WP: Two wheels vs. Four

9.4 million. That’s the number of viewers who, on any given weekend, sit in their living rooms bedecked in all manner of NASCAR apparel, whooping words of encouragement to their favorite racer as his (or her) car winds around a track. I am the first to admit that the nuances of auto racing are lost on me while being grossly apparent to a large number of American males, and a growing number of females. The thought of watching a line of cars, no matter how colorfully decorated, negotiate a never-ending series of turns or, worse yet, a continuous loop, holds all the appeal to me of a Meryl Streep movie marathon. I mention this not to detract from the sport but to highlight what I see as an incongruity in the tapestry which is American sports fanaticism. As July 5th approached, I and about three other citizens eagerly anticipated the start of the 95th Tour de France. A race. A REAL race…not of finely tuned, high octane cars, but of men. Men who grind out every brutal, unforgiving mile with sweat and will and determination and sometimes blood. A race with all the plot twists and drama of a Creighton novel and the occasional surprise ending worthy of M. Night Shyamalan. Again, my intent is not to impugn the undeniable skill and athleticism required to compete in a NASCAR event but to ask…why? Why doesn’t America get cycling? At its peak, during Lance Armstrong’s final hurrah, a mere 558,000 televisions in the U.S. were tuned in to the event. Now however, it’s like cranking through the Pyrenees on the big ring just to reach a paltry 250,000. You would think that an event with so much to offer would be eagerly anticipated by, at the very least, more than just a smattering of Americans.

When you compare the two sports side-by-side, they would seem to hold the same appeal, at least on the surface. They have the same raucous, beer-swilling fans. The same colorful uniforms, although cycling takes a hit for the spandex. Racers in both sports aspire to be rock stars or movie stars or eco-propagandizers, whoever it is we are supposed to idolize today, and bear the egos to prove it. The venues used in cycling are more appealing than those in NASCAR. Who wouldn't prefer to see European countryside over a raceway undulating endlessly upon itself with little or no change through the course of the event, with the exception of the brightly colored cars which, of course, match the aforementioned brightly colored racing duds. It must be admitted that the sponsors for NASCAR have better face value then their counterparts in cycling. Home Depot, Coors Light and M & M's are far more recognizable to Americans than are Euskaltel - Euskadi, Credit Agricole and Rabobank; although Garmin Chipotle might ring a few bells. Crashes are a mainstay of both sports and both pan out evenly in this regard-NASCAR for the sheer mayhem involved in most accidents and cycling for the number of participants usually involved. I would give an edge to cycling though since there is no yellow flag. Other racers fortunate enough to avoid the entanglement are expected to carry on smartly as if nothing untoward ever happened. It would seem then, an even match. Perhaps the only place where blame could fall would be the lack of year round coverage. Ask any NASCAR fan to name as many events possible and they will likely rattle off an extensive list by name, where they take place and why they are important. They can do so because, were you to choose any weekend at random, there is a race to watch, no matter how minor. Cycling?? Name more than one...Paris-Roubaix, Giro d'Italia?? They could be fashion designers for all anyone here knows. And there is the rub. How can we be expected to become familiar with or knowledgeable about anything we cannot regularly see? Why would the networks air a sport that no one is familiar with? Catch 22. Now I know that there are cable and satellite channels that are dedicated to the “chess club” sports. I however, refuse to sell my children to pay the steep prices necessary to obtain said channels (although I will rent them out for the right price…contact me directly).

Evidence would suggest then that cycling, despite all of its apparent appeal, is doomed to be relegated to the position of other “Oh…is it that time of year again?” sports. The World Cup, The America’s Cup, The World Men’s Curling Championship (we will save this one for a future post), all get their limited time in the sun here in the states despite the fact that soccer and sailing and, yes, curling take place throughout the year…somewhere. So, until the networks decide to throw me and the other three guys who care a bone by giving us a dose of our favorite import sports occasionally throughout the year, I’ll be here on the couch, wearing spandex and drinking Belgian Ale, whooping for my favorite racers as they start stage six, wishing that I wasn’t the only American who got it. Oh look! NASCAR’s on!! (click)