OK, here we go. Much like last week's aerobar ... umm ... issue, there's something that needs to be addressed. This time, it's much less to do with riders than with the other aspects of racing. Namely, races.
When the race is over, when do you typically leave? Right after you cross the line? Nope — after the results are posted. Most races have them up within 30 minutes of a race's finish. At a lot of the Nebraska races this year, chip timing allowed results to be posted within a few minutes of the end of the race.
In both cases, the results are printed and ready to go in reasonably short order. And if they're printed, they're in an electronic file of some sort. From there, it would be really, really easy to get them posted online.
But they typically are not. After most races, we have to wait until Monday, or Tuesday or — seriously — Wednesday. Three days to see results that were available on-site almost instantaneously?
Why?
Consider this: This weekend's "real" races — as in licensed, official and categorized — have yet to post their results. This weekend's "Gravel World Championships" had the results, along with podium shots, posted on Saturday night — an hour or two after the finish.
Cornbread and his crew had to manage a 150-mile course, aid stations, rest stops and about 100-plus riders. The race started at 6 a.m. Yet, just before midnight, results were posted.
The "real" races? Uh, no. Go to the East Village Criterium's website. Any info there? Nope. There's somehow even less information about the Big Creek Road Race the day before.
Gravel Worlds? More pre-race info than anybody else, quicker results, quicker photos. That post probably took Corey an hour, tops, to get online.
After the Omaha Cycling Weekend races, I typed and posted results on GamJams Midwest as soon as I got home. It took about 45 minutes after each race, and those pages saw huge traffic spikes almost instantly.
Clearly, people want to see the results. Promoters work hard to give racers a safe, efficient, fun experience every time they line up, and I recognize that.
But I shouldn't have to take a camera and a laptop to every race to make sure results get posted before Tuesday. That's not my job.
Promoters: finish your jobs. Get the results posted. It's well within everybody's technical grasp to do it.
It shouldn't be up to me.
10 comments:
Every situation is a different circumstance. Gravel world's, just name a few, was spread out over 18 hours. I was up with Corey till midnight when he was posting "official" results and I left him still typing. USACycling race, you have a good amount of stress leading up to during and after. Gravel World's had some great volunteers help. Basically, it was on your own. I spent close to what I would at gas stations and aid stations as I would on an entry fee to a USACycling race. Definitely as a promoter I would want my results up quickly. Promotes the race.If you want results and more clicks on your sites be proactive until you get those results. PUMP ME UP!
I would argue that a USAC race has even more volunteer support than what Corey had. Put one of those people on a laptop with a mobile broadband card, and you're done.
It's all about information. Get it online early and thoroughly to get people interested in the race. The DSM race websites look like they were set up months ago and not touched again. That's a little disconcerting.
who care?
I guess there's something to be said for being there. If you miss the race...too bad.
Hmmm ... that doesn't seem like a good PR strategy.
Like Shim says, we're all just amateurs. I'll call you with my results. I had to call Corey and tell him my time after I got home. That's what happen with Pirate events. Don't make USACycling events comparable to pirate events. It's not easy to get volunteers.
It's hard not to compare them when the "unofficial" race had a longer day with more to worry about and still managed to tell the story of the race.
We're still waiting for the two "real" races to post ... well, anything.
Call them. Every reporter uses all means of communication to get their story
The promotors of the "real" races are probably still working on USAC paperwork...seriously.
marc - ah, but it's not a matter of getting a story. It's a matter of getting people to do their jobs. Were I getting paid to do this, I'd be a pain in their butts. But I'm not.
mark - which is more important, though, promoting your event to help it grow or filling out paperwork?
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