IRL needs to take advantage of NBA lockout

[Mr. Mister]

Here's a big idea that could put the IRL back on the map like it was in the 90s.

NBA is probably the most popular sport in America, but there probably won't be any NBA this year possibly. The solution to this is easy: IRL needs to run a special winter racing series.

Hear me out.

You run indoor 3/4-midget races inside all the basketball rinks that NBA teams play at with all the current stars of the IRL. Each race you get the home team's best player to drive a 3/4-midget and start last and if he can win the race, he and everyone in attendance will split a $10,000,000 prize. Wouldn't that be something.

Now, it gets better. We'll show these races on the television on the channels and timeslots the NBA had! We're cooking with gas now.

You can have a half-time show where the fans get to meet the drivers and after the half you send them back out to run the track the other way so it's right turns only. Now that's a challenge and will shake it up.

You then say "you thought that was cool, well these same drivers will be racing even faster cars even closer all across the country and the world this spring/summer/fall. You better watch for it." And then you show them like a video clip you know those TV screens in the middle well you show them a clip of like Sam Hornish, Jr. winning Chicago, wow, what a race.

People will be hooked. They say we shouldn't race in NFL season, well, we should race in NBA season, when the NBA doesn't have one!

As a way of saying thanks we could send Justin Wilson to the NBA when it happens again. It's the least we can do because I think this might save the IRL.

That's what I think.

[00steven]

First of all people need to stop calling it the IRL. There is no longer an IRL it is a unified American Open Wheel series called IndyCar.

The idea isn't horrible (yeah the 3/4 midget races are) but if they ran 3 or 4 exhibition races in warm weather areas, it might be a decent thing. Run a race at Surfers or Laguna Seca or something.

[Chris R]

The problem is that the NBA is really not all that popular anymore - kind of like when they cancelled the hockey season - nobody really noticed except for the hardcore fans....

That being said - a non-points winter series would be cool - maybe 1-3 a year in "exotic" locations.... maybe not even the same places every year - just something to keep the sport in the public eye and to allow for some fun for all involved....

[anthonyvop]

You run indoor 3/4-midget races inside all the basketball rinks that NBA teams play at with all the current stars of the IRL. Each race you get the home team's best player to drive a 3/4-midget and start last and if he can win the race, he and everyone in attendance will split a $10,000,000 prize. Wouldn't that be something.


Besides the insurmountable logistics(racing indoors) and trying to get a network to pick it up(Next to Impossible)........

............In what way, shape or form do 3/4 Midget racers have anything in common with the Current or future Indycar? Unless your a Midwesterner who dreams of a return to front engine roadsters to Indy the ICS has more in common with F-1(And that is a large margin) than it does 3/4 Midgets, Sprint-cars, Midgets or WoO cars

[FIAT1]

First ,irl term should be forever buried. Second INDYCAR should build fastest good looking pure race cars that demand best racers to drive them. Nothing more. Build it and fans of real racing will come.

[DBell]

Do very many people really care if the NBA is on strike? Judging by comparing the publicity the NFL got with their lockout versus what the NBA is getting, I'd say not many do. Trying to convert stick and ball fans to auto racing is a pointless exercise, from my experience.

[Mr. Mister]

"IRL" stands for "Indy Racing League." Sorry if that was confusing to anyone.

[garyshell]

"IRL" stands for "Indy Racing League." Sorry if that was confusing to anyone.

Not sure who is confused. The "Indy Racing League" no longer exists. They officially changed the name to Indycar.

IndyCar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IndyCar)

Gary

[Dr. Krogshöj]

"IRL needs to take advantage of NBA lockout" - it doesn't work that way. I think several sports and leagues will take some advantage of the lockout: those who offer a good product in visible channels. So that basketball fans don't automatically change to the next station on their TV set when they catch a glimpse of your show. The question is: is IndyCar on Versus a desired product on a visible channel?

[gm99]

You run indoor 3/4-midget races inside all the basketball rinks that NBA teams play at with all the current stars of the IRL. Each race you get the home team's best player to drive a 3/4-midget and start last and if he can win the race, he and everyone in attendance will split a $10,000,000 prize. Wouldn't that be something.


You then say "you thought that was cool, well these same drivers will be racing even faster cars even closer all across the country and the world this spring/summer/fall. You better watch for it." And then you show them like a video clip you know those TV screens in the middle well you show them a clip of like Sam Hornish, Jr. winning Chicago, wow, what a race.


And then all the new found fans realize that IndyCars a) are nothing like 3/4-midgets b) don't actually run at Chicago any more c) do not have Sam Hornish Jr. competing in them.

[ShiftingGears]

Here's a big idea that could put the IRL back on the map like it was in the 90s.

Your proposal is unquestionably the worst idea I've ever heard on this forum.

Why would you attempt to market a product that you're not selling? You don't see the NBA seriously marketing to Europe by playing exhibition soccer matches. And Las Vegas showed that people don't really care about the money being offered anyway, if the product is bad.

If IndyCar was regulated and managed the right way, it would eventually become a product people would tune into. Your idea would alienate essentially the only people that still watch IndyCar racing - dedicated motor racing fans.

[nigelred5]

"NBA is probably the most popular sport in America"

I hardly see anything to back up that assumption. Basketball may be the most commonly played sport, but the NBA? The NBA blows.

Have you ever see the footage of John Salley trying to get into an Indycar? I can't see how the average NBA star would even fit in a 3/4 midget, let alone drive it. Maybe if we limited it to point guards or something....

NCAA is a far better version of basketball and all the basketball I need. The NBA could close up shop permanently tomorrow at 3:00 and I wouldn't blink an eye. Talk about a professional sport out of touch with reality. me thinks Mr Mister must be a superleague fan ;)

I'd rather just see a winter event like the ROC between North American series drivers. Indycar, Nascar, SCCA, ALMS, WOO, USAC ;)

[Chris R]

just noticed on CNN website that some NBA star is bored and playing flag football....

I didn't click through.....