IndyCar suffering through slumping TV ratings

[3_wide]

If things do not improve for the NBC Sports group side, do you think they will try a contract buyout at some point in the next couple of years?? As you recall this was a Versus deal so I wonder what NBC is thinking. The sad part is their coverage of the races is so good but people are not watching.

To me the big catch 22 is the fact the NBC mother-ship does not have races (rival ABC does) so promoting/cross-promoting becomes very difficult. If NBC had the remaining races with the Indy 500 they could promote the hell of the month of May, especially since they have the Kentucky Derby already -- "May, a month of tradition on NBC" has a nice ring to it.

But what do I know? I am just a fan...

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/0...ng-tv-ratings/

[uncommonsense52]

Fox News, one of the least reputable news organizations this side of the tabloids, puts out a hit piece on programming that it's rival networks NBC and ABC are showing?

Didn't even read the article.

[NSRSBoiler]

Fox News, one of the least reputable news organizations this side of the tabloids, puts out a hit piece on programming that it's rival networks NBC and ABC are showing?

Didn't even read the article.

Not sure how NBC Sports ratings turn into a hackjob on the most viewed new channel. The "least reputable" comment is kinda funny considering they beat all other news channels by a large margin. I could also provide facts and studies on the news channels accuracy and how it is less biased than whatever you watch, but this isn't the thread for that.

Back to the original question, I think they are trying to get the viewership up and I'm sure they see the value in the series. The Barber race had some really good action taking place behind the leaders and today's race could be VERY entertaining with so many fast guys starting outside the top 10. I think they have a good team covering the races and RB has made ALOT of good changes since taking over. I'd like to know how their other ratings compare with Indycar too.

[uncommonsense52]

Not sure how NBC Sports ratings turn into a hackjob on the most viewed new channel. The "least reputable" comment is kinda funny considering they beat all other news channels by a large margin. I could also provide facts and studies on the news channels accuracy and how it is less biased than whatever you watch, but this isn't the thread for that.

Do it. I'd love to see some facts and studies. I've seen my own facts and studies, as a former Political Communications and Journalism major.

I bet you watch the hacks on msnbc. And how do I know? Because you blowhard an opinion on an article you didn't even read.

I don't watch any network news stations. They're not after the truth, or integrity, they're after ratings. And don't try turning that to say that that Fox News is the best rated news channel, so they're the best journalists - If you're allowing what's popular to dictate your opinions, you're just asking for a brain washing. If I have to resort to such a thing, my first two sources are BBC and Al Jazeera. I don't trust US news networks, too much of a vested interest and lack of accountability.

If I absolutely had to pick one of Fox News, MSNBC or CNN, it'd be CNN. Fox News would be the last place I'd look. I've seen the product and it's disturbingly Orwellian... actually, more reminiscent of Huxley.. in how much propaganda and disinformation spews from the Conservative blowhards on there.

Usually I'll get my news from Internet sources however. The beautiful thing about the Internet is that it's all there, you just have to go looking for it. And on the internet, you're in charge of your investigation. Want to look up the facts on ObamaCare? Go for it. Want to see if the Birthers really have a case? Go for it. Etc. etc.

Network News (be it left or right) is ridiculously stupid. They're the empty calories of information age.

[Truth Detector]

I've seen my own facts and studies, as a former Political Communications and Journalism major.

HaHa!! Tells me all I need to know.

[MoparsRule]

HaHa!! Tells me all I need to know.

[hdolan]

A portion of the story also appears in todays SA Express News sports section...page 2 above the fold...it quotes Mr Bernard as saying the ratings are 'unacceptable'...

[Turn13]

Just wait 'til we see the Chili Bowl results on CBS and they beat the IndyCar race ratings.

Although, Randy Bernard was at the Chili Bowl

I suspect the deviations for the IndyCar ratings so far have barely exceeded the standard. As I've said before, wake me when they triple or quadruple... maybe even octople Anything less doesn't mean much, anyway, and from what I've observed over the last 15 years bitching about it only makes it worse.

[Todd Gack]

Just wait 'til we see the Chili Bowl results on CBS and they beat the IndyCar race ratings.

Yes a taped sprint car race that was run 3 months ago battling a live Indy Car race on the historic streets of Long Beach.

What if the Chili Bowl does beat the IC race?

[pb]

A portion of the story also appears in todays SA Express News sports section...page 2 above the fold...it quotes Mr Bernard as saying the ratings are 'unacceptable'...

He's correct. Unfortunately, I can only control my TV.

[Z28]

Fox News, one of the least reputable news organizations this side of the tabloids, puts out a hit piece on programming that it's rival networks NBC and ABC are showing?

Didn't even read the article.

While I agree about FOX, you missed that it's Jenna Fryer who is either the new enemy of AOW racing or one of the few objective journalists covering the sport. Also how high brow is NBCSports Network or Speed to have Robin Miller covering INDYCAR on their networks and he hammers on the competition's broadcasts of races on ABC/ESPN?


INDYCAR is stuck with NBCSports and ESPN/ABC but the danger is that the feeling is mutual. As NBCSports shifts more programming from NBC to their sports channel and their time buy hunting and fishing show contracts run out the danger is that they will be able to line up other sports that can draw the same or higher numbers at a lower cost than INDYCAR and they're the ones trying to get out of a bad deal. It could be that NBCSports doesn't want to spend any money promoting the IICS broadcasts because they don't think it would make a difference in the numbers and as Grizzlor said the races don't cost them anything, so spending more could just see them losing money.

As mentioned when there was a big INDYCAR story about Chevy pulling engines NBCSports didn't even mention it on their daily sports talk show. You would think that they would either take INDYCAR seriously enough to hire someone as their network's racing analyst or use someone from the race broadcasts to do stories they could air.


It keeps coming back to, there aren't enough fans of the series, and sooner or later INDYCAR is going to have to make changes to put more effort into getting more fans. You might say they do that now but you'll have to show me what they're doing. All I ever see is playing to the already existing too small fan base.

[SamC]

Fox News, one of the least reputable news organizations this side of the tabloids, puts out a hit piece on programming that it's rival networks NBC and ABC are showing?

Didn't even read the article.

The article is from the AP, a membership cooperative of 10s of 1000s of media outlets of all sorts of viewpoints. The OP just happened to like to the FNC websites version of it. FNC had nothing to do with the content.

Here is the same article in a CNN link:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/rac...-poor-ratings/

The extremist liberal Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...sHT_story.html

The Media News Group's Denver Post:

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_...ing-tv-ratings

A Raycom owned NBC station in Alabama

http://www.waff.com/story/17452669/i...type=printable

A Jefferson Pilot owned NBC station in South Carolina

http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/174526...type=printable

A Citadel owned station in Iowa

http://www.myabc5.com/story/17452669...ing-tv-ratings

The San Diego Union-Tribune (owned by Jeff Light, one of the most liberal people in the USA)

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/...print&page=all

[HunterG]

Today is an excellent chance to bring in new fans. The show on Graham Rahal is a good way to start it off!

[Fro]

Today is an excellent chance to bring in new fans. The show on Graham Rahal is a good way to start it off!

So who's bringing in the new fans?

Are the people watching the Hunting & Fishing shows going to watch IndyCar?

Is someone going to tune in for the NHL game on NBC Sports Network a hour early and catch some interviews with the winner of the race?

Are people watching the hockey games on NBC getting 1.5 ratings going to watch?

[HunterG]

So who's bringing in the new fans?

Are the people watching the Hunting & Fishing shows going to watch IndyCar?

Is someone going to tune in for the NHL game on NBC Sports Network a hour early and catch some interviews with the winner of the race?

Are people watching the hockey games on NBC getting 1.5 ratings going to watch?

Just give it some time. It ain't over until the fat lady sings, and I haven't seen a fat lady!

[Grizzlor]

If Indycar is stuck in the "Versus" contract then so are they. The races cost them no money, why would they drop them?

[use2know]

If things do not improve for the NBC Sports group side, do you think they will try a contract buyout at some point in the next couple of years?? As you recall this was a Versus deal so I wonder what NBC is thinking. The sad part is their coverage of the races is so good but people are not watching.

Keep in mind that the same corporation that owned Versus before the NBC acquisition, still owns NBCSN. Comcast purchased NBC. NBC did not purchase Versus. Versus answered to Comcast... NBCSN answers to Comcast... they're just now wrapped up with a tidy little 'sports group' bow...

To me the big catch 22 is the fact the NBC mother-ship does not have races (rival ABC does) so promoting/cross-promoting becomes very difficult. If NBC had the remaining races with the Indy 500 they could promote the hell of the month of May, especially since they have the Kentucky Derby already -- "May, a month of tradition on NBC" has a nice ring to it.

But what do I know? I am just a fan...

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/0...ng-tv-ratings/

Apparently you haven't been watching much NBC lately because they already promo the month of May, sports-wise. In the eyes of some, adding the 500 would cause NBC to break away from one of their long-standing May sports 'traditions' of covering the French Open.

The Month of May on NBC...: The Kentucky Derby, The Players Championship, The Preakness, The French Open, The Senior PGA Championship, 5 weekend NHL Playoff games... Now sprinkle in the Giro D'Italia and the Tour of California... That's a pretty good month.

JMHO, of course.

[ghost]

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/0...ng-tv-ratings/

What's it going to take? We know that the racing has been good.

I think it's more ovals, and more of a mix of qualified American short track talent.

What do you think? Is it just a lack of promotion on NBC Sports part? I think the quality of their coverage has been very good

[pb]

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/0...ng-tv-ratings/

What's it going to take? We know that the racing has been good.

I think it's more ovals, and more of a mix of qualified American short track talent.

What do you think? Is it just a lack of promotion on NBC Sports part? I think the quality of their coverage has been very good

What I'd like to see is more ovals. What makes sense is, unfortunately, chasing a sanctioning fee check as we're seeing presently. In spite of that, the last two races have been very good and I'm thinking this should be quite an interesting season.

I don't watch NBC Sports during racing season except for Indycar so I can't really speak to whether or not they're promoting enough but I have the nagging thought in the back of my mind that the problem isn't the promotion or the drivers or the tracks. It's a little of all of the above with a heaping helping of folks just not caring anymore.

I guess I've moved through the denial, anger, bargaining and depression stages. Perhaps I'm ready for acceptance of the sport as it is in 2012.

[KevinOneel]

What's it going to take?

1. Time. We're still only a handful of years out of the split. We're in the third year of Randy Bernard's leadership. We're still under a crapball of a TV contract.
2. Exposure. We're starting to get more sponsors running national campaigns. It's going to take more consumer sponsors and less B2B sponsors, as has been prevalent in the IICS.
3. Circumstance. Something positive has to happen in a race to draw interest.... It needs to be something like Simona breaking through and getting a win. Graham or Marco winning a thriller at Indy. A prime time night race on a broadcast network with a thrilling finish.

More ovals would be nice, but unfortunately, circumstance doesn't allow it right now. Someone's got to come up with a way to make money on ovals. Personally, I think the one-day-show is the way to go.

As for American short track talent.... I don't think that bares any weight. I follow IICS just about as closely as anyone can, and I can barely name 5 USAC drivers. I can pretty much tell you people aren't familiar with USAC at all.

I do think one thing that would help Indycar is to have less of an Indy-centric view. That's one thing they could learn from NASCAR. Wanna be a national series? Act like it. Don't lose the importance of your biggest race, but back up that all the other races are just as important.

[Turn13]

It's going to take a lot more fans endorsing the product and a lot fewer dissing it.

[pb]

I've endorsed it to everyone I know who will listen. Every time I've gotten someone who isn't a fan to watch it ends up being a show like the last time they ran at Richmond. What can you do?

[Turn13]

Persist.

[Doyouloveit?]

I've endorsed it to everyone I know who will listen. Every time I've gotten someone who isn't a fan to watch it ends up being a show like the last time they ran at Richmond. What can you do?

Every single race can't be the best race ever, some races are just plain boring. Do you think if a NASCAR fan brought over first timers to watch the NASCAR race Saturday @ Texas they would've become new fans? Hell no. That race was an absolute bore.

Every new race fan that I've got hooked on Indycar racing has started at one place.....16th and Georgetown.

[DamonG19]

3. Circumstance. Something positive has to happen in a race to draw interest.... It needs to be something like Simona breaking through and getting a win. Graham or Marco winning a thriller at Indy. A prime time night race on a broadcast network with a thrilling finish.

That happened in 2008 with Graham becoming the youngest driver to win an Indycar race and appearing on Letterman, then Danica becoming the first woman to win an Indycar race, she also made the late night TV rounds that next week (including Letterman) and ultimately wound up on the cover of SI two weeks before the Indy 500.

An interesting Indy 500 (Marco finished 3rd) saw ratings go up 7% and viewership 13% from the 2007 race, then Marco/Graham starting on the front row at Milwaukee the week after Indy and 9 of the first 12 races in 2008 seeing viewership increases from 2007.......what else could you ask for?



http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/D...ification&sc=0

The first IndyCar Series season following the IRL/Champ Car unification saw gains in viewership across ABC/ESPN/ESPN2. For 18 races this season, which includes former Champ Car races at Long Beach and Edmonton, the series averaged 1.6 million viewers across the three Disney-owned nets, up 19.1% from last season when IndyCar averaged 1.4 million viewers for 17 races on the three nets