But Pete, why do we care if people watch, unless it will definately lead to more people buying boats and getting into sailing.

I sometimes watch the lumberjacks, but I'm never going to buy an axe and start throwing it. So as I was trying to point out above, TV viewership doesn't always lead to increased participation.

In the US we are coming into a "new World" with Obama as president pushing for "Green" everything. I can think of no other watersport so green as Sailing, except maybe kayaking, and we have seen Hobie has put the two together with their Adventure sailing tri-kayak. I think NOW would be a really good time to jump on the Green advertising bandwagon in every outdoor and sporting magazine, show sailboats (dinghys and beach cats) as the Green alternative to the Jet Ski.

I think sailing is more popular in many other countries because gasoline is so much more expensive, especially England, an Island nation with a strong sailing history, they pay a 100% tax on every liter of gasoline! No wonder they all sail!

But I think the role of the US Sailing President should be to promote the sport of Sailing, not just Olympic Sailing. Open any magazine and you are going to see an add for Golf. In a Money Magazine, a Fishing magazine, a Women's Health magazine, etc. Golf does a realy good job of pushing their sport into your mind no matter what you are reading. But Sailboat companies and US Sailing only seem to advertise in Sailing Magazines! WHY? They are preaching to the choir. They need to hire the Golf Advertising guys to show them how to get it done!