I think it's a lot more complex than that. It's ridiculous to think of skiing as a cash cow that the mainstream media is lining up to milk. If that were the case, all the main networks in the US would all have prime time ski television programs and production companies would be awash in sponsor money. Truth is, they aren't.
That's not to say that Fuel plans to lose money on Wallisch's Firsthand, I'm sure they don't, but is it more likely that they are trying to be more responsive to their customers? I mean, getting more skiing on Fuel has been repeatedly discussed on NS.
https://newschoolers.com/web/forums/readthread/thread_id/486312/
https://newschoolers.com/web/forums/readthread/thread_id/153090/
We've bashed them for years because they don't have skiing and now when they do, we bash them again? I guess they can't win.
I prefer a world view where corporations can change, where they can realize they were wrong to overlook some customers. Sure, it's good for business, but in this case it's also good for the consumer.
It's not as if they are taking money away from skiing production companies. Instead, in my opinion, they are attempting to bring a lot to the table. There will be at least another half hour of good ski content produced this year than there otherwise would have been. In addition it will have been paid for by their mostly non-endemic advertisers, companies most production companies have no access to.
Is there a risk? Sure. They could completely fuck up. The show could make skiing look gay or make Wallisch look lame. Or, it could show snowboarders and skaters and bmxers how awesome Wallisch is, change some opinions on skiing and who knows, maybe there will be more skiers next season than there were this season. Hopefully, it will help cement skiing's status as a true action sport in the minds of non-participants.
I do know this. If this show is an indication of where Fuel is moving, then not embracing the change by being skeptical about their motivations and making them pay their dues for showing up late the party will end the movement. Even if the show sucks, if Fuel showed an honest effort, I think it would be best to appreciate the effort and offer suggestions for the future. If they just get flamed, then their most likely reaction is to say, "We tried. Skiers didn't appreciate it. Let's make shows about wake skaters because they seem to actually want to see their athletes on TV."
However, I really think it will be a good show. Tom kills it much harder than most athletes they've profiled on Firsthand. I have to believe that will shine through, especially because Fuel was in Finland along side Level 1 and we know that footage is going to be mindblowing. I prefer to think this is a really exciting development for skiing.
Sparknotes: Fuel is not taking anything away from skiing. Love it or lose it. Tom Wallisch filming in Finland is going to be amazing.
