Comments on: Things Might Be Looking Up

By: delta3

delta3 — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:35:27 +0000

Interesting that you should mention Randy Bernard in connection with the dispute between DirectTV and Comcast being settled. On Monday, in a post on the IndyCar fan forum, I asked if anyone joined me in wondering whether or not Bernard — who had been on board as CEO for only two weeks — had anything to do with the sudden and unexpected agreement between the two parties. I went on to say that in my experience coincidences such as this are almost never accidental. Since I did not receive any feedback to my post, perhaps you and I are among the few to make that connection …or care. I also closed by saying that “perhaps Mr. Bernard is someone who can actually get things done.” It appears that we are thinking alike, at least in this case.

delta3

By: Brad

Brad — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:08:08 +0000

Not quite sure I understand the logic of Versus dropping Indycar comment. Versus is the one who paid Indycar to let them broadcast races on their network. I am sure that Versus was well aware of the state of Indycar when they signed the deal. I would imagine that Versus had the confidence in themselves to be a better broadcast partner than what they currently had with ABC/ESPN and they could gain more viewers to their network as well as helping Indycar. I doubt that television networks “stop trying as hard as they are now” when they have money and time invested in a multiyear deal.

I think if anyone “drops” anyone it would be Indycar saying that the partnership just isn’t working due to a number of reasons. (ie people won’t pay extra for premium channels to see the race)

By: Savage Henry

Savage Henry — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:40:36 +0000

Izod is thinking that by 2013 or 2014 everyone will be talking about how they got the deal of the century getting the title sponsorship of a property like this for so cheap. I hope they are right. Hopefully they’ll be able to gain some nice momentum over the next couple of years (while F1 legislates themselves into a good cure for insomnia and NASCAR tries to get somebody killed) and can really take advantage when the new car(s) come out in 2012 or 2013. It would be especially great if they allowed to speeds to come up when they bring in the new cars, too.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:41:47 +0000

I’m not expecting Nationwide (1.3ish) by Long Beach this year, but by 2012, ratings need to be to that point. Sponsors need a reason to care, and .4 ratings really aren’t enough, particularly when even the trucks can outdo that. Of course Indy helps a ton, but still, .4 isn’t going to cut it.

Izod does have an out clause. They are probably not expecting great initial ratings, but are looking for sustained and major growth. On the other hand, prehaps they’ll stay because of Indy?

Eventually, though, VS. will get tired of the horrible Indycar ratings, and if not drop them, stop trying as hard as they are now.

By: The Speedgeek

The Speedgeek — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:33:34 +0000

Izod knows the score. It’s not like they signed their deal 15 years ago, it was just 6 months ago, and they knew full well what the TV ratings were last year. They know this isn’t an overnight turn around. And Versus isn’t going to cut and run or anything, because if the ratings aren’t all that great, that’s on them (and their promotional ability) as much as it’s on IndyCar. Ratings aren’t great, and things in general aren’t perfect, but they’re going the right direction for a change.

Nobody’s suggesting that we all start doing backflips because a return to the heady days of 1993 are right around the corner or whatever, just that people stop claiming that the League is in such an unhealthy state that it won’t be around long enough to see the Finger Lakes this season. We’re not going to be pulling Nationwide-type numbers by Long Beach. Or maybe even by Long Beach 2011. Or 2012. Just try to have some patience. You’ve got to walk before you can run.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:58:05 +0000

I think things went well, considering the issue’s Sao Paolo had, and it defintly was an exciting race.

The TV ratings improvement was good, but .4 overall is still .2 lower then Camping World Truck ratings, and almost a ful 1 point below Nationwide and PBR. So there’s a ways to go.

The hope has to be it’s just time to get ratings back up. But the problem is that there may not be enough time before sponsors, as well as Izod and Vs. get tired of such low ratings.

By: Edward

Edward — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:07:49 +0000

Amen, Speedgeek. I concur completely with what you said.

I also feel optimistic. I view the series as 3 years old. 3 year olds are just learning to walk and talk and find out what is going on in the world. That’s where I feel the series is at. There’s certainly room for improvement, but I feel very optimistic about the IZOD IndyCar series right now.

By: The Speedgeek

The Speedgeek — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:23:02 +0000

Amen, Brian, optimism is where it’s at given all of the good stuff that we’ve had lately. I’d far rather read 1,000 of George’s posts where he might take one kinda-backhanded slap at something that’s a tad askew than one Robin Miller Q&A column where two dozen people (usually the same people week in, week out) perpetually complain that it’s not 1976 anymore. One guy even complained this week that nobody takes their cars to the track in U-Haul trailers anymore. Dude, where have you been for the last 30 years? Is it not 2010 in some parts of the country?

By: Roy Hobbson

Roy Hobbson — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:57:59 +0000

My thoughts exactly, George. Except I don’t like being on the same page with you. It makes me feel uncomfortable.

By: Brian McKay

Brian McKay — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:20:04 +0000

Yes; let’s be optimistic. Curious that 69 votes in the poll so far yet only two comments so far, not a spate of replies about merger of series…