Howard

It looks like our Speedvision channel is toast.....and replaced with the Nascar Channel.......all this week we have the pleasure of seeing Waltrip and his sidekicks give tours of the "motorhomes" or "coaches at the track........sad, maybe they will throw in a tour of the Budweiser plant too. <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" />

ked

I fear the same...If they indeed manage to screw it up, it will generate demand for a real "Sports Car Channel". When that is hosed by too much non-sports car content, then we can start the "RennVision" Network. Ahhh.. all Porsche, all the time.

Tom

I'm an optomist, maybe it's because NASCAR is the only active program now ant it is the leadoff week. I hope they will get to real racing. I'm finally going to get Speed Channel next week.

Doc

Here's a thought... Discovery Channel*s* seem to have exstensive resorces. How about "Discovery Wheels" channel? Anyone feel like writing up the business plan and proposal?

Howard

I'm with Kevin, how about Rennvision......or Roadracevision.....Porschevision..? lol.....or the Porsche Channel, ALMS Vision .....it works for me.

Chris Blum

What are you guys getting upset about? The owners are out to make a profit and apparently cats are the only ones who like to watch things go around in a circle for 2 hours.

Bottom line...NASCAR is hugely popular. Doesn't it make sense to cover the sport?

And another defence for rally racing. It is a blast to watch and the recaps are pretty well done. (The paris-dakkar yawnfest excluded)

ked

I'm not upset, I'm selfish. I want access to media that provides me the content I enjoy.

NASCAR, while sometimes entertaining (road courses, the last 40 laps of superspeedway races, whenever they get the aero package wrong, etc.) is basically spec racing. I am glad that NASCAR fans can get their own channel. I am happy it keeps them off the street.

Now, I want my channel. F1, Sports Cars (proto-to-production), vintage (cars & racing). In fact, SpeedChannel would be wise to plan "Speed2" or 3 (as ESPN has) in order to capitalize on the variety & breadth of demand for car-culture content, especially since they are going to drive us crazy w/ "all stock car culture, all the time". I am pretty convinced the business case exists, someone will fill the demand - who wants to make THIS money?

E. J. - 993 Alumni

[quote]Originally posted by Kevin E Davis:
<strong>Now, I want my channel. F1, Sports Cars (proto-to-production), vintage (cars & racing). In fact, SpeedChannel would be wise to plan "Speed2" or 3 (as ESPN has) in order to capitalize on the variety & breadth of demand for car-culture content, especially since they are going to drive us crazy w/ "all stock car culture, all the time". I am pretty convinced the business case exists, someone will fill the demand - who wants to make THIS money?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Kevin,

Hate to burst your bubble, but obviously the business plan does not exist, or else Speedvision would not have sold out to FOX. I know lots of people in the racing tv production community, and believe me, NASCAR is the only way to make money in this country. It is a fact. I hate it as much as you. I wish we could get Eurosport over here, at least they actually cover ALL the major international racing series.

As a side note, Speed Channel will continue to offer shows like Motorsport Mundial (the best racing recap show around for people like us) and NASCAR will only occupy 60% of total programming. We will see.

E. J.

ked

EJ, I appreciate the insiders view of a harsh reality. I can stand a burst bubble - don't sweat it.

NASCAR coverage may now be the easiest way to make the biggest money on racing in America. Is it the ONLY way to make ANY money on cars & racing? I think the state of the economy has driven consolidation & focused on immediate revenue streams. Venture capital that supports new initiatives has dried up. As conditions improve, I hope some of your friends in the racing TV production community are able to capitalize on what others overlook.

E. J. - 993 Alumni

Kevin,

The thing you have to remember is that its not just the tv programming that is suffering. The average value of a CART sponsorship dropped to half in only 2 years - from 10mil to 5 mil. That is crazy that it would drop that fast. There are many IRL cars that run each week without sponsorship of any kind with the rich team owner funding the whole operation. At the bottom rung of the ladder is road racing. How many non factory teams are able to operate without any cash from the owner? None that I know of. I wonder how much the Rennlist and Suncoast sponsorship cost and what percentage of the total cost that covered? Even in the higher prototype classes this is happening. Look at Dyson Racing - they have been sponsored for years by the company the the team owner owns. Other prototype teams compete without any sponsorship. Now going down to Speedvision GT and Grand Am Cup where some of us would like to end up racing it is even harsher. Not much sponsorship there.

Now the flip side is that UPS signs the largest NASCAR sponsorhip in history two years ago - 17 mil. And that doesnt include any of the other program costs like hospitality and tickets and suites and food etc... I bet they are spending 30 mil a year on that program. Crazy numbers.

Of course even F1 is suffering - look at Prost GP team. But of course to be competitive in F1 the sponsorship starts at 100mil. People estimate that the big 3 have 200-250 mil a year in sponsorship.

So its not just the tv that is suffering.

E. J.

ked

Very true, EJ. I think adequetely funded teams running competitively in interesting cars on challenging courses is the prerequisite. That's a basis upon which to build an audience that will (might?) attract the TV media & its advertisers. Given the current economy, we may be lucky to have anything...

Joe R

Go NASCAR. Can you believe that these guys pack the house every weekend. and then get cheers when they wreck a race car.Not to menton 18 at a time. Then everybody is shocked at major sponsorship pulling out.
It is almost like WWF but we know thats real.

E. J. - 993 Alumni

What Sponsors are pulling out of NASCAR Joe?

E. J.

Howard

It's well known that Nascar is the most popular form of racing here in the U.S, but the point I was trying to make is that Nascar was doing just fine being telecast on ESPN and also NBC. Why ruin a channel for us amateur racers and road racing enthusiasts by bringing Nascar to Speedvision and eleminating SCCA, PCA,POC,and ALMS events,etc? BTW, I even watched the last 4 laps of the Daytona 500 ! I don't hate Nascar, I just prefer road racing, at least they hit the brakes and downshift in the ALMS !

E. J. - 993 Alumni

[quote]Originally posted by Howard:
<strong>It's well known that Nascar is the most popular form of racing here in the U.S, but the point I was trying to make is that Nascar was doing just fine being telecast on ESPN and also NBC.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Howard, no offense and I completely commisurate with you the seming loss of some road racing, but I don't understand this at all. Are you not a capitalist? That's like saying why would I want to expand my little 7-11 store into the number 1 chain of convenience stores? That line of thinking makes no sense to me. We are all here to make money for ourselves and our investors. Lets not forget that FOX paid $2bil dollars to cover NASCAR and Speed channel is a great way of recouping part of that investment as well as protecting that sizeable investment. AS for your very first statement, this week was the official launch of Speed Channel so they wanted to make a splash with the 500 to really get people excited about both the channel and the race.

[quote]<strong>Why ruin a channel for us amateur racers and road racing enthusiasts by bringing Nascar to Speedvision and eleminating SCCA, PCA,POC,and ALMS events,etc? BTW, I even watched the last 4 laps of the Daytona 500 ! I don't hate Nascar, I just prefer road racing, at least they hit the brakes and downshift in the ALMS.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I think they are still going to carry the majority of Grand Am races, most ALMS races, the SCCA run offs, and the big 4 endurance races. As for the POC tribute, not sure, and I am not sure of any PCA race ever covered by that channel.

I think we need to give them a chance to see how it shakes out. THe majority of the NASCAR programming is going to be on Sundays (pre and post race) and weekday nights (nightly magazine show). Not sure about you, but I don't watch that much Speedvision on weekday nights. I always check it, but there is not usually much there to interest me (motorcycles or movies). I am not concerned yet and will wait for them to show their hands as to what will really happen.

Oh yea, don't forget, they have the full CART season too and will most likely still be the only F1 outlet for us here...

E. J.