[shotgunworld]

I've often wondered why Clay sports isn't more of a spectator sport. Compared to bass tournaments it's more of a sport. Compared to NASCAR it's quieter. Compared to bowling its 'cool'. Compared to golf it's more exciting and has a quicker pace (my opinion), but you never see any of the national clay events televised by any of the major networks. What is it missing? It needs a Lance Armstrong or Tiger Woods, for sure. However, I don't think that would be enough. It needs a hook...like exploding clays or something. Anyone else have an opinion or idea on this?Jay G. Shotgunworld.com

 

[cD Tanthalas]

i think a lot of it is the visual, it's hard to really broadcast shooting as it's difficult for a camera to follow the clay itself, i know golf cameras make it look easy, but they can be in front on the side and behind, on the side and in front are out of the question while someone is shooting, imagine how much boring golf would be if the only camera was behind the player, or basketball if the only camera was on the net, sure people like us would watch it, but the average viewer won't get hooked

 

[Rick618]

I think the camera issues could be worked out pretty quick with remote setups. I watched the Xgames or outdoor games where they had the hulu hoops in the air and they shot clays in the various colored rings...that was sharp, but they had to develop that for the tv, something to catch the audience.I think the issue is that less than 6-7% of the population hunts and I would bet that there is about the same or less that shoots any of the clays games. You would think that with the Grand having a mile long trap field and thousands of shooters that it would get more publicity. In Enfland and Europe where the hunting is harder to come by, the shooting games fill the gap and are thought of more highly. Here they are generally thought of as practice and just something to do before or after hunting season.There are some folks around AL that have helped get some 4H and boyscouts into shooting, the teams competed in both the state trap shoot and the winners went to the Grand in OH. Part of the problem will be introducing shotguns to the youngsters and even your lady friends. But, be warned, they can make better shooters than men....aint that right SCG? There is a fine line between a hobby and insanity.

 

[shotgunworld]

Maybe the OLN TV will start carrying them. I heard they just made huge expansion deals with some of the cable networks.You have to admit that my 'exploding clays' would make a great visual for TV. Also, they would need chicks in bikini's to be the pullers. Just a thought.Jay G.Shotgunworld.com Shotgunworld.com

 

[Sporting Clays Girl]

I've seen it Video taped and all that jazz its not too impressive unless you've got "grinder shells" and "poof targets" Skeet can be easily taped and look good and sporting clays is okay but trap is totally different. I dunno

 

[HOP]

I see the problem with sporting clays is that most people aren't familiar with the sport. On the good side, it's popularity is growing at a shocking rate. The web site for the STEP OUTSIDE PROGRAM has indicated a T.V. program about shotgun sports including sporting clays is tabled to air in 2004. I for one am looking forward to any advances in this discipline of shooting.

 

[Hollywood Dave]

The problem with shooting and TV is well its like watching grass grow to the general public. Thats why you don't see much of the Olympic shooting it doesn't have allot of viewer appeal. Lets face it watching the top skeet shooters shoot 550or 650 targets than the grueling shoot offs just is not going to attract allot of viewers. So networks are not go to spend time and money on them. Its to bad to I would like to watch some of the Olympic trap and skeet shooters and even the archery. I also think that most of the networks or Antigun and that doesn't help either. Dave>:

 

[GordonSetter]

Then how would you explain golf on tv? Let the dog hunt the birds, ... you hunt the dog.

 

[mtaylor]

NO no no folks.... it's all about money. Advertisers. The networks will televise grass growing if there is sufficient advertising. The problem is, advertisers want viewers. Golf has a large following. Tennis, basketball, football....all have hundreds of thousands of fans. Fans = viewers = $$'s for advertisers.Then there is the liberals that own the media. Gun opponents own the media. They are not willing to further any sport in which a gun is used. The best possible shot in the arm for any of the clay sports would be advertisers willing to sponsor shoots with BIG payouts.Of course, that's just my own opinion.

 

[instinctive shooter]

Personally, I agree with what MTaylor offers as his opinion regarding the media and shooting sports coverage. We all know the bias exhibited when it comes to guns getting a fair shake in most any news these days. Guns are portrayed only as weapons, and when discussed in this way tend to be seen as such. To show them in a sporting sense would be counterproductive to "their" agenda. Too, the $$$ associated with advertising are how they stay afloat, and if their analysts suggest that going after a certain segment of our population's money is what they need to do, then believe me, they will listen. I know this-a few years ago the representative for Anheuser-Busch who was responsible for the beer tent at the Grand American trap shoot told a group of us that against his advise the advertising dollars which had been earmarked for the shooting sports were being diverted to "other sports". Now I can certainly see that the motor sports would bring in BIG $$$, but just like me, that rep thought there was more to it than just the money. At about that same time there were billboards popping up all around St.Louis supporting PETA, the HSUS and other extremist groups who opposed hunting. This rep showed Busch the figures...the first day that they were set up at the Grand they recouped their investment, and from that point on it was pure profit. He claimed that, in his experience, anyway, Busch supported no other such advertising which turned such a high profit percentage. I do not know if Anheuser-Busch ever returned to the Grand as I took up sporting clays and have not been back to Vandalia since. The reps "take" on all of this was that the Busch family was taking some heat from the anti's and caved in. I do know that they still seem to take an interest in promoting things like fishing, etc, but I can't honestly say that I have paid enough attention to their level of participation to comment further.

 

[Hollywood Dave]

There are no guns in golf! And there are no big money advertisers in shooting! Budwiser droped there sponsership of the shooting sports .Chevy droped there sponsership of the sportsman team challenge! Heck even Jeep aired a ad that tryed to make hunters out to be fools. I remember years ago trying to get sponsers for the Jimmy Fund shoot that( Bud use to sponser) I had to be carefull to tell them that no liveing thing was being shot! Like its a minimum of 5 cents a bird I MEAN target CLAY target! And I thought I said that most networks are antigun just look at the way they televise the war they harp on the negative aspects and show very little support for our troops and president Bush. Until the general publics view changes on shooting and the shooting sports I dont think will see mutch big money! Dave

 

[shotgunworld]

Those are some very good points. Especially about the advertising dollars and the attitude of the big three networks. However, it seems that the gun manufacturers would realize that they need some medium to promote the clay sports. The casino's and Vegas have realized this and heavily promote several shows on the Travel Network for this reason. Heck if they can make 5 guys playing poker seem exciting then I'm sure that Clays could be made exciting. If they don't start putting out the advertsing dollars then they are just shooting themselves in the foot (pun intended). Sure Remington sponsors Nascar, but that furthers the sport of NASCAR not shooting.Out of curiosity I visited some of the manufacturers site for advertising other than clubs and orgs :Mossberg= None MentionedWinchester= None MentionedRemington= Nascar racing teamMarlin= None MentionedBeretta= None MentionedI also searched the internet. All I found were some shows on OLN TV that were sponsored by the above. If you run across something different let us know.Jay G. Shotgunworld.com

 

[dthomas49]

IF I remember right, and I am only 18 so i should, there used to be a show on outdoor life called Direct Hit where they had an ongoing skeet tournament between two teams. I liked watching it. Hopefully something like this will get started up again, but it would need a major sponsor in the industry to step up and take the risk.

 

[Chuck Webb]

I believe there is a show on OLN called "Pull". It features sporting clays at some of the finer gun clubs in the USA. I am not, as yet, a sporting clays shooter but I really like the show. There is a guy named Billy (don't recall the last name but he has another show called Hunting with Billy and Buck) and a gal named Sheri Legate. They play well off each other and are both good shooters. It's fun to watch.

 

[dthomas49]

Billy Gianquinto is Billy from Billy and Buck. "Pull" is good but still doesn't really show any competitions. Shotgun Journal shows some competitions, but usually only if one of the hosts, Marty Fischer or ??????, are shooting in them. American Shooter only shows pistol championships or the mixed shooting comepetions on there.

 

[Desertrat]

OLN was on my "--it" list ever since it cut back their coverage of the major bike racing events....sure Lance Armstrong was a big draw to the tour de France, BUT then they cut back all the daily coverage of the Giro Di Italia, and the Vuelta de Espana, and I know it was all about the money....IE advertising bucks....SO....being that they are now called "VS"....which I think is stupid.....I doubt like hell ANY network will increase coverage of any of the shooting sports....especially clay sports, which the average public does not have a clue about.
I know this is an old post....but I couldn't resist commenting on it....when OLN TV got their new president/CEO, I wrote them a scathing letter telling them in no uncertain terms how I felt about their chopping coverage of some of the sports they used to do an excellent job on. When you put an "advertising/marketing" guy in charge of a sports network, you are just asking for trouble. Hell....they won't even play Hunting With Hank reruns anymore.....The only coverage you are likely to get on skeet or such will be in the Olympics, and even then....there is not very much time spent on it. I have boycotted a lot of TV channels due to their editorial policies, their anti-gun stances, and their liberal crap. OK....Ihave stood on my soap box long enough this morning....have a good day men.....let's go shooting!! hehehehehehehe :lol: :lol:

 

[Bill M.]

I don't know everything that is wrong with clay target shooting as a tv sport, but skeeet and trap are boring to shoot, let alone watch. Who wants to watch the TV all afternoon hoping for someone to miss one target? I watched Pull. I watched the outdoor games where they shot through the little rings (never did understand it). Watched some of the 3 gun comptitions. But only because I was interested in shooting. I just don't see it as a spectator sport to be watched by people who don't shoot.
The OLN sold out all of us outdoor fans. I guess in an effort to boost their ratings? Hard to see bull riding, NHL, and Survior programs as Outdoor sports.

 

[Haych]

Hi All!

This comes to you from Down Under (Australia) where our Government "sold out" on gun owners, let alone the few TV networks we have here.
I have no doubt that SC as a TV sport could work and if it could work anywhere, then it would be in the US. Australia only wants to show our Olympians winning gold medals so we only see about 4 targets of the Olympic Trap if one of the Aussies is in contention.
With modern camera technology eg: eye cam etc. and split screen or insets where you could have the shooter in the main screen and the target in the inset, the viewer would get a feel for what was happening. Computer graphics would also help showing the course layout, target trajectory, speed etc etc.
I would think it would have to be set up as a compact type ground and definitely using "flash targets". Perhaps even a round robin - head to head format eg: An invitational of the worlds best 6 to 10, head to head in an elimination competition. You could end up with George Digweed shooting against Richard Faulds or any of the world's best for $$$$$ in prize money some of which goes to a nominated charity (similar to the skins game in golf).
Don't know how the rest of the populations would go, but I for one would watch it.
nts: perhaps I should patent this idea! hmmmmmm

 

[sera russell]

The Olympics are downsizing shotgun sports.

It is hard to televize.

It's not all that exciting except to the shooter.

The shows , so far, that have tried to showcase it are BORING.

No sponsors.

 

[jwints1100]

I'm not sure what happened to it but the "Shooting Stars" program that was filmed at Ozark Shooters last year could have made it as a show. It was covered in Sporting Clays magazine. It was a modified Make a Break shot at night with lasers outlining the field, The shooters shot tracer rounds, the targets were the exploding type. It featured 8 top shooters in head to head competitions with a final of the two that survived the earlier rounds. I was told that Browning and Budweiser were the prospective sponsors and ESPN was the target network.
They had over a thousand spectators on a cold Friday night (during high school football season) most of whom stuck around for the final. I have not seen it televised yet.