So true. Parents get the Torygraph so looked in it for the British GP coverage. After at least 8 pages of football, some 4 pages of rugby then the horse racing, golf and cycling, there was a very small half column on the second to last page of the sport section. I really did look through the entire sports section 3 times in disbelief before I found it. That's how important motorcycle racing is to the average Brit. And you wonder why the Spanish win everything.
People seem to think Cal has suddenly become a crap rider because of his results on the red bike, but nothing can be further from the truth. He was at the sharp end on the Tech3 bike, and the factory Honda is every bit as good as that bike. It will be Redding and Smith's job to chase the grumpy midlander.
It's taken Rossi 2 years to recover from riding the Desmosedici, most never do, is Cal really going to be competitive next season?
Melandri was pretty much bang on it straight after finishing last every race for Ducati. Different circumstance, I know, but there's no reason to think Cal's done for.
Its not just bike race though, its all of motorsport (except F1). Ask the average man on the street to name one, just one driver in GP2 (the f1 support class) - any drivers in BTCC, WTCC, WRC. If they can they'll name drivers who have either retired or drivers they heard about when it was shown on Grandstand. These series NEED national coverage. More coverage = more money = more support = winning But don't worry, we have football and as we all know, that's the only sport that apparently matters :Mooning:
Carl Froch I think....without looking at the net. May be wrong though, think he's just the Euro champ
Boxing used to be big business here. But the way we watch sport has changed, thanks to satellite and cable tv, football has become so important that few other sports get a look in. The enthusiasm for motogp hasn't diminished, it's the ability to watch it that has.
It's a very good point. I can name loads of snooker players, and quite a lot of tennis players because I watch them on the TV. I don't have a separate Sky sports package. Cricket has gone the same way. The question is, the day that Sky wants snooker, will it just disappear from our screens or would the Beeb fight to save it? Clearly they didn't think that MotoGP was worth fighting for (or not the amount of money that was being asked). Like the success of just about any product - it's all down to distribution. No distribution, no sales. Limit the amount of people who can watch a sport and it withers.
I don't disrespect cal quite the opposite I think his ability to keep going is incredible esp as ducati are not even hiding the fact that his bike is nowhere near as competitive as dovi and crazy joes. However I believe in Scot and for my money he will be faster than brad or cal. I still try to watch as much boxing as possible, and I signed up for BT for the bikes. It really is quite remarkable that we are represented by 3 riders at such a high level considering the apathy towards racing and bikes in particular
Bike racing has always been popular in Spain, which attracts sponsors keen to sign local riders, which brings forth academies, which in turn spawns future greats. That used to be Britain, We were at the forefront of motorcycling, as manufacturers and as racers. But that was back in the day when the racing was paid for by the manufacturers, not by sponsors, and we just don't seem to be able to attract those sponsors. It'll take a flash of genius to put British riders and motorcycle racing back in the British eye. And I believe that flash of genius is called Scott Redding. He's won at 125 level on the world stage, he's won at moto2 (and challenged for the championship), and I'm certain he can win at the top level. Bu I still think next season he'll be chasing Cal.
