St. Pete posts good ratings

[MDS]

ABC's broadcast of Sunday's race delivered its highest overnight rating in metered markets for a race since 2007. The 1.4 rating for 56 markets was surpassed only by ABC's telecast of the July 2007 race at Mid-Ohio. Final ratings for this broadcast are expected on March 31. “I'm very encouraged by the ratings for several reasons,” said IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard. “First of all, it was standalone. It wasn't in the late time slot, during which there typically is more household viewership. Second, it's our highest-rated non-Indianapolis show since 2007, but even that show had a great lead-in with the British Open (with Padraig Harrington defeating Sergio Garcia in a four-hole playoff).
“We're ecstatic with our ratings and with the double-digit percentage of growth with the live attendance at the event, and we believe IndyCar is going to continue to make substantial progress in the next couple of years.”


http://www.racer.com/st-petersburg-indycar-notebook/article/199423/



I've been saying for a long time that IndyCar doesn't have to post phenomenal numbers in order to survive, but they do need steady growth and strong attendance at events.

[SarahFan]

And even before you were saying that some of us were saying get rid of Tony and hire someone to actually run the sport

Alls not perfect.... Still a long ways to go.... But sure is nice to see some progress

[NickFalzone]

Wow, a real number. 1.4 is not spectacular but it's the best regular series race audience in a long time. This does suggest that changes in the sport/marketing are starting to work. Unfortunately, as soon as it goes back to VS, the numbers will be back their "is anyone watching" level.

[NickFalzone]

Informative Q&A by Randy at St. Pete:

kOW_4_Uq5k8

[EagleEye]

http://www.racer.com/st-petersburg-indycar-notebook/article/199423/

I've been saying for a long time that IndyCar doesn't have to post phenomenal numbers in order to survive, but they do need steady growth and strong attendance at events.

It is a matter of fact that Indycar does have to post good numbers in order to survive. Ask Firestone if phenomenal numbers would have allowed them to stay as both a supplier and major marketer of the series.

The St. Pete racgenerated a good number. The VS numbers will be low, but it is the Indy 500 number, that has to be good. It has to be up over last year, or we will be looking for a new series sponsor. There seemed to be some good marketing of the event on TV.

But make no doubt about it. Unless you want one big race a year, with a few other stand alone events, the numbers have to continue to be good.

[MDS]

Absolutely the numbers need to be stronger, but I've had people tell me that if the ICS doesn't average a 2 to 2.5 in the next year or two it's doomed and I think that's sky-is-falling crap.

I'm really happy the St. Pete ratings are as high as they are and hopefully that's an indication of an expanded fan base and not just some one-off fluke. I agree with you that the Indy 500 has to at least come close to the Coke 600 rating this year and honestly that looks to be doable. For example Kansas on ABC drew a .08 last year and the rain out of St. Pete last year got a .6, so yeah, its hard to argue that a 1.4 isn't an improvement., especially when its lead-in was local news.

While not a best case scenario if Indy draws a 4.0 Milwaukee and Loudon both pulls numbers close to St. Pete and Vegas gets a 2.0 you're looking at a 2.0 average for the ABC races. If the Versus average is around a .6 to.8, which again should be doable, you're looking a good amount of ROI for the sponsors involved based on the American market alone, add in the Canadian ratings and you're looking at a decent return.

It's not just about short term ROI its about showing NBC that the ICS is worthy of investment. If NBC takes over for ABC, as many expect, they need to feel there's potential long term return. Best case scenario at this point is NBC takes over next year, broadcasts five to eight races with the rest cross promoted on Versus, most of the races simulcasted on Telemundo for the Spanish audience. Hopefully NBC takes a full-platform support of the series with drivers appearing on the Today Show, the Tonight Show and other promotional/news opportunities and Indy Lights ends up on Versus in an either live or tape-delayed format.

If nothing else a 2.0 average might prod ABC to pick up more races in 2012, like maybe the hoped for early season oval race at Phoenix.

[EagleEye]

Absolutely the numbers need to be stronger, but I've had people tell me that if the ICS doesn't average a 2 to 2.5 in the next year or two it's doomed and I think that's sky-is-falling crap.

I'm really happy the St. Pete ratings are as high as they are and hopefully that's an indication of an expanded fan base and not just some one-off fluke. I agree with you that the Indy 500 has to at least come close to the Coke 600 rating this year and honestly that looks to be doable. For example Kansas on ABC drew a .08 last year and the rain out of St. Pete last year got a .6, so yeah, its hard to argue that a 1.4 isn't an improvement., especially when its lead-in was local news.

While not a best case scenario if Indy draws a 4.0 Milwaukee and Loudon both pulls numbers close to St. Pete and Vegas gets a 2.0 you're looking at a 2.0 average for the ABC races. If the Versus average is around a .6 to.8, which again should be doable, you're looking a good amount of ROI for the sponsors involved based on the American market alone, add in the Canadian ratings and you're looking at a decent return.

It's not just about short term ROI its about showing NBC that the ICS is worthy of investment. If NBC takes over for ABC, as many expect, they need to feel there's potential long term return. Best case scenario at this point is NBC takes over next year, broadcasts five to eight races with the rest cross promoted on Versus, most of the races simulcasted on Telemundo for the Spanish audience. Hopefully NBC takes a full-platform support of the series with drivers appearing on the Today Show, the Tonight Show and other promotional/news opportunities and Indy Lights ends up on Versus in an either live or tape-delayed format.

If nothing else a 2.0 average might prod ABC to pick up more races in 2012, like maybe the hoped for early season oval race at Phoenix.

I think we agree. The numbers have to go up, not down and we can't have another terrible I500 rating and bad numbers on ABC. The VS numbers are what they are, but a steady increase in ratings will help us all.

The NBC rumor, and it remains a rumor, has gone on for some time, but NBC flatly refused to pay for any races due to the "non existent" ratings. And yes, that was a quote! The rating for the first race shows that with a little promotion, and maybe an improved product/production/buzz, Indycar can be a viable money maker.

Izod was quite close to pulling the plug on the series because of low TV ratings and RB is one of the reasons they stayed on board. The series would not have died if they left, but it would have been a serious blow.

Loosing the marketing money from Firestone hurts, but it is offset a bit with the incoming GM money. Honda...remains a God send.

[MDS]

Yeah its a rumor, but NBC/Comcast is already paying for the races. The cost to move Long Beach from Versus to NBC with the same crew in 2012 for example would be minimal, especially if they do a "Versus on NBC" thing, which they might do with some of the Pac-10 football games.

[Steve-o]

Nice to see some bounce from a relatively productive off season. Hopefully, they can continue to build on some sucesses.

Here's our race recap: http://www.fanviewpoint.com/2011/03/dario-franchitti-survives-early-double.html

[anthonyvop]

A 1.4 is an improvement.

Now is the time for the ICS to strike. The NBA is in it's way too long season and Baseball hasn't started yet. Golf is just getting started and other sports are just kicking off their winter cobwebs.
The St.Pete race had no real competition and it was imperative that they put on a good show to keep the new viewers. IMO They didn't. I hope I am wrong.
By the time of the next race the NBA Playoffs will be about to start, Baseball's season will be underway and fans will be turning their attention more and more to the NFL draft.

BTW after hearing about how successful the ALMS's digital media package with ABC/ESPN3 was for Sebring can anyone doubt the the lack of internet streaming of ICS practice and qualifying is going to hurt?

[garyshell]

I thought I saw something elsewhere that the NASCAR
B overnight rating was a 1.6. If that is the case, then a 1.4 ain't too shabby.

Gary

[SarahFan]

Jayski lists NASCAR overnight at 4.1

Not too poopoo the 1.4, but that certainly keeps things in perspective

[NickFalzone]

Jayski lists NASCAR overnight at 4.1

Not too poopoo the 1.4, but that certainly keeps things in perspective

Gary's referring to the Nationwide, which was around 1.6. At this point in time, IndyCar getting ratings similar to B-series NASCAR is something to be happy about.

[SarahFan]

B series?

Happy about?

[Leo Krupe]

B series?

Happy about?
When more recent ratings are on par with Vince McMahon's gimmick-laden XFL, then yeah, 1.4 is definitely something to be happy about. Even if you're comparing ICS with nascar's b series.

[Mark in Oshawa]

We will take what we get, they are moving the needle in the right direction....