Forum Archive Index - May 2000

[Brian Gale <brigale@i4free.co.nz>]

Excellent comments Oliver.  I agree with you entirely
on the potential for VS.  Sure it's good to attend/watch a sport
live, but how may are able to do so ?  The big audience/market is
currently via TV and this is often dull in it's presentation hence the
prospects for VS, worldwide.

BG 

At 19:17 19-05-00 +1200, you wrote:
> I've said it before
> and I'll say it again.  NZers simply do not understand Amercian
> culture, particularly those who say they see no worth in VS being applied
> to a whole lot of sports.  
>  
> FACT 1: Americans LOVE sports.  Any
> sports.  Doesn't matter if it's NBA or pig throwing, they love
> sports.  
> FACT 2: Americans LOVE one thing more than
> sports at present.  Statistics about sports.  They crave
> them.  ANY statistics.  They will absorb stats like there'll be
> no more tomorrow, and that attracts mega advertising dollars to provide
> the stats.  Consumers don't pay, but advertisers do. 
>  
> PROPOSITION 1: Americans will love VS more than
> statistics.
>  
> VS is simply another way of looking at a game,
> just like stats.  Except VS is better for advertisers because the
> advertising capabilities are so much greater.  Think about it - VS
> for NFL.  If this was possibile, it would be the most sought after
> product in the US.  Not only would Americans rush to use it, VS
> would allow advertisers to pay by the minute for continuous
> advertising.  Remember how they were programming in the sponsors
> logos on TNZ sails?  First leg - Telecom on the sails, second leg,
> HP on the sails.  NFL - first quarter the Broncos might have MSN on
> their helmets.  The second quarter they could have the A-G's
> office.... hehehehe.  
> As kiwis, we would rather watch something live
> and maybe talk about it a bit.  The computer graphics they have for
> changing the angles in rugby isn't quite taking off, because it's not for
> the 3.5m of us.  
>  
> PROPOSITION 2: 3.5m Kiwis isn't the target
> market for VS.
>  
> Self-explanatory.  I for one would love
> that technology for Formula1, but I understand the kiwi culture enough to
> know that most wouldn't really care for it.  The ability to zoom in,
> out and around the circuit and get multi views LIVE rather than rely on
> the t.v. cameras to focus on what I wanted to see would enhance my
> viewing experience.  Same with golf - you only see one shot at a
> time and commonly miss out on the best shots of the players you're
> following just because we're watching Tiger walking up the 4th
> fairway.  Sod that.  
>  
> PROPOSITION 3: VS technology can get a dominant
> foothold in the market.
>  
> This is the only proposition I would argue
> with.  It's not the one attracting discussion tho. 
>  
> Oliver