along with that of the Indianapolis 500,
including bump day
and a genuine television partnership
were greatly exaggerated.
:)
More to come.
Printable View
along with that of the Indianapolis 500,
including bump day
and a genuine television partnership
were greatly exaggerated.
:)
More to come.
Curiously awaiting this week's offering of contractually influenced, intellectually handicapped, ethically compromised talking points disguised as expert opinions.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Fxfjqk5LDq...Despain+WT.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UfBePUbn2U...obinmiller.jpg
Today I witnessed something special. Hopefully you did too. This was Bump Day at Indy as authentic, dramatic, and unpredictable as ever before. We saw John Andretti and his Dreyer and Reinbold crew grab success from the depths of failure. D&R reached deep into their bag of Indy knowledge, pulled out a radical series of chassis and aero adjustments, sent John Andretti back out for another 4-lap attempt, and when the checkered flag fell lept from the depths of Did Not Qualify dispair up onto the 10th row. Such an achievement is noteworthy, but what made it truly special - sheer determination born. At this time and place it wasn't money or goals of self-recognition that drove this team. A sense of duty for a respected colleague fueled their effort. The Petty Blue and STP Red Windows World team has gained a devoted fan.
maybe, just maybe, Windbag and Blowhard will take this example of mutual respect and insert it into the program by reporting on Indycar and the Indy 500 with objectivity. I hope so, I really do.
to be continued
.15
It is worth pointing out that its the first meaningful bump day since the IRL was created.
Also, that "interview" that Tony George gave really couldn't be less inspiring. He has the personality of a monotone sloth and the mind of a dull razor blade. I still have grave doubts about the future of American open wheel as long as he is in control of it.
That's an insult to monotone sloths everywhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by MDS
On the contrary, I'd say that was the most lively I've ever seen him.Quote:
Originally Posted by MDS
That is to say he appeared to be awake.
So?Quote:
Originally Posted by MDS
You can have the greatest "bump day" in history and it won't matter if nobody saw it.
The power of positive thinking.......Quote:
Originally Posted by anthonyvop
I saw it. I think it was one of the greatest bump days. But I guess I am nobody. Sigh :(
As someone said on another thread. Let's fold up the tent and go home.Quote:
Originally Posted by SarahFan
Your constant bashing is getting old. I know, I know, "the Biz is an open topic for discussion". But come on man, just look at the bright side for once. Is that too much to ask?
I'm nobody plus one. *double sigh*Quote:
Originally Posted by beachbum
Did anyone see highlights on Sportscenter?
sorry Chuck... but keeping things in perspective....reality is Television drives the sport.... period!......and facts are AOWR aka Indycar has so far in 2009 seen the lowest opening rounds from a TV ratings perspective in the sports history... including a .15...Quote:
Originally Posted by chuck34
INDY500 Pole day saw it's lowest rating in its history
you call it constant bashing.... I call it reality..... and lets be honest..... I discuss the racers, teams and on track happenings as much if not more than anyone on this forum
as for the bright side.... enjoyed the racing so far... coverage has been improved over the recent past.... had a great time in LONG beach and I fly to INDY on friday morning........
*Rant OnQuote:
Originally Posted by SarahFan
Look man, no one around here likes the low ratings. WE GET IT. THE RATINGS SUCK. NOW GET OVER IT. I'm sick of it, others are sick of it. Perspective or not, we all know where we are. Most of us are happy about the direction. Moaning about low ratings does nothing. You like the product, I like the product, so why not talk it UP instead of down? Is that really so damn hard?
Let's talk about the good stuff.
*Rant off
your a ranter..... And your telling me how when where and why to postQuote:
Originally Posted by chuck34
You can post whatever you want and whenever you want. I'm just expressing the frustration I (and MANY others) have with your posts. It sure seems that you focus quite a lot on the negatives. We get it. As has been brought up many times, why don't you come up with some solutions if you think everything is so horrible. All that I have seen you do is complain. I (and many others) don't like where we are now, but we see a path forward. That path will be much easier if everyone is pulling in that direction. Right now we don't even have "fans" pulling that direction, as evidenced by most of your posts.
problem here is your wrong...Quote:
Originally Posted by chuck34
the path isn't forward its backward........
may I suggest your frustration isn't with me....your simply useing me as an outlet to project your frustration...
the solution is simple...
Tony George turns over control of the IRL to a collective of team owners who in turn hire an iron-fisted commissioner to lead the sport....
and as to your claim of my posting always being negative I'd gladly compare my posting history to any on this board...... I post as much or more than any member about the racers, teams and on track activity as anyone.....more than most
My frustration IS with you. I am quite happy with the new found sence of direction I see coming from 16th & G'Town.
Why would the owners want control? They've pretty much all been there, done that. I don't hear anyone wanting anything like that. Really the only thing I ever hear from the owners is how TG and Barnhart listen to what they want and act accordingly. Now maybe that is all "for the public". But I would guess that if it was not you would hear some rumblings "underground". And for all your hatred for TG, do you not agree that he is 'iron-fisted'? Be careful what you wish for, you just may get it.
And I never said that your posting was ALWAYS negative, just a lot of it. Like posting a comment of ".15" in a thread that was intended to be positive. How was that constructive?
Quote:
Originally Posted by chuck34
but again your wrong..... the direction is not forward its backward.... perhaps when you can admit that we can have a rational discussion about the state of the sport......
I'm sure the owners were wispering in Tony's ear to sign a ten year TV contract with a 3rd tier broadcaster becuase it would be great to have the lowest ratings in the sports history.... that would surely make things easier in there quest for top tier sponsors and help with there ability to hire and pay the best racers in the world..... yep I'm sure that's exactly how it went....
does constant not =always?
.15 is reality..... sorry if you would prefer glossed over..... you wont get it from me..... perhpas you should take a clue from Down town deco and simply put me on ignore......
Why is the direction backward? If the ONLY thing you look at is ratings (which I guess is all you see) then maybe. But I'm looking at the package and I see progress. So you are wrong.
The owners were probably wispering in Tony's ear to get them on a network that gave a damn about the sport. That way they have the oportunity to grow the sport. Not just stagnate like they have for the past decade.
If I put you on ignore, I wouldn't be having so much fun.
TV ratings drive the sport.... its not just my opinion...its a fact...Quote:
Originally Posted by chuck34
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?
I'm sure they were thinking NBC, Fox or CBS.... when they heard Versus I'm sure they did the same us most of us.... Who?.What?.. Huh
and GO SARAH!!!
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!!!!
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Starter
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.
i think thats precisely the case.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Starter
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 methanolHuffer
Quote:
Originally Posted by chuck34
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
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 SarahFan
Or coming to their senses.Quote:
Originally Posted by call_me_andrew
Gary
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 methanolHuffer
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by call_me_andrew
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.
hit the archives of "That Other Forum"....bring up the dates surrounding Champcar and the Spike TV debacle and you can read 100's of identical postsQuote:
Originally Posted by beachbum
A few differences:
Speed never "activated" as the "fans" hoped.
Better product with the combined assets
Indy 500 on OTA
That said, there isn't really much we can do about it, so after the 50th time we bring it up it might be bordering on the redundant ;n)
What's going to happen will happen. Should be an interesting 500, cya at Texas!
And after the first race on Spike it was obvious that the whole thing was FUBAR. After a few races on Versus, it is pretty obvious THIS has a CHANCE at actually working. The coverage is fantastic, the channel is actually interested in the product, there is real promotion on channel and off channel. Come on Ken, it's pretty clear that ANY comparison to the ChampCar Spike deal is ridiculous at best.Quote:
Originally Posted by SarahFan
Gary
yep no comparison at all.... completly rediculousQuote:
Originally Posted by garyshell
except all the hype......and the ratings of coarse
Look on the brighrt side. The crowds are small enough to get to see the cars and drivers up close and personal. When a series is popular you can't get access like you can when a series is smaller. Like Spinal Tap's later years, it allows the players to get closer to the fans.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SarahFan
Sure the hype was the same BEFORE the first show on Spike. Then it disappeared. And yes you are right, the ratings are the same, so what? How does that validate the comparison?
I still think it is clear that there is a vast difference in the Spike deal the the Versus one. The former had zero or less than zero chance of EVER working. The latter has at least some hope. Look, don't get me wrong. I am not saying the Versus deal is perfect, far from it. All I am saying is that, in SUBSTANCE, it is nothing like the Spike deal.
Gary
what more validation do you need?Quote:
Originally Posted by garyshell
.3, .5 and .15 speak for themselves....and thats not even factoring in the lowest rated poleday in history also
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/05/19...-wwe-raw/19069
from a bit of a different angle folks...
the first Oval of the year for the IRL garnered 4% of the audience as last weekend sprint cup race ...
it would take 24 races to equal the amount of viewers that watched ICARLY last weekend
*****, Ken!!! We all know the damn ratings suck. Give it a rest already. What the hell do you want? Pull the plug on the whole deal right now, go begging to ABC, and get the same crappy product we've gotten for the last decade? What will that get us, a marginal, very marginal, uptick in ratings? The ratings are so low now that if we went from the ~.4 average to a ~.6-.8 average, what is that like 100,000 more people? Is that really enough to sacrifice the good quality product we have on TV? Give it a chance, if nothing changes in about a year-year and a half, then you'll have every right to bitch.
What would you do if you were in charge to get a better TV package?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SarahFan
So with that logic it would be valid to say that the reruns of the "Golden Girls" is just like the ChampCar Spike deal because the ratings are the same? One bit of detail, i.e. the ratings does not make for a valid comparison of the deals in light of all the other big differences between the two deals. Yes, the ratings are similar, I agreed with you on that a long time ago. But there is nothing else that I can see that looks similar at this point.
I don't know the answer to this, but how does one compare the ratings from last years pole day which spanned fewer hours with this years? As an advertiser how does it matter to me that I am getting half the number of viewers over twice the amount of time? I am not saying it doesn't matter. I am trying to figure out how an advertiser DOES quantify that situation.
Gary