Others may know too, but semi-finals were added to the Olympic program in 2000. Would it actually be more accurate to say that they were reintroduced in 2000? This is related tothe Phelps/ Spitz comparison. I seem to recall that semi-finals were part of the Olympic program in the 70's. But evrything I read says otherwise. Does anyone know the history of semi-finals in the Olympic program.
The smartest thing they had done was to get RID of the semi-finals. All sporting events that have quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals, etc. implies that the winners of the semi-finals get into the finals. However in swimming this is just a wasted step, because they simply take the top 8 times from the two semis. If you feel the need to have semis, why not be more like track.. take the top 3 from each semi and the next 2 fastest times?
It's rubbish, just a way to add more "premium" night time swims to the program. It's also adding more races for the athletes and is another deterrent to swimming multiple events. I could imagine Phelps, Hoff, or Coughlin swimming more races if they didn't have to deal with so many semi-finals. Lochte too. They need to change the system and make the semi-finals meaningful, or scrap them and use the P/F format.
I could go on all day about this but I'd rather hear others' opinions.
Rain Man:
We had a discussion about this a little over a month ago and I have linked that here forums.usms.org/showthread.php and hope this helps explain why the IOC, FINA, TV Networks and the Swimming fans like the current format.
I remember reading somewhere that no one was paying attention to the consolation heats at either the Olympics or World Championships and FINA and maybe the IOC wanted to change the format and add excitment to the swimming meet for both the fans and the swimmers. TV and money could be attracted more and everyone would win out in the end.
It would bring kind of a March madness NFL NBA playoff type of enviroment to swimming. However, it wouldn't have the sudden death upset type of feel that those events have. It would give real good swimmers a second chance if they swam bad and not made top 8 and then have another go to make the finals. Also it makes a swimmer swim good two times and the swimmer has to use strategy so he does not tire out and not make it. Also you cannot sandbag or you risk losing out and not making it.
It makes every session mean something and the crowd at the arena and home on TV will pay attention because all events continue to a final and swimmers are eliminated with every heat, semi, and final. The 400 events and longer are not done this way because of the time of the event, the interest of the TV with distance events, and the physical drain of the swimmers swimming the event. The old way with consolation finals was not interesting for both TV, swimmer fan interest, and the swimmers themselves because a lot would scratch if they did not make the finals.
I don't think they are going to change this format and they want this event to be similar to Track & Field because they use this format a lot except for some events like swimming does. Of course its bad for swimmers like Phelps, Hoff, Lochte, and Coughlin because they swim multiple events but for the overall good of the sport FINA and the IOC thinks this is best and NBC does also because they can show more on TV which means more advertising revenue and more ticket revenue at the gate because there will be more interest.
The smartest thing they had done was to get RID of the semi-finals. All sporting events that have quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals, etc. implies that the winners of the semi-finals get into the finals. However in swimming this is just a wasted step, because they simply take the top 8 times from the two semis. If you feel the need to have semis, why not be more like track.. take the top 3 from each semi and the next 2 fastest times?
It's rubbish, just a way to add more "premium" night time swims to the program. It's also adding more races for the athletes and is another deterrent to swimming multiple events. I could imagine Phelps, Hoff, or Coughlin swimming more races if they didn't have to deal with so many semi-finals. Lochte too. They need to change the system and make the semi-finals meaningful, or scrap them and use the P/F format.
I could go on all day about this but I'd rather hear others' opinions.
Rain Man:
We had a discussion about this a little over a month ago and I have linked that here forums.usms.org/showthread.php and hope this helps explain why the IOC, FINA, TV Networks and the Swimming fans like the current format.
I remember reading somewhere that no one was paying attention to the consolation heats at either the Olympics or World Championships and FINA and maybe the IOC wanted to change the format and add excitment to the swimming meet for both the fans and the swimmers. TV and money could be attracted more and everyone would win out in the end.
It would bring kind of a March madness NFL NBA playoff type of enviroment to swimming. However, it wouldn't have the sudden death upset type of feel that those events have. It would give real good swimmers a second chance if they swam bad and not made top 8 and then have another go to make the finals. Also it makes a swimmer swim good two times and the swimmer has to use strategy so he does not tire out and not make it. Also you cannot sandbag or you risk losing out and not making it.
It makes every session mean something and the crowd at the arena and home on TV will pay attention because all events continue to a final and swimmers are eliminated with every heat, semi, and final. The 400 events and longer are not done this way because of the time of the event, the interest of the TV with distance events, and the physical drain of the swimmers swimming the event. The old way with consolation finals was not interesting for both TV, swimmer fan interest, and the swimmers themselves because a lot would scratch if they did not make the finals.
I don't think they are going to change this format and they want this event to be similar to Track & Field because they use this format a lot except for some events like swimming does. Of course its bad for swimmers like Phelps, Hoff, Lochte, and Coughlin because they swim multiple events but for the overall good of the sport FINA and the IOC thinks this is best and NBC does also because they can show more on TV which means more advertising revenue and more ticket revenue at the gate because there will be more interest.
