Running on TV: the Cold, Hard Facts

Letsrun delivers the dirt on the CSTV viewership for the live feed of the NCAA Cross Champs. And the results are staggering. 8,531 people apparently "tuned in." That's it. Brojos say that number made for the largest viewership for any NCAA Championship on CSTV, and thus, we should not be discouraged. That the people have spoken. But, like Confucius once said, facts speak louder than people. And, I'm sorry to say, these are the facts.

• FACT: I was logged-in to the web-broadcast on at least 3 computers at work, so that I could move around the office and never miss a minute. So that viewership was ACTUALLY more like 8,529.
• FACT: Scientific research shows that if I did it, someone else probably did it, too. We're down to 8,528. Also, someone else out there probably didn't wash his hands before grabbing into the bowl of M&M's at the receptiontist's desk, even though he was nursing a fat cold. I'm sorry about that.
• FACT: Scientific research shows that you probably came to said bowl of M&M's in your office AFTER said perpetrator inadvertently smeared particles of nose-goo all over those nibblets of chocolate goodness. Again, I'm really sorry.
• FACT: 8,528 people is not very many when you consider the potential audience: everyone. And that's because SUB-FACT: It's 2007. Everyone has the Internet. 6.7 billion people in the world, and only 8.5 thousand of them tuned in. That's less than 1%.
  
• FACT: The world population is going up by the MINUTE, which means, those ratings just got worse.
  

In conclusion, the NCAA and CSTV teamed up to do something revolutionary in our sport, something that, frankly, I was thrilled about before, during and after -- a rare occurrence in all walks of my life, save the occasional visit to Golden Corral... but the numbers sucked so bad that NOT ONLY will there probably be no free CSTV feed next November to surround myself with at the office, but the rumor is that they may cancel the Cross Country Championships outright. It's a shame, really. And I blame you. Next time, be a good fan and turn on at least five computers.