Say Yes to OhnoZone for your Short Track Fix:
A few days ago, I went to OhnoZone for the first time, just to check it out. I'd heard that Noelle did an excellent job posting photos and updates from the Short Track World Championships, and I wanted to see for myself. What a great site! USSPEEDSKATING could learn a lot from it.
Even though Apolo wasn't skating, Noelle went to the Worlds and covered this competition in detail. In fact, I heard that she did all of her posts from the Worlds even though her computer charger wasn't working and she had to borrow one from someone else. Now, that's dedication.
Lately, there has been a lot of discussion on PR and media failures on the part of USSPEEDSKATING. Andrew Love recently posted about being disappointed that the short track Olympic Trials were not televised. A surprising number of readers left comments on this post.
Throughout the past week, I've heard more and more complaints about the lack of promotion of the World Championships. Some of my friends have found that if you go to USSPEEDSKATING's web site and try to click on the link to the Worlds, the page doesn't load. A few of my friends who usually follow short track even more closely than I do had no idea that the World Championships were even going on!
A few people complained that Apolo wasn't competing. But I say that Apolo has earned the right to go out there and capitalize on his speedskating success. No other speedskater has come close to Apolo's status as a star athlete in America. He absolutely should be doing things like appearing on the Kids' Choice Awards and the NCAA Final Four.
Apolo has raised the bar, and now it's time for USSPEEDSKATING to step it up. Some skaters and fans have suggested holding major short track competitions in major sports venues, such as Madison Square Garden. Others say that the most important thing is to make sure that short track gains a television audience, by holding the competition in a venue that is suited for TV, and by giving away the rights to televise the competitions - if necessary - until a TV audience is established.
Maybe, at least, USSPEEDSKATING could start by improving their internet-based communication with their own membership.
A few days ago, I went to OhnoZone for the first time, just to check it out. I'd heard that Noelle did an excellent job posting photos and updates from the Short Track World Championships, and I wanted to see for myself. What a great site! USSPEEDSKATING could learn a lot from it.
Even though Apolo wasn't skating, Noelle went to the Worlds and covered this competition in detail. In fact, I heard that she did all of her posts from the Worlds even though her computer charger wasn't working and she had to borrow one from someone else. Now, that's dedication.
Lately, there has been a lot of discussion on PR and media failures on the part of USSPEEDSKATING. Andrew Love recently posted about being disappointed that the short track Olympic Trials were not televised. A surprising number of readers left comments on this post.
Throughout the past week, I've heard more and more complaints about the lack of promotion of the World Championships. Some of my friends have found that if you go to USSPEEDSKATING's web site and try to click on the link to the Worlds, the page doesn't load. A few of my friends who usually follow short track even more closely than I do had no idea that the World Championships were even going on!
A few people complained that Apolo wasn't competing. But I say that Apolo has earned the right to go out there and capitalize on his speedskating success. No other speedskater has come close to Apolo's status as a star athlete in America. He absolutely should be doing things like appearing on the Kids' Choice Awards and the NCAA Final Four.
Apolo has raised the bar, and now it's time for USSPEEDSKATING to step it up. Some skaters and fans have suggested holding major short track competitions in major sports venues, such as Madison Square Garden. Others say that the most important thing is to make sure that short track gains a television audience, by holding the competition in a venue that is suited for TV, and by giving away the rights to televise the competitions - if necessary - until a TV audience is established.
Maybe, at least, USSPEEDSKATING could start by improving their internet-based communication with their own membership.
posted by Eva at 12:30 PM
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