Live Streaming of Indycar not available for 2011

[DBell]

Indycar is not going to offer live streaming this season for Versus events. They are still discussing with ABC what, if any, live streaming will be available for ABC races. They may offer tape delayed video for international fans.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-changes-to-streaming-video-for-2011/

from Speed:

In an effort to increase television ratings, the live streaming of IZOD IndyCar Series sessions for events held on Versus will not continue in 2011, according the series CEO Randy Bernard.

"Streaming rights weren't a part of our original agreement, but Comcast/NBC had been kind enough to let us air content on the web during the first two years of our relationship."

For fans without access to Versus and to those overseas, IndyCar's live web-based footage became a valued offering, although the exact figures for live streaming viewership have not been released.

"We've known this change was coming for a while," Bernard continued. "I understand their goal here, and it's to drive more people to watch the broadcasts on television--to get the ratings up. That's everyone's goal."

With 12 of IndyCar's 17 races scheduled on Versus, Bernard said his next step will be to inquire with ABC to see what options exist to provide streaming content during the five events held on their network.

He's also investigating what solutions might be available to offer a delayed video stream to IndyCar's international fans.

"I know we have a lot of fans overseas that have used our web streams to watch our races live, so we're talking about what can be done to maybe offer the races online after they've aired first on Versus."

I would think people who are interested in watching and have Versus available to them would already be watching the broadcast rather than live streaming on the net. This seems to hurt those that don't have access to Versus and the live streaming was their only way to watch. With the landscape of how people watch their entertainment changing drastically, this seems like a back wards step.

Maybe it will lead to an increase in ratings, but I'm skeptical of that. At a time when Indycar should be looking at all possible ways to increase interest in Indycar, restricting the avenues that people can watch seems counterproductive.

[Mr. Mister]

I guess it's easier to just not stream than to solve the many issues the stream had last year. ;)

It surprises me that VERSUS nixed it, actually. NBC streams all of their NHL games online; it's the exact TV feed though you can choose to watch from a different angle, but it has the TV commentary and just blacks out during the ads. I wonder why they'll do it with hockey, but the same parent company won't do it with INDYCAR.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

I agree that it is bad news and a huge step backwards. I would understand if they blocked the actual race and qualifying streams for US viewers. But how do practice streams hurt TV ratings when there is no broadcast? Also, for international fans without any TV coverage, the stream should be live, not delayed. If it is delayed, it is better to download a torrent. I will certainly do so and I urge everyone else to do the same.

[domaza]

Arghh - so where should Europe watch races? Bad news ...

[SarahFan]

Bummer

[nigelred5]

I don't see why comcast wouldn't just stream the same versus coverage online. The damn feed is already running though their lines. I don't care if they stream the commercials if the streaming is free, since that's really what they are worried about.

Some of that may have something to do with content restrictions on the pending NBC/Comcast merger.

[Jag_Warrior]

I guess it's easier to just not stream than to solve the many issues the stream had last year. ;)

It surprises me that VERSUS nixed it, actually. NBC streams all of their NHL games online; it's the exact TV feed though you can choose to watch from a different angle, but it has the TV commentary and just blacks out during the ads. I wonder why they'll do it with hockey, but the same parent company won't do it with INDYCAR.

If the goal was really to increase ratings, seems to me that firing Jack Arute would have been a good first step. :dozey:

But in all seriousness, with other sports moving to more streaming, this seems like a really odd, if not a backwards strategy. I just read something last week about Apple signing a deal with MLB and the NBA to stream live game content through the Apple TV device. And doesn't about every major sport have some sort of "Sunday Ticket" type deal with DirecTV or somebody else?

I feel sort of bad for Randy Bernard. I bet some days he wakes up and it seems like he's in an episode of Twilight Zone... the really dumb 1980's version, not the smart version from the 1960's.

[DBell]

If the goal was really to increase ratings, seems to me that firing Jack Arute would have been a good first step. :dozey:

But in all seriousness, with other sports moving to more streaming, this seems like a really odd, if not a backwards strategy. I just read something last week about Apple signing a deal with MLB and the NBA to stream live game content through the Apple TV device. And doesn't about every major sport have some sort of "Sunday Ticket" type deal with DirecTV or somebody else?

I feel sort of bad for Randy Bernard. I bet some days he wakes up and it seems like he's in an episode of Twilight Zone... the really dumb 1980's version, not the smart version from the 1960's.

That may have happened. A couple of weeks ago, I lurked at a couple of IndyCar forums and each had a thread saying Jack wouldn't be back. One poster said Arute had twittered that he was moving on and thanked Indycar fans. Neither thread had a link, so I'm not sure if it's true.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

http://dalyplanet.blogspot.com/2011/03/online-motorsports-disaster.html

[mileman]

Very puzzling stuff. Streaming is growing seemingly in all sports. I watched the whole NCAA tourney last year, the Masters, the World Cup, NBA games - all streaming. It's not ideal, but it's convenient. The ratings reasoning must simply be contractual stuff. An increase in ratings may actually be offset by the loss of total viewers - and therefore have a negative impact on general interest in the series. Hey - as I said - I'm just puzzled.

At this rate, we'll be back to the truly "old" days. No streaming, no TV, no nothing. You just had to wait for Monday's sports page to get the results from places like Langhorne or Trenton. Ha! It just seems like a huge step backward - as others have noted.

[bugeyedgomer]

there arent enough viewers to justify the expense, just as there arent enough fans to justify opening tracks on Friday/Saturday

[bugeyedgomer]

One of Versus.com\"s bloggers, Roy Hobbson, twittered yesterday that the website will soon eliminate all of its internal coverage of INDYCAR. I guess they will just regurgitate INDYCAR PR once the change takes place.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

there arent enough viewers to justify the expense, just as there arent enough fans to justify opening tracks on Friday/Saturday

Excellent point. It just shows the stupidy of IndyCar's decision. There aren't enough fans, so let's shut out those few who give a damn about our product. It's a lot cheaper right? Anyway, I know it's not IndyCar's decision to stop streaming domestic streaming, Comcast/NBC makes them do it, but it's no reason to strip a large fraction of international fans of their only chance to watch races live.

[bugeyedgomer]

where is the evidence that foreign fans do anything for the series\' bottom line, or Versus\' bottom line, or anybody\'s bottom line

[bugeyedgomer]

A little ammendment to the previous message: I was just reminded that Izod didn\'t join the series to promote its clothing line in the US. They said they wanted to promote their clothing line in Asia, Europe and South America. So yes, IndyCar\'s title sponsor should be concerned about the web broadcasts being discontinued.

[MAX_THRUST]

Oh well so Iwon't see any races this year. So I'll be going to watch NASCAR in Daytona in July and won't bother going to see Indy car then, Not that I can see NASCAR now either as that feed has been cut. Why cant these series wake up and put their series online sothose of us who cant get cable or satelite can watch something.

[Nikki Katz]

This is a joke right? I knew I was going to miss the first race anyway as I was going to be away from the computer while it was on, but miss the entire season???

Does anyone know of any other way the view this than to give Sky a really extortionate amount of money?

[anthonyvop]

Does anyone know of any other way the view this than to give Sky a really extortionate amount of money?


Buy a ticket....Plenty still available.

[Oli_M]

Hang on........ So the practise sessions (and even qualifying in some cases) which are not shown at all on any TV station, these still won't be available online to watch at all?

Hmmm........

[anthonyvop]

where is the evidence that foreign fans do anything for the series\' bottom line, or Versus\' bottom line, or anybody\'s bottom line

Without getting into an explanation of the whole global business market I believe that Races in Brazil, Japan and Canada is pretty convincing evidence