Eyeballs and Ipods

Media executives count eyeballs, but the Nevada Commission on Tourism counts the number of feet that come to visit as a result of its promotional efforts.

Like The Nevada Passage, a $558,000 hoopla that last year generated $4.6 million worth of media coverage and imprinted upon 47 million pair of eyeballs.

The number of feet that followed the eyeballs to Nevada is tough to calculate, says Chris Chrystal, media relations, because the resultant tourists can trickle in for years.

This year's passage, which began production last week, cost $563,000.

The Commission on Tourism expects a national television audience of 2 million people in more than 80 markets to see the hour-long show during syndication from August 2006 to February 2007.

Add to that Internet users around the globe who can download the 45-minute Nevada Passage TV show sans commercials from www.nevadapassage.com, to watch on a personal computer, or a video iPod or other portable video player.

To watch on the computer, users click on the video link and, if they have the free Flash program installed, can download a streaming video clip from the Web site.

Those with a portable player plug the device into the computer to download the clip.

The 2005 "Nevada Passage" video is online already and the 2006 episode is expected to be available online after syndication closes in February 2007.

The sole reason for the existence of the event is the television production.

It airs nationwide as a syndicated television show, says Bruce Bommarito, director of the Nevada Commission on Tourism.

It's like producing a 45-minute infomercial for the state that costs nothing to air.

There is an upfront syndication fee, paid to the company that distributes the video to stations nationwide, but that costs a pittance compared to the cost of buying that much advertising time.

The stations pay nothing for the show, but can sell advertising on it.

And Nevada gets the eyeballs.

The Nevada Passage competition includes recumbent bicycling near Battle Mountain, a ranch-hand rodeo in Winnemucca, railroad handcar races in Virginia City, mountain biking near Austin, autocross racing in Pahrump and jet skiing near Laughlin.

The participants are amateur athletes, and teams are comprised of accountants, developers, entrepreneurs, financiers, firefighters, journalists, medics, sheriffs, teachers and personal trainers.

This year a second event, the Nevada Passage Wide Open, allowed the general public to participate.

"It's another way to demonstrate that Nevada has great outdoor recreation," says Bommarito.

Four years ago, based on the results from focus groups, the commission decided to go after the adventure market.

"We had to get people's attention, so we started with an edgy campaign," says Bommarito.

"'The Dirt' ran for a year, then we widened the approach from extreme sports to more accessible activities."

"Outdoor adventure is a huge market, otherwise we wouldn't have Cabellas and Bass Pro coming in here," he says.

Will the Passage take place again next year? "Everything we do is a wait-and-see," says Bommarito.

"It's a dynamic market.

We're hoping it will be bigger this year.

If it's well received again, in syndication, we'll do it again next year."

Honolulu-based event and television production company, TEAM Unlimited, in cooperation with R&R Partners, a marketing firm based in Las Vegas, produces The Nevada Passage as well as the Nissan Xterra USA Championship Race at Lake Tahoe.

The Nevada Commission on Tourism has been among the financial sponsors of Lake Tahoe race event for six years.

Putting on the Xterra costs $250,000.

The commission first signed a three year contract in 2001, then renewed for another three years in 2004.

It plans to renew yet again.