What I meant was that it has the potential to capture the
imaginations of millions of Americans, and perhaps enjoy a renaissance

No. Not a chance. Not a snowball's chance in Hell, my friend. Chess will
never capture the imagination of millions of anybodies, much less Americans.

Revel in your, and our, kinky little pursuit.

Will this make chess the most popular sport in America? Uh no. Will it make
people like chess? No.

What it WILL do - is add to the financial benefits of sponsoring chess events
in the United States. And more sponsors is better for all of us.

So stop your freaking whining. Our sport is gonna be on TV for 17 1/2 hours.

John Fernandez

So stop your freaking whining. Our sport is gonna be on TV for 17 1/2 hours.


That IS great. Now, if only it were really a sport (or even perceived
as such by anyone other than those who play it - and I don't think most
of us who do consider it such).

John

"The Masked Bishop" wrote in message
y.com...

So stop your freaking whining. Our sport is gonna be on TV for 17 1/2
hours.

It's not a sport, Tiger. It's a GAME. Is billiards a sport? Is poker?

If you can gamble on it, it's a sport. If it has a board and uses dice, it's
a game. If it imitates life, it's art.

StanB

John Fernandez wrote:

Subject: Chess in the News -- serious post
From: "The Masked Bishop"
Date: 8/28/2003 10:13 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id: m

So stop your freaking whining. Our sport is gonna be on TV for 17 1/2
hours.

It's not a sport, Tiger. It's a GAME. Is billiards a sport? Is poker?

IOC says it's a sport. That's good enough for me.

They were *paid* to say that! ;-)

(Marc Widmaier) wrote in message . com...
eepmeep (John Fernandez) wrote in message ...
Which channel shows the NY Giants football games?

ESPN does national coverage, and only has the Sunday Night game. Local NY
stations show the Giants.

John Fernandez

Happily surprised to see this (chess on ESPN this fall, not the Giants
- still recovering from that last playoff game). Originally figured
the ratings for game six of Gazza vs. DJ were garbage - after all, who
watches a chess game at 4pm on a Friday afternoon? Apparently enough
to warrant six more games.

Still believe the best format to make chess even remotely TV friendly
is blitz. If you don't play, and have never seen a blitz game before,
it completely blows away the stereotype that chess is long, tedious, &
unexciting. After the game, have a wrap up where the commentators
explain the basics, themes in the opening, etc., without going into
detail which would overwhelm a novice/non-player. Build up a fanbase,
and then start exposing them to longer games. But that's just my
crazy idea, what the hell do i know?

Plus, this would have an added benefit - if successful, then maybe
FIDE will scrap the horrible 90 30 format.

I think blitz would be a complete bust. No one whould know what was
going on. sure people would watch a bit but then they would lose
interest because they couldn't follow at all. After game analysis
doesn't work because we already knwo the outcome. Only the tension of
an unresolved game can keep viewer interest. Plus even amoung rabid
chess fans few care who wins blitz chess games.

I think the best chance is slow games with someone that explains the
games and what is going to an audience where they assume they know
very little if anythign more than the rules. Sure throw a few more in
depth ideas but very rarely. Instead show a bunch of one or two move
trap possiblities etc. Also have a seperate "analysis board" where
announcers can show how play may continue or the traps. Basic Basic
Basic. The announcers should also be able to give good background
biographical information about the players.(yes about computers as
well)

Not saying it will be a Block buster but it certainly should be able
to do quite well for espn2!!

I wonder if this 3D board will be tough for Garry to adjust too. I
wouldn't want to play that way I have enough trouyble adjustign to a
regular board after playing on my compuyter.

"The Masked Bishop" wrote in message gy.com...
I can't think of much that would be more boring that watching chess on
television.

Have you ever seen some of the other things shown on ESPN2? Unknown
lumberjacks sawing and chopping arbitrary amounts of wood in some sort
of a race. Other unkown people lifting a carying various heavy items.
Teens skateboarding in front of crowds so small it must entirely
consist of family. For cryign out loud. Chess is of much more
interest. Kids are playign like crazy so their households should be
interested. Gary just shows up(not even to play chess) to a book
signing and a Barnes and Noble is swamped. If propperly promoted this
can be a hit for espn2. Many people have played computers in chess
and have gotten completely stomped. They may want to see if someone
cna really beat one.

And if anyone out there thinks that broadcasting chess games is
going to spark some kind of membership drive, or make you look cooler
because you've foolishly told your normal friends that you play the game,
then pass me some of that weed you're smoking.

It can help or hurt the sport depending on how it is done.


Were I in charge of ESPN, I'd broadcast the games at 2am, as a favor to
insomniacs desperate for a snooze. And I wouldn't bother hiring a breathless
Maurice Ashley or an over-enthused Yaz Sierawan to provide color commentary.
The last thing I'd want to do is torch what little ratings this silly
programming decision will generate by getting those guys on to ramble about
openings, or worse, the US chess scene.

It has to be able to edge out Lumberjack Larry.


No, I'd prolly hire some hot babes to move the demo pieces and run plenty of
beer commercials. And then never do it again. Think America is ready to
watch a dour, saturnine Russian hunch over a chess board for two hours?
Think again, and then switch over to the Buffy reruns...

Sounds like you would be a big supporter of XFL!


TMB

I wonder if this 3D board will be tough for Garry to adjust too.

I tested it out with him in mid-June, he played, and beat, Fritz 8 off the
shelf in 15 minute. I don't think he'll have THAT huge of a problem.

John Fernandez