Just wondering people's thoughts on the, as Fort put it, People Magazine-ization of swimming. Does promoting a sport to reach the masses and create national interest necessarily mean selling a part of one's soul? I tend to think it does. Look at beach volleyball. They are really popular now. Not the men, thank you. But the women. Why? The skimpy suits. The hugging and butt slapping. The cheerleaders. Though I keep reading the explanations about the women's suits and how they aren't the main reason for the popularity of the sport, I'm not stupid. If it's not about the sex-factor, why doesn't men's beach volleyball enjoy the same support/ratings?
Fortunately, so far, swimming hasn't had to go that route. But, as Susan Von der Lippe pointed out in a Floswimming article at Trials, some of the swimming events have become more of a circus. For swimming to be so popular, it seems that Phelps has to become a celebrity. Things have to appeal to the masses--who don't want a serious story. They want flash. They want controversy. Gary Hall Jr. fits into this picture well. I argued to my family that, as much as I don't appreciate the antics of Hall, he brings some something flashy to swimming. And people like to watch that.
So, how much soul-selling do we need to do to appeal, as a sport, to the masses?
Every masters club should have someone who can write a little blurb they should send in a little story about any meet they have participated in to the local newspapers.
Example - Geek wins in Portland , his Fly was superb it brought back memories of his great duels with Michael Phelps when he was twenty and Phelps was 8 years old.
A brief press release is a good idea.
I agree completely about the news item in the local paper. Everyone reads the local paper. Send team news, too. If you can't write, provide all the facts to the local newspaper editor and let that person put it together. Best to put in the local connection: "Geek, Shipley School '72..." or "Geek, proprietor of Bisbee's Malt Shop and organizer of annual kayak river race..." and close with "the Masters group swims at ."
VB (former freelance journalist)
Every masters club should have someone who can write a little blurb they should send in a little story about any meet they have participated in to the local newspapers.
Example - Geek wins in Portland , his Fly was superb it brought back memories of his great duels with Michael Phelps when he was twenty and Phelps was 8 years old.
A brief press release is a good idea.
I agree completely about the news item in the local paper. Everyone reads the local paper. Send team news, too. If you can't write, provide all the facts to the local newspaper editor and let that person put it together. Best to put in the local connection: "Geek, Shipley School '72..." or "Geek, proprietor of Bisbee's Malt Shop and organizer of annual kayak river race..." and close with "the Masters group swims at ."
VB (former freelance journalist)
