Game Changer

[anthonyvop]

http://americanlemans.com/primary1.php?cat=news|15452

This is a major game changer.
How will the ICS react?
Can they react given the Vs. contract?
Will Indycar ever get around to updating their broadcast schedule on their website?(Hello? It is 2011!)

From what I have heard Honda and BMW were heavily involved in this deal and that Chevy wasn't and they are not happy.

[Jag_Warrior]

Other than paying to be on NBC in 2011 or (more likely) 2012, I don't see how the IRL can react. That Versus contract is like a dead chicken hung around a cute dog's neck. He can't shake the smell and no one wants to pet a dog with a dead chicken around its neck.

That's a pretty interesting deal that Atherton has put together. He reminds me of Alan Mulally of Ford: a low-key guy who just gets it done without a lot of drama and pep-talking. OK, Mr. Bernard... your turn. :dozey:

[MDS]

Anthony, the reason the broadcast schedule hasn't been updated is because the contract hasn't been completed yet. Its one of the reason Vegas hasn't been announced yet.

Wait until after Jan. 11, then start complaining.

[Chris R]

Anthony, the reason the broadcast schedule hasn't been updated is because the contract hasn't been completed yet. Its one of the reason Vegas hasn't been announced yet.

Wait until after Jan. 11, then start complaining.

so what is January 11th???

will we want to complain??

will it be AOWR nirvana??

or yet another date that comes and goes?? (not trying to be cynical - many great thing have been happening for AOWR lately...but there have been a lot of "special" dates in the past 10 years that have delivered nothing....)

[anthonyvop]

Anthony, the reason the broadcast schedule hasn't been updated is because the contract hasn't been completed yet. Its one of the reason Vegas hasn't been announced yet.

Wait until after Jan. 11, then start complaining.

I am aware of that but they should at least take of last years schedule.

[Lousada]

How is this a game changer?? All races on ABC or ESPN2 will be tape delayed summaries. The races will be live on ESPN3 but that channel has an even smaller reach then Versus.
ALMS better focus on getting some credible entries full season instead of adding more and more driving chicanes.

[MDS]

Jan 11 is Randy's State of the Sport address. They're holding on to one or two announcements until that date. Let the man say his peace, and then start criticizing it if you want to, and trust me, there will always be people who will want to on this forum.

[MDS]

There may be an archived page somewhere but if you go to their main page all I see is a bunch of TBA on the schedule page.

[anthonyvop]

There may be an archived page somewhere but if you go to their main page all I see is a bunch of TBA on the schedule page.

If you go to the Broadcast Schedule you get this.

http://www.indycar.com/schedule/content/34088-broadcast-schedule/

[Mark in Oshawa]

Jag is right. This VS deal is the dead chicken....and it is the one thing Randy has to always work around.....

[nigelred5]

Tape delayed highlights and streaming internet on ESPN3 (which constantly freezes my computer)is hardly a MAJOR TV contract. Lets see what happens when the Comcast/ NBC merger closes...............They are soon to be the 800lb gorilla in the American TV/internet industry. The're only about 500lb now. They will have far more options to get the races on the airwaves. I fully expect they will change the Versus name to be more reflective of a cable flagship of a ComcastNBC Sports Network . That's what I've been hearing anyway.

[EagleEye]

Anthony, the reason the broadcast schedule hasn't been updated is because the contract hasn't been completed yet. Its one of the reason Vegas hasn't been announced yet.

Wait until after Jan. 11, then start complaining.

MDS is spot on, though I am not saying anyone else is wrong. All I can say is there will be more races on network TV in 2011, can't say more until after the 11th. Then we can discuss the deal that is in place.

Check the IRL sched (posted above, which I did not see until now) and you will find TBD's for the broadcast sched, except for the 500. Much better than 2010, but we have to get higher ratings....

[FORMULA-A]

How is this a game changer?? All races on ABC or ESPN2 will be tape delayed summaries. The races will be live on ESPN3 but that channel has an even smaller reach then Versus.
ALMS better focus on getting some credible entries full season instead of adding more and more driving chicanes.

Agreed and if those horrible (not sure if I'm a racebroadcast or a B-team documentary) shows that ALMS did at Laguna and Mid-Ohio are any indication ... good luck.

I'm a fan and I couldn't follow the show. That said RB and company have a miserable slog ahead.

[MDS]

we have to get higher ratings....
I'm of the opinion that with a better TV package better ratings will come. The ratings on ESPN were at least twice as high than they are on Versus, and that was with little or no promotion outside of ESPN. Add the better quality of field, more American drivers, Izod and other activated sponsors and I think an average of between 1.5 and 1.8 would be doable for next year, which yeah, isn't where a lot of people think the sport needs to be, but they have to show improvement, not reach the ceiling. Versus is a good home for qualifying, Indy Lights and the flyaway race(s) but the network needs to prove itself before being the primary network of the ICS.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

I remember another racing series announcing a TV schedule with mostly tape-delayed highlights on ABC/ESPN2 for the 2008 season. It was a game changer for them for sure...

[markabilly]

I remember another racing series announcing a TV schedule with mostly tape-delayed highlights on ABC/ESPN2 for the 2008 season. It was a game changer for them for sure...
bingo.....or should that be "curtain call"

[OWFan19]

I'm of the opinion that with a better TV package better ratings will come. The ratings on ESPN were at least twice as high than they are on Versus, and that was with little or no promotion outside of ESPN. Add the better quality of field, more American drivers, Izod and other activated sponsors and I think an average of between 1.5 and 1.8 would be doable for next year, which yeah, isn't where a lot of people think the sport needs to be, but they have to show improvement, not reach the ceiling. Versus is a good home for qualifying, Indy Lights and the flyaway race(s) but the network needs to prove itself before being the primary network of the ICS.
Did ESPN really want Indy Car?

[anthonyvop]

I remember another racing series announcing a TV schedule with mostly tape-delayed highlights on ABC/ESPN2 for the 2008 season. It was a game changer for them for sure...


Big difference between 2008 and 2011.

In 2008 100's of Millions of people didn't have and get most of their info from these
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9yvMrWH4-tvaOYiALMQv5Mmu107RySukLibFqXL6NmtCWPCc1bA
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQlHFsb6Y6bLNrVoH64Ads2iRNsUcRPZ 9nlGQaL0IRK6DKbLWk8
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRY4jMvDWdyADf6OwCuYCzksB1oPormJ gnpBFMFwqBwMs3t_XvNpg
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTt5aWtS5rljUethZOK_-GEjqGreyx__HsBydekxR6q7WOcdg29QA
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTcHLA8XYYpgqXkRt6Tvplv3B94hEf6H jZzAod2S0mVkSJegY7dVg

[MDS]

Did ESPN really want Indy Car?

No, they didn't but you can't fault their promotion of the series. They pimped the hell out of the races, even if a number were on ESPN2 and got bumped to ESPN Classic for obscure sports. Ratings for the races on cable were about double what they were now. Honestly they need to see the non Indy average between 1.0 and 2.0, and the series isn't going to happen on Versus anytime soon.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

Big difference between 2008 and 2011.

In 2008 100's of Millions of people didn't have and get most of their info from these
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9yvMrWH4-tvaOYiALMQv5Mmu107RySukLibFqXL6NmtCWPCc1bA
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQlHFsb6Y6bLNrVoH64Ads2iRNsUcRPZ 9nlGQaL0IRK6DKbLWk8
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRY4jMvDWdyADf6OwCuYCzksB1oPormJ gnpBFMFwqBwMs3t_XvNpg
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTt5aWtS5rljUethZOK_-GEjqGreyx__HsBydekxR6q7WOcdg29QA
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTcHLA8XYYpgqXkRt6Tvplv3B94hEf6H jZzAod2S0mVkSJegY7dVg

True, but getting info is different from watching a race after Sunday lunch from the arm chair. I watch IndyCar's YouTube channel on my smart phone on the train going to work but that is not a substitution for a live race broadcast experience on my big flat screen HD TV set. How many homes get ESPN3.com compared to Versus?

[px400r]

True, but getting info is different from watching a race after Sunday lunch from the arm chair. I watch IndyCar's YouTube channel on my smart phone on the train going to work but that is not a substitution for a live race broadcast experience on my big flat screen HD TV set. How many homes get ESPN3.com compared to Versus?

Maybe you should check out their website (http://www.espn3.com). You'll need broad band access to the internet through a participating cable company (too many to list here- but it does include Comcast).

I think the major reaction here is that it is not the conventional television deal most expect. I actually think it's a great move, since everyone is scrambling to provide content to just about any device from your large flat screen at home to the smartphone you carry everywhere.

Frankly, I haven't the time (or the inclination) to place my butt on the couch for ten hours just to watch PLM on the big screen- let alone a boring 3 hour IRL snooze. But I would probably check my phone for updates or a live feed just to see what's going on.

[beachbum]

Tape delayed highlights and streaming internet on ESPN3 (which constantly freezes my computer)is hardly a MAJOR TV contract. Some may think that Internet TV is the future and it is here now. Well, I have a very high speed internet and a very fast game level computer and video, and ESPN3.com may be one of the best, but it sure doesn't match HD TV - not even close. On a less powerful computer, it is almost unwatchable. The future hold promise, but it isn't here yet. When I see the words "innovative" and "ground-breaking" in the PR blurbs, they comes across as euphemisms for "we couldn't get a good traditional package so we had to try a cheaper alternative". The "buzz" words don't cover up the reality.

It is a game changer, but probably not a positive one. The actual TV package is a joke. Other than quality, the new paradigm has a another major problem. Since nearly everyone has a TV and channel surfing is almost a national pastime, being on regular TV has the opportunity to catch casual viewers who weren't looking for ALMS or even sports. Even with the promotion of ESPN, getting it on line requires a serious determination to find the coverage and enough extra electronics to receive it.

I really like watching ALMS, but with the declining quality of the prototype fields when the factories aren't there and now this lousy viewing package, it is losing the luster. The hard core may still watch, but how do you expand the market?

Many of the same people claiming this is good are the same pundits who think Indy Car has to be live on Network TV. Anyone else see a contradiction here?

[Lousada]

I actually think it's a great move, since everyone is scrambling to provide content to just about any device from your large flat screen at home to the smartphone you carry everywhere.

Frankly, I haven't the time (or the inclination) to place my butt on the couch for ten hours just to watch PLM on the big screen- let alone a boring 3 hour IRL snooze. But I would probably check my phone for updates or a live feed just to see what's going on.

How is that any different from what the IRL has been doing for years? They have been live broadcasting races on the internet for how long now?? They have live timing and scoring and I think they also have a text live feed.

[nigelred5]

Exorbitant ticket prices and poor televison deals aside, more and more I'm of the opinion that circuit racing of all types is quickly moving back to niche sport status in the US. Indycars have lost the mystique and IMHO have really no way to regain it. NASCAR is so over exposed even kids are bored by it. Road racing, especially endurance events exceed the general attention span of the ADD generations. I've taken my kids to NASCAR, ALMS, Grand AM, SCCA, CART and some MARRS events. they were bored out of their skulls after about a half hour and wanted to go to the fan areas where they could interact. They actually had more fun walking the Paddock before the race, looking at cool cars. I had my son's picture taken sitting with Scott Pruitt on the side of his GA car at NJMSP. He really could have cared less, but he did want to DRIVE the car, so at least there's hope! My daughter, well "is McDreamy gonna be there again?" just about says it all.

When something like Drift is getting major attention, times have changed.

At this point, It's not what I'd prefer to see, however I'm almost fine with seeing open wheel and sports car racing returning to more of a gentlemen's sport like in the 50's, 60's. Take the commercialism and greed out of it all and go back to racing to race.

[anthonyvop]

True, but getting info is different from watching a race after Sunday lunch from the arm chair. I watch IndyCar's YouTube channel on my smart phone on the train going to work but that is not a substitution for a live race broadcast experience on my big flat screen HD TV set. How many homes get ESPN3.com compared to Versus?

The world is changing.

Ask the average middle-class, male, teenager(The Target Demo) how they get they watch video entertainment and you would be surprised.

[nigelred5]

I agree with you Doc.

In reality, anyone with an internet connection "GETS" ESPN.3. problem is, only ones with a good high speed connection and computer can "WATCH"
ESPN3, and you don't channel surf and stumble over things on ESPN3 like a television viewer will on occasion. I have cable internet via comcast, but the vast majority of time "the Tre" buffers constantly, making things unbearable to watch.

Most homes haven't moved up to full internet based television in the living room and I venture to guess, those that have AREN'T race fans. I have, out of absolute necessity, watched Champcar Races on my laptop in the past, but I'd never be happy if that were my only means of following a series.

Maybe this may be ok in say 2-3 years time, but it's a gamble now. I'd say the major difference between Indycar and ALMS is most ALMS fans are already accustomed to highlights, tape delays and re-broadcasts as it is.

[px400r]

How is that any different from what the IRL has been doing for years? They have been live broadcasting races on the internet for how long now?? They have live timing and scoring and I think they also have a text live feed.

The difference is obviously ESPN.

[MDS]

Okay, so the announcement wasn't what some people indicated, the American TV package is the same as the previous two years but they did get some TV coverage of Indy Lights, even if its at a time when no one will watch it.

[anthonyvop]

HUGE: Mobile Broadband Will Hit 1 Billion Users In 2011
Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry | Jan. 12, 2011,
Mobile broadband will hit 1 billion users, says Ericsson. (Reuters) It's pretty exciting. It's also huge.

This is huge for several reasons:

* It's obviously a huge opportunity for plenty of mobile startups and services. Think of Foursquare and other mobile social networking apps, Twitter, news and more. Think of how price comparison apps are going to change retail.

* Mobile broadband is growing faster than anything we've ever seen. Mobile is growing faster than the old dialup internet or broadband internet. Mobile is personal for consumers, which means adoption is faster and deeper.

* Mobile broadband now means the full internet. Thanks to the iPhone and Android (and other mobile platforms following in their wake), the mobile internet is going to be as good as the full internet -- perhaps even better, with HTML5 and apps.

* Mobile is the future. Plenty of countries are leapfrogging the fixed internet and going full mobile. If you want to see the future of mobile and the internet, you have to read up on Africa. In many sub-Saharan African countries, but also in many other developing countries, people use mobile phones for payments, news, social networking, listings, etc.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/mobile-broadband-will-hit-1-billion-users-in-2011-2011-1#ixzz1AqDwtSbn

[booger]

I just read the transcript from the Indycar "state of the union" address. All I can say is that those folks really like themselves. The whole address was a lot of "boy are we gonna be great" and "look at all the new people we hired". Unfortuantely Mr. Barnhart is still patting himself on the back too. And no mention of standing starts? Blah, blah, blah. Randy, be careful, you ain't been there that long. And...finally a photo of the 3 sisters? The ugly stick was busy when this trio was born. These tootsies couldn't get an offer at bar time!

[MDS]

Okay Andrew, now you can complain.... not that you really stopped

[Chris R]

so what is January 11th???

will we want to complain??

will it be AOWR nirvana??

or yet another date that comes and goes?? (not trying to be cynical - many great thing have been happening for AOWR lately...but there have been a lot of "special" dates in the past 10 years that have delivered nothing....) all said and done another date that has come and gone.... they had better be very careful not to go down the old route of over-promising and under-delivering too much - the AOWR fanbase may be in an even more fragile state than the economy - so they need to tread lightly...... I have to say, I am alarmed at how little the "State of the series" has been discussed just about anywhere... even here....