Rumors of Open Wheel's impending demise

If TV ratings drove the sport it would have been dead looooooong ago. There are plenty of sports out there that don't have the ratings that the IRL have. So it's not a fact, it's your opinion.

Ok I'll give you that the IRL has gone away from being ovalcentric. And I do wish there were more ovals (good ones not cookie cutters). But that also adds to my point about TG listening to the owners in his series.

Progress? You want Progress? From what starting point. It hasn't been that long ago that you didn't get more than about a 1 hour wrap up show about the 500 and nothing else. We could go back to that.

They may have been thinking those other networks, but I haven't heard any complaints about Vs. Did you not hear Penske at St. Pete? He sure sounded positive about it. Maybe it's because he's been around long enough to remember a little upstart network that when people first heard about it they said Who? What? huh. You may have heard of them now, ESPN.

and Go Sarah Go!!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Starter

First, while the two of you are are definately not on the same page, I commend you both for keeping your disagreement polite. This is not a cheerleading board and legitimate criticism is appropriate. Though sometimes there can be a bit too much of it.

Has either of you considered that the contract with Verses is because no one else was interested? Or at least not interested enough to offer a better deal? Verses at least is doing good quality productions. Staying on the ESPN group was, IMO, not an option. Either way it is what it is and there is no going back. Personally, I don't believe the low ratings are the fault of being on Verses. It's more the low place OW has fallen to as a direct result of the "split".

---

First off, thank you. I try to be civil, and hope I am. Sometimes I get a bit sarcastic, which can be seen as un-civil.

And yes I have considered that. And it is most likely the case. Vs was probably the the only network that offered a deal that involved good quality productions. Moving to NBC/CBS/FOX and getting the same treatment as ABC/ESPN was not an option for the IRL, and it was probably the option those guys put on the table. I agree that the "split" has a lot to do with the low ratings. That and the fact that Vs currently isn't in as many households.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Starter

Has either of you considered that the contract with Verses is because no one else was interested?".

---

i think thats precisely the case.....

While I'm glad that Vs. has stepped up to show the races, I'm more confused as to why SpeedTV couldn't work out a deal.

They've pretty much been enveloped by the popularity of stock car racing and reality television and the Speed Report and Wind Tunnel illustrates this.

I remember the Speed Channel when it first came on, it was decent. Now it's hard to expect anything positive from.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by methanolHuffer

While I'm glad that Vs. has stepped up to show the races, I'm more confused as to why SpeedTV couldn't work out a deal.

They've pretty much been enveloped by the popularity of stock car racing and reality television and the Speed Report and Wind Tunnel illustrates this.

I remember the Speed Channel when it first came on, it was decent. Now it's hard to expect anything positive from.

---

You answered their own question. They are all caught up in NASCAR and Pinks. Maybe now that they've seen Alex Lloyd's car that'll change?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by chuck34

You answered their own question. They are all caught up in NASCAR and Pinks. Maybe now that they've seen Alex Lloyd's car that'll change?

---

you going to the big race this weekend chuck?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SarahFan

you going to the big race this weekend chuck?

---

Yep, up top in the North Vista. Hope the rain holds off. They're calling for rain here in Northern Indiana on Sunday. But what do they know?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SarahFan

progress?.... a league created in ovelcentricity focused on giving young american short track oval racers a better opportunity to compete in the I500....the IRL has discountinued racing at 11 ovals... while adding street and raod coarse to the tune of 8 tracks over the past 5 years.... and they are now talking about South america and china...

progress?.... or lack of focus and direction?

---

They tried the all-American all-oval thing, and it didn't work. Now they race on road courses. That's called an exit strategy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by call_me_andrew

They tried the all-American all-oval thing, and it didn't work. Now they race on road courses. That's called an exit strategy.

---

Or coming to their senses.

Gary

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by methanolHuffer

While I'm glad that Vs. has stepped up to show the races, I'm more confused as to why SpeedTV couldn't work out a deal.

They've pretty much been enveloped by the popularity of stock car racing and reality television and the Speed Report and Wind Tunnel illustrates this.

I remember the Speed Channel when it first came on, it was decent. Now it's hard to expect anything positive from.

---

SPEED is owned by FOX. It has become a shill for FOX's N-Car coverage. It is sad to see how it has fallen. SPEED was never an option.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by call_me_andrew

They tried the all-American all-oval thing, and it didn't work. Now they race on road courses. That's called an exit strategy.

---

Another optimist. Reminds me of another forum where I can read as many posts like this as I want as fans fight a war that ended over a year ago. You should post there and you will gets lots of cheers of support. But even their former hero PT called for them to give up the lost war and move on.

Stater got it right. Versus was the only network who was interested in producing a product that would promote and support the IRL. Look at the situation with ALMS. SPEED did a good job with Sebring, as it does with Petit, but the other races are delayed coverages that show up in unwanted time slots when no one is watching. The IRL didn't need that.

There seems to be one unexpected big positive with the Versus coverage. Sure the rating are dismal (in the US about the same as that other lessor series called F1), but the coverage is fantastic. But it is the tone and focus of the coverage that is the biggest plus. The fans expressed for years that TV had to show the human side of racing, and they have with great interviews, a look at all of the teams and drivers, and humor. Where have you ever heard AJ Foyt talk about going after Arute with a big water pistol - with a completely straight face?. Or Danica crack a very drool, and very funny comeback to a Marco remark while standing in a parking lot without a handler? Never.

Everyone involved just seems to be having fun, and it seems to be rubbing off as positive energy. Witness the Twitter explosion with many drivers and some media having lots of fun with the medium. I don't like Twitter, but if you haven't looked at the sites of Kannan or Morias, you should as they can be seriously funny.

http://twitter.com/mariomoraesindy
http://twitter.com/TonyKanaan

After qualifying, drivers ended up on comedy shows, not your typical talk shows. For the first time in a long time, we are getting to see the drivers as real people with real personalities.

Versus is listening to the fans and it is showing. If the IRL is going to grow, you couldn't ask for a better partner. If this type of coverage doesn't eventually help move the sport forward, then open wheel will never be more than a niche sport. But it took N-car decades to built to their current level, so if someone is expecting a big ratings bump in the first few months of the relationship, they are smoking something. It is going to take time for the word to get out, and the Versus user base to expand. Frankly, it is just refreshing to see open wheel treated with respect in the media.