What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

[AirDOGGe]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

The discussion finally did get around to the correct answer, and that simply is MONEY. Potential advertisers are out there, but they are not letting go of any of their money for things like this. We put proposals in front of many different companies with no luck. A clear reason has not presented itself yet,....

I thought the lack of potential ad-viewers was a clear and sufficient enough reason.


The basic rule of thumb is, advertisers want to display their "wares" where the most eyeballs will see 'em per advertising dollar spent. If air racing-related websites and broadcasts don't attract enough viewers, then marketers will look elsewhere to advertise.

[Jeff Lee]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

Mike and AirDOGGe,

Thanks for understanding and keeping this in the proper perspective. While I am very proud of what we accomplished in 2009, it was really a test of what could be done. We learned quickly WHY no one had even attempted this before. We were just crazy enough to think we could do it, and give it a try. Not to pull the curtain back too far, but you should have seen us that Saturday night. It was crazy!

We have not, and will not give up on the idea of doing a live broadcast in the future. Hopefully the economic climate will improve and sponsors/advertisers will see the value in the audience we provide. There is a "magic" combination out there, and we won't rest until we find it.

In the mean time, help us drive as many people as possible to our race-week stories, and post event highlights and profiles. I could throw around some numbers for our website and YouTube Channel, but I'll just put it this way. If you'd told me last year that we would be getting close to 100,000 Upload Views I'm not sure I would have believed it. Hoped for it, yes, but believed it, no. We will put the video out there, and together we can pull in the audience. Who knows where it might go from there.

Thanks for your report, and we look forward to bringing you the "Inside Story" from Stead during race week!

[mgbf4u]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

Good Luck Jeff Lee from Austin, Texas. Hanging out at the Checkered Flag Club gives the Reno Air Racing experience something incredibly different that TV or the computer will never duplicate because of the people who are there with you when this event is in progress. You might be able to understand the disappointment and even anger when there was NO Gold race on Sunday last year. I was temporarily so mad I swore I would NOT return. The plan is to be at the the 2011 races. I hate it when I'm wrong but My Maria said yes again. So I'm excited to witness all the competition again and see my friends at the club. That part is what memories are made of. You can't recreate that electronically.
That's why one of these days I hope I get to meet Wayne Sagar and buy him a beer! He let me come here and raise cain because he loves the sport as much as me.
Crankin' Hank

[Jeff Lee]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

Hank,

You won't get an argument out of me. As I said in my first post, nothing beats being on the ramp yourself. It's the total atmosphere: the planes, the setting, the sounds, the smells, AND the people. When I made it out there for the first time in 2000, it was the PEOPLE that really made an impression on me. Everyone of the pilots/owners we talked to said basically the same thing. They do this because this is where their friends are, and they want to hang out with their friends.

What we do is bring as much of that as we can to the fans who can't be there, or to the fans who don't have the access that we have. When you're out there, find a computer starting Thursday morning, and watch our report before you head out to Stead. Hopefully it will enhance your experience. Maybe we can meet during race week.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

The better the broadcast, the more listeners it should draw.

How to improve the over-the-net air-race experience for people who have to stay home? Hmmmm...


It IS an audio broadcast of a motorized race event, so aircraft sound quality is a biggie for achieving success. The sound of the races is just as important as the announcers speech to those attending, if not more.

Perhaps some microphones located at several strategic pylon locations and broadcasting a digital-audio signal to the main recording point via cell phones/internet can give a better audible impression of the races as planes fly past them, instead of that weak, sounds-so-distant engine or prop sound I heard over the announcer's mic in previous broadcast attempts.

Certainly you cannot broadcast odors, but that's OK. I can duplicate some of it with a few open beers, a freshly b'qued hot dog, and maybe an open kerosene lantern nearby for that simulated jet fuel smell. I'll pass on replicating the Sani-hut experience though. The beer and franks will provide that later...

AND SO SOUND IT IS, but unless you can get some quality mics (ones that pick up high and ESPECIALLY LOW frequencies decently without distorting) out where the action is, many home listeners advertisers are looking for will hear the races, but the "feel" possible with low frequencies will elude said listeners, and they could lose interest in future broadcasts.


.

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

If somebody would be allowed to raise 3-4-5-6 web cameras with microphones (with zoom, tilt and pan functions), operated either by a moderator or where people at home could operate them like the way they work on the web where you get in line and take turns. Then connect the FM broadcasters signal, I'd be happy with that. And maybe a chat room for comments. Something simple is better than nothing. Doesn't have to be Hollywood quality. Just get something out there.

And who cares if people complain? Give them a chat room to complain in. They haven't paid for anything so they have no valid complaint. And you could learn a lot by their comments.

It's nice to see other people discussing this topic. I believe this is the direction the Air Races should go. Not everyone has the time or money to be traveling, but many people have a computer where they could watch it live or later in the evening.

[Arctic Cat]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

Skyvan, sounds like you have it all figured out, just give RARA a call and let em know what your plan is. Let us know where to log in.

Reno Air Racing Association
14501 Mt. Anderson St.
Reno, NV 89506
USA

Phone: 775-972-6663
Fax: 775-972-6429

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

Artic Cat, I don't claim to have it figured out and don't have a plan. Just my opinion from years of attending. How is the Triple Crown of Surfing able to have a internet viewing? They've done it. Very few people like to watch others surf, but they've been able to do a fairly decent job at it.

After a few races, Air Racing is kind of boring if you are sitting in the bleachers, with maybe the exception of the Unlimiteds. The planes are a small spec on the horizon. It's when you walk into the pit area is when things start coming alive and that is limited of how much time you can spend on your feet in the sun... Prior knowledge of planes and all the engineering/modifications to make them go fast is helpful, which most people probably are unaware of. I think most people stay in the bleachers. What percentage of the attendance goes into the pit area, 10-20-30%? The additional cost of entering the pit area probably prevents/limits many people from entering the pit area.

The exposure to the Reno sun can be brutal if it's above 65 degrees (take the air temp and add 20 degrees and that's what it feels like in direct sunlight, more so with high altitude Reno desert sun) The distances from parking to the seating area, into the static display area, into the pit area...multiply that times 1-2-3 and you've walked miles. Difficult with old folks, prior injuries, caring for children...

Now think if you were to stay home and watch it on your computer. No commute, no long walks, you're inside, you're comfortable, you have easy access to food, beverages, bathrooms, no exposure to the weather, able to do other things besides being in races, like business and family needs...This viewing on the computer probably pertains more to people whom have attended the races in the past and for whatever reasons are unable to attend than to someone who has never attended and whom should see it in person to really see what it's like.

Look at car racing. Cameras inside the cars in multiple positions, cameras on the track, cameras in the pit area with interviews...I find it more interesting on TV than in person. Better views, more information...The same could be done with the Air Races.

I won't be attending this year but I (and most likely others) would like to be able to see what's going on and don't need a high tech production. I'd be happy with some viewer operated web cameras and a chat room. Think how cheaply it could be done to start the ball rolling in that direction. Again, just my thoughts from years of past experiences at Reno.

As a prior post said, we need a millionaire/billionaire type person to step in and finance it. That topic becomes a problem. How much do you think RARA would want to charge a producer to have an internet viewing? Does it work like this, the web producer says they SHOULD NOT have to pay RARA since they are allready spending money on the production. The Race Promoter says they SHOULD have to pay...?

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

Look what happened to Sky Fire. Maybe not the best but at least they had coverage for a few years.Politicts?

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

Who wants to spend $20 on a video of last years races? Watch it once or twice, put it away. Some, not many.

The internet has changed how information is being exchanged. We are living in the NOW era. Something happens, a few minutes later it gets posted online, comments exchanged and archived, all for free to the viewer.

I still would like to see some web cams with microphones placed throughout the course, runways, taxiways, pits...and then let the viewers operate them with forums, chat rooms...

I'm sure you'd loose some of the attendance due to the fact that people can now stay home and watch the races, but maybe those same people were not going to attend anyways so what's the loss?

Anyone want to take an educated guess how much RARA would want to charge an internet producer to allow web cams throughout the course or how much Skyfire was charged for access to produce a video?

[AirDOGGe]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

Who wants to spend $20 on a video of last years races? Watch it once or twice, put it away. Some, not many.

I still have several.


My only issue with Skyfire was quality. Nothing like buying a tape of Reno '84, only to see noise/snow at the top of the screen because of tracking issues and poor reproduction, or suffer stuck-together tape or dropouts. Low or mediocre sound quality and sometimes even poor production work didn't help either.


Perhaps today in the digital age of DVDs such an endeavor would fair better. Cameras, sound and production quality would still need upgrading tho.

[mgbf4u]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

Hank, ...
Maybe we can meet during race week.

Mary and I will be at the Checkered Flag Club with Steve from Elko, "BIG WAVE" Dave, Denny- AOG Desk(Boeing), Gerry "Purveyor Emeritus" [where everyday is Saturday-except Sunday], Lex and David Wells, the famous aviation artist. We have a clique from the last 2 years and we are all supposed to return. The people are as interesting as the airplanes. We all met for dinners last year at Rapscallion's, Louis' Basque Corner, Great Basin and my favorite at the Peppermill, 'Oceano'. You can imagine how excited we are to be there again. Good times man.

[Jeff Lee]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

You know the best thing about this thread is that people are tossing out all kinds of ideas. It really doesn't much matter what they are, the fact that we're talking about it is a really good thing!

Skyvan, your concept is wonderful. The only flaw I see is the "Viewer Operated Camera" Can you imagine 2 or 3 people trying to fight over that control, much less 100 or more who might be watching at that moment. Indy Car did something along those lines a few years ago. Viewers had their choice of on-board cameras. They could basically "switch" their own show, but that's all the control the had. We have worked on ways to get live shots from the pylons, and it is becoming more and more feasible as technology improves.

As far as losing ticket sales, that number is extremely low. People who are going to go to the races are going to go. If someone is "sitting on the fence", they're probably not going anyway. Our plan has always been to offer a "seat" electronically for those who live across the country and just can't get there that year. Since we've established that nothing beats being on the ramp, those folks WILL return at their next opportunity.

Other great points have been made, and I hope we keep this discussion going. I don't claim to have it "all figured out". As I said earlier, I'm just crazy enough to think that this can work, and I love the races so much that I'm willing to keep trying.

In the mean time, we're planning as much coverage as we can shoot, and edit into a manageable length that we can upload at night. I really do hope it fills in the gap even a little. We are your "eyes and ears" so keep the ideas coming, and we'll give you the best we've got.

Jeff

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

Jeff

The reason I mentioned viewer operated web cams because that would lower the cost of requiring a person to staff each camera. Just raise the cameras and let either volunteer moderators operate them, the online viewers or both.

The viewer operated could be chaotic, you could have a person intentionally pointing the camera at the ground/sky... to disrupt the view, but if you have other 5-10 cameras you can switch to, with better views, you can just switch to another camera with a better view. Or a way where the viewers must register, (maybe with a money deposit) to operate a camera and the viewers or a moderator can disable or prevent someone from disrupting the view for those who want to see the action. In other words, if you keep screwing around with the camera, "Your outta here" or you loose your $$$ deposit via a contract you've signed.

Loss of ticket sales point, that's what RARA would be concerned about and would therefore be opposed to the idea. I'm thinking the internet would open it up for the world to see. For people in other continents, countries, and states that would never consider coming to Reno to watch air races. And the fact that watching the races in at Reno is ALWAYS going to be more interesting then watching the races on a computer would continue to draw those who want to see the races in person.

If you need to recover the costs or make a profit, then assault the viewers by having scrolling banner ads that are selling T-Shirts, Hats, Decals... with different designs from different planes... People will buy stuff if it's well made, well designed and affordable. Have the casinos offer discounted rooms for the following years, and if you reserve and pay for them now you will save $$$ idea. Look at the stuff they sell on TV for $19.95, kitchen stuff, automatic dog walker..., and they send you 2 of them for their low price!!!

Has anyone ever sit in on a RARA Board of Directors meetings and have heard this discussed or brought up the idea themselves?

What is RARA's view on the online version?

[AirDOGGe]

Re: What's preventing the Reno Races from broadcasting live on the Internet for free?

...Look at the stuff they sell on TV for $19.95, kitchen stuff, automatic dog walker..., and they send you 2 of them for their low price!!!

Yes, but again, many people have dogs, and most have kitchens. Few are interested in airplanes though. We are definitely a major-minority group.