What does FIRST need to be on TV?

[archiver]

Posted by Andy Baker at 04/30/2001 12:42 AM EST


Engineer on team #45, TechnoKats, from Kokomo High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.


In Reply to: What does FIRST need to be on TV?
Posted by P.J. Baker on 04/29/2001 11:10 PM EST:



Just a guess here, but I think that the TV producers and stations do not like the fact that companies that sponsor FIRST teams would get "air time".

Remember back when ESPN would cover the FIRST competition?

The last year that they did this was 1998. Our team was chomping at the bit to see it on ESPN, since we won Nationals. Our team leader would call FIRST every month or so, and they would give him an update about what was going on. Here's how I remember it:

Initially, ESPN made a 30 minute show that EDITED OUT ALL CORPORATE LOGOS.

FIRST responded by saying (again, my opinion here) "if you're going to do that, just forget about it!"

ESPN responded by doing a 30 minute show that showed some logos and stuff, but it aired in late August or early Sept. This was almost 5 months after Nationals!

And... who has never covered FIRST since? ESPN. ESPN is owned by ABC, which is owned by Disney. Go figure. You would think that Disney would be able to get ESPN to cover us. FIRST and ESPN must really not like each other.

I dunno... I think that the corporate sponsorships do scare some TV shows from putting us on. But then again, look at NASCAR. Go figure.

Andy B.