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Iditarod web sites
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From show dogs to snow dogs. Last month the USA Network aired the Westminster Dog Show, the annual showcase of pampered pooches and high-maintenance hounds. Now the cable network is turning its attention to macho dogs. USA Network (cable Channel 6) will provide national television coverage of this year's Iditarod, although no one will see it until long after the race is over. The network will air a two-hour, prime time documentary on April 6. Producer Peter Henning, who has covered 17 of the last 20 Iditarods, said the loss of national coverage during the race will be compensated by the prime time slot, the chance to tell the story of the race in two hours instead of 20 minutes, and access to USA Network's 75 million viewers. "The trade-off is the national exposure," Henning said. With Outdoor Life it was 10 million homes, "compared to 75 million homes for USA Network." As for a trade-off from a storytelling perspective, Henning doesn't think there is one. "For the first time in 20 years, it's giving me the tools to show the Iditarod the way I want to show it," said Henning, who has covered the Iditarod for ABC Wide World of Sports and Outdoor Life. "We'll not just be able to show the first, second and third finishers. We'll spread out and show some of the guys in the middle and back. We'll do longers stories about the volunteers and the Iditarod Air Force, the things that are really the glue of the Iditarod. "... I'm looking forward to this race probably more than I've looked forward to any Iditarod since my first one in 1979." Henning will be one of three photographers on the trail. He'll be following the trail via helicopter, D'Arcy Marsh will be on a snowmobile and Michael Audick will be in a Cessna 185. The three will be able to cover the front-runners, those in the middle and the back of the pack. The contract with USA Network is for one year, and Henning said future race coverage will probably be determined by this year's ratings. Though the Iditarod is not receiving a television rights fee, Henning said the Iditarod will save about $30,000 because USA Network will provide the race with its annual video, sales of which help fund the race. Henning is back in Alaska after skipping last year's race because he was covering the Eco Challenge in Morocco. And if everything falls into place, he may find himself back in Alaska in a year or two - not for the Iditarod, but for the Eco Challenge. Mark Burnett, the creator and race director of the 6-year-old Eco Challenge, described it as an expedition race that covers several days. Teams of racers use kayaks, rope-climbing equipment, horses, bikes - just about any mode of human-powered transportation - to navigate an endurance course made up of varied terrain. "Eventually we need to return the Eco Challenge to an American shore, and what better place than the Last Frontier?" Burnett said. Burnett said he has been studying Alaska as a potential race site since 1994. He had a meeting Thursday with representatives from the state's Department of Commerce and Economic Development, and will meet today with Roman Dial, one of the state's leading endurance racers and adventurers. Coverage of the race has traditionally run for about a week or two, which means television viewers see the race night after night. "Wherever we go we bring such an enormous economic impact," Burnett said. "Australia has said that the 1997 race was worth 100 million Australian dollars from a promotional point of view." Burnett said he would like to bring the 2000 or 2001 race to Alaska, but nothing has been finalized yet. "There's lots of factors. I couldn't categorically state that (the race will be in Alaska in the next two years), but I can tell you I've had the interest since 1994 and I remain very, very interested. My thoughts are what's best for my race? And the Last Frontier sounds good." * This column is the opinion of Daily News executive sports editor Beth Bragg
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