Ironman Triathlon Broadcast Receives Four Emmy Nominations
Ironman is NBC's Most Nominated Property
The 1999 broadcast of the Ironman Triathlon World Championship on NBC was among the nominees for the 21st Annual Sports Emmy Awards announced by the National Academy of Television Art and Sciences on March 29.
The broadcast received four nominations, making it NBC's most-nominated property. The broadcast is a contender in the following categories: Outstanding Edited Sports Special; Outstanding Film Cinematography; Outstanding Electronic Camera Work and Outstanding Writing.
"We're extremely pleased to have received four nominations. It's a tribute to our entire production team and the great athletes who make the Ironman such a special event," said Ken Murrah, WTC's executive vice president and the show's producer. "The competition in all of these categories is fierce, so recognition in four categories is very gratifying."
The broadcast, which aired on November 14, focused on the human drama of the Ironman Triathlon and featured compelling stories of people accomplishing the extraordinary. Among those stories was that of Dick and Rick Hoyt from Holland, Massachusetts. Thirty-seven-year-old Rick has cerebral palsy and competed in the race through his father. Dick, 59, completed each segment of the race with Rick. He pulled him in a boat for the swim, attached a cart to the front of his bike and pedaled for Rick and then pushed him in a special chair for the run.
Viewership of NBC's broadcast of the Ironman Triathlon World Championship was up 12 percent from last year. The two-hour highlight show received a 2.23 Nielsen rating, which translates to 2.25 million households and about 3.4 million viewers nationally.
Highlights of the Ironman Triathlon first aired on television in 1980 as part of ABC's Wide World of Sports. In 1991, the broadcast was moved to NBC where it became a stand-alone program. Over the years, the Ironman Triathlon production has won six Emmy awards and has received 25 Emmy nominations. The broadcast has also won three consecutive International Monitor Awards for global excellence.
Winners of the 21st Sports Emmy Awards will be presented at a black-tie dinner ceremony to be held on Wednesday, April 26th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
The 1999 Ironman Triathlon World Championship will re-air on NBC July 29, 2000, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. (EST). |
