Tony George resigned

I wouldn't be shocked if there was a move by the five or so key owners to buy the IRL and return to a CART model.

I've been hearing some speculation that KK, Penske, Hass, Andretti and Green have been considering banding together and making an offer for the series with the belief the could return it to profitability and secure their sport's future. This would relieve the Hulman-George family of an liability they don't want to run, and allow them to focus on the speedway and their other business.

All of this is rumors, but if my source is right, and he was apparently off by a couple of hundred miles about the Brazil race, it could be a done deal by the off season, Supposedly the announcement of a new name and title sponsor could come by December or Janurary.

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Originally Posted by MDS

I wouldn't be shocked if there was a move by the five or so key owners to buy the IRL and return to a CART model.

I've been hearing some speculation that KK, Penske, Hass, Andretti and Green have been considering banding together and making an offer for the series with the belief the could return it to profitability and secure their sport's future. This would relieve the Hulman-George family of an liability they don't want to run, and allow them to focus on the speedway and their other business.

All of this is rumors, but if my source is right, and he was apparently off by a couple of hundred miles about the Brazil race, it could be a done deal by the off season, Supposedly the announcement of a new name and title sponsor could come by December or Janurary.

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they are crazy unless they lock in the indy or simply buy the track outright and do it their way

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MDS

I wouldn't be shocked if there was a move by the five or so key owners to buy the IRL and return to a CART model.

I've been hearing some speculation that KK, Penske, Hass, Andretti and Green have been considering banding together and making an offer for the series with the belief the could return it to profitability and secure their sport's future. This would relieve the Hulman-George family of an liability they don't want to run, and allow them to focus on the speedway and their other business.

All of this is rumors, but if my source is right, and he was apparently off by a couple of hundred miles about the Brazil race, it could be a done deal by the off season, Supposedly the announcement of a new name and title sponsor could come by December or Janurary.

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hmmm... where have we heard that before

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MDS

I wouldn't be shocked if there was a move by the five or so key owners to buy the IRL and return to a CART model.

I've been hearing some speculation that KK, Penske, Hass, Andretti and Green have been considering banding together and making an offer for the series with the belief the could return it to profitability and secure their sport's future. This would relieve the Hulman-George family of an liability they don't want to run, and allow them to focus on the speedway and their other business.

All of this is rumors, but if my source is right, and he was apparently off by a couple of hundred miles about the Brazil race, it could be a done deal by the off season, Supposedly the announcement of a new name and title sponsor could come by December or Janurary.

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Sounds like De Ja Vu all over again.

Why does there have to be some sort of Titanic change in things? I can't see anything major working right now, it's just not the right time. Let the new guys carry on, and tweak things their own way. And for God's sake, do NOT let the inmates run the asylum again. That is (and always was) doomed to failure.

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Originally Posted by Ken

hmmm... where have we heard that before

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Yeah, I know I've said that before, but as I and other posters have said, a change in ownership/management structure was coming, and well it's here.

If you think this was voluntary, or that the team owners had nothing to do with this you're being a little naive.

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Originally Posted by MDS

Yeah, I know I've said that before, but as I and other posters have said, a change in ownership/management structure was coming, and well it's here.

If you think this was voluntary, or that the team owners had nothing to do with this you're being a little naive.

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huh?

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Originally Posted by chuck34

Sounds like De Ja Vu all over again.

Why does there have to be some sort of Titanic change in things? I can't see anything major working right now, it's just not the right time. Let the new guys carry on, and tweak things their own way. And for God's sake, do NOT let the inmates run the asylum again. That is (and always was) doomed to failure.

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OH, you mean you want them to emulate the band on the Titanic!

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Originally Posted by chuck34

Sounds like De Ja Vu all over again.

Why does there have to be some sort of Titanic change in things? I can't see anything major working right now, it's just not the right time. Let the new guys carry on, and tweak things their own way. And for God's sake, do NOT let the inmates run the asylum again. That is (and always was) doomed to failure.

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Because even though expenses were trim/cut years ago, the IRL is probably still losing $20-30mil a year and the family appears to no longer be willing to put that money out.

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Originally Posted by chuck34

And for God's sake, do NOT let the inmates run the asylum again. That is (and always was) doomed to failure.

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Without just speaking about the Indy 500, the time that the inmates were in control of the asylum was the only major period of success that AOWR has had (in my lifetime). Yes, it eventually failed. But only after roughly 15 years of success. Prior to that, USAC was a joke... more like a semi-pro league. And the IRL is still looking for its first year of success. Its only consistency has been in its failure, and now it's drug the Indy 500 down with it.

What is the right way going forward? I really have no idea. Who knew it would get this bad?! It's beginning to look like the horse's leg is broken, and Farmer Johnson is talking about fetching his shotgun. But one thing that we do know is that sponsors don't like instability (proven by CART in its last days).

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Originally Posted by Jonesi

Because even though expenses were trim/cut years ago, the IRL is probably still losing $20-30mil a year and the family appears to no longer be willing to put that money out.

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Yes, indeed. I can only repeat my words from the past 8 or 9 years here: costs/expenses only constitute one side of the business equation. Unless you have a plan to enhance the perceived value of your product, you're wasting your time. To use a phrase from several years ago (Robin Miller?), if you're selling onion gum, it doesn't really matter how low you can get the production costs... no one wants to buy it. And so, here we are.