Chasing the IRL...who isn't watching NOW

**disko** · 24th Sep 09, 23:33

Lost the faith? maybe. Pissed, definitely.

So my local cable provider didn't have vs. so i broke up the sweet package (cable., phone, internet) to go to direct tv. expensive, yes, loved it..yes, ....til now.

that 2 year contract will cost me 340 bucks to get out.

So I had to watch motegi on the web. pathetic. My only choice is dishtv or No IRL.

Is anyone else as confused, disillusioned, just tired of all this one thing after another...i cant watch syndrome?

So, do I chase the IRL to Dish, or does my fan status turn to I'll catch the races on ABC?

How many are not watching because of the Direct TV crap? (and I mean crap...this public catfight is an absolutel pathetic excuse. I payed premium for VS - why is this an issue of FEES? I was paying an extra 10 a month for it.) Does anyone know the status of the Direct TV contract?

**indyracefan** · 24th Sep 09, 23:39

I just switched to U-Verse after more than 10 years with DirecTV.

**Easy Drifter** · 25th Sep 09, 02:00

IRL had per capita, I understand, a higher percentage fan base in Canada than in the US.
Not now. Their TV deal here put the races on TSN, which in theory, should have been better than SCORE.
However many races are not shown on TSN but on TSN2 which is in relatively few homes. Fans are lost.
The final race is on TSN2 so guess what. Fans are lost again. The final race and on a 3rd string channel.
I refuse to pay extra to get a channel on which I will watch just a few races.
If a race is on ABC it is on TSN! Even if you tune in an ABC channel you get Cdn. ads

As an aside the TSN coverage of F1 is a partial feed of the BBC show and it sucks.
However TSN, through our Regulatory body has had Speed's coverage blacked out.

**NickFalzone** · 25th Sep 09, 02:41

Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee talked with the Pres of VS tonight about these issues. I haven't listened to the whole interview, but it's around halfway into the show.

http://media.1070thefan.com/Podcasts...BER24_2009.mp3

**DBell** · 25th Sep 09, 15:05

Originally Posted by NickFalzone

Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee talked with the Pres of VS tonight about these issues. I haven't listened to the whole interview, but it's around halfway into the show.

http://media.1070thefan.com/Podcasts...BER24_2009.mp3

Thanks for that link Nick. Interesting, but the Versus guy lost me when he said more people have watched the IRL on Versus this year than watched last year on ESPN/ESPN2. With the ratings on Versus this year compared to the ratings last year on the ESPN networks, I just don't see how that can be true.

**disko** · 25th Sep 09, 15:56

great link. seems like they know we aren't watching...but oh well.

**NickFalzone** · 25th Sep 09, 16:43

Originally Posted by DBell

Thanks for that link Nick. Interesting, but the Versus guy lost me when he said more people have watched the IRL on Versus this year than watched last year on ESPN/ESPN2. With the ratings on Versus this year compared to the ratings last year on the ESPN networks, I just don't see how that can be true.

It's based on the idea that Versus runs 7-hours of IRL coverage each race week, while ABC/ESPN averaged around 2. Somehow that equats to more viewership, although thinking about it now, I'm still not sure how that works. It seems to me that more likely it will be a small # of people just watching for longer periods of time, as opposed to lots of unique viewers coming in and out across the 7 hour stretch.

**DBell** · 25th Sep 09, 17:02

Originally Posted by NickFalzone

It's based on the idea that Versus runs 7-hours of IRL coverage each race week, while ABC/ESPN averaged around 2. Somehow that equats to more viewership, although thinking about it now, I'm still not sure how that works. It seems to me that more likely it will be a small # of people just watching for longer periods of time, as opposed to lots of unique viewers coming in and out across the 7 hour stretch.

Now I see. Thanks for clarifying that. It doesn't make a lot of sense that there are significant number of people who tune in for the extra coverage, but decide not to watch the actual race. I'm assuming you don't work in the television industry Nick and if a layman can figure out that kind of spin doesn't add up, then I'll bet it doesn't impress potential sponsors that teams and drivers may be talking to.

**garyshell** · 25th Sep 09, 20:03

Originally Posted by NickFalzone

It's based on the idea that Versus runs 7-hours of IRL coverage each race week, while ABC/ESPN averaged around 2. Somehow that equats to more viewership, although thinking about it now, I'm still not sure how that works. It seems to me that more likely it will be a small # of people just watching for longer periods of time, as opposed to lots of unique viewers coming in and out across the 7 hour stretch.

But aren't the sponsors interested in, ah hell what is the term... viewer impressions or something like that. Basically, the number of times their logo or name appears on the screen and the length of time times the number of viewers at that moment. Point is for an advertiser it is more valuable for five people to see their name ten times, than it is for ten people to see it five times. Or at least that is how the "theory" goes. OK where are our resident ADVERT guys?

Gary

**NickFalzone** · 25th Sep 09, 21:04

Gary, my guess is that there's a happy middle zone, and that the current ratings are not hitting that. But I don't know, I'm not an ad or a cable tv expert. I do know that they would probably prefer 10,000 people seeing an ad once, as opposed to 1 person seeing an ad 10,000 times. As I said, there's a happy medium I'm sure that sponsors are looking for.

**Jag_Warrior** · 25th Sep 09, 21:19

Originally Posted by garyshell

But aren't the sponsors interested in, ah hell what is the term... viewer impressions or something like that. Basically, the number of times their logo or name appears on the screen and the length of time times the number of viewers at that moment. Point is for an advertiser it is more valuable for five people to see their name ten times, than it is for ten people to see it five times. Or at least that is how the "theory" goes. OK where are our resident ADVERT guys?

Gary

Exposure Value.

On-screen time + mentions (:10 each) * commercial cost (per second) = Exp. Value

Joyce Julius:

For example, if a sponsor receives 0:43 of exposure time and two mentions during a telecast with a CP:30 of $45,000. The calculation would be as follows: 43 + 20 * 1,500 = $94,500 of comparable exposure value.

The issue with Versus is that the commercial cost per second is likely MUCH lower than it is on ESPN. The only way to equal or better the value on Versus vs. ESPN would be to increase the number of mentions or increase the on-sceen time. But ultimately, I'm sure what Versus would really like to see is the CP increase.

**Mark in Oshawa** · 3rd Oct 09, 17:03

It all sounds like spin from the VS guys. The point is, no one can find the races in Canada or in the US because the carriers showing the races are not in enough homes. THAT means the IRL is no longer a front row first class motorsport entity. The ALMS races on time buys are getting more eyeballs and by the casual fan are being seen as more important.

I think time buys may be the only way they get eyeballs back on the product. I didn't used to think that way, but with the VS/Direct TV squabble and how Comcast seems to be at war with half the broadcast formats in the US, I don't see a solution. VS has done a good job with the coverage, but if no one is watching it, the spin isn't working.

This series also needs to make a product that is so watchable that people once they find it on TV want to keep turning in. THAT hasn't happened as much this year now has it? Got to fix the product...got to fix the tv...it is one fine mess you have dug for us Tony George....