IRL Broadcast Moratorium = Rating Blitz?

[Chief]

With the tape delay and virtual media blackout of all things IRL until 1PM Sunday, it's a given that this is the race that will put the IRL "over the top" ratings wise, right?

[Sean O'Gorman]

About as much a given as you guys actually ignoring the race if you dislike it so much. ;)

[Kate]

I agree -- why are you still obsessing about them? It's like hanging around your ex-wife's doorstep after she's married another man.

Get over it and move ON.

[Chief]

Explain what is obsessive in my question?

[Sean O'Gorman]

Originally posted by Chief
Explain what is obsessive in my question?

Why even bring up the subject unless you were trying to pick a fight? Plus, I noticed that 7 of your 8 posts here are related to the IRL. ;)

[Chief]

Stating the obvious is picking a fight? Tough crowd. The IRL can't put a moratorium on my thoughts.

[Eagle104]

Originally posted by SOG35
Why even bring up the subject unless you were trying to pick a fight?

The fight began with the tantrum. By design.

[Ziggy]

That was eggciting

Ziggy

[pchall]

Originally posted by Chief
The IRL can't put a moratorium on my thoughts.

No, but the mods at some forums can. ;)

We can chalk this up to the axiom "know your enemy".

Now that it is clear that Fred Nation runs the charm school that the Iraqi Minister of Information attended all we can do is rumble through the background like an M1 after any IRL event.

[Chief]

We have word the IRL Broadcast moratorium netted a fine 1.0 rating in the overnights. So much for world expansion to the Indycentric crowd. I expect ABC to pull the plug soon.

[pchall]

Their last race dropped .3 for the final ratings. I wonder if this will hold true again?

[Dr. Corkski]

Originally posted by SOG35
Plus, I noticed that 7 of your 8 posts here are related to the IRL. ;) Must be a closet IRL fan. He seems to know more about the IRL than anyone at TF. :D

[pchall]

:D

That's not very difficult when you lead a Blue Kool-Aid free life.

[devilmaster]

Originally posted by Chief
We have word the IRL Broadcast moratorium netted a fine 1.0 rating in the overnights. So much for world expansion to the Indycentric crowd. I expect ABC to pull the plug soon.

Oh, and if I haven't said it today yet,

Thanks, Idiotgrandson. :shakehead

Steve

[Don Quixote]

Originally posted by Chief
We have word the IRL Broadcast moratorium netted a fine 1.0 rating in the overnights. So much for world expansion to the Indycentric crowd. I expect ABC to pull the plug soon.

However, the long term outlook is better. If the Motegi crashfest doesn't attract NASCAR fans to the IRL, I don't know what will. ;)

[racer2c]

Originally posted by Dr. Zhivago
Must be a closet IRL fan. He seems to know more about the IRL than anyone at TF. :D

Hell, I know more about NASCAR than 95% of their fanbase and I despise the taxis.

Know your enemy.

[cartmanoz]

I still cheer that IRL is not shown on free-to-air over here and that Channel 10 still provide exclusive ChampCar coverage.

The only IRL coverage we get is on ESPN...

[tantra]

Darn, you mean I missed another IRL race?
Just can't seem to get it together and turn on the TV at the right times.

[nrc]

Final IRL Rating: 0.7

The final numbers for the IRL race from Japan on ABC show a 0.7 rating and and 2 share, representing 782,000 households. For some reason, Nielsen has the final 16 minutes of coverage rated separately, and those 16 minutes show a 0.5 rating. (4/17)

http://www.motorsportstv.com

[Don Quixote]

For years many have said that a 1.0 on any network program is automatic. So how could they have dropped so low. The product, terrible as it is (IMO) is no worse than it was last year. Do you suppose that the latest influx of furrin road racers has really chased off a significant portion of their base fans? Seems to me to be the best explanation. We are all so much better off that the tantrum occurred.

[nrc]

Originally posted by Don Quixote
Do you suppose that the latest influx of furrin road racers has really chased off a significant portion of their base fans? Seems to me to be the best explanation. We are all so much better off that the tantrum occurred.

America's open wheel braintrust has created two seperate series, neither of which gives anyone what they really want.

[Hot Rod Otis]

Pretty sad that TWO open-wheel series can't draw a 1.0 COMBINED TV rating. Other than a dwindling number of die-hards, NOBODY is watching either series anymore. Plus we have the smallest number of Indy 500 entries since the Depression, boatloads of 500 tix still available, IMS reduced to hawking 500 tickets on the internet. Boy I'm sure glad Tony, as they're so fond of saying @ TF, protected the integrity of the 500. I guess integrity doesn't include attendance or TV ratings.

NRC is right on. Both series are becoming what their hard-core fan base's don't like or have interest in, thus the ratings tank. The IRL is becoming an all-oval C^RT full of foreign road racers, and C^RT looks like it is on its way to becoming a mainly street race series. Both fan bases have no use for either of those. The IRL is alienating their fan-base and ain't attracting very many old C^RT fans, most of whom have no use for all ovals all the time. C^RT, with the apparent loss of R-A, with Mid-Ohio and Laguna possibly not far behind is alienating its one remaining hard-core fan base. Having a series of street festivals might be good for the 3-day attendance totals, and the fat-cats with the free tickets and access to the hospitality tents. But there is no TV fan base for one street race after another. That, IMO is the achilles heel of Pook's apparent plan for C^RT to be a series of street races. They might be great for business, and great for the residents of that weeks event, but for the fan at home watching on TV, they don't draw any viewers. There is no built in street race fan base.

The ideal OPW series would be a series that takes the best of all 3 types and runs equally on all 3 types of tracks.....wait a tick, we had that once. The ratings were pretty good, the crowds were there, the sponsors were there, there were enough road races and ovals to keep the respective fan bases happy, which actually enjoyed both types of racing, thrown in with a smattering of street races. It was great mix, and ensured that the series champion had to be good at all 3 types of racing. What happened? Where did it all go? Thats right, ONE person decided it needed "fixin".

:rolleyes:

[DaveL]

What Otis said.

Good post.

[Ziggy]

Otis, good post. Too expand on it just a bit.... One of the major battle cries of the IRL fan was the engine lease programs. Now Indy is once again in peril in regard to the engine manufactures. As I understand it, there are 34 engine "packages" on record for the upcoming month of May. Once again, the manufactures are calling the shots. The funny thing is, Penske does his own motors separate from the "regular" Toyota rebuilders.... What changed? Oh, yeah, Tony is calling the shots (or was, now there is a red phone on his desk, the matching one is in Japan)

Now on to CART.... and the total lack of exposure for the sponsor dollar. (not that it's any better in any other openwheel series) Street Racing has about as much historical significance as last years top country band. It's disposable in and of itself. When melded with a worthy mix of proper road course's and ovals, they tend to be more closely watched. Im speaking of the fans that actually either attend, tune in or record the races. This is something that is obviously over Mr. Pook's head. The fat cat freebie is the be all, business to business Trojan horse which has wiped any "racing" out of the current schedule.

The things that many of us long term posters chided the IRL fans about are now true of our series. No name drivers with flimsy credentials. Cars racing around with drivers names plastered on the car (come on, there is a war going on, and it is AMERICAN SPIRIT RACING) one engine, one chassis (a Reynard is a handicap) and lots of Mickey Mouse circuits on the horizon.

It aint good

Ziggy
with 50+ CART ticket stubs in a cigarbox

[Sean O'Gorman]

Originally posted by Ziggy
Otis, good post. Too expand on it just a bit.... One of the major battle cries of the IRL fan was the engine lease programs. Now Indy is once again in peril in regard to the engine manufactures. As I understand it, there are 34 engine "packages" on record for the upcoming month of May. Once again, the manufactures are calling the shots. The funny thing is, Penske does his own motors separate from the "regular" Toyota rebuilders.... What changed? Oh, yeah, Tony is calling the shots (or was, now there is a red phone on his desk, the matching one is in Japan)

Now on to CART.... and the total lack of exposure for the sponsor dollar. (not that it's any better in any other openwheel series) Street Racing has about as much historical significance as last years top country band. It's disposable in and of itself. When melded with a worthy mix of proper road course's and ovals, they tend to be more closely watched. Im speaking of the fans that actually either attend, tune in or record the races. This is something that is obviously over Mr. Pook's head. The fat cat freebie is the be all, business to business Trojan horse which has wiped any "racing" out of the current schedule.

The things that many of us long term posters chided the IRL fans about are now true of our series. No name drivers with flimsy credentials. Cars racing around with drivers names plastered on the car (come on, there is a war going on, and it is AMERICAN SPIRIT RACING) one engine, one chassis (a Reynard is a handicap) and lots of Mickey Mouse circuits on the horizon.

It aint good

Ziggy
with 50+ CART ticket stubs in a cigarbox

Excellent post, couldn't agree more.

[Railbird]

Well said Otis and Ziggy.

I chided my old internet buddy "manson" (a good short track/IRL guy) a while back about the final result being something neither one of us wanted.

He agreed

[Racewriter]

Originally posted by Railbird
Well said Otis and Ziggy.

I chided my old internet buddy "manson" (a good short track/IRL guy) a while back about the final result being something neither one of us wanted.

He agreed

I'll agree too, Bird...

[Hot Rod Otis]

What Ziggy & Railbird said.


So is it safe to say that Tony has managed to piss EVERYBODY off?:shakehead

[Sean O'Gorman]

EDIT: Nevermind, the image I wanted to post didn't work right.

[Ziggy]

Not quite. I just got home from watching about 30 laps of IPS practice. If this wont muddy the waters, nothing will. These cars are just flat wide open. The spotters should rest their voices for at least three days prior to this upcoming race. "Still there, Still there, Still there" will be the mantra. This race will be the parade to end all parades. I would imagine the fans visiting from the museum think they are watching the same cars the run the Indianapolis 500.... and they do look quite a bit similar.

IT JUST BREAKS MY HEART, Tony George to the Indianapolis Star, circa 1996

Thanks Tony, your a dumbass. You should run this race in front of the Winston Cup crowd, that way there will be fans to watch it, and media as well. NSSN already reports this stuff, correct? I bet Bruce Martin and Curt Cavein get all glassy eyed watching history unfold....

Ziggy

[racer2c]

Originally posted by Ziggy
Not quite. I just got home from watching about 30 laps of IPS practice. If this wont muddy the waters, nothing will. These cars are just flat wide open. The spotters should rest their voices for at least three days prior to this upcoming race. "Still there, Still there, Still there" will be the mantra. This race will be the parade to end all parades. I would imagine the fans visiting from the museum think they are watching the same cars the run the Indianapolis 500.... and they do look quite a bit similar.

IT JUST BREAKS MY HEART, Tony George to the Indianapolis Star, circa 1996

Thanks Tony, your a dumbass. You should run this race in front of the Winston Cup crowd, that way there will be fans to watch it, and media as well. NSSN already reports this stuff, correct? I bet Bruce Martin and Curt Cavein get all glassy eyed watching history unfold....

Ziggy :rofl: :thumbup: :D

[DaveL]

If CART really and truely wanted to diminish Indy and turn it into "just another race", it could have not found a better person for that purpose than one Anton Hulman George.