NBS Mexico Thread

[BobbyC]

Some are saying JPM could be the sport's next villain, something needed since Dale Snr's death. Watch out on the flat tracks, however. As Denny Hamlin showed last year, a flat-track ace and a road racing ace could be similar, and Hamlin used his flat-track experience to do Mexico last year. I think JPM is more likely to do better on flat tracks such as Loudon, Martinsville (where he will be "winging" it), and even Richmond.

The ratings for the Mexico race dropped 34.3% from last year's Telcel-Motorola 300, which was a network television event (Fox with two pit reporters -- Byrnes and Hammond -- and the Big Three of Joy, McReynolds, and Waltrip).

[Lee Roy]

The ratings for the Mexico race dropped 34.3% from last year's Telcel-Motorola 300, which was a network television event (Fox with two pit reporters -- Byrnes and Hammond -- and the Big Three of Joy, McReynolds, and Waltrip).

Yep. Time to bring this Mexico experiment to an end.

[muggle not]

Yep. Time to bring this Mexico experiment to an end.

Depends, what are the numbers compared to races in the States.

[race aficionado]

I don't think they will end it, specially with the new Latin market that is being persued.

[Lee Roy]

I don't think they will end it, specially with the new Latin market that is being persued.

TV Ratings for Mexico race down from last year: ESPN2's broadcast of the Telcel-Motorola Mexico 200 Busch Series race garnered a Nielsen Media Research rating of 2.3 with 2,142,000 households watching, according to the network. ESPN's Spanish-language telecast showed a 0.2 rating with 196,000, boosting the total households watching to 2,337,000. But those numbers were down 34.3% over 2006's race, which was shown on the Fox network. Last year, the Fox broadcast had a 3.5 rating with 3,821,000 households.(SceneDaily.com)(3-7-2007)

After three years in Mexico City, they don't seem that interested.

[race aficionado]

After three years in Mexico City, they don't seem that interested.

agreed, but remember that the Juan Pablo experiment is just begining and it's looking so far, so good.

Time will tell but believe me, Mexico will be there next year - or another latin country? I wouldn't know the answer to that because I don't know of other tracks that would suit the bill.


mokin:

[Alexamateo]

It's the only race my (Mexican)wife will watch(She did go to Talladega with me one year though . Mainly she's interested in the pre-race to hear her national anthem and see what celebrities and pop stars she can see. (By the way, I thought the pre-race was really nicely done.)

Also, heaven forbid I comment on a ratings thread, but my question would be How does ESPN2 relate in the number of households as opposed to Fox? WHat ratings does ESPN2 normally get for that time period? How does/will it compare to other Busch races?

I know Mexican attendance has been lower at CC's race too. It could be a function of the economy in general. It's tough to gauge from afar. My wife's brothers and sisters says things are tougher, but they like us are in the stage of buying houses/having children, so disposable income is less. Who knows? I would like to see it continue and maybe even go to it next year.

[rlenis]

Aren't they planning to move the event to Monterrey which is much closer to Texas. I read somewhere they explored this idea to save on traveling costs and to have it coincide with on the Cup weekends in Texas.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Mexico had a full set of stands so whatever the TV ratings say, the event at the track still is drawing pretty well.

I think the ratings are down because from what I saw, ESPN2 isn't putting the same amount of effort and promotion towards the race. Also, FOX promoted the hell out of the Mexico event during their Cup broadcasts when they had the event. They sure as heck didn't do that for ESPN this year, and that has to be a factor.

LeeRoy, they will keep this race because they want the Mexican exposure and they want to keep that Latin market cranked up to watch NASCAR. You have 100 million people in Mexico, and while the disposable income for many is not there, there are Mexican sponsors and marketing opportunities down there that are of value for NASCAR.

It is the same reason they finally woke up and realized they might actually make some money in Canada so they will come to Montreal. Canadians have been 10 to 15% of the seat fillers at Michigan, Pocono, New Hampshire and the Glen, and per capita, have as much money as Americans to spend on the sport. The international expansion is just starting...they aint going back now...