So I just saw a poll at the US Swimming web site that asked:
In the last twenty years, who do you think has changed more in the sport of swimming?
The choices were swimmers or coaches.
Thought it would be a good thread to talk about. Should we also throw in swimming equipment for good measure?
Talk amongst yourselves...
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Former Member
cinc310,
I disagree with you. Amanda Beard and Ed Moses often earned $75,000 a swim meet. Remember there is a huge bonus for setting a world record. I would bet that there was appearance money offered. Also high point awards per meet and for the series. It is at World Cup races that the rest of the world learned to do faster turns than what we do. Money really brings out the competitor in people.
In France, Germany and Australia, there are many swimmers who earn over a MILLION dollars per year. Only in England and the USA are swimmers lucky to make some ad money.
I agree with Tall Paul, and I don't think there is a big difference in TV cameras. Remember Spitz vs Matt Biondi. We were able to analyze the start, the dive into the water, the first stroke up, the strokes (butterfly) and the finish. Spitz actually had a faster reaction time, but landed pretty flat. Biondi did a perfect bubble free dive and came up nearly half a body length ahead of Spitz. That was a dozen years ago.
The perfect meet for TV would be similiar to our CalTech Pentathlon (www.spma.net/meetforms.htm) meet. This is not a boring meet at all. Stanley Fujimoto has won the animal heat of the mens 50 free for 3 out of the last 4 years. Dan Wegner won it 3 years ago, but Dan is 11 years younger than Stan the Man. Dan Wegner is one of our Masters swimmers who have competed in World Cup races.
A fifty of fly, back, ***, free and a 100 IM. Just the fastest 4 swimmers for TV finals, could be shown in a half hour show, complete with slow motion results. Short course meters meets are much better for TV than long course.
Television has a huge opportunity to add to the Olympic Trials, the Olympics and to the Indianapolis World Championships. Swimmers were being treated like Rock stars! How cool to be recognised for what you do. The Dual in the Pool will be in Southern Kalifornia next year, so they will televise that. But they should do more in off years.
Reply
Former Member
cinc310,
I disagree with you. Amanda Beard and Ed Moses often earned $75,000 a swim meet. Remember there is a huge bonus for setting a world record. I would bet that there was appearance money offered. Also high point awards per meet and for the series. It is at World Cup races that the rest of the world learned to do faster turns than what we do. Money really brings out the competitor in people.
In France, Germany and Australia, there are many swimmers who earn over a MILLION dollars per year. Only in England and the USA are swimmers lucky to make some ad money.
I agree with Tall Paul, and I don't think there is a big difference in TV cameras. Remember Spitz vs Matt Biondi. We were able to analyze the start, the dive into the water, the first stroke up, the strokes (butterfly) and the finish. Spitz actually had a faster reaction time, but landed pretty flat. Biondi did a perfect bubble free dive and came up nearly half a body length ahead of Spitz. That was a dozen years ago.
The perfect meet for TV would be similiar to our CalTech Pentathlon (www.spma.net/meetforms.htm) meet. This is not a boring meet at all. Stanley Fujimoto has won the animal heat of the mens 50 free for 3 out of the last 4 years. Dan Wegner won it 3 years ago, but Dan is 11 years younger than Stan the Man. Dan Wegner is one of our Masters swimmers who have competed in World Cup races.
A fifty of fly, back, ***, free and a 100 IM. Just the fastest 4 swimmers for TV finals, could be shown in a half hour show, complete with slow motion results. Short course meters meets are much better for TV than long course.
Television has a huge opportunity to add to the Olympic Trials, the Olympics and to the Indianapolis World Championships. Swimmers were being treated like Rock stars! How cool to be recognised for what you do. The Dual in the Pool will be in Southern Kalifornia next year, so they will televise that. But they should do more in off years.
