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View Full Version : Bob Margolis Yahoo article - Indy is still Indy



devilmaster
05-14-05, 02:22 PM
Whew. The excuses are fast and furious in this one.....

http://sports.yahoo.com/irl/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpbmdmam0wBF9TAzI1NjY0ODI1BHNlYwN0 bQ--?slug=bm-indy500051305&prov=yhoo&type=lgns


Where are the crowds?

They're not here at the track. Many fans, whose lives are busier than they were 10, 20 or 30 years ago, watch much of what happens during the month on television. For most of its existence, the Indy 500 wasn't even shown on television. Then, when it began to be televised, it wasn't live.

Now there are daily practice wrap up shows. Fans can watch those, along with qualifying weekend and the race itself, from the comfort of their easy chairs.

Or they can follow the action on the Internet. That wasn't possible 10 years ago.

Further, Indy car racing isn't the only game in town anymore. Not here. Not across the country. That could help to explain the waning ratings – that along with the poor quality of the television broadcast in recent years.

Now there are dozens of events for the auto racing fan to see and follow. Ten years ago, most NASCAR fans were in the Southeast. Now they're all across the country. In the 1950s and '60s, if you were an auto racing fan and planned to attend one race, the choice was easy – it was the Indy 500. Now the prominent choices include NASCAR, the NHRA and sports cars, among others.

Not only has NASCAR expanded nationally, so has Indy car racing. Many fans are now within an hour or two of an Indy car race, making for more attractive and accessible options than attending the Indy 500.

Another reason the crowds for the 500 have gotten smaller is that large groups of fans used to go just for the party in the infield. They didn't really care who was racing. Today, the infield where fans could party has been replaced by parking lots, corporate hospitality tents and the recently-built road course used by Formula One in its annual visit to the Speedway.

That party atmosphere is still here, but it is different. It's a more conservative, corporate environment. And those wild, beer-driven Indy 500 parties of old? They're now a regular fixture in the infield of Nextel Cup races across the country.

send him a letter - http://add.yahoo.com/fast/help/us/sports/cgi_margolis

Methanolandbrats
05-14-05, 02:26 PM
Send him a letter? Why bother, he's an idiot.

EVL29
05-14-05, 02:50 PM
"Another reason the crowds for the 500 have gotten smaller is that large groups of fans used to go just for the party in the infield. They didn't really care who was racing."

What,you mean a lot of those fans were there for the Event?

Does that mean Indy500 fans are really just "event fans"?

:gomer:

Bring on the street festivals baby.

Ozarkian
05-14-05, 02:57 PM
Wow. The new deal must be that Tony's paying by the excuse (however, points will be deducted for that swipe at Tony's new friends, the Frances).

Sounds a lot like the crap that's trotted out over at TF.

nrc
05-14-05, 02:58 PM
Not only has NASCAR expanded nationally, so has Indy car racing. Many fans are now within an hour or two of an Indy car race, making for more attractive and accessible options than attending the Indy 500.Lord knows that's a recent development. This guy should be spayed.

Hard Driver
05-14-05, 03:07 PM
No No No.... It is because of the Internet. :gomer:

Lizzerd
05-14-05, 03:16 PM
Another reason the crowds for the 500 have gotten smaller is that large groups of fans used to go just for the party in the infield. They didn't really care who was racing. Today, the infield where fans could party has been replaced by parking lots, corporate hospitality tents and the recently-built road course used by Formula One in its annual visit to the Speedway.

There is a bit of truth to this one. I never really paid much attention to what was happening on the track until the early '80's. I was too busy destroying brain cells, bellyflopping in a mud puddle, and ogling the loose women. The first few races I attended, beginning in '73 or thereabouts, I barely saw a race car.

The lack of any infield to speak of today, though, still doesn't explain the empty aluminum or the fact that good tickets are still available on qualifying weekend.

Michaelhatesfans
05-14-05, 03:27 PM
"They're not here at the track. Many fans, whose lives are busier than they were 10, 20 or 30 years ago, watch much of what happens during the month on television."

Yeah, the ratings reflect that... :shakehead

dando
05-14-05, 05:56 PM
"They're not here at the track. Many fans, whose lives are busier than they were 10, 20 or 30 years ago, watch much of what happens during the month on television."

Yeah, the ratings reflect that... :shakehead
But he explained the poor ratings l8r in the article...poor kwuality of the broadcasts in recent years. :laugh: :saywhat: While true, that hardly explains the 50%+ loss in ratings over the 10 split years...nor the ratings explosion for NASCAB. What a freaking :gomer: !

-Kevin

indyfan31
05-15-05, 02:08 AM
That party atmosphere is still here, but it is different. It's a more conservative, corporate environment.
Really, I thought it was boredom.

FanofMario
05-15-05, 02:38 AM
Jeez, just when you think Jack Arute is the biggest idiot in Indy, in steps Margolis. :rolleyes: How much does FTG and Nation pay these guys? What a POS article!

SurfaceUnits
05-15-05, 09:14 PM
Of the 97,000+ who didn't show up today, what percentage used which of Bob's excuses for not going. :confused: