Tim,
SBI put that together at no cost to Geico

Everyone one is jump the gun,and only telling ine side of the story. Why is not any one asking where the other $ 850,000.00 gieco was going to have to pay for the TV and never came up with it. That might be part of the reson the tv never happens.
The guy that put the deal together and was the GM for Gieco is now in Federal prisin for doing somethign like what he did to sbi hmmmmmmmmm....
The other is on this storey will be out soon but not on here. like others have said the court will deside. but it went be good for offshore ether way.

I think you just explained it to me very well...it's starting to make a lot more sense now!! What a shame though.

SBI had nothing to do with that, GEICO set it up and paid for it.

Actually the vultures were there long before Geico or AMF arrived. Truth be told, the sport originally was populated by racers who could easily provide their own parts, food, and hospitality. In fact there was a vast number of people who would break your arm before allowing you to pick up a dinner check. With that foundation you always had a large number of "hangers on" and groups that became expert at fleecing the race teams, but back then they received Dom Perignon, hotel suites, first class airfare, and in some cases piles of cash. Today you have people who will fall all over you if you give them a lobster tail...or a trim cylinder..... but the big money will always swirl around sponsorship and promotion....... which is only satisfied with television coverage. Once the "real" TV left the sport, the power, and prestige followed it right out the door. Now the promise of a TV package ( hilariously "proven" by a handful of CBS stickers) stirred up an enormous, empty headed windstorm of enthusiasm...and apparently quite a few bucks.....

Bottom line...and with all due respect to the generosity of the well meaning people at AMF..........the only person, organization or team that should be lauded as acting "For the good of the sport" is the one that gets this rolling circus out of the rut it is stuck in. Until then all the (free) balloons, beer, buffets, and borrowed tools aren't worth any more than the pile of bullsh*t laughingly remembered as the CBS TV package.

T2x

(Disclaimer: The above is strictly the opinion of T2x ( a colorful but fictional character), and does not in any way reflect the view point of this website, the American Broadcasting Network, The APBA, OPA, OSS, Rich Luhrs or his 6 Rottweilers)

Bingo RL!

And, I might add, that the real show is offshore, running ocean courses. Running laps 100 yards off the beach doesn't excite anyone and makes for poor television.

I used to beat my head against the wall trying to get people to understand the concept that 5 helicopters with cameras will give us 1,000 times the coverage in the middle of the open ocean vs. the menial amount of spectators who would line the various shorelines. Who ever decided that offshore racing should be a "stadium sport" was taking us in the wrong direction, and after years of smaller venues, smaller budgets, and smaller fuel tanks, it will be interesting to see if we, as a sport, can ever return to where we were 20 years ago.

Fortunately, this new breed of turbine powered super cat can weather the open water and with the backdrop of a landless open sea, the average viewer will have a hard time changing the channel.

T.

Unless they explode in a cauldron of blood, aviation fuel and salt spray. Few remember that the Unlimited hydros lost at least 10 years of coverage as a result of two consecutive network broadcast races back in the mid 60's ("Black Sunday" and the following race) in which four drivers were killed in 3 separate accidents.

200 mph may be amazing.....but death gets chased from mainstream TV.

Few understand the concept of speed/ size ratio. I know you do. The time for 60' cats with 17' beams is now. Yes, the 200 mph speeds are concerning, but the bigger the boat, the safer the speed. This could bring the sport back to South Florida in a self induced captivity, as these new, super cats would be too big to travel over the roads.

You have 6 Rotweilers?

Yea, I realize the vulture's were always there! just the name's have changed to protect the innocent!