Live-streaming Trail Races

Tim Gorichanaz for Outside ponders the media question of the moment: “How Livestreaming Will Shape the Future of Ultrarunning.”

For me, it doesn’t just come down to technology, although there’s clearly a trend in using Starlink devices to send race updates to the web, what it comes down to is can ultrarunning become a spectator sport. That’s where the money is. If more, and by more I mean way way way more people begin to be interested in couch watching trail and running sports then advertising money will follow and that will pay for technology to deliver better and more impressive results.

Is it a good thing if people don’t participate in the sport they are watching? No. I want trail running to continue to be a participator sport and not a spectator sport. We need to tell stories that inspire folks to hit the trails and enjoy nature, not just sit on the couch and play fantasy leagues. But we’re also probably a million years away from this to happen, so I am not really worried if race directors and media companies are investing into bringing more race highlights to folks as they happen live.