Versus will become the exclusive cable television home of the Indy Racing League

[FormerFF]

We get Versus on Charter. If your cable system doesn't get it, hopefully you can get a satellite dish. If both of those aren't happening, there's the streaming video.

[SoCalPVguy]

On the surface, it would seem to be an interesting, if odd move, going from ESPN/ESPN2 to Versus.......then again, there seems to be a couple of positives from today's announcement:
(1)each IndyCar broadcast on Versus will be, at a minimum, a 3-hr. broadcast without being joined in progress(IIRC, haven't a couple of ESPN's IndyCar broadcasts begun by them joining the race after it starts?) with extended pre-race coverage.
(2)a preview show the day before each race
(3)re-airs of all IndyCar races(regardless of whether the race originally ran on ABC or Versus) the following week
(4)a minimum of 10 hours of IndyCar-related programming each year
(5)weekly broadcasts of Indy Lights races

Granted, who knows if the move from ESPN to Versus will be a good move or not, but considering that ESPN seems to be slowly but surely moving towards NASCAR's sphere of influence, this could be a good move long-term.

This would all be well and good IF we actually could get that channel.

[ZzZzZz]

At least Spike and Speed are basic cable - Versus is digital premium channel only - I doubt even your favorite sporta bar gets it.

Where I am (Silicon Valley) Versus is basic cable and SPEED is in a sports package that costs an extra $5/month. (Worth it.)

[ZzZzZz]

On the surface, it would seem to be an interesting, if odd move, going from ESPN/ESPN2 to Versus.......then again, there seems to be a couple of positives from today's announcement:
(1)each IndyCar broadcast on Versus will be, at a minimum, a 3-hr. broadcast without being joined in progress(IIRC, haven't a couple of ESPN's IndyCar broadcasts begun by them joining the race after it starts?) with extended pre-race coverage.
(2)a preview show the day before each race
(3)re-airs of all IndyCar races(regardless of whether the race originally ran on ABC or Versus) the following week
(4)a minimum of 10 hours of IndyCar-related programming each year
(5)weekly broadcasts of Indy Lights races

Granted, who knows if the move from ESPN to Versus will be a good move or not, but considering that ESPN seems to be slowly but surely moving towards NASCAR's sphere of influence, this could be a good move long-term.

I think if it's a good move or not comes down to how well the package is managed. Remember, racing put ESPN on the map. If Versus is enthusiatic and serious about this partnership, they will use Indy Car racing to build up their viewership. They seem to have the strategy right.

Sure, Spike had these cards, but they failed to play them well.

[garyshell]

I have Time Warner Cable, and have Versus. HD is split with the Golf Channel.

Anyway, I don't think there's a positive spin to this at all. Too bad.

Where are you located? Here in Cincinnati Time warner does not have Versus.

Gary

[jimispeed]

Where are you located? Here in Cincinnati Time warner does not have Versus.

Gary

If Gary doesn't get to see the races, there might be a problem..............

[garyshell]

If Gary doesn't get to see the races, there might be a problem..............

That is what I thought!!!!!

<big ol' grin>

Gary

[icehammer97]

Talking about the ratings. There is a difference between Spike and VS. VS is a sports channel while Spike has almost all scripted shows. I will give you one thing to think about with this whole thing. The NHL. It was on ESPN had a lockout and then went to VS. http://www.andrewsstarspage.com/NHL-...TV-Ratings.htm
Versus's regular season coverage of the NHL is down about 170,000 viewers from games that ran on ESPN and up about 60,000 viewers from games that ran on ESPN2. And this is including the fact that many fans were driven away by the fact they had a whole year canceled. VS has the NHL and college football including games from BCS conferences the Pac 10 and Big 12 and fringe sports like bull riding. It is also growing every year ie thier football coverage has gone from 9 games 2 years ago to 23 this year. Also when Spike did their coverage they did not have any pre or post race shows like VS is going to have or a weekly Firestone Indy Lights telecast, at least 10 hours of ancillary programming each season, extensive coverage of all Indianapolis 500 qualification days, and more yet to be worked out. This is not going to a nothing station for no reason other then no one wants you. This is going to a network that is willing to give you more exposure on thier station then if you were on an ESPN or Speed station.

And for those who don't get VS here is an article for you http://mvn.com/irl/2008/08/07/to-ind...ew-tv-package/

[chuck34]

I posted this on the other thread about this topic, thought I'd post it here too and see what you guys thought over here.

I'm not all that thrilled about this. The optimist in me wants to think that this is going to end up being a really good thing. But then I think about CC and Spike, and I just don't know.

You know something just occured to me. Vs has the America's Cup, and The Tour de France (plus some other cycling stuff), now they have the IRL. Add a plane race or two, some CORR stuff, etc. and Vs will get back to the old SpeedVision days. That could work out to be awesome! We've all been wanting a Speed2 that has MOTORSPORTS on it not NASCAB, right?

[champcarray]

Wow, what an impressively bad piece of news. Tony has officially made American open wheel racing a footnote.

We just had a channel shuffle here on Comcast in central Connecticut a few weeks ago so I had to double check, but yes, we do indeed have Vs. here. Who knew? Looks like I'll get to watch the races, if I can stomach a couple more years of this formula. The lack of innovation is killing my interest.