Date: Fri, 4 Aug 1995 05:59:56 -1000 From: mr.nasty@ix.netcom.com (Frank Kenisky ) Message-Id: <3vtg5s$f34@ixnews7.ix.netcom.com> Organization: Netcom Subject: Sunflower Games a few comments A few months ago David Gomberg and a few other AKA representatives mentioned that they had submitted a letter to the olympic committee regarding kiting. This was several months ago and the AKA has not, to my knowledge followed up on the issue. If it has it has not mentioned anything in Kiting. I for one would like to see kiting become a recognized sport. Although it is not as mainstream as some of the other traditional olympic games it would be nice to have kiting become something more than just a fleeting moment in an advertisers gimick. Of all the talk about kiting becoming part of the olympics it was funny to read some of the desparate response from David who insisted that they were close. But really how close? Acutally, there is one kite event which is part of an olympic games. Carolyn Moore, from Kansas has worked very hard for the past several years to include kiting as part of the olympic Sunflower Games held in Lawernce, KS. For the past two years kiting has been a part of these games. The event is organized by the University of Kansas and follows rules and guidance as provided by individuals who are directly associated with the Olympics. The last weekend in July, Carolyn and myself organized and managed this event. On Friday before the weekend event they hold an olympic style ceremony. With a parade of atheletes and a lighting of the torch. I was the only one representing the kiters. But I didn't feel so alone. There were other sports which didn't have any representives. Where were all the kiters? Maybe becoming part of an olympic stlye sport is just as one AKA Regional Director told me, "A pipe dream". There were kiters from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missori. It was hot but it was also windy. Maybe next year. Waco, TX is also considering having kiting as part of their State Games, which is also an olympic style venue. I hope more kiters show their support. -- *************>>>>>>>>>>>>>MR.NASTY<<<<<<<<<<<<<************** Fiesta Kite Ideas http://www.tmn.com/kiteweb/home.htm 8302 Tiguex Mr.Nasty@ix.netcom.com Universal City, TX 78148 (210) 659-1803 or (512) 326-6221 ************************************************************* = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 8 Aug 1995 03:24:12 -1000 From: sc5@prism.gatech.edu (SPC) Message-Id: <407ohs$g9r@acmex.gatech.edu> Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology Subject: Re: Sunflower Games a few comments In article <3vtg5s$f34@ixnews7.ix.netcom.com>, Frank Kenisky wrote: Hey there! >to the olympic committee >regarding kiting. Part of what has to be done is for there to be a unified rule book and sanctioning body on a world wide scale. Currently, this does not exist what with the AKA, STACK and AJSKA (?) all having their own little variants on rules and no worldwide body, similar to say the International Track & Field Assoc., to govern kiting. So that is the first obstacle. Getting and maintaining a unified world wide sanctioning/organizing body. That is one of the requirements for Olympic participation. It's being worked on but.... I suppose the obvious question though is, will sport kiting, meaning ballet and precission, ever attrack a public spectator following of large numbers? My personal opinion is that it probably will not. Hence, that would be another strike against having these particular events in an Olympic. No spectator interest. What I can envission, however, is buggying getting to the Olympics. It's an easily quantifiable sport that people can relate to. It is a race with the best time winning, something very easy to comprehend. Also, there is the element of danger involved, which people find to be exciting. Recent history shows us that kite skiing made it to ESPN's Extreme Games, another power kite activity. Of course these are just the personal musings of a fellow kiteflier. Steve PS: >Acutally, there is one kite event which is part of an olympic games. >Carolyn Moore, from Kansas has worked very hard for the past several >years to include kiting as part of the olympic Sunflower Games held in There is another. The Old Dominion SKC were part of the Virginia State Games this year, another statewide Olympic style competition/ celebration. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 8 Aug 1995 05:33:18 -1000 From: mr.nasty@ix.netcom.com (Frank Kenisky ) Message-Id: <40803u$kic@ixnews3.ix.netcom.com> Organization: Netcom Subject: Re: Sunflower Games a few comments You wrote: > >In article <3vtg5s$f34@ixnews7.ix.netcom.com>, >Frank Kenisky wrote: > >Hey there! > >>to the olympic committee >>regarding kiting. > >Part of what has to be done is for there to be a unified rule book >and sanctioning body on a world wide scale. Currently, this does not >exist what with the AKA, STACK and AJSKA (?) all having their own >little variants on rules and no worldwide body, similar to say >the International Track & Field Assoc., to govern kiting. > >So that is the first obstacle. Getting and maintaining a unified >world wide sanctioning/organizing body. That is one of the requirements >for Olympic participation. It's being worked on but.... Interesting... A Rule book. Would this rule book be something that is required by both contestants and organizers? >I suppose the obvious question though is, will sport kiting, meaning >ballet and precission, ever attrack a public spectator following of >large numbers? My personal opinion is that it probably will not. >Hence, that would be another strike against having these particular >events in an Olympic. No spectator interest. No spectator interest!?!?!?!?!?!? WHY? Interesting, why isn't there spectator interest? There are kite events which have been attracting the kite industry to dump money into these events for years, and now we find out that there is no spectator interest! Oh My God!!! >What I can envission, however, is buggying getting to the Olympics. >It's an easily quantifiable sport that people can relate to. It is >a race with the best time winning, something very easy to comprehend. >Also, there is the element of danger involved, which people find >to be exciting. Recent history shows us that kite skiing made it >to ESPN's Extreme Games, another power kite activity. I personally don't see kiting in anyway part of the Olympics except for maybe in the opening or closing ceremonies. Kiting is a recreational sport. I spoke with a television producer, out of Oklahoma City, who produces and looks for what he coins, "Alternative Sports". He mentioned that twenty years ago. He began taping folks playing volly ball on the beach. It didn't attrack many specators at the time it didn't even have sponsors. But, if you look at the sport it has grown into an exciting sport which is regularly on the tube. I mentioned sport kiting, and he got excited about the challenge of how to make it a spectator sport on television. He has studied the demographics of what people watch and how to make them watch. Something that kiting organizations do not attempt to do. For instance the AKA's convention, although open to the public, does nothing to use this convention as a platform for advertising. Yea, I know, we get a lot of advertising from the kite industry, but that is small potatoes compared to what can be obtained. The reason why this is not a spectator sport is because we are relying on kites alone to keep the spectators attention. That doesn't work. Especially at an event where it is geared toward the contestant. Yes, I've heard the arguments about going to a football game and not being able to participate. That is wrong. A football game is made up of players who's careers were followed through highschool. Commentators tell us their stories. They make it seem like either we or our children or someone we know could be running that touchdown. What about the sponsors who establish the run, throw, kick contests. What about the baseball spectators who can catch the foul ball. That's participation. They bring their gloves to the statidum. They participate. At kite events we gear them towards the contestant. Contestants don't matter if there is no one there to watch. So how do you do that? Interesting question. In St.Louis there were 25,000 spectators. The kite organizers and contestants complained that the event had kiting as an after thought. But hey, why not use the fact that we had 25,000 spectators. If we can make them see kiting and make kiting grow, then the event will not be just an after thought, it will be the primary reason for an event. How did they get 25,000 spectators. They gave them a reason to come. Kiting alone is not enough. The marketing company who organizes the St.Louis event told me that they did a market study. The study, which was designed specifically for them, asked what would attract them to a festival or event. Kiting ranked the lowest. But why? Because of the same reasons we all know. Kiting is still in the ages of Charlie Brown. And catering to theme park exhibits which provide a magnificant back drop for kiting as a childs activity, will only perpetuate the Charlie Brown syndrome. As a sport kiting is exciting and fun. Most who compete are adults, not children. >Of course these are just the personal musings of a fellow kiteflier. Same here... >>Acutally, there is one kite event which is part of an olympic games. >>Carolyn Moore, from Kansas has worked very hard for the past several >>years to include kiting as part of the olympic Sunflower Games held in > >There is another. The Old Dominion SKC were part of the Virginia >State Games this year, another statewide Olympic style competition/ >celebration. Great, do the contestants march in the parade of contestants? -- *************>>>>>>>>>>>>>MR.NASTY<<<<<<<<<<<<<************** Fiesta Kite Ideas http://www.tmn.com/kiteweb/home.htm 8302 Tiguex Mr.Nasty@ix.netcom.com Universal City, TX 78148 (210) 659-1803 or (512) 326-6221 ************************************************************* = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 03:19:35 -1000 From: kitejag <@pa.mother.com> Message-Id: <40acl7$860@pa.mother.com> Organization: Mother.COM Subject: Re: Sunflower Games a few comments sc5@prism.gatech.edu (Steve)wrote: Lots deleted... > I suppose the obvious question though is, will sport kiting, meaning > ballet and precission, ever attrack a public spectator following of > large numbers? My personal opinion is that it probably will not. > Hence, that would be another strike against having these particular > events in an Olympic. No spectator interest. > > What I can envission, however, is buggying getting to the Olympics. > It's an easily quantifiable sport that people can relate to. It is > a race with the best time winning, something very easy to comprehend. > Also, there is the element of danger involved, which people find > to be exciting. Recent history shows us that kite skiing made it > to ESPN's Extreme Games, another power kite activity. > > Of course these are just the personal musings of a fellow kiteflier. > > Steve More Deleted... I strongly disagree that kite ballet could not attract public interest... if public interest is even a criteria for inclusion in the Olympics in the first place. The last time I looked the Olympics were rather full of obscure events that many folks do not understand and from which crowds stay away en mass...think about sailing, shoooting events and so forth. Obscurity not withstanding, Kite ballet could attract crowds. I'm constantly amazed at the number of folks who have never seen kite ballet...and even more amazed at the number who do become fanatics when introduced to the sport. This year's Berkley event was a perfect example...crowds were estimated at two to four times previous events and all that was different this year was a little mass media advertising and when I say a little, I mean a little!! A couple of television stations carried a couple of announcements and the crowds came!! Time and again I heard comments like, "I never new this kind of thing existed", or "when is the next event". Those comments match my observation that when I fly simple routines for events like the 4th of July picnic in my home town, folks really enjoy watching, ask for addditioal performances, and applaud with great enthusiasm...and believe me, I am a mediocre flyer at best. Fact is, I would guesstimate more than 950f the people in the United States don't know kite ballet even exists (and that is probably a conservative estimate). Besides the consitency factor of a unified rules system, promoters must spend the advertising dollars necessary to draw the crowds. I think back to the World Cup at Berkley two years ago...maybe five thousand people showed up over a four period...it was almost a joke there were so few despite what after event press releases would have lead us to believe. The problem...virtually no television or radio advertising...and what there was didn't extend outside the immediate Bay Area where the event was heald. It was not a matter of lack of interest or lack of public appreciation. When it comes to "understanding the rules" the rules are certainly no more complex than ice dancing or ski ballet which people seem to enjoy emensely. Advertise and and the crowds will come...it really is that simple. Steeve also talks about buggying making it to the olympics...I personally think buggying is about as boring a spectator sport as there is...it ranks right up there with go-kart racing...and I do race karts and find buggying the second most enjoyable thing in my life...but from a spectator standpoint, I really do think its all boring!! Think Kindly Thoughts John Gabby = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sat, 12 Aug 1995 08:37:08 -1000 From: tomv@vismag.limmat.net.ch (Thomas Voirol) Message-Id: Organization: Visual Magic Digital Arts Subject: Re: Sunflower Games a few comments kitejag (@mail.mother.com) wrote: > Steeve also talks about buggying making it to the olympics...I personally > think buggying is about as boring a spectator sport as there is...it ranks > right up there with go-kart racing...and I do race karts and find buggying > the second most enjoyable thing in my life...but from a spectator > standpoint, I really do think its all boring!! We all ought to be careful when judging what others might find boring and concluding from this that there wouldn't be any spectator interest. In most parts of Europe by, say, 800f the people Baseball is regarded as probably the most boring sport (to watch) in existence, only surpassed by Cricket and tightly followed by American Football. On the other hand, Soccer draws the millions Baseball and Football do in the US. Over the pond the situation is the exact opposite. What appeals to one crowd might not to the other and this is not just a question of different cultural background. If Formula 1 car races get the attention they do (at least over here), I see no reason why people couldn't get the hang of buggying. Flame Shield: I played Baseball for five years and don't find it boring at all. -- Thomas M. Voirol home: tomv@limmat.net.ch Kiting Badenerstrasse 363 work: chwr9xv9@ibmmail.com Playing Petanque CH-8003 Zurich http://www.chnet.ch/~voirol Cruising the Net Switzerland voice: (+41)-1-400-1642 Ballroom Dancing = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =