I don't understand why a live video for purchase cannot be made available for the athleletes and parents who are extremely disappointed with this ESPN agreement. I have a daugher who competes in a highly competetative sport which ESPN covers live and broadcasts at a later date, a video of the event has always been made available for purchase through the Photograhpy/Videography vendor covereing the event. Perhaps Sail Groove can move towards making an agreement of this sort going forward, althought this does help salvage the COED event for this year. I've see firsthand how ESPN will take 2-3 days worth of outstanding performances and edit it into a 30 minute time slot (plus commericals). What a last minute disappointment, the cost of that video is priceless to me as I am sure to many others as well.

Isnt adapting to shifting winds and currents what sailing is all about? Why cant ESPNU and ICSA be nimble enough to re-evaluate their arrangement in view of the phenomenal success of sailgroove? Far from competing, the two approaches are complementary.
A win-win situation would be to get Chris out on the water (or commenting real-time from land on the ESPNU footage) with reminders about the upcoming ESPNU program. And they should be adaptable enough do that now, TODAY, rather than waiting for next year. The resentment so many of us feel for being deprived of real-time coverage (once-in-a lifetime for many parents) would be dissipated, and ESPNU's audience would be enlarged.

Take it easy guys, it's starting to sound like a lynch mob here. The contract between ICSA and ESPN has been going on far longer than Sailgroove has been around. Yes the live coverage was AWESOME and it does suck to have to wait a couple weeks to see the show on ESPNU (if you get the channel). Simple facts are that Sailgroove gets to an enormously smaller number of people than ESPNU.

But the situation is nothing new to sports. Chris you're doing great. Sailgroove rocks! Perhaps this will lead to some sort of live footage for Coeds in the future.

Kelchner is a traitor. What team do you sail for?

every single person who entered the coed prediction contest put BC somewhere in the top 5...interesting that they are barely in the top 10 after the first day, also only 1 person had st marys winning, and they are way ahead.

I am extremely sorry that the live coverage was terminated due to the agreement that ESPN has with ICSA. Unfortunately for those of us that live in the same town as the host our local cable supplier does not offer ESPN- U at any cost. Therefore we will not be able to watch his show. I hope that ICSA will think twice before signing furtue contracts that hinders the growth and exposure of the college sailing.

It was most likely a coverage deal inked out years in advance, before SG even existed. My guess would be that once ICSA forked over the rights there wasn't much they could do. I mean there's all sorts of legal machinations you could go into but as Matt said Chris made the smart move on this one. Better to take the high road and hedge his bets for future coverage.

Was is ICSA or ESPN who made such a stupid and short-sighted decision? Why dont they realize that Chris work could only have increased the interest in any ESPN coverage?
At the skippers meeting this morning, the man from ESPN requested that sailors watch their language while sailing in the boats in which the ESPN cameras are mounted. Apparently its a real chore for him to edit out the profanity. Profanity, however, does not seem an unreasonable reaction to the blackout of sailgroove.

New Nationals Thread... http://www.sailgroove.org/topics/view/292-icsa-coed-dingy-champs-conversation

Definitely not the live coverage from the other events, but it's better than nothing. Email ICSA rather than complaining here - Chris would be covering Coeds if he could do it without jeopardizing his relationship with ICSA.

chris is a big pu**y for not standing up to espn and jobson!

Sailgroove has done a fantastic job with the videos. I was looking forward to seeing the Coed's live. I am very disappointed. Who sold the rights to ESPN? I probably will not watch the special two weeks from now.

Sailmom speaks for the masses ( not quite masses) following these events. I was looking forward to being glued to the screen as the kids did battle up the cityfront.

I agree wholeheartedly with Sailmom!

Sailgroove's live coverage of the Womens and Team Race Nationals was an enormous stride forward for sailing. It attracted interest from all across the country, and many family, friends and other supporters were counting on watching the Coed nationals this way. A one hour ESPN special two weeks from now is no substitute, and in terms of promoting interest in the sport is a very poor trade-off. Shame on whoever made this bad decision.

Can people see scores? I can only find the rotation?

its bs. no one owns the rights to a public event on the water.

Great job to sailgroove for the Wonen's & Team coverage, thank you very much!

Scores are beginning to be posted:

http://www.collegesailing.org/nas/spring09/coedresults.asp

interesting -- so how does advertising revenues get dispersed ? :)

lame.

ESPN is covering the Coed Nationals for television and has exclusive rights. Thus, Sailgroove can't show the races live.
A one hour program on the Gill/ISCA Coed Nationals will air on Saturday, June 20 at 3pm on ESPNU, and several re-airs are likely.

supposedly it has to do with gary jobson... if so, i am dejoining ussailing.

They announced yesterday they could not cover the Nationals for some reason -- not that they did not want to, but some "rights" reason or something like that.

Any chance of live coverage of Coed Nationals?

Where is the live coverage of Coed Nationals

yea

all in favor say "Aye!"