Is cycling dead as a spectator sport on television.?

I'm an avid fan of the Tour and I had a hard time watching it this year. I can't imagine people who were only somewhat interested in the first place continuing to follow it.

For now at least, cycling will go back to being a primarily European sport. Hopefully the Tour of California will keep going and maybe be an avenue for rebuilding American interest.

If drug scandals had anything to do with people being interested in sports, nobody would watch baseball. The problem with cycling is that Americans think that the Tour De France is the only race that matters, and they aren't going to watch a French race if an American isn't winning it. It just seems too distant. There's some very high quality racing going on at the regional and local levels that isn't even getting a mention on the evening news because they're too busy talking about high school sports. If people were being exposed to the racing that's happening in the US, there would probably be a lot more interest.

I don't think so as far as the US in concerned. Cycling in the US has always been on the edge of oblivion, there is more road cycling on TV then ever. Someone mentioned hoping to see MTB racing. I saw some 2 weeks ago, but it rare now. In the later 90s there was a lot of mountain biking on TV. OLN (now VS) and ESPN showed XC racing, DH, BMX etc. often. Back in the earlier 90's you had to stay up or tape the TDF because ESPN showed it at like 3am most days with a couple prime time slots on Friday or Sat.

Armstrong put road cycling... well at least the TDF on the map in the US. With his departure and Discovery dropping sponsorship I would expect cycling to lose popularity. The US has some very strong riders and (I haven't heard what's up with a big US team for next year) if a new US power house team comes together the mild popularity may continue and with it TV coverage.

I somehow think that cycling does not tend to be a spectator sport. It's long, hard, and if you're just watching, it doesn't seem too fast, or you go there, they go past and that's it.

There can be going a lot of stuff on the track (road, XC, whatever), but as a spectator is not easy to identify what is happening.

soccer (soccer) is the main wide-unfold sport in the international - there is not any opposition so some distance because it quite is worried. the proper leagues are English maximum appropriate, Spanish, Italian and German (the Bundesliga is particularly solid on the 2d. Even in the country, extra human beings play soccer than the different sport have confidence it or no longer, with women persons's soccer being particulalry wide-unfold. this is why traditionally, the country have constantly had a solid women persons's group and have gained eh women persons's international Cup two times. After that this is confusing to tell: NFL, NBA?

Nah!!!

Maybe in the US but in the Heartland of cycling (Europe) it will continue, as it's always been.

It's a shame that there is not enough TV airtime devoted to cycling compared to say Golf or Tennis but thats down to the TV companies.

Being a roadie, I wouldn't object to more MTB stuff on the telly but the thought of a bloke in their thirties riding BMX's up wooden ramps turns my stomach, (to much body piercing, tatoos and calling each other 'dude' makes me want to puke! - they probably spend spend Saturdays impressing 10 year olds with wheelies outside the local shops).

Those are my thoughts and my answer is NO!

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In America it is. After Landis was railroaded...most fans quickly lost interest. The Tour has become a joke.

Well I hate to say it but YES... and I am a cyclist... I have been watching the TDF for several years and after this last one I can care less if I see another one...

I hope Mountain Biking takes its place...

Just my two cents...

Cycling is really boring to watch. I'd rather be out riding.

Not as long as Phil Ligget and Bobke are around.