Reno audiences are tuning in
— -- RENO, Nev. ? Reno residents were not only happy to see the ESPN Great Outdoor Games up close and personal, they're also excited to see them again on television. "I'll definitely be watching," said Jason Geddes, a Nevada state assemblyman from Reno, who witnessed the July 13 Agility competition at Reno's Rancho San Rafael Park. "I didn't get to see any of the earlier dog events, so I want to watch those. Plus I want to see the lumberjack events."
Telecasts of the Great Outdoor Games is scheduled to run through Aug. 3 on ESPN and ESPN2.
"The spectator numbers are good for our city, but the programming hours will give us worldwide exposure," said Deanna Ashby, executive director of marketing for the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority. "There will be 40 to 50 hours overall, including the 19 original hours, that are a constant billboard of the community." Programming will continue daily through Aug. 3 on ESPN2. "You bet, I'll definitely be watching," said Josh Iveson, a Washoe County sheriff's deputy, who was watching the women's Boom Run event on July 13. "I had to miss some of the timber events, so I want to see those. "I like all of it. I like all the timber sports and the log rolling. It will be kind of neat to watch how they put it all together for television." Spectators attending the events were impressed with the equipment and technology ESPN is using to tape many of the events. That includes cameras on the large booms and those mounted in unusual places, such as the top of the poles in the Speed Climbing events and those up close on the weaves in the dog Agility competitions. "It's really amazing how they operate those things," Iveson said. "It's going to be fun to watch it when it's all put together." Ashby said this is the most elaborate event to come to the Reno-Lake Tahoe area since the 1960 Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley. "Reno hasn't seen a production of this extent probably ever," she said. "Probably only the Olympics would have been as big. This is huge for our community. I hope everyone tunes in to watch it."
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