IndyCar releases broadcast schedule

[Rex Monaco]

Schedule

-- April 5: Streets of St. Petersburg, VERSUS, 2-5 p.m.

-- April 19: Streets of Long Beach, VERSUS, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

-- April 26: Kansas Speedway, VERSUS, 4-7 p.m.

-- May 24: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, ABC, noon-4:30 p.m.

-- May 31: The Milwaukee Mile, ABC, 3:30-6 p.m.

-- June 6: Texas Motor Speedway, VERSUS, 9 p.m.-midnight

-- June 21: Iowa Speedway, ABC, 1-3:30 p.m.

-- June 27: Richmond International Raceway, VERSUS, 8-11 p.m.

-- July 5: Watkins Glen International, ABC, 1-3:30 p.m.

-- July 12: Streets of Toronto, ABC, 1-3:30 p.m.

-- July 26 Edmonton City Centre Airport, VERSUS, 5-8 p.m.

-- Aug. 1: Kentucky Speedway, VERSUS, 8-11 p.m.

--Aug. 9: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, VERSUS, 1-4 p.m.

-- Aug. 23: Infineon Raceway, VERSUS, 5-8 p.m.

-- Aug 29: Chicagoland Speedway, 9 p.m.-midnight

-- Sept. 6: The Raceway at Belle Isle Park, VERSUS, 3-6 p.m.

-- Sep. 19: Twin Ring Motegi, VERSUS (9/18 broadcast) 10:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.

-- Oct. 10: Homestead-Miami Speedway, VERSUS, 4- 7 p.m.

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...8/newsletter01

[MDS]

WTF? WATKINS GLEN AND IOWA ON ABC AND LONG BEACH ON VERSES?

Seriously, having no lead up races to Indy on ABC, especially Long Beach, is probably going to kill ratings. And Watkins Glen? Seriously, thats one of the most dull races of the year. Iowa was clearly a move to appease the Ethonal folks. Really? You're going to waste one of your five big dates on one of the smallest markets on the schedule? Really? Really?

Wow, at this point just making it to 2010 will be a blessing.

[vintage]

Any news on FIL?

[NickFalzone]

For one thing, do you really think that Indy 500 ratings have anything to do with the couple of races earlier in the season? I don't. The series fans, which avg around a 1.0 nielsen rating, watch regardless. The 500 does about 5 times that rating, and the airdate is highly promoted to fans and non-fans of the event. I don't know anyone that says to themselves damn, those first few races of the year were really good, maybe I'll watch the 500?

As far as the Glen and Iowa, both of those have tended to get good ratings for ABC, comparatively. And I thought both Iowa races have been pretty good.

[nigelred5]

No surfers yet........

[MDS]

For one thing, do you really think that Indy 500 ratings have anything to do with the couple of races earlier in the season? I don't. The series fans, which avg around a 1.0 nielsen rating, watch regardless. The 500 does about 5 times that rating, and the airdate is highly promoted to fans and non-fans of the event. I don't know anyone that says to themselves damn, those first few races of the year were really good, maybe I'll watch the 500?

As far as the Glen and Iowa, both of those have tended to get good ratings for ABC, comparatively. And I thought both Iowa races have been pretty good.

Verses has almost no market penetration. It may be a lot of homes, but most people either aren't aware they have it, or don't watch it. This of course does not hold true for the hunter, who probably watches the cheaply produced, unoriginal hunting realty shows Verses airs most of the time. Seriously, every time I take a look at that channel its a different show about a different guy going into a different forest to kill a buck. The IRL would be better off on TLC or the Discovery channel.

I do think that well promoted, well watched, races on broadcast television before the 500 can help ratings. It might not tank the ratings, but its certainly not going to help in any way. The first year the NHL moved to Verses their ratings were 0.24. The NHL Alllstar game lost 75 percent of its audience when it moved from ABC to Verses. Lets be optimistic and say the IRL is only going to lose 50 percent of its viewers on Verses. From what I saw the average was 1.1, that means .65, which is inline, or a little better than what the NHL is getting for regular season games.

ABC is reducing its committment to the IRL so its logical to assmue they're going to pull back on promoting the 500 as well because it was all over ESPN. With most of the races on a competiting network you can guess how much Bristol want to promote a sport thats primarily broadcast on another channel.

If the 2009 Indy 500 does better than a 4.0 I think it will be a major upset.

Tony George, helping to kill the sport Americans love since 1994

[ShiftingGears]

Wheres Surfers?

[garyshell]

Wheres Surfers?

Australia...

(Sorry I couldn't resist.)

Gary

[SarahFan]

For one thing, do you really think that Indy 500 ratings have anything to do with the couple of races earlier in the season? I don't. The series fans, which avg around a 1.0 nielsen rating, watch regardless. The 500 does about 5 times that rating, and the airdate is highly promoted to fans and non-fans of the event. I don't know anyone that says to themselves damn, those first few races of the year were really good, maybe I'll watch the 500?

As far as the Glen and Iowa, both of those have tended to get good ratings for ABC, comparatively. And I thought both Iowa races have been pretty good.

I totally disagree..... perhaps not 100% in regards to the 500

but the early season Tv schedule has been weak(er) the past 1/2 decade..... and season long ratings are substantially down over.....

strong out of the gate will absolutly pay dividends as the season progresses.....and mark my words...you and I will enjoy those 3 hour race windows on vs..... but ratings will down to start the season.... and they will be down to end the season

[FormerFF]

Wheres Surfers?

You mean the one that's taking place later this month? 10:30 p.m. (ET) Oct. 25 on ESPN Classic. If you're asking about 2009, it's not on the schedule. (yet)