Cyclocross popularity

[Echoes]

Interesting article on SW:

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=2030M620&subsection=132

To sum it up, Nys is amazed at how ever more crowded cross events were year after year (and he's been there for quite a while).

It was sunny last Sunday but that's not the reason. When it's sunny, people can go to the beach.

Channel VT4 noted 409k viewers on an average, with a peak at 536k. That's roughly 100k more than last year.

Commentator Philippe Maertens said he thought every year that cross had reach its peak but every year he would admit he made a mistake. Sponsor are better exposed, parking is better, you don't have to walk half an hour to go to the loo, etc.

First we only had cross lovers, then cycling lovers in general got interested and now they're real social events.

Also he seems to argue that we love cyclocross because there's something exotic about it. We're going with our boots in the mud.

-----

I've also heard that cyclocross was the sport that is developing the fastest in the US. Don't know if it's true.

But in Namur, I really had the feeling it was more crowded than it was last year. I don't have the figures yet. I guess they'll come out.

 

[Greyhound Velo]

Cyclocross is growing in popularity in the US (can't speak for other countries) for the same reason criterium racing is so popular here: Ease of access, for fans and racers both. In Chicago, where I started racing 'cross 15 years ago, we used to have an entire eight race series in the park right downtown. Talk about easy , I'd get my warm up and cool down just riding to and from the race, and spectators could also ride bikes or take public transportation to the races, with food vendors and bathrooms 20' from the start line. Which all makes it very attractive for race organizers and sponsors too. It's very easy (relatively speaking) to put on an event that will get a lot of people attending when compared to what it takes to do a point-to-point road race, for example.

Now that 'cross has caught on in the US the race series are bigger and more spread out, but I really think it was the old local races that hooked everyone in. Now that it has some inertia it just keeps growing.

 

[Guidokcd]

I can speak for part of the midwest in the States. I remember when the Ohio Valley series started with only 7 or 8 races. Now it's at least 13, if not more races, with a lot of double weekends, UCI, USGP races now. Plus, for that area, the majority of the series is within a 2-3 hours drive, which makes it convenient for everyone. And, a lot of the races are held in parks, with good viewing points, places to grill-out, parking, etc. People love fall weather and they get excited to see guys/gals riding hard in the muck.

Nothing shows how popular it's gotten by the mere fact that Louisville (not Portland, not the North East) is hosting the World Masters Championships and the UCI Worlds in 2013.

 

[TERMINATOR]

Cyclocross is growing in popularity in the US (can't speak for other countries) for the same reason criterium racing is so popular here: Ease of access, for fans and racers both. In Chicago, where I started racing 'cross 15 years ago, we used to have an entire eight race series in the park right downtown. Talk about easy , I'd get my warm up and cool down just riding to and from the race, and spectators could also ride bikes or take public transportation to the races, with food vendors and bathrooms 20' from the start line. Which all makes it very attractive for race organizers and sponsors too. It's very easy (relatively speaking) to put on an event that will get a lot of people attending when compared to what it takes to do a point-to-point road race, for example.

Now that 'cross has caught on in the US the race series are bigger and more spread out, but I really think it was the old local races that hooked everyone in. Now that it has some inertia it just keeps growing.

Cyclocross is popular like river-dancing was popular.

 

[LugHugger]

Cyclocross is popular like river-dancing was popular.

Really?

 

[Boeing]

Spin Classes are more popular than cyclocross

 

[Echoes]

Really?

Certainly not here. I have the feeling that it's more popular than football or road cycling, in winter.


But interesting comments here. I had always wondered why the USGP series went by pairs and now realize it's mainly due to the distances. I guess they're all close to a big city (like Sun Prairie - Madison) and so easily accessible for a lot of people?

 

[LugHugger]

Certainly not here. I have the feeling that it's more popular than football or road cycling, in winter.


But interesting comments here. I had always wondered why the USGP series went by pairs and now realize it's mainly due to the distances. I guess they're all close to a big city (like Sun Prairie - Madison) and so easily accessible for a lot of people?

I'm not sure that the US 'cross scene will ever achieve the non-participator attendance of events in Belgium but it's great to see the sport growing.

 

[Echoes]

You can't be at the same time on both sides of the Atlantic, can you?

Tim Johnson is going to Plzen (Edit: I meant Aigle) tomorrow, it seems, though. They usually come to Europe late December for Diegem and Loenhout (I think JPow, Driscoll, Trebon and Johnson were in Loenhout last year), when the USGP series are over.

 

[fatandfast]

Spin Classes are more popular than cyclocross

While this is probably true one thing is for sure I have done a charity spinning event that had a huge display of how fast you were going and who was winning. It was very difficult..just like cyclocross. When all these cheerleaders race a couple of times it will be very clear. There is no pack,no drafting,no big circuit that you can go slow on and nobody will see. Cyclocross reveals your fitness and technique super fast. The bikes may sell and people will do a race or 2 here and there but when you have to win and place to move up..people will give up on this discipline faster than Macarena lessons. US crits allow you to race without proper preparation..cyclocross racing allows all to see right away your lack of skill and preparation..not for the faint at heart

 

[runninboy]

While this is probably true one thing is for sure I have done a charity spinning event that had a huge display of how fast you were going and who was winning. It was very difficult..just like cyclocross. When all these cheerleaders race a couple of times it will be very clear. There is no pack,no drafting,no big circuit that you can go slow on and nobody will see. Cyclocross reveals your fitness and technique super fast. The bikes may sell and people will do a race or 2 here and there but when you have to win and place to move up..people will give up on this discipline faster than Macarena lessons. US crits allow you to race without proper preparation..cyclocross racing allows all to see right away your lack of skill and preparation..not for the faint at heart

Could not DISAGREE more.
Spin classes peaked years ago. I am a certified Spin instructor from back in the 90's not near as popular now.
Anyway, people like to push themselves, it is not all about winning. Triathlon fields sell out in hours mostly to people who only want to finish and have no hope of winning.
In road racing or crits you have to hang on at someone elses pace or get pulled. The beauty of cyclocross is it is a challenge against yourself, there are merely other riders on the course at the same time. You don't need a teammate or a team either. You can get lapped and there is no shame as even at the world's there are great riders who have a bad day and finish down a lap.
With the courses now laid out in the US more like Europe they are more spectator friendly. I doubt it will become popular here among the general population as a spectator sport, if it were to make it into the Olympics(doubtful, but in my mind a better inclusion than BMX) i think the popularity would really take off. Back in the 70's my track teammate in high school was really into cross, but he refused to tell us more about it as he wanted to stay king in his own little world. The whole cross country team was really into the idea,we used to love to watch Euro cross country with all the log barricades and stream crossings. We would have killed to get into cyclocross. I would imagine the same idea would apply today, young succesful runners who love a challenge would enjoy broadening their horizons and giving cyclocross a go.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Popularity has Peaked

Why?

Mostly because after the UCI gave the U.S. a good deal to grow the sport, the UCI is changing its strategy and pursuing 'quality' events in the U.S.

That means the number of U.S. UCI events will decline, USAC is sure to put a damper on 'cross because UCI said they want 'quality.'

Cyclingdirt.org had a good interview with the organizer of one of the series that makes some of what I'm claiming obvious.

 

[LugHugger]

Why?

Mostly because after the UCI gave the U.S. a good deal to grow the sport, the UCI is changing its strategy and pursuing 'quality' events in the U.S.

That means the number of U.S. UCI events will decline, USAC is sure to put a damper on 'cross because UCI said they want 'quality.'

Cyclingdirt.org had a good interview with the organizer of one of the series that makes some of what I'm claiming obvious.

Didn't the UCI only gave the US series the ranking points 'leg up' this season? The growth in US 'cross has been steady over the period of the last 5-6 years.

My understanding is that the UCI have said to US promoters ' there's a rule that you can have no more than 8 events in a series'. Presumably, the reason for this is to protect their series' and also to try and make sure that any money which comes into the sport is not spread more thinly than necessary to maintain 'quality' (however that is defined).

Another way of viewing this is that there is an increased opportunity for regional/state series to run concurrently and parallel with each other and the USGP.

It seems to me that 'cross is far from peaking in popularity in the US.

 

[DirtyWorks]

It seems to me that 'cross is far from peaking in popularity in the US.

Which is the EXACT time for USAC to step in and end the growth. Why? Because the UCI wants to focus on 'quality', not popularity.

 

[LugHugger]

Which is the EXACT time for USAC to step in and end the growth. Why? Because the UCI wants to focus on 'quality', not popularity.

Most race series are not interested in the kudos afforded by UCI points. The majority of series are run for those who are interested in competing and love the sport. There are, and will continue to be, series where UCI points can be scored on the east and west coasts and the mid-west. By your own admission, series are not compelled to be sanctioned by USAC/UCI. If they do want to be sanctioned, then they simply limit their series event to maximum of 8 per season. If anything, this increases competitiveness since it provides a defined regional pyramid structure and affords the opportunity for more series to run. This enables local series to run rather than forcing riders to travel 4/6/8 hours to some series races, enabling higher participation levels. It seems to me that where there is a will, there is a way - thankfully

 

[Race Radio]

Channel VT4 noted 409k viewers on an average, with a peak at 536k. That's roughly 100k more than last year.

The number of cross viewers in the little country of Belgium is about the same as the number Americans who watched the 2007 Tour on Versus.

 

[GreggGermer]

The number of cross viewers in the little country of Belgium is about the same as the number Americans who watched the 2007 Tour on Versus.

I would even go as far as to say that figure is for Flanders and Brussels as VT4 is a Flemish TV provider. Not to say the Wallons are not watching as I'm sure they get the channel, but it just makes it more impressive that out of around max 8 million people, almost 600k people are watching.

If I remember correctly the CX worlds saw more people watch the race than the Tour of Flanders last year.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I would even go as far as to say that figure is for Flanders and Brussels as VT4 is a Flemish TV provider. Not to say the Wallons are not watching as I'm sure they get the channel, but it just makes it more impressive that out of around max 8 million people, almost 600k people are watching.

If I remember correctly the CX worlds saw more people watch the race than the Tour of Flanders last year.

The don't get the channel in Wallonia, but they do get Sporza.
So, 6/7million ->600k = 1 out of 10 people are watching.
And even more for the worlds indeed (i'm guessing 1.2 million?)

 

[L'arriviste]

Last winter, I saw the 'cross on the TV in an electrical shop window around New Year in Gent. Whatever, I thought.

This winter, I started watching from the start of the CX season and I'm completely hooked. I actually stay in for it. The reasons I would point to are:

* The hour-long format, almost every week of the long winter

* Plenty of local stars with a nice hint of internationality and the occasional familiar face for road fans (Boom, Steve Chainel, etc)

* Strong spectator culture (I love to tune in each week just to find out how they were able to install a frietkot on such difficult terrain)

* The excellent quality of the footage enabled by a looping parcours and long experience of the conditions (see also - Ronde, Omloop HN, KBK)

 

[GreggGermer]

* Strong spectator culture (I love to tune in each week just to find out how they were able to install a frietkot on such difficult terrain)

I was thinking this exact thing at Zonhoven when I was standing in the giant sand pit waiting for the men to start. There was a Frietkot and beer tent in there ... how they got them in there is something I still wonder.

In Gavere there was a maze of giant construction planks to allow the trailers to be brought from place to place ... only problem they were as slick as oil when there was any mud on them ... I almost ate it hard with all my camera equipment in hand!

 

[Echoes]

We can get VT4 via Belgacom TV in the Walloon region. I don't have it but friends of mine do AND watch cyclocross.

The number of cross viewers in the little country of Belgium is about the same as the number Americans who watched the 2007 Tour on Versus.

You mean the whole 3 weeks?