Why no benchrest in the Olympics??

[benenglish]

I have never seen a single shooting event on TV from the olympics. Are they on TV now? If not, whats the big deal?

Biathlon usually gets good TV coverage in the U.S.

As for the London Games, I just don't watch anything on broadcast TV. NBC's coverage has been abysmal, full of personal stories of overcoming obstacles, history lessons, and all sorts of other stuff that doesn't matter to me. Plus, like always, only the "spandex sports" get much coverage at all.

However, all shooting finals are available via the internet to any U.S. resident with a pre-existing subscription to a cable provider for a package that includes MSNBC and CNBC. In most of the rest of the world, the streams are available without any credentials at all.

As long as the Olympics are on, those streams can be replayed. If you get a chance to view them, there's some mighty good shooting on display. Make that "amazingly good" shooting.

 

[Hambone]

I have never seen a single shooting event on TV from the olympics. Are they on TV now? If not, whats the big deal?

They were, we could watch them live or later that day by selection via the BBC web site. But Monday was the fianl day with the mens 50m 3P and mens trap. So I guess its safe to say "you've missed it all".

 

[Professor]

RFBR in it's current form? Never would happen!

First, the above mentioned reasons. Can't find many flaws there.

Second, way to many rules that are only a 'wink and a nod' to outside intrerests. (Gunsmiths, ammo mfgs, barrel mfgs)

Sporter barrel rules that don't say what they mean, or, is it mean what they say? Guys using 'dryer sheets' between their guns and the sandbags when at least the RBA rules say...

...Only sandbags can touch sides and bottom of stock except that a thin plastic film or cloth may be attached to the stock where it touches the bag only for the purpose of reducing friction between the stock and sand bag.

Are 'dryer sheets' legal in your sanctioned matches?

The sanction bodies or the owners of these games are the ones to blame for it's current state. They are the ones that need to clean it up. As long these games stay this way, RBA & 50/50 will be only be games that we like to play to compare scores between each other. And maybe that is all they were ever meant to be. But, they will never rise to the level of a sport in their current configurations.

Just my opinion and we all know what they say about opinions.

How do you feel about these types of rules? The only to effect change is to let the board members of the sanctioning bodies know you opinion or desire for change.

Professor

 

[benenglish]

So I guess its safe to say "you've missed it all".

Anyone in the U.S. who has a cable subscription that includes CNBC and MSNBC can go to nbcolympics.com, use their cable company email login credentials, and see replays of all the finals in all the shooting events. It's well worth the trouble to get logged in. There are some wonderful displays of amazing marksmanship in those video files.

 

[Hambone]

The sanction bodies or the owners of these games are the ones to blame for it's current state. They are the ones that need to clean it up. As long these games stay this way, RBA & 50/50 will be only be games that we like to play to compare scores between each other. And maybe that is all they were ever meant to be. But, they will never rise to the level of a sport in their current configurations.

Prof

I suppose its that age old question is it a game or is it a sport?

For many, including me. Its not quite a sport, and doesn't quite have all the ingredients a game.

 

[Dick Grosbier]

World wide golf as a participation sport must out strip RFBR by a factor of 50 or more. Its already extremely well established as a international sport and the money runs into the billions.

Hell they ever have a big money seniors tour. So FredJ should be ok.

I do not play golf nor have I ever desired to. But I think 50 to 1 is a very conservative estimate. Golf is very popular.

 

[Ian_Owen]

Imagine the media attention when some of the competitors failed a drugs test........would be a lot of bad publicity about shooters then. This could even happen at a WBC event due to some of the countries who participate in Benchrest being governed by Olympic governing bodies...........Ian

 

[Bill Gammon]

The Olympic committee was approched in the early 80's about Benchrest and it was a resounding "NO" If I remember correctly the main reason was physical activity. As much as we hate golf it takes a lot of physical activity to play golf without a golf cart and we won't even talk about the money. And a lot of people who enjoyed Trap, the olympic version is far different from what you see on the Trap fields. Just my take.

 

[B J Atkinson]

There are no centrefire rifle events in the Olympics.

When you think about it, the only spectator friendly shooting comps are the shotgun - they shoot and the public can see what is happening.
In the winter Olympics the Biatholon gets good coverage with TV showing the target discs.

The same would apply to metallic silhouette, whether shot by air rifle rimfire or centrefire.

I don't expect to see anything change in our favour.

Brendan Atkinson