Coronavirus and pro sport

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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Isn't it more than they're all over multiple hotels and are travelling around the country.

    It's not something you can really isolate.
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    kingstongraham said:

    RichN95. said:

    kingstongraham said:

    If you think the lockdown will have helped get the numbers down that quickly that the race can go ahead in 13 weeks time, why would you immediately move to having a travelling band of 1000 going from place to place around the country?


    Compared to the rest of France it would be little problem. There'd be very little contact between those 1000 and anyone else.
    Are you going to shut down public transport? Because a single Paris metro station at rush hour on a single day is a bigger problem.
    Good point. If you cannot shut absolutely everything, you might as well have a bunch of undertrained people travelling around the country getting gradually more immuno suppressed because we want to see live sport.

    Not happening in July. May as well accept it.
    It probably won't happen. But there's no point cancelling it at the moment. It's a few months away yet. Infection rates should be much lower. And unless you're willing to lockdown the population until a vaccine is found there will be bigger risks all over France every day.

    Will it happen? Probably not. Can it happen? It's not inconceivable. If we get to the scheduled start date and there hasn't been a death in France throughout June, it's going to look pretty stupid if the sport has bankrupted itself on the back of a needlessly early decision.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    It would be a worse look if France sees a huge spike half way through the Tour and has to re-activate mass isolation.

    This is just as likely.
    _
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    rick_chasey said:

    Isn't it more than they're all over multiple hotels and are travelling around the country.

    It's not something you can really isolate.

    plus teams leapfrog each other to get the day next stage to setup. There is no way you can isolate this to just the tour people moving around stage to stage. It's too much exposure and not worth the risk. Numbers wont be as small as people think, then times that by who they contact and who they contact and it's huge figures.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    edited March 2020
    It's worth remembering that all this 'flattening the curve' process does make it all last a lot longer.
    _
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,576
    The Olympic postponement means we get *another* spring of GVA on that damn gold bike. FFS.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Wimbledon now considering postponing or cancelling, which must put the BBC in an awkward position.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    French sports minister is talking about Le Tour taking part, although suspect he might have no clue about sports organisation, TV Production and how many people this will involve
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,597
    They could do the Tour in the USA and Trump is going to have everything back to normal there by Easter. We could move all pro sport there including the Olympics.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Yup, it seems the running of a "behind closed doors" Tour is being seriously considered.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/52050109
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,228
    They could do it without TV cameras....
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Friebe echoing Bardet in an obvious point; how does anti-doping work in this environment?
    _
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    blazing_saddles said:

    Yup, it seems the running of a "behind closed doors" Tour is being seriously considered.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/52050109

    sounds moer like a pipe dream but people who dont understand how much organisation and people it involves to get these things done
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    sherer said:

    blazing_saddles said:

    Yup, it seems the running of a "behind closed doors" Tour is being seriously considered.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/52050109

    sounds moer like a pipe dream but people who dont understand how much organisation and people it involves to get these things done

    Most of the stuff you can get rid of. Barriers not needed if you get rid of the crowd. No press room as there's no press. Start village gone. Podium gone. Caravan gone. TV for last two hours only. Remote commentators.

    This will be a race run with the infrastructure of a non-World Tour televised stage race.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    edited March 2020
    RichN95. said:

    sherer said:

    blazing_saddles said:

    Yup, it seems the running of a "behind closed doors" Tour is being seriously considered.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/52050109

    sounds moer like a pipe dream but people who dont understand how much organisation and people it involves to get these things done

    Most of the stuff you can get rid of. Barriers not needed if you get rid of the crowd. No press room as there's no press. Start village gone. Podium gone. Caravan gone. TV for last two hours only. Remote commentators.

    This will be a race run with the infrastructure of a non-World Tour televised stage race.
    Why would the gov't want to tempt people to stand by the side of the road?

    It is fanciful, not least as July is a likely time for a big spike in infections after the initial spike....

    Until we get a vaccine or the vast majority of people get it, it will keep coming back and we will continue to have to go through cycles of lock downs.
    _
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,493
    I think you’ll find reality way, way over there ➡️
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    RichN95. said:

    sherer said:

    blazing_saddles said:

    Yup, it seems the running of a "behind closed doors" Tour is being seriously considered.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/52050109

    sounds moer like a pipe dream but people who dont understand how much organisation and people it involves to get these things done

    Most of the stuff you can get rid of. Barriers not needed if you get rid of the crowd. No press room as there's no press. Start village gone. Podium gone. Caravan gone. TV for last two hours only. Remote commentators.

    This will be a race run with the infrastructure of a non-World Tour televised stage race.
    with no barriers you get no sponsors on TV .. no sponsors and no money to even host the race or pay the teams.

    Although cycling is a lot more open than where I work, i doubt they will want no security \ open access.

    Telling the public not to turn up wont stop them doing so.. we saw that with Paris Nice this year.

    Some can be scaled down with less on the corporate side, but it will still be a big operation. Even on the TV side it's still a massive amount if people to rig and de-rig every day.

    Sounds like a minister who doesnt understand any of this sayng it can go ahead
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    I doubt the TDF would incite a mass revolt against restrictions.
    Why would people break curfew just to stand roadside and risk prison, to watch a bike race that is on tv?
    Especially as they can be identified via that source.
    In any case, it's already been established that 50% who usually do, only go for the caravan, which wouldn't be a factor.
    Most would be ecstatic to have something resembling normality to watch while at home.


    Rather than looking for the negatives, it would be an interesting exercise to try and figure out, just how far the race could be pared back to reduce organisational load and solutions to corporate demands.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    No-one wants a half @rsed Tour.
    _
  • joe2019
    joe2019 Posts: 1,338
    Six reasons why it shouldn't happen: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/52047624
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,597
    edited March 2020
    RichN95. said:

    sherer said:

    blazing_saddles said:

    Yup, it seems the running of a "behind closed doors" Tour is being seriously considered.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/52050109

    sounds moer like a pipe dream but people who dont understand how much organisation and people it involves to get these things done

    Most of the stuff you can get rid of. Barriers not needed if you get rid of the crowd. No press room as there's no press. Start village gone. Podium gone. Caravan gone. TV for last two hours only. Remote commentators.

    This will be a race run with the infrastructure of a non-World Tour televised stage race.
    Sounds like a 3 week version of the Tour of Guangxi!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,597
    rick_chasey said:

    No-one wants a half @rsed Tour.

    This. They may as well run it on Zwift.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    sherer said:




    with no barriers you get no sponsors on TV .. no sponsors and no money to even host the race or pay the teams.

    Although cycling is a lot more open than where I work, i doubt they will want no security \ open access.

    Telling the public not to turn up wont stop them doing so.. we saw that with Paris Nice this year.

    Some can be scaled down with less on the corporate side, but it will still be a big operation. Even on the TV side it's still a massive amount if people to rig and de-rig every day.

    Sounds like a minister who doesnt understand any of this sayng it can go ahead

    The sponsors on the barriers - you can just put their logos on the TV screen instead. It's not the 50s.

    You can keep the public away easily. Shut off access road near start & finish. Restrict public transport. Blockade the climbs. Local gendarmes police the villages. A man with an assault rifle is remarkably persuasive.

    The TV operation. How big do you think the TV operation is for a race like Four Days of Dunkirk? Or the races that are only streamed on YouTube. It'll just be the host broadcaster present.

    I'm guessing the minister has talked to far better informed people than you.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    rick_chasey said:

    No-one wants a half @rsed Tour.


    Everyone who makes their living from the sport knows a half-arsed Tour is better than no Tour
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    joe2019 said:

    Six reasons why it shouldn't happen: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/52047624


    No-one is suggesting doing this at the peak of the virus. It would need it to be back down to minimal levels, where lockdown is over, bars and restaurants are open and people are back at work.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    you cant just put logos on screens like that due to different global laws. You COULD do virtual advertising, as that is allowed, but would need a massive expenditure from ASO to get that setup. They dont do it at the moment, so i suspect they arent setup for that.

    That could also meant they then need to produce more than one feed, based on existing contracts, so that would again mean an increase in the TV crew, plus all the riggers to set that up on a daily basis.

    Le Tor is still a huge TV operation, even for something that is basically filmed with a few cameras on the back of a bike. It's not a matter of jusr connecting a camera to the internet and streaming it, if it was the industry would be saving loads and moving to that.

    I am involved in this for a living, so do have a bit of an idea how much is involved in getting a sports broadcast out.

  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    edited March 2020
    sherer said:

    you cant just put logos on screens like that due to different global laws. You COULD do virtual advertising, as that is allowed, but would need a massive expenditure from ASO to get that setup. They dont do it at the moment, so i suspect they arent setup for that.

    That could also meant they then need to produce more than one feed, based on existing contracts, so that would again mean an increase in the TV crew, plus all the riggers to set that up on a daily basis.

    No it just needs to be on the French broadcast. Maybe put some livery on the support vehicles. Sponsors can be negotiated with. Hospitality deals are more of a problem.
    sherer said:


    Le Tor is still a huge TV operation, even for something that is basically filmed with a few cameras on the back of a bike. It's not a matter of jusr connecting a camera to the internet and streaming it, if it was the industry would be saving loads and moving to that.

    I am involved in this for a living, so do have a bit of an idea how much is involved in getting a sports broadcast out.

    Le Tour is a huge TV operation. Usually. But something like the Tour of Valencia isn't or the Women's races broadcast on YouTube, and we watch that just fine. We can sacrifice a Moto devoted to French riders getting dropped. How about we go old school and just have highlights. People are always saying the 80s was good, so now people can experience it for real.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    RichN95. said:

    rick_chasey said:

    No-one wants a half @rsed Tour.


    Everyone who makes their living from the sport knows a half-arsed Tour is better than no Tour
    This is the key issue that everyone appears to be ignoring.
    A half-arsed Tour, be it on it's original date or delayed a few weeks, might just save a few teams from going to the wall.
    The entire pro racing enterprise is currently a house of cards.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • coopster_the_1st
    coopster_the_1st Posts: 5,158
    Let's say the Tour starts. What happens to the race when one of the mechanics or soigneurs gets tested positive for C19?
  • joe2019
    joe2019 Posts: 1,338
    RichN95. said:

    joe2019 said:

    Six reasons why it shouldn't happen: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/52047624


    No-one is suggesting doing this at the peak of the virus. It would need it to be back down to minimal levels, where lockdown is over, bars and restaurants are open and people are back at work.
    Oh, 2021 then.

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