ALMS and Grand AM to merge!
09-03-2012 | 05:18 PM
#63
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From: Arizona
09-03-2012 | 05:26 PM
#65
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From: FL
09-03-2012 | 05:36 PM
#66
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From: Arizona
GA and ALMS is akin to when here in the States we had both the NFL and the USFL. Two football leagues could not survive. The market wasn't big enough to support them both. In my eyes, this has been the problem with having both ALMS and GA all along. There is a limited interest for sportscar racing in North America. The two series have been fighting over the same fans and the same teams for a decade. We've got guys like Ryan Daziel, Spencer Pumpelly, Guy Cosmo, Johannes Van Overbeek, and many many more trying to run in both series. We've got enough drivers. What we don't have is enough money from team owners and enough spectators/fans. Merge the two series and it becomes a lot easier for everyone involved to make it work.
I'm still pensive on how all of this will play out. It could be catastrophic if it's not handled properly. But I personally think that the manufacturers and the teams themsevles weild enough power to make this a good thing once all the bugs off it are sorted out.
What I would personally like to see is 2 separate races. One race that contains 3 prototype classes and one race that contains 2 or 3 GT classes. With the two series merged, there will be enough cars to run 2 races per weekend in just "Rolex" not even counting the street stock production class cars down in the Conti series.
I'm still pensive on how all of this will play out. It could be catastrophic if it's not handled properly. But I personally think that the manufacturers and the teams themsevles weild enough power to make this a good thing once all the bugs off it are sorted out.
What I would personally like to see is 2 separate races. One race that contains 3 prototype classes and one race that contains 2 or 3 GT classes. With the two series merged, there will be enough cars to run 2 races per weekend in just "Rolex" not even counting the street stock production class cars down in the Conti series.
But look at it this way, NFL puts on 265 games a year! NBA fans get 66, and NASCAR does 41 races a year without the support races! AMLS and Rolex are 25 COMBINED! I watched them all (when televised) and attended them both. I think it's a fallacy that there was "too much" and that it was an either or proposition. How many of you guys wouldn't watch one over the other? The current situation in ALMS is due to a lack of $$$ in sponsorship due to the current economic climate and compounded by the broadcasting shenanigans with speed (who NASCAR owns). Seen the empty stands at a NASCAR race lately? They do their best not to pan over the grandstands. All series are down. I want more, not less, and like most, "consume" as much of both as I can get. Anyway Wednesday will be interesting...
09-03-2012 | 07:56 PM
#67
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Loveland, CO
I wasn't talking about TV fans. I was talking about ticket buying in person fans. BTTC can bring out 100k people to watch a race. Same thing with Australian V8 supercars. And so can NASCAR. Race fans will travel to watch a race in person, just like other sports fans. But when there are 2 dozen events vying for a limited number of ticket buying dollars because fans don't have unlimited budgets, they will pick and choose. Cut the number of sportscar races to 1 dozen and you are going to get more fans in the stands.
It's funny you mention NASCAR because they seem to be getting the same sort of dilution problem between Cup and Nationwide. This year at Indy, it was the first time ever that the Brickyard 400 was held at the same track as the Nationwide race that historically runs the same weekend. They thought it was a good idea to bring in the Nationwide race in addition to the Grand Am race and call it a Super Weekend. My observation, with no knowledge of actual ticket numbers, was that there were way more people at the Grand Am races on Friday than attended the Nationwide race on Saturday. But neither of them brought in even 1/10th of the number of people who showed up for the Brickyard 400 on Sunday. What that says to me is that very few people actually took their marketing hook and bought a 3 day pass.
It's funny you mention NASCAR because they seem to be getting the same sort of dilution problem between Cup and Nationwide. This year at Indy, it was the first time ever that the Brickyard 400 was held at the same track as the Nationwide race that historically runs the same weekend. They thought it was a good idea to bring in the Nationwide race in addition to the Grand Am race and call it a Super Weekend. My observation, with no knowledge of actual ticket numbers, was that there were way more people at the Grand Am races on Friday than attended the Nationwide race on Saturday. But neither of them brought in even 1/10th of the number of people who showed up for the Brickyard 400 on Sunday. What that says to me is that very few people actually took their marketing hook and bought a 3 day pass.
09-03-2012 | 08:02 PM
#68
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,722
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From: Munich
As a European I've had great times racing in some of the ALMS events.
There are two great benefits
- ALMS sharpens up teams and drivers
- the entry to Le Mans itself is invaluable
Even coping with the heat is educational
R+C
There are two great benefits
- ALMS sharpens up teams and drivers
- the entry to Le Mans itself is invaluable
Even coping with the heat is educational
R+C
09-04-2012 | 02:02 AM
#70
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From: Orange County
Here's my thoughts on the merge and hoping for the best.
1.ALMS had one up on GT2 series with many manufactures support and better racing but LOUSY TV coverage.
2.GAm had better racing in Prototype over ALMS P1 series with better TV coverage.
Hopefully they can mix both class with better broadcast and competitive racing.
Meanwhile, I will be watching German DTM on YouTube... It's one of best racing ever!
1.ALMS had one up on GT2 series with many manufactures support and better racing but LOUSY TV coverage.
2.GAm had better racing in Prototype over ALMS P1 series with better TV coverage.
Hopefully they can mix both class with better broadcast and competitive racing.
Meanwhile, I will be watching German DTM on YouTube... It's one of best racing ever!
09-04-2012 | 04:14 PM
#71
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,306
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From: Vacuuming Cal Speedway
Press conference tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 10AM EST....
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001OnvIx...Yn8saaH9nYRw==
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001OnvIx...Yn8saaH9nYRw==
09-04-2012 | 04:17 PM
#72
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From: FL
Press conference tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 10AM EST....
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001OnvIx...Yn8saaH9nYRw==
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001OnvIx...Yn8saaH9nYRw==
09-04-2012 | 04:21 PM
#73
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From: FL
Here's my thoughts on the merge and hoping for the best.
1.ALMS had one up on GT2 series with many manufactures support and better racing but LOUSY TV coverage.
2.GAm had better racing in Prototype over ALMS P1 series with better TV coverage.
Hopefully they can mix both class with better broadcast and competitive racing.
Meanwhile, I will be watching German DTM on YouTube... It's one of best racing ever!
1.ALMS had one up on GT2 series with many manufactures support and better racing but LOUSY TV coverage.
2.GAm had better racing in Prototype over ALMS P1 series with better TV coverage.
Hopefully they can mix both class with better broadcast and competitive racing.
Meanwhile, I will be watching German DTM on YouTube... It's one of best racing ever!
09-04-2012 | 05:51 PM
#74
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 0
From: Mount Juliet, TN
ALMS gets in on the party and gives a link for a live feed tomorrow. #nodenyingitnow
http://www.alms.com/articles/future-...-north-america
http://www.alms.com/articles/future-...-north-america
