Opener earns highest ESPN2 rating

[bblocker68]

I'm sure this was going to be asked about, so here ya' go.

Opener earns highest ESPN2 rating

ESPN2's flag-to-flag coverage of the XM Radio Satellite Radio Indy 300 on March 24 at Homestead Miami Speedway earned a .7 rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, making it the highest-rated IndyCar Series race ever on ESPN2.

The race was the fourth-highest IndyCar Series cable rating since 2000 and the highest cable rating since June 2005.

This weekend, coverage of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg moves to ESPN. The first street race of the season presents a different challenge to the crew who will call the race.

"From a technical standpoint, the tall buildings in St. Petersburg cast shadows on the race track and the cars are going from bright sunshine to shade then back to sunshine," said Marty Reid, who will call the April 1 race along with Scott Goodyear. "Our guys have to work really hard on shading the cameras, and our video guys make sure the picture doesn't suddenly go to black. The buildings also interfere with in-car radio systems so just like the race teams we have to make sure we have strong repeaters so we can hear all the way around the track."

ESPN's telecast of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. (ET).

[thelurker]

That press release is from last years race. The race was run on the 29th this year, not the 24th. That should have been the red flag indicator right there.

http://www.indycar.com/news/?story_id=8483

[edv]

Isn't (wasn't) it called the Gainsco Grand prix, not XM Radio Grand Prix?

[bblocker68]

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's what I get for looking at things too fast :)

Abort, Abort!!!

[bblocker68]

Let me follow this up by saying:

D'OH!!!!

[anthonyvop]

Isn't (wasn't) it called the Gainsco Grand prix, not XM Radio Grand Prix?

It was called the Gainsco Insurance Indy 300 except on ESPN where it was called the XM Radio Indy 300.

I assume the IRL is ok with that deal.

[FormerFF]

It was called the Gainsco Insurance Indy 300 except on ESPN where it was called the XM Radio Indy 300.

I assume the IRL is ok with that deal.

CART used to do that a while back - sell the title sponsorship to both the race and the TV package. I think it alienated a few sponsors.

The better question is, "Is Gainsco OK with that?" Hopefully they knew what was happening and will be back again next year.

[jarrambide]

Now that we are all under the same roof, can we all accept for a few years that the TV ratings we will get will suck?, ne need from anyone to defend bad ratings.

[indycool]

Rating for this year was .85, breaking the record from last year.

[Lee Roy]

Rating for this year was .85, breaking the record from last year.


But for how many years has this race been getting zeropointsomeinsignificantnumber ratings? I recall 6 or 7 years ago, it used to get close to 2.0.

[indycool]

I don't have the numbers, LeeRoy, but it never got 2.0s when it was on Spike or Speed and I don't recall it ever being on the deuce before it went IRL.

[Lee Roy]

I don't have the numbers, LeeRoy, but it never got 2.0s when it was on Spike or Speed and I don't recall it ever being on the deuce before it went IRL.

For some reason, I seem to remember this race getting a 1.85 in 2002. Not sure what channel/broadcaster carried it that year.

I remember seeing a little of the race on tv at a ski resort in Colorado that year.

[garyshell]

But for how many years has this race been getting zeropointsomeinsignificantnumber ratings? I recall 6 or 7 years ago, it used to get close to 2.0.


Yeah and the operative words there are "6 or 7 years ago". What race on either side of the aisle has garnered those sort of numbers in the past few years? (Except for the 600-800 lb gorilla.)

Gary

[DBell]

I'm sure this was going to be asked about, so here ya' go.

Opener earns highest ESPN2 rating

ESPN2's flag-to-flag coverage of the XM Radio Satellite Radio Indy 300 on March 24 at Homestead Miami Speedway earned a .7 rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, making it the highest-rated IndyCar Series race ever on ESPN2.

The race was the fourth-highest IndyCar Series cable rating since 2000 and the highest cable rating since June 2005.

This weekend, coverage of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg moves to ESPN. The first street race of the season presents a different challenge to the crew who will call the race.

"From a technical standpoint, the tall buildings in St. Petersburg cast shadows on the race track and the cars are going from bright sunshine to shade then back to sunshine," said Marty Reid, who will call the April 1 race along with Scott Goodyear. "Our guys have to work really hard on shading the cameras, and our video guys make sure the picture doesn't suddenly go to black. The buildings also interfere with in-car radio systems so just like the race teams we have to make sure we have strong repeaters so we can hear all the way around the track."

ESPN's telecast of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. (ET).

LOL If you had started the thread a day later you would've had a great April Fools joke. It fooled even the poster. :p :

[ChicagocrewIRL]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/SPORTS01/80401049/1004/SPORTS

"ESPN2 earned its highest rating ever for an IndyCar Series race for coverage of Saturday night’s season-opening event at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The show averaged a 0.8 rating and 815,070 household impressions."

indystar.com April 1, 2008

The merge is reaping benefits. The upward trend in numbers will attract sponsors.

Coke, DirectTV, Menards, Firestone, Peak Motor Oil..... all new money coming into the Series. I can only see this list growing.

[canada]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/SPORTS01/80401049/1004/SPORTS

"ESPN2 earned its highest rating ever for an IndyCar Series race for coverage of Saturday night’s season-opening event at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The show averaged a 0.8 rating and 815,070 household impressions."

indystar.com April 1, 2008

The merge is reaping benefits. The upward trend in numbers will attract sponsors.

Coke, DirectTV, Menards, Firestone, Peak Motor Oil..... all new money coming into the Series. I can only see this list growing.

Not bad. As for anyone interested in the numbers of Canada, it was also pretty decent given the loss of PT and Tags.

Auto Racing, Miami Indy 300 TSN 111,000.

Not too bad for going up against Hockey Night in Canada's Montreal vs Toronto and Edmonton vs Calgary. Moreover, the NASCAR Sprint Cup event in Martinsville on Sunsay garnered 107,000.

Courtesy: The Globe and Mail, Tuesday, April 1, 2008.