, as an individual don't choose to fence saber, doesn't mean that i don't want others to fence saber.

What matters is that unless Women's Saber has a chance of becoming an Olympic sport, Women Sabrists will not get funding.
A lot of funding for the USFA comes from the Olympic Committee so if it is not a recognized sport, it will not be treated as such.
There will be no women saber programs, no national coach, no nothing.
Just because you don't choose saber but another weapon, and if you are a woman, (usually women can actually understand this) would you prefer that your weapon not be funded??
Why is it ok for there to be women's foil and epee but not women's saber??
I guess fencers don't much give a darn if the issues only affect a small part of the fencing community. No wonder it is all such a mess. There is not enough solidarity.
Women's Saber is good for the Olympics and good for fencing.
They have a lot of potential for winning medals and assisting the rest of the fencing community in making fencing a sport in which people will have an interest.
Americans like to win, if we have lots of fencing winners, fencing will become well known.

**achilleus** · 08-03-2002 10:10 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Mo:
i can't believe womens saber would bring about so much controversy! what difference does it make! if they enjoy fencing sabre and they fence it to the point of international competition, why should it matter to anyone. simply because i, as an individual don't choose to fence saber, doesn't mean that i don't want others to fence saber.

What matters is that unless Women's Saber has a chance of becoming an Olympic sport, Women Sabrists will not get funding.
A lot of funding for the USFA comes from the Olympic Committee so if it is not a recognized sport, it will not be treated as such.
There will be no women saber programs, no national coach, no nothing.
Just because you don't choose saber but another weapon, and if you are a woman, (usually women can actually understand this) would you prefer that your weapon not be funded??
Why is it ok for there to be women's foil and epee but not women's saber??
I guess fencers don't much give a darn if the issues only affect a small part of the fencing community. No wonder it is all such a mess. There is not enough solidarity.
Women's Saber is good for the Olympics and good for fencing.
They have a lot of potential for winning medals and assisting the rest of the fencing community in making fencing a sport in which people will have an interest.
Americans like to win, if we have lots of fencing winners, fencing will become well known.<hr /></blockquote>Women's saber is good for fencing if it can be added without hurting other weapons.
If it's neccessary to cut 2 other events, then it will be hurting fencing.

While the US would love to have WS added so we have a better shot at medals, many other countries are fighting to keep the events that they have a better chance at winning in.

If the mixed team format is accepted, that of course would be the best, but with country politics, it may not be accepted.

[ 08-04-2002, 02:34 AM: Message edited by: achilleus ]

Mo · 08-04-2002 06:11 PM

Women's saber is good for fencing if it can be added without hurting other weapons.

So the argument comes full circle.
-Fencing is not on TV because it is obscure and an elitist rich person sport.
-Fencing is seen as a sport where the athletes are somewhat self absorbed. (Most athletes fall into this category BUT)
-Fencers do NOTHING to help other fencers, if I have a piece of pie why should I share with someone else?? Why should I be concerned with gender equality? WHAT IS IN IT FOR MEEEEEEEEE???

Bonding together and presenting a united front would do so much for the sport.
As fencers all of you should be on a giant letter writing campaign. (including Coca-Cola, Xerox, Visa, John Hancock Financial Services, Lucent Technologies, Delta Airlines and US West)

I personally don't think that any of the weapons should have to give up anything. The nature of adding two medals to a sport that is so small is just something the IOC came up with to be difficult and show how much power they have. There is no logical reason for the no more medal stance.
Football is being added and they cannot have two more medals for WS? What the Women saber fencers will take up as much room as a bunch of football teams?
The Olympics are ludicrous. They should be divided into professional sport and amateur sport categories.
The lack of support by the fencing community for Women's saber just further illustrates the sad state of most people who do not give a darn about someone else.

**achilleus** · 08-04-2002 08:42 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Mo:
Women's saber is good for fencing if it can be added without hurting other weapons.

So the argument comes full circle.
-Fencing is not on TV because it is obscure and an elitist rich person sport.
-Fencing is seen as a sport where the athletes are somewhat self absorbed. (Most athletes fall into this category BUT)
-Fencers do NOTHING to help other fencers, if I have a piece of pie why should I share with someone else?? Why should I be concerned with gender equality? WHAT IS IN IT FOR MEEEEEEEEE???

Bonding together and presenting a united front would do so much for the sport.
As fencers all of you should be on a giant letter writing campaign. (including Coca-Cola, Xerox, Visa, John Hancock Financial Services, Lucent Technologies, Delta Airlines and US West)

I personally don't think that any of the weapons should have to give up anything. The nature of adding two medals to a sport that is so small is just something the IOC came up with to be difficult and show how much power they have. There is no logical reason for the no more medal stance.
Football is being added and they cannot have two more medals for WS? What the Women saber fencers will take up as much room as a bunch of football teams?
The Olympics are ludicrous. They should be divided into professional sport and amateur sport categories.
The lack of support by the fencing community for Women's saber just further illustrates the sad state of most people who do not give a darn about someone else.<hr /></blockquote>It's not bad that people aren't clamoring to add women's saber at the expense of other events. Fencing should be focusing on the inclusion of Women's saber without hurting other events. All fencers support that concept, they just don't support elimination of events for women's saber.

This means lobbying and pressuring the IOC, whose politics are focused around money and ratings, both of which fencing lacks.

Also, I'm not quite sure how adding women's saber will suddenly materialize a tv audience for fencing. You'll have to clarify that for me. Westbrook winning the bronze medal didn't have a drastic effect on US ratings, why do you think that if the US happens to win another medal, that it will be different?

**135711** · 08-05-2002 07:03 PM

it's supposed to be out of the norm. 'look at the hairy women throw swords', so, it will supposedly attract the same audience of men who also like mud wrestling.

**John Nguyen** · 08-07-2002 11:44 PM

Here is my take

Camera Angles, great ideas people!

However, the guy who mentinoed the catchers cam, I agree, as an Umpire, I HATE that idea. heh!

But it would be nauseating!

In response to Fencing never catching on...I think it would, but we do need to air it, if it isn't seen, then it wont be played.

Take this into consideration, MLS is catching on, and since our last performance in the World Cup, I can expect great things for our team. All it takes is EXPOSURE. Though I DO NOT suggest us turning into Jeff Gordon with Dupont painted on our asses, but hey, if it comes to that,

"Coke, its the best refresher after a bout!"
(smile)

Anyways, again, I love the idea everyone is throwing out here, but the key is EXPOSURE, it'll catch on, NOT right away, but it will. Look at billiards and bowling. Hello, thats NOT a sport. I love both of them, but the concept of standing stationary or walking up to a line just DOES NOT impress me.

However curling is quite humorous to watch.

John

**Cheryl** · 08-09-2002 04:13 PM

Hello all,
This is Cheryl's husband. I thought that I would let you know that one of my students said saw fencing on tv in Europe. It was on one of the sports channels. Maybe we can interest ESPN in it as one of their "unusual" sports segments.
Greg

**edew** · 08-09-2002 04:53 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Cheryl:
Hello all,
This is Cheryl's husband. I thought that I would let you know that one of my students said saw fencing on tv in Europe. It was on one of the sports channels. Maybe we can interest ESPN in it as one of their "unusual" sports segments.
Greg<hr /></blockquote>Go right ahead there, Greg. I'm with you 100%

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