Indy 500 ratings down 13% from 2008

[SarahFan]

So you do see some hope for the TV ratings? That's what I see. Sure they're bad now, but they'll get better over time.

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why?

becuase you want them too?

nothing over the life of the IRL suggests they will

[SarahFan]

I'm very leary of a "team union". Sounds too much like CART. Perhaps some sort of board with all involved parties having a seat (team owners, track owners, maybe even some drivers). Afterall that is all TG wanted in the first place, a seat at the table. Then some Head/President/CEO something that makes the final decisions. That might be workable.
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sounds a heck of a lot the CART of old.... but whats the alternative.... status quo of losing cash hand over fist cannot go on for ever....

[chuck34]

sounds a heck of a lot the CART of old.... but whats the alternative.... status quo of losing cash hand over fist cannot go on for ever....

The alternative (and I think it could work) is exaclty what I put forward. A board comprised of team owners, track owners, and drivers with some sort of "Head" that has final say-so. That is different from CART because in CART the track owners and drivers didn't have a say, and also there was no "Head" acting sort of like a "Benevolent Dictator" (but with some type of term limit, or something). At least that is how I remember CART, could be wrong though.

[chuck34]

why?

becuase you want them too?

nothing over the life of the IRL suggests they will

Perhaps it is a bit of wishful thinking. Yes you may be right about that.

But what one of the things that I think was driving the ratings ever lower on ABC was the p!ss poor coverage, IMO. Who, other than the hard-core fans, could watch it? I believe that to be different on VS. I think the more casual fan can sit down and watch the race. That will hopefully add some fans. Then as those new fans get hooked, they'll tell their friends. Then those without the channel will start demanding it. That will drive the number of eyeballs up.

Nothing over the life of IndyCar (pre split) suggested that the ratings would go this low. History, while a good indication, does not predict everything.

[SarahFan]

Nothing over the life of IndyCar (pre split) suggested that the ratings would go this low. History, while a good indication, does not predict everything.

glad you said pre-split... becuase CC/CART on Speed and spike certainly suggested todays(2009) were possibly...

[Jag_Warrior]

The alternative (and I think it could work) is exaclty what I put forward. A board comprised of team owners, track owners, and drivers with some sort of "Head" that has final say-so. That is different from CART because in CART the track owners and drivers didn't have a say, and also there was no "Head" acting sort of like a "Benevolent Dictator" (but with some type of term limit, or something). At least that is how I remember CART, could be wrong though.

CART had many "heads" over the years. But no, he was never a true dictator. Because it was the team owners who put him there, it was also the team owners (or franchise holders) who could take him out.

I appreciate what you and Ken are saying, but is there really any evidence to suggest that it's the ownership, control or management STRUCTURE which is the ROOT CAUSE of the problem? Could it be that any one of several structures would work, if (big IF) the right people occupied the key positions? I really don't know... that's just a question.

[chuck34]

CART had many "heads" over the years. But no, he was never a true dictator. Because it was the team owners who put him there, it was also the team owners (or franchise holders) who could take him out.

I appreciate what you and Ken are saying, but is there really any evidence to suggest that it's the ownership, control or management STRUCTURE which is the ROOT CAUSE of the problem? Could it be that any one of several structures would work, if (big IF) the right people occupied the key positions? I really don't know... that's just a question.

You could be right too Jag. Truth be told, I'm not totally convinced that TG is the worst person to head the thing. *ducks and runs for cover* I'm just putting another possible stucture out there. But I do think that the management structure of CART was it's eventual down-fall. You can't have the inmates run the asylum.

[Jag_Warrior]

You could be right too Jag. Truth be told, I'm not totally convinced that TG is the worst person to head the thing. *ducks and runs for cover* I'm just putting another possible stucture out there. But I do think that the management structure of CART was it's eventual down-fall. You can't have the inmates run the asylum.

As long as Joe Heitzler, Andrew Craig and Andy Evans are alive and breathing, I would have to agree that no, George is not the worst person.

Just my opinion, but we've now seen about every possible form of ownership and management structure in AOWR. They've either all eventually failed or are in the process of failing: private with a democracy (of sorts), public with a democracy (of sorts), private with two dictators and private with one dictator. The only one that ever turned a real profit and had any meaningful level of success over time was the private ownership with an elected president. It failed in the end, but it was formed in the last deep recession and went on to be successful for about 15 years. But I'm not convinced that it was the structure that made it successful. As I've learned more about the infighting and stupid decisions of CART, I'm actually amazed that it was as successful as it was.

Structures only matter when the right people are within the operation. Rome flourished as a dictatorship under Augustus, but failed under Nero. Turning the current IRL into some version of the original CART won't solve (short term anyway) the issues that the league has, IMO. It won't get them a title sponsor. It won't get them a higher paying TV deal on a network with broader exposure. It won't get top tier NASCAR drivers into the cars so that the average Joe would have at least a vague idea of a driver's name (besides The Danica).

I'm being totally honest. I really don't know why people aren't watching. And without some idea of that, I think it's a waste of time to throw noodles at the wall and propose solutions. I mean, think about what we do much of the time here. It's like I can see that you're not feeling well. But I have no idea what the problem really is, yet I'm going to suggest that you get surgery on your big toe???

I'm just another swingin' Richard fan. If I don't know nuthin', well, I don't know nuthin'. The problem is, I don't think that anyone at IMS really knows nuthin' either. "Hey, let's ask Gene Simmons what he thinks we ought to do!" Whoever came up with that lame ass idea should be shot. If it was Tony, then he should shoot himself.