Comments on: More Balance Needed In The IndyCar Schedule

By: Tom G.

Tom G. — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:32:59 +0000

Yes, because the taxicab races put more butts in the seats, and viewers on the TV screens. All part of the economic challenge of growing the business. I wish there was a simple answer.

By: Bent Wickerbill

Bent Wickerbill — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 23:44:56 +0000

Just a guess, but I am thinking that the taxicab sponsors cough up a whole hell of alot more cake than the IC sponsors do…

By: billytheskink

billytheskink — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:14:50 +0000

Formula 1 has a share-the-wealth program, kinda like IndyCar or (more like) the NFL. The teams receive a certain percentage of F1′s total revenues and then divide that “prize money” equally among themselves. Last year, the teams reportedly received $686 million total. Dividing this by 24 cars and 19 races gives an estimate of about $1.5 million per car per race race.

Before IndyCar started setting prize money values, race purses were determined and paid by the promoter of each race. I wonder if that would be a hurdle to IndyCar working with race promoters or if they would prefer the old way.

By: Ron Ford

Ron Ford — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 20:49:41 +0000

You plan on watching the Bears beat Packers? I like a man with a sense of humor!

By: JohnMc

JohnMc — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 19:46:17 +0000

I would like more races in the early spring as well as July and August. A 19 race schedule would be nice, eventually, but I am also against going up against the NFL. Everyone knows that I am a race fan with great passion, however, if you had the Bears vs. Green Bay and a race on another channel, I am DVRing the race and watching the Bears beat Green Bay.

By: redcar

redcar — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 19:42:26 +0000

according to semi-reliable internet sources, it looks like Daytona paid 19.1 million total with 1.4 million going to the winner. Indy paid out 13.2 million with 2.4 million going to the winner. didn’t check out F1 at all. so Indy’s still the largest winners check in racing, with Daytona handing out more total money. so no surprise, I’m wrong again. that’s why I never go to Vegas.

I wonder how it would work out if Indycar just gave out prize money for races instead of the share-the-wealth program thing they have going on?

By: redcar

redcar — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 19:26:49 +0000

I thought it had been eclipsed by Daytona. Not sure why I thought that–and there’s every chance I’m wrong–but I had that in my head. I’ll look it up.

By: billytheskink

billytheskink — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 19:11:32 +0000

Personally, I’d love to see IndyCar race through as much of the year as possible, but there are reasonable reasons for avoiding the NFL season.

TV ratings, and the demographics that accompany them, indicate that the NFL attracts about any given person in the United States. That is, the NFL doesn’t have a niche, it does well with all sorts of people. There are probably more than a couple IndyCar fans who would consider it a difficult decision to choose between a race and their favorite NFL team’s game.

Running during the NFL season means a considerably tougher row to hoe to reach non-diehard fans, less media attention, a harder sell to sponsors and advertisers, etc.
It can be, and obviously has been, done, but it’s much tougher time of year to create successful events. With the total number of races well under 20, it’s also not really necessary.

By: Nomex

Nomex — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 19:00:43 +0000

Marketing research has shown that the demographics for the “typical” IndyCar fan are very similar to that of an NFL fan, so they do NOT cater to very different types of people. They are going after the same set of eyes. IndyCar is struggling to get a 1.0 on ABC, while a bad NFL matchup will get a 26.0 in a local market. In order to survive, IndyCar needs those NFL viewers and doesn’t need to be fighting for them in September. The way of thinking that the hard-core fans are enough to carry this sport is partly what got IndyCar in this mess to begin with.

By: billytheskink

billytheskink — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:42:01 +0000

I like your thought on the three Texas races.

As for Indy 500 purse, does the race not still pay the largest winning prize money of any race in the world? I know it pays about $1 million more than winning the Daytona 500.