X games RALLY? Was it?

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Originally Posted by cannyboy

Funny thing is the US rally championship is doing a lot better than the UK one at the minute!
Perhaps it's time for a UK X games?

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How do you figure that out? I know the BRC is in a bit of a state, but it still has some world class drivers in it.

Honestly i'm not trying to have a go, i would love rallying to take off in the USA, it would make it a bigger sport world wide and if the US market can be cracked thats an achievement. It's a bit like music!

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Originally Posted by amberie

I see the X Games as more of a TV ad than the whole show. And admit it--as unrally-like as it was, it was a ton of fun.

However, when your only mainstream proponent of rally is an extreme sports competition, you're going to get rallying branded as an extreme sport. We couldn't prevent that. Also, the X Games organizers probably didn't see a point in holding gravel stages without spectators, and that would only damage the cars. It'd be great if American rallying could be the same as the WRC, but it's simply not possible in this early stage.

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Actually, in 2006 they ran gravel stages. The issue was that these stages needed to be ran before the X games proper started in order to utilize the X Games broadcast and production staff. So they ran something like 40 or 60 gravel miles on Wednesday last year, then the SSS on Saturday.

While most of the logistics can be worked out (the shift by the forest service to go anti-rally in SoCal after years of partnership and rally making a positive contribution to their resources) the other issue is keeping the live broadcast meaningful. In 2006 they divided the difference in total stage times by a quotient of 5 to compress any leads or deficits incurred on the stages to make the differences small enough so that there would be battles on the SSS. It worked and after leading most of the day Travis Pastrana had his 5 second deficit cut to 1 so he can McRae could go head to head.

The structure of the X Games Rally Car Super Special is to guarantee that the medals are decided in front of the live TV audience. A stage rally format doesn't work for that so the SSS became the basis. Its not rally, but it works, it was incredible that ESPN kept as much rally as possible last year.

Rally-America and ESPN are in a partnership, hopefully that can grow, if it does there will be a bigger TV package and perhaps more rally centric planning of the Rally Car event. All of this helps rally get a little bigger piece of the pie in the US. There is a lot of money and a lot of support out there to be had, but NASCAR is the $532 million USD giant (that is just the annual value of the broadcast TV rights and many analysts put the value over $600 million). Finding a support audience away from competing with NASCAR for fans is part of the key. Rally will sell itself to people if you simply get it infront of them long enough, Rally America and ESPN are working towards that.


What will be interesting is that Colin has said he enjoys the X Games but he will have to either earn an invite of be an at large bid. While I can see Rally America inviting him, I'd prefer him to qualify his way in instead... :)

Doon,

I suggest you go to Wembley on the 16th of December this year.

Watch the Race of Champions event.

See how it is virtually the same as the X-Games but with various international wild card drivers, neutral spec cars & a National teams competition.

The Race of Champions is more geared to being about the sport & the nature of competition. F1, Rally, Touring Cars, Bikes & even Nascar are all represented. It is about the cream of the cream, fighting it out on even terms.

Now imagine the BRC guys being allowed to compete at the RoC. It would have the same effect as the X-Games for the local sport. Sponsors would clamour to be a part of that show. But sponsorship is not allowed to appear on RoC cars, so no dice.

Be thankful that the X Games is giving back to the sport.

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Originally Posted by Doon

With the exceptions of Safari, NZ and Argentina, maybe Japan, the best events are in Europe.....so cork it!

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I think you have the cork in the wrong spot. Snobbery about who is better than who is never going to be good. I am sorry but it is a WORLD championship, not the ERC. We need all the drivers from around the world to become more involved to grow & succeed.

If Rally America converted to full FIA sanctioned rules with proper Gp. N & S2000 cars, then I see the seeds growing for a WRC round heading stateside or to Canada at least. Mexico was never going to cut it, the US seems than to prefer heading north to their southern neighbour.

Having the X-Games & a local WRC event would make Rally explode in the US. Plus open up their Rally America championship to other drivers & manufacturers.

Where would a WRC round be held in the US? Rally surface? I think if it did come into the US market as a WRC event, for each year to rotate locations?.... Gives it something different each year and would attract people from both west and east coasts to go if held in their part, then later in another maybe not wanting to miss out.