Why can’t I watch the Dakar Rally in Canada?
A Rant on not being able to watch one of my favourite sporting events… …
Dakar, Missing It…
Over the last few years no broadcaster in Canada has been able to step up to the plate and buy broadcast rights to the Dakar Rally. (Perhaps they can’t afford it?) This leaves me, a rally (and especially Dakar) fan, out of the loop unless I go to the website and watch the daily videos. Not, for me at least, the best of options.
This year, for a change, NBC (in the U.S.) has the rights, but I have yet to see or hear a mention of the Dakar on any of their news or sportscasts that I have made a point of watching. Also, the NBC Sports website has a total of three (3) mentions of the Dakar (and that is being generous, as of today). One of them is part of a compilation of events.
Coverage of the Dakar is seriously lacking here in North America and I do not know why. There numerous rally fans, clubs and events here in Canada. Even more in the U.S.
I have taken the trouble to write all of the Canadian networks (including the Specialty networks) to pick up the Dakar, to no avail.
I have also written to the folks that sponsor the Dakar. Perhaps they have done Something as they a new broadcaster for the U.S., but there is still little real Dakar coverage. There has never been a response or acknowledgment to my letters except that OLN (Outdoor Life Network Canada) admitted they had the rights but were not interested in broadcasting the Dakar.
There was a day when I could get an hour or two of highlights (admittedly late night or early morning) on TV. That day is long gone. I guess I will just have to be satisfied that I can get daily clips from the Dakar website.
Perhaps it is time to start thinking about ditching the cable TV and spending that money on an Unlimited internet connection and a dedicated device to run it through my TV.
