VeloNews sat down with Gavin Harvey, President of the Outdoor Life Network to discuss the decision to eliminate live coverage of the Vuelta a Espana in 2004. As many of us guessed, it comes down to a lack of ratings. Harvey said:
As I sit here thinking about getting on my bike this weekend, it’s a very disappointing scenario. Cycling is more than just another bit of programming; it’s a passion for us…. But the Vuelta is one of the worst performing franchises that we have. That is the cold, hard reality. We can’t afford to have it perform as it has in years past. We just don’t have the resources at our network right now.
I don’t doubt that this is the case. We as U.S.-based cycling fans need to think about what the logical next steps really are in helping OLN and other networks figure out how to build an audience for cycling on television.
Based on the highlights I saw of the Dodge Tour of Georgia in The Lance Chronicles, I want that stage race covered in its entirety next year. If I had to choose between it and The Vuelta, with all due respect, I want Georgia.
I also want to see same-day TV coverage of the major Pro Cycling Tour events next year. That means the Wachovia USPro Championship in Philadelphia, the BMC Software New York City Cycling Championship, and the T-Mobile International in San Francisco. I’d like to think that the races in Lancaster, PA, and Trenton, NJ, that take place in the week leading up to the USPro Championship could also be covered in some fashion, but they are very small races.
Pro cycling in the United States is primitive compared to what takes place in Europe. But, the Tour of Georgia proves how much room the sport has to grow here. Television can serve as a catalyst for this growth. It would be a shame if we ended the Lance Armstrong Era without signature races of our own.