Indycool, Where art thou?

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2nd May 2009, 23:19
SarahFan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loneranger

Ahhh, somebody who is finally starting to make partial sense of this little endeavor....

If ratings for the regular season grow to anything halfway acceptable, say 1.5 or even a 2.0 and imagine a 3.0 best case, what do you think that will mean for the Indy 500 ratings? It means the 500 will bring in huge numbers and a 10.0 would not be unimaginable if regular season is averaging 3.0's.

I hardly think you can classify that as a niche sport. Give me a break.

1.5?

it wont even average 1.0 even with the 500 .... much less just the Vs races
2nd May 2009, 23:20
Mark in Oshawa

All I know is the NHL hasn't drawn flies on US TV for YEARS and it hasn't gone away and it hasn't changed my enjoyment of the sport. Now the IRL is on the same network as the NHL and is seeing the same issues.

No one is suprised the ratings suck, VS isn't on enough TV's to get them the numbers they would eventually want.

That said, the events are drawing good crowds, there are sponsors on the sidepods that people have heard of ( something we didn't see enough of in CCWS or CART's last years ) that are paying to be there and we have to be patient.

Ken was dumping on the whole idea after the first race. Nothing will be evaluated until a year is gone and I am sure at some point people will want more TV viewers but this year is about establishing the brand, the network and reaffirming that the IRL is now one series.

We can argue for DAYS how about how stupid it is we got to this position but it wont change the fact it is what it is and we have to go forward. I keep my opinions on what happened pretty much to myself. It is counterproductive. I don't see where the IRL is going now that is wrong. IT is what it is. The economy sucks and TV markets are fragmented. Lets wait until things start to pick up around racing....
2nd May 2009, 23:20
SarahFan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loneranger

And do you not think they will improve?

?

no... dont think they will.... nothing suggests they will either... certainly not a race in China
2nd May 2009, 23:24
SarahFan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loneranger

Answer to A, yes I think they did expect the ratings to be super low. Did they sit in a board meeting and say we expect to see the lowest numbers ever? No, I don't think that comment was made, but I don't doubt for a second that every executive involved said that things will get worse before they get better. Sure they are probably disappointed in the early ratings, but I don't think anybody is put off or discouraged by them. I think they are looking at the results thus far all as part of a plan. Come talk to me in three years if they are still pulling the same numbers.

They are only 3 races in of about 180 races worth of coverage.

Answer to B, I think the IRL can stay in biz indefinitely regardless of the seasons TV numbers provided the 500, the Brickyard 400, and the Moto GP events are profitable enough to sustain the league. It's like was mentioned in the business journal article you posted. The season is essentially a lost leader to bring customers into the store that is the 500.

Now I have a question for you Frysauce! Question numero uno, why are TV numbers continually used as the pulse to measure the viability of the series? I say "viability" not to be confused with "popularity". Huge difference that I feel many on the boards confuse. Because if TV numbers were the only thing that ever mattered the NHL sure as hell would have died off a long long time ago. I get that TV numbers are a significant factor, I get that its a significant measure of things, but just because ratings are low, or the lowest ever does not mean insolvency. Chriist if that were the case I wouldn't be watching NHL playoffs right now.

Question numero two! I don't know how to say two in spanish. You are continually pessimistic about the Versus deal. What were you expecting to see happen this year as a result of the alliance with Versus?

if not TV #'s then what else would you like to use?

the reason is that hockey teams have local broadcasting... its not like the IRL teams are competing 40times a year locally

and the lost bleader may work for Tg and the IRL's bottomline..... but what about the teams?.....
2nd May 2009, 23:42
Loneranger

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahFan

it's not only that Vs is in less homes.... its the fact that relatively no one is watching it period...

Nobody was watching ESPN either. Agreed?

So doesn't it become a case about what can be done to get more people watching? Would you not agree that is what needs to be done?

What is Versus' potential reach? I have no idea, I doubt you do either, but I think we would both agree that what ever that reach is right now very few people are watching, right?
2nd May 2009, 23:44
Loneranger

And again I'll ask......Question numero two! I don't know how to say two in spanish. You are continually pessimistic about the Versus deal. What were you expecting to see happen this year as a result of the alliance with Versus?
2nd May 2009, 23:58
Loneranger

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahFan

and the lost bleader may work for Tg and the IRL's bottomline..... but what about the teams?.....

The teams? It comes down to the return that the sponsors are getting. Why do you think the league has worked to try and bring costs down? To make it less expensive for teams to run, requiring less dollars from sponsors. So as long as sponsors are satisfied with the return on their investment and provided those investments cover the costs to run a team then what concerns would a team have?

My bigger concern is not the survival of teams, teams will be around forever, it's a non issue, rich guys with lots of money will always find a way to put a car on the track. Penske can fire up the old autoclave in Poole and Ilmor can pump out however many engines they might need and at the very least they take a small block Chevy, breath on it a bit like the old hot rodders did, find a chassis to drop it into and go racing. The teams will always be there in one form or another.

What I am most concerned with is the ability to compete globally for the best talent to put behind the wheel. It's going to take more investment dollars from sponsors in order to do that and the only way to get those additional dollars, ie. charging more for space on a side pod, is to provide a better return on investment, that return is measured by greater exposure. The exposure will only come from an increased television audience. How is that going to happen? It's going to happen with a partner like Versus that is willing to help grow that audience, which in my opinion is exactly what they have been doing thus far. It's not going to happen over night, its not going to happen by race three, it certainly isn't going to happen by the end of year one. It's a long term project that will take many years to establish.
3rd May 2009, 00:12
Hoop-98

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahFan

were seeing exactly what i expected.... the lowest ratings ever

go back to your hideout and read my first posts on the subject

I kinda oughta know better Ken, but why do you refer to the Kansas rating as a historical low?

It certainly sucks, but there have been worse....in CCWS and IRL

rh
3rd May 2009, 00:56
SarahFan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoop-98

I kinda oughta know better Ken, but why do you refer to the Kansas rating as a historical low?

It certainly sucks, but there have been worse....in CCWS and IRL

rh

Not solely Kansas.......the first three races combined is the worst cumalitive opening 3 rounds
3rd May 2009, 00:58
Hoop-98

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahFan

Not solely Kansas.......the first three races combined is the worst cumalitive opening 3 rounds

Can you show us the data you made this new stat from?

I don't think that is a valid comparison.

jm2c
rh

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