How it SHOULD be done

[RS]

I think people have watched the Monte coverage (which was very good) and extrapolated that live coverage is the answer....

It will be interesting to see if Eurosport bring us live stages from Japan, Kenya and Brazil.

Or if people are still wetting themselves with excitement after watching live coverage of Ypres or Spain.

I'm certain there won't be live coverage from the three you mention, but Eurosport have already said there will be live coverage from three further rallies this year (including Scotland), more next year, and then all from 2011.

Monte was great, but actually it could have been even better because there were no real fights left going into the final stages. Imagine the potential it has when there are two or three drivers separated by a small amount of time going into the final stage - they will be fighting for split seconds and you can see it all there and then.

I do expect ISC to try and copy this for WRC eventually, but we will all know who the pioneers were

[Simmi]

It will be interesting to see if Eurosport bring us live stages from Japan, Kenya and Brazil.

They wont be doing live stages from these countries. It is obviously a lot easier to work the logistics of live stages in Europe. Kenya probably wont even run as a round of the IRC anyway.

[Tomi]

I must say I'm finding it hard to understand why this issue is so crucial. I thought it had been proved that rallying isn't that live TV-friendly a sport and that attempts to make it so have been amongst the reasons for its decline.

Agree, rally will never be a tv sport , but it would not be too difficult to make one 2-3 minutes stage every day of the rally live on tv, and skip the pathetic SSS, it has been done before, long time ago already.

[RS]

Agree, rally will never be a tv sport , but it would not be too difficult to make one 2-3 minutes stage every day of the rally live on tv, and skip the pathetic SSS, it has been done before, long time ago already.

At least 5 minutes would be better, 2-3 minutes will still be carpark stages. They are doing one in Ireland, should be quite good to watch but it is only 1.5kms, still not real rallying.

[mjh]

They wont be doing live stages from these countries. It is obviously a lot easier to work the logistics of live stages in Europe. Kenya probably wont even run as a round of the IRC anyway.

Exactly - which is why it puzzles me that people elsewhere in the forum have put foward that IRC should replace or is preferrable o the WRC. But their coverage of the 'world' events is likely to be little different to the WRC. If anything worse - I find the WRC website much better, though I guess that is a matter of taste to some extent.

A lot of people seem to have a downer on the WRC. I know there are big issues to resolve as the sport takes on cost saving measures and there is transition to the new cars. I just think the series is being written off prematurely. Attending the WRC is still a great experience, and it is still much more a world event than the IRC.

We just need Mr bl*dy consistency to retire so we can get excited about who might win the championship each year :

[Tomi]

At least 5 minutes would be better, 2-3 minutes will still be carpark stages. They are doing one in Ireland, should be quite good to watch but it is only 1.5kms, still not real rallying.

that would mean 5 min betveen starting, might take too long if want to show all cars.

[JFL]

We just need Mr bl*dy consistency to retire so we can get excited about who might win the championship each year :

Or maybe we need Citroen to give their Drivers equal equipement! Juniors and M1 and privateers..

[Zamppa]

Monte was great, but actually it could have been even better because there were no real fights left going into the final stages. Imagine the potential it has when there are two or three drivers separated by a small amount of time going into the final stage - they will be fighting for split seconds and you can see it all there and then.

I do expect ISC to try and copy this for WRC eventually, but we will all know who the pioneers were

You know, there was live coverage from the final stage of Rally New Zealand 2007...

There were also the live stages from the Monaco circuit in 2007 and 2008, and from the top of my head Chris Atkinson was battling for third place on both occasions.

Not taking anything away from the excellent Monte Carlo coverage, just reminding the tight rally finishes on live TV have been done before.

[RS]

You know, there was live coverage from the final stage of Rally New Zealand 2007...

There were also the live stages from the Monaco circuit in 2007 and 2008, and from the top of my head Chris Atkinson was battling for third place on both occasions.

Not taking anything away from the excellent Monte Carlo coverage, just reminding the tight rally finishes on live TV have been done before.

This is true, and Monaco in particular was quite entertaining and good for marketing with the harbour backdrop, but none of these were really proper rally stages.

The final stage from Ireland was supposed to be live on tv I thought, but it is not on Eurosport? Is it just online?

[Motorsportfun]

Meanwhile, a little step forward was done with a new nice Intro and graphics has been renewed.