For what it's worth..1995 Indy Car TV Ratings

**indyracer56** · 03-10-2002 11:29 AM

Direct from the 1996 Indy Car Media Guide, here are the 1995 TV ratings:

Miami/ABC: 2.7

Australia/ABC: 2.2

Phoenix/ABC: 3.1

Long Beach/ABC:2.9

Nazareth/CBS: 2.9

Indy 500/ABC: 8.4

Milwaukee/ABC: 2.2

Detroit/ABC: 3.3

Portland/ESPN: 1.7

Road America/ESPN: 1.0

Toronto/ABC: 2.6

Cleveland/ABC: 2.3

MIS/ABC: 4.0 (!)

Mid-Ohio/ABC: 2.5

New Hampshire/ESPN2: 0.6

Vancouver/ESPN: 1.4

Laguna Seca/ESPN2: 0.7

What does it all mean?

Heck if I know, just information to discuss!

Have fun!

Edited on 03/11/02 to add ratings for Indy 500.

[ March 10, 2002: Message edited by: indyracer56 ]

[ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: indyracer56 ]

[ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: indyracer56 ]

**Brian R** · 03-10-2002 11:48 AM

Some might have argued back in 1995/96 that those ratings needed to be improved, fixed...whatever, because they showed how CART was taking OW in the wrong direction. Others, viewing those ratings from a current perspective, might assert that the actions of TG (first) and the 'circus clowns' running CART took OW in the wrong direction since 1995.

I'm sure that both TG and POOK would love to see anything approaching the 1995 ratings.

**bob** · 03-10-2002 11:51 AM

It means ABC gets higher ratings than ESPN and ESPN2 !
Bob

**indyracer56** · 03-10-2002 11:57 AM

What I would like to know is what NASCAR's rating were in 1995!

It will also be interesting to see what the IRL's ratings are this year, as they will be the only Open Wheel racing on ABC/ESPN, just as things were back in 1995.

If the ratings make a recovery then maybe we can say that the last few years have been more of a case of the audience being split and confused (Not Dazed and Confused, that was a Led Zepplin Song).

As always, time will tell.

[ March 10, 2002: Message edited by: indyracer56 ]

**jandj** · 03-10-2002 01:47 PM

It also means that in '95 , If you liked Indy car racing ( even if you weren't happy with the direction it was headed ) you watched CART because you didn't have any other choice.

Fortunately , now we do .

**OW fan in OK** · 03-10-2002 02:27 PM

Originally posted by jandj:
It also means that in '95 , If you liked Indy car racing ( even if you weren't happy with the direction it was headed ) you watched CART because you didn't have any other choice.

Fortunately , now we do .

Ditto!

**Racewriter** · 03-10-2002 02:32 PM

What does it mean?

Ouch.....

**tripper** · 03-10-2002 02:47 PM

Lets see ... in 1995 I had about 30 channels on my cable. I had the Internet, but very little "live" race info.

2002 .... I have over 120 channels -many things to watch. On the Internet I have live timing and scoring, along with live audio. If I cannot watch, I can see and hear racing on the Internet that would effect TV ratings.

Instead of going to Indy (or other tracks), I can stay home, watch LIVE timing and scoring --check out the garage cam, too.

People forget that there are many things (on TV and the Internet) that have happened over the past few years that has effected both ratings and attendance in racing.

**trow** · 03-10-2002 02:51 PM

Good point tripper!

tripper: People forget that there are many things (on TV and the Internet) that have happened over the past few years that has effected both ratings and attendance in racing.

**ZenMan** · 03-10-2002 02:55 PM

I think the ratings would have shown a downward trend even if there was no split. One reason is the expansion of the number of choices on cable that Tripper mentioned. Another is the exit or retirement of all the previous "marquee" names, all at more or less the same time--Rahal, Sullivan, Mario, Mears, etc. The names that replaced them wouldn't generate the same level of interest among fans. If they had, CART wouldn't have suffered the dropoff in ratings that they did. CART was already in the process of making itself irrelevant to the casual fan.

Before somebody jumps on me here, I'm not necessarily saying that the split didn't hurt the ratings, but I still think they would have slid downhill.

**Racewriter** · 03-10-2002 02:58 PM

Found this on MotorsportsTv.com:

Historical Winston Cup Broadcast Network Ratings

Season # of Races on Broadcast Rating Share
1990 4 4.5 14
1991 4 4.4 12
1992 4 5.3 15
1993 5 4.8 13
1994 5 5.3 16
1995 7 4.9 14
1996 7 5.1 15
1997 9 5.6 16
1998 12 4.8 13
1999 12 5.4 14
2000 12 5.0 13

The above is, of course, an average rating.

I couldn't find race-by-race stuff for 1995 NASCAR, although I'm sure it's out there. Interesting, though: In 1995, counting Indy, open-wheel racing had 11 races on network - four more than NASCAR. Yet, NASCAR drew higher average ratings than CART. Make of that what you will...

**Racewriter** · 03-10-2002 02:59 PM

Originally posted by ZenMan:
Another is the exit or retirement of all the previous "marquee" names, all at more or less the same time--Rahal, Sullivan, Mario, Mears, etc. The names that replaced them wouldn't generate the same level of interest among fans. If they had, CART wouldn't have suffered the dropoff in ratings that they did. CART was already in the process of making itself irrelevant to the casual fan.

True. And that problem still has yet to be fixed, or even a really good start on fixing it made.

**ZenMan** · 03-10-2002 03:02 PM

Sam Hornish is a good start. Sarah Fisher was a good start. Enticing Tony Stewart to come back home would be more than a good start. Drivers crossing over from NASCAR to run Indy is a very good start.

**Racewriter** · 03-10-2002 03:06 PM

Originally posted by ZenMan:
Sam Hornish is a good start. Sarah Fisher was a good start. Enticing Tony Stewart to come back home would be more than a good start. Drivers crossing over from NASCAR to run Indy is a very good start.

I'm with you on Hornish, my friend. Rick Mears without the burns, but with a badly advised goatee.

Fisher WAS excellent, but that doesn't help when she's rideless. Stewart coming back would be great, but I don't think it'll happen for anything other than the 500. NASCAR drivers crossing over would help, but the fact is that Indy isn't where we need the help - it's sold out, and draws 6 ratings. We need the help at Homestead, St. Louis, Nazareth, Phoenix, etc...

**Turn13** · 03-10-2002 03:07 PM

I could say that the ratings took a dive when Miller started appearing in the national media. That would better explain the drop in ratings for CART.

Take the ratings for the two series combined, and the effect is much less dramatic- much more easily assigned to the rise of NASCAR, the demnise of CART's oval formula, CART's many other marketing/management faux pas, and yes, to the bad PR of "the split"- but to a lesser degree than one might think.

I agree with Zen Man- there's no saying it wouldn't have been as bad, or worse, if the IRL hadn't been created. One could just as validly assume that the one million* viewers per event of the IRL would have left the open wheel world if NOT for the IRL.

*two million per event, on average, including the Indy 500 last year.

I don't think many of the IRL's oval fans would have stuck around for a totally-CART series. I know a lot of them only watch now because of Kenny Brack

Look at that '95 MIS rating- I'll bet a lot of those were IRL fans: the same fans who, given a choice, don't prefer the Handford, and were there to see Al Jr.

[ March 10, 2002: Message edited by: Turn13 ]

**ZenMan** · 03-10-2002 03:23 PM

Originally posted by Racewriter:
NASCAR drivers crossing over would help, but the fact is that Indy isn't where we need the help - it's sold out, and draws 6 ratings. We need the help at Homestead, St. Louis, Nazareth, Phoenix, etc...

Actually, I think it will help more than you give it credit for. People who tune into the 500 to see their favorites run against the IndyCar drivers might just stick around for some of the other races as well. They learn the names of the IndyCar drivers. I'm not talking about live attendance for Indy, I'm talking about TV audience. To paraphrase TG, I view all NASCAR fans as potential IndyCar fans.

**DanH** · 03-10-2002 03:36 PM

Originally posted by tripper:
People forget that there are many things (on TV and the Internet) that have happened over the past few years that has effected both ratings and attendance in racing.

Like more sports channels and new programing like extreme sports, robot wars, etc.

I agree with tripper.

**trac-champ** · 03-10-2002 04:38 PM

originally quoted by ZenMan

People who tune into the 500 to see their favorites run against the IndyCar drivers might just stick around for some of the other races as well.

Uhh... first they have to make the race. Not the easiest thing to do even for drivers with OW RE experience.

**The Beer Baron** · 03-10-2002 05:58 PM

The 1995 Indy 500 rating was nearly a 10, in fact it took this years Daytona 500 to surpass it!

**ZenMan** · 03-10-2002 06:05 PM

Originally posted by trac-champ:
Uhh... first they have to make the race. Not the easiest thing to do even for drivers with OW RE experience.

How hard could that be when we know these Indy Cars are so danged easy to drive.

**davidgarvin** · 03-10-2002 06:10 PM

Just to keep the record straight, CBS telecast the Nazareth race in '95.

**trac-champ** · 03-10-2002 06:19 PM

originally posted by ZenMan

How hard could that be when we know these Indy Cars are so danged easy to drive

Judging from Jimmy Spencers moon-pie eyed reaction after getting out of Ganassi's car in Florida after a couple of trips around the track I'd say they ain't that danged easy!

**indyracer56** · 03-10-2002 06:42 PM

Originally posted by davidgarvin:
Just to keep the record straight, CBS telecast the Nazareth race in '95.

Thanks, I forgot that.

I have corrected my original post.

mgregoir · 03-10-2002 10:16 PM

Originally posted by indyracer56:

I don't have the Indy 500 ratings because this is from a CART Media Guide, if anyone has the Indy ratings it would be interesting to see those too.

[ March 10, 2002: Message edited by: indyracer56 ]

8.4 witha 29 share.

**davidgarvin** · 03-11-2002 02:01 PM

indyracer56

No problem. I just watched the '95 Nazareth race a few days ago.

And I agree with you about Foyt concerning the top IRL teams. Never count the man out.

Mista Bone · 03-11-2002 02:47 PM

Glad things have been fixed.

**Truth Detector** · 03-11-2002 03:00 PM

Originally posted by The Beer Baron:
The 1995 Indy 500 rating was nearly a 10, in fact it took this years Daytona 500 to surpass it!

8.4 is nearly a 10?

The rating that this year's Daytona 500 surpassed was the 1984 Indy 500. Back before Cart's impact on open wheel racing had really taken hold.

**Rex Karz** · 03-11-2002 03:01 PM

Originally posted by The Beer Baron:
The 1995 Indy 500 rating was nearly a 10, in fact it took this years Daytona 500 to surpass it!

An 8.4 is "nearly a 10"??????

The 2001 Daytona 500 drew a 10.0/24 share.
The 2002 Daytona 500 drew a 10.9/26 share.

mgregoir · 03-11-2002 04:45 PM

Originally posted by Truth Detector:

The rating that this year's Daytona 500 surpassed was the 1984 Indy 500. Back before Cart's impact on open wheel racing had really taken hold.

The 1984 500 had a 12.9, the highest rating for a live race was 1992 with a 9.8. I think the 1979 Daytona race is the only one hgher than the 1984 500.

**BADGER** · 08-02-2003 11:23 AM

Originally posted by Truth Detector
8.4 is nearly a 10?

The rating that this year's Daytona 500 surpassed was the 1984 Indy 500. Back before Cart's impact on open wheel racing had really taken hold.

Cart's impact of those four years was increasing veiwership, and better fields. Care to compare it to the impact of the 7.5 years the IRL has had?

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