2022 ERC News & Rumours

[Jarek Z]

why was the ERC so strong in the 1980s/1990s despite a strong WRC? Is my perception of the ERC in the 90s wrong or was it just that rallying in general was in better health?

Both ERC and WRC were strong in the 1980s, because it was the golden era of rallying. But it's long gone.

[WRCStan]

I know it was a very different prospect back then with 40+ rounds in a season, but why was the ERC so strong in the 1980s/1990s despite a strong WRC? Is my perception of the ERC in the 90s wrong or was it just that rallying in general was in better health?

Maybe because ERC looked more like a ranking system back then. Nobody did the full rounds which wouldn't make for great entertainment today and the leading crews rarely met. You could even do the same for 2022 by selecting 40+ rounds off eWRC and mathematics of your choice and still say the sport looks in good health.

[RS]

Nobody did the full rounds which wouldn't make for great entertainment today and the leading crews rarely met.

Sounds like WRC2.

Regarding ERC, i don't really see a huge problem with the calendar. There are some good events in some countries with a strong rallying heritage.

In theory the better tv coverage for ERC than WRC2 should be attractive to sponsors, but that is no use if only a few hundred people are watching. In order to gain more viewers and maybe to act as a 'gateway drug' for All-Live they should broadcast the ERC powerstage on Youtube for free (i know i've said it before but i stand by it)

[WRCStan]

Like a lot of people I had hoped that all the talk of a new dawn for the ERC and a feeder series for the WRC/WRC2/3 would have already born fruit however its kind of turned into the problem child that the parents just pack off to boarding school rather than sit down and work out what the problem is.

There still seem to be enough well healed younger drivers in Europe that could populate the championship however a bit like our own "premier" series it seems that there no longer is a reason to wait and its better to jump straight to WRC level even if its just the European rounds. Maybe only allowing Rally3 and below machinery for the overall title and putting an upper age limit for the drivers crown would push the series as a talent factory as we are not seeing the "Junior" teams from the manufacturers a few people were touting a season or two ago.

As it stands IMO the ERC will just be a backing singer in Spain. FFS they cant even give proper coverage to class winners in the WRC and on WRC+ so how is the offspring series going to fare any better?

I'd go the other way and this is why I said WRC2 time is up in another thread. Mikkelsen is Champion of the World and Europe yet he never left Europe last year and did 7 rounds in each, dropping one in Europe because he already won. Ok it was a 'covid year' but as somebody pointed out - you can in theory only do gravel rounds and on one continent in WRC2, that's no world champion. So give the regionals the Rally2 prestige and have cups to support WRC.

On other points I'd give the promoter time to put their own stamp on things.

[AndyRAC]

Sounds like WRC2.

Regarding ERC, i don't really see a huge problem with the calendar. There are some good events in some countries with a strong rallying heritage.

In theory the better tv coverage for ERC than WRC2 should be attractive to sponsors, but that is no use if only a few hundred people are watching. In order to gain more viewers and maybe to act as a 'gateway drug' for All-Live they should broadcast the ERC Powerstage on YouTube for free (i know i've said it before but i stand by it)

Agree - it's hidden away. Is the interest really there? I try to mention upcoming ERC rounds on the Autosport and Pistonheads forums, and it's a waste of time.....

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Maybe we have to face facts that rallying isn't as popular as it once was and only the WRC has any real kudos for drivers and most fans.

Even with major sports, like football for example, the big coverage and viewers are only for the Premier League not the Championship... and for the Champions Leage not the Europa League or Europa Conference.

Theres so much sport to watch and so many other distractions nowadays that the average viewer is only really interested in the very top level.

[WRCStan]

Maybe we have to face facts that rallying isn't as popular as it once was and only the WRC has any real kudos for drivers

I don't agree. Every weekend ewrc homepage is full of well subscribed events up and down the ladder.

and most fans.

Even with major sports, like football for example, the big coverage and viewers are only for the Premier League not the Championship... and for the Champions Leage not the Europa League or Europa Conference.

Theres so much sport to watch and so many other distractions nowadays that the average viewer is only really interested in the very top level.

I completely agree, ERC will have very limited appeal to the average scrolling joe, but that doesn't or shouldn't spell anything negative because we are already here for some time - we are comparing with the 80s/90s as usual. There's also too high expectations here of how to grow the sport and what more eyeballs can do. But for a few crews, isn't third party sponsorship kind of dead anyway?

Don't forget that the football clubs tried to do something new to replace the champions league because "kids aren't interested". After England won on Sunday, 3/4 of the post game chat was how to grow the women's game. Cricket has been trying new formats for years, even NFL are doing more games abroad to 'grow'. I'm beginning to feel sad for the F1 drivers who are having to do so much more retarded soshul mejuh stuff, it's not sustainable for their heads. And blow me, even Neighbours has been cancelled because it's too expnsive to film and at the same time Netflix is losing subs. Practically no walk of life is immune to the fact that there isn't enough money in the world at the moment. There's really no point IMO pushing unachievable 'growth' goals onto ERC.

[RS]

Like a lot of people I had hoped that all the talk of a new dawn for the ERC and a feeder series for the WRC/WRC2/3 would have already born fruit however its kind of turned into the problem child that the parents just pack off to boarding school rather than sit down and work out what the problem is.

There still seem to be enough well healed younger drivers in Europe that could populate the championship however a bit like our own "premier" series it seems that there no longer is a reason to wait and its better to jump straight to WRC level even if its just the European rounds. Maybe only allowing Rally3 and below machinery for the overall title and putting an upper age limit for the drivers crown would push the series as a talent factory as we are not seeing the "Junior" teams from the manufacturers a few people were touting a season or two ago.

Too much obsession with youth these days.. no need to rush things and actually sometimes it’s better if you don’t (Solberg)

In Eurosport days there actually were some prizes to try and help people progress up the ladder.. don’t think there’s anything like that now? Wasn’t there supposed to be something with M-Sport?

[PLuto]

Too much obsession with youth these days.. no need to rush things and actually sometimes it’s better if you don’t (Solberg)

In Eurosport days there actually were some prizes to try and help people progress up the ladder.. don’t think there’s anything like that now? Wasn’t there supposed to be something with M-Sport?

I will say it in very short - Eurosport was trying to growth the championship. Step by step, with some limited sources. New promoter is interested only in All live and TV rights... ...and has it as "second league" with top priority for WRC.

[Danny0405]

Well, as a lot of you has evoked, even if the Catalunya solution can seem prestigious, it is really a sign of the lack of interest for ERC to have to go for such a workaround solution after more than 6 months of search, with a visibility that may not be that great as the two events will be separated (so clearly the ERC stages might be completly shadowed by WRC and WRC-2).
Clearly worrying for the future.

About one point being said above, I wouldn’t consider it as a sign that Catalunya will step down to ERC next year with rumors saying WRC status was threatened. Personally, on the contrary, I would more see him as a positive point for WRC bid next year in a sense «*okay we help you there by taking ERC event as you’re in dire situation but we want a reward (=keeping WRC status next year) » because, here, it is clearly Catalunya helping FIA and Promoter, not the opposite. Also the fact that it is announced beginning of August with a 2023 WRC calendar announcement during the month may not seem as a pure coincidence; could be a decision-maker against Latvia, Cyprus or Portugal.

Maybe Catalunya organizers will take profit of it to assess interest for ERC for further future but not 2023 IMO. But in such a shadowed situation, I’m not sure you can make a proper assessment,