It depends how fantasy you go, I’ve debated something similar. The expanding to Europe makes little sense, but so many Americans go to Iceland on holiday I can talk myself into The Rift. Other than that: Mid South, SBT, and maybe Vermont Overland too. Oregon Trail has already said it’s going away in a few years, but having Chad’s team build a one day LTGP race out of Bend would be a July dream. And they’re just my headline notes!
I assume you’re talking about VeloNews/Velo (no need to confirm or deny), but I struggle to believe that their being overtaken by spon-con came from within. Perhaps it’s taken on a momentum of its own now, but its purchase by Outside (or, more accurately, the venture capital firm that controls Outside) is a pretty clear and foreseeable turning point. CyclingTips underwent a similar transformation, with the new owners fixated on ROI over any semblance of a quality product to the point where the site is no longer meaningfully navigable. Pinkbike was also purchased by the same VC firm as Velo and has seen a similar ramp-up in spon-con and drop in the quality of journalism.
All that is to perhaps say that while attention spans may indeed be shrinking, that both informs and is informed by the available media, and the quality and length of said media is generally reduced both as a response to shortening attention spans and because it is seen solely as a product, devoid of your desire to change the sport for the better. I think this is also inextricable from the general consolidation of online and physical media ownership in the US and worldwide - the importance of Instagram as a platform in growing your own visibility is illustrative of this.
No easy answers here, but curious how true this rings to you as somebody who’s better placed within the industry than I am (that is, not at all).
Actually not Velo, but I won’t say anymore as to not throw people under the bus.
Business is hard in media, especially niche media. So, while I do understand why they’re doing it, it’s also very frustrating to see. But, I’m a realist. Escape Collective are the exception here.
As far as my own writing goes, I really enjoy writing long form, but I also enjoy stoking the conversation that moves the sport forward.
For something as new as gravel, it takes these IG heavy posts as that’s where most of the audience is. The more feedback the better. However, road racing is much more nuanced to change hence the 15,000 word essay.
Eliminating Crusher (altitude) made it less of a Keegan show on the men’s side and opened up the series. Also, while I’ve never been to either race, I’ve been told they weren’t loved by many. You can usually tell which races are loved as even when they’re not in a big series they get great attendance.
Ok, but I'm in full agreement that this series needs to expand - too long of a gap after Unbound, then last two races are one week apart? This leaves lots of room for improvement of the current schedule.
I know I’m unusual in that I’m prepared to pay for good content, but am I alone in finding instagram frustrating to use? I only signed up to follow a select number of people who don’t post anywhere else. But I find the interface so confusing that I frequently give up trying to read posts by the people I follow. I thought instagram was all about the photos, but when I see one I like I want to see a larger version that fills my screen but that doesn’t seem to be an option. I would love to pull the plug and never visit instagram again, but then you mention that you may focus more on instagram because it gets you more attention.
I remember the days when people had their own website and there were RSS feeds that you could select and control rather than an algorithm deciding what I should see. But you can’t generate income from an RSS feed.
I’m also seeing a move from podcasts to YouTube, which I assume is because you can get advert revenue from YouTube much easier than a podcast. Which may be good for creators, but I listen to podcasts when I’m doing something else, like driving or running. I don’t want to sit still watching 2 people talk into a mic.
I don’t have the answer to how you pay creators for good work, but individual subscriptions are hard to justify, especially when start getting into 20 or more people you want to follow, and adverts are another turn off. I wouldn’t watch YouTube without paying for premium, it’s just so frustrating and annoying with all the adverts. I pay for the ad free version of all my media channels, Netflix, Prime, ITV, Apple, YouTube etc. But there is a limit to how many £60-100 a year individual Substack accounts I’m prepared or can afford to pay for.
I have a huge love hate relationship with IG. I too wish it was stripped of Reels and anything but photos, but media evolves.
One of my favourite writers is Paul Graham, and I regularly visit his site to check what’s new. That’s simple, clean, no ads. But, he did also start Y Combinator so I guess he doesn’t need the money.
Podcasts to YT drives me mad too. But, as you mention, not as much as the subscription economy…
You may have just inspired me to write about a LTGP 'fantasy calendar' - what it could look like with 10 races.
It depends how fantasy you go, I’ve debated something similar. The expanding to Europe makes little sense, but so many Americans go to Iceland on holiday I can talk myself into The Rift. Other than that: Mid South, SBT, and maybe Vermont Overland too. Oregon Trail has already said it’s going away in a few years, but having Chad’s team build a one day LTGP race out of Bend would be a July dream. And they’re just my headline notes!
I assume you’re talking about VeloNews/Velo (no need to confirm or deny), but I struggle to believe that their being overtaken by spon-con came from within. Perhaps it’s taken on a momentum of its own now, but its purchase by Outside (or, more accurately, the venture capital firm that controls Outside) is a pretty clear and foreseeable turning point. CyclingTips underwent a similar transformation, with the new owners fixated on ROI over any semblance of a quality product to the point where the site is no longer meaningfully navigable. Pinkbike was also purchased by the same VC firm as Velo and has seen a similar ramp-up in spon-con and drop in the quality of journalism.
All that is to perhaps say that while attention spans may indeed be shrinking, that both informs and is informed by the available media, and the quality and length of said media is generally reduced both as a response to shortening attention spans and because it is seen solely as a product, devoid of your desire to change the sport for the better. I think this is also inextricable from the general consolidation of online and physical media ownership in the US and worldwide - the importance of Instagram as a platform in growing your own visibility is illustrative of this.
No easy answers here, but curious how true this rings to you as somebody who’s better placed within the industry than I am (that is, not at all).
Actually not Velo, but I won’t say anymore as to not throw people under the bus.
Business is hard in media, especially niche media. So, while I do understand why they’re doing it, it’s also very frustrating to see. But, I’m a realist. Escape Collective are the exception here.
As far as my own writing goes, I really enjoy writing long form, but I also enjoy stoking the conversation that moves the sport forward.
For something as new as gravel, it takes these IG heavy posts as that’s where most of the audience is. The more feedback the better. However, road racing is much more nuanced to change hence the 15,000 word essay.
There’s no right answer here.
Why do you think eliminating the rad and crusher were good moves?
Eliminating Crusher (altitude) made it less of a Keegan show on the men’s side and opened up the series. Also, while I’ve never been to either race, I’ve been told they weren’t loved by many. You can usually tell which races are loved as even when they’re not in a big series they get great attendance.
Ok, but I'm in full agreement that this series needs to expand - too long of a gap after Unbound, then last two races are one week apart? This leaves lots of room for improvement of the current schedule.
I know I’m unusual in that I’m prepared to pay for good content, but am I alone in finding instagram frustrating to use? I only signed up to follow a select number of people who don’t post anywhere else. But I find the interface so confusing that I frequently give up trying to read posts by the people I follow. I thought instagram was all about the photos, but when I see one I like I want to see a larger version that fills my screen but that doesn’t seem to be an option. I would love to pull the plug and never visit instagram again, but then you mention that you may focus more on instagram because it gets you more attention.
I remember the days when people had their own website and there were RSS feeds that you could select and control rather than an algorithm deciding what I should see. But you can’t generate income from an RSS feed.
I’m also seeing a move from podcasts to YouTube, which I assume is because you can get advert revenue from YouTube much easier than a podcast. Which may be good for creators, but I listen to podcasts when I’m doing something else, like driving or running. I don’t want to sit still watching 2 people talk into a mic.
I don’t have the answer to how you pay creators for good work, but individual subscriptions are hard to justify, especially when start getting into 20 or more people you want to follow, and adverts are another turn off. I wouldn’t watch YouTube without paying for premium, it’s just so frustrating and annoying with all the adverts. I pay for the ad free version of all my media channels, Netflix, Prime, ITV, Apple, YouTube etc. But there is a limit to how many £60-100 a year individual Substack accounts I’m prepared or can afford to pay for.
I have a huge love hate relationship with IG. I too wish it was stripped of Reels and anything but photos, but media evolves.
One of my favourite writers is Paul Graham, and I regularly visit his site to check what’s new. That’s simple, clean, no ads. But, he did also start Y Combinator so I guess he doesn’t need the money.
Podcasts to YT drives me mad too. But, as you mention, not as much as the subscription economy…