Good Point

[hdolan]

From Motorsports TV

Going head-to head with NASCAR for 1 1/2 hours is usually not a good idea. The IRL race from Gateway on ABC garnered overnights of a 0.8 rating and 2 share, according to Nielsen Media Research, as reported in Sports Business Daily. (8/12)

I really don't understand the scheduling...not meant as a flame, just common sense...if I want folks to see my racing product I don't bang heads with WC...

[Defender]

I agree wholeheartedly. A no-brainer.

[mesquite]

As much as I want to agree that the IRL fumbled the ball ... the WC Watkins Glen event was actually moved up some due to the threat of rain late in the afternoon.

I guess the IRL could have tried for a very early start time at noon, or a late start time at 3PM, but those are bad times to start a race. Noon's too early, and there was a ballgame in the evening.

[IndyIRLman]

.8 is pathetic

After all of the incredible racing last year I would have thought the ratings would be better this year. :mad:

[mnkywrch]

A Winston Cup race, nowadays, socks up 3 or 4 hours.

Unless you're on an opposite coast, it's hard to not have some conflict.

Next week will be the same.

At least they're smart enough to run the day after a WC night race and have no conflict at all.

[carl s]

Originally posted by IndyIRLman
.8 is pathetic

After all of the incredible racing last year I would have thought the ratings would be better this year. :mad:

Racing is half the equation - we have that covered

The connection of the public to the drivers - dismal

[R_Mears_Fan]

Originally posted by carl s
The connection of the public to the drivers - dismal

Absolutely. The drivers need to be promoted and in the light a great deal more than they are now. Someone can't cheer for a driver they don't know.

[TxIndyFan]

Funny. I didn't even know that NASCAR was racing last Sunday, until my son told me about it later that night.

He said, "Robby Gordon won the NASCAR race today." I said, "Where? I didn't know they were racing." "Watkins Glen," he said. "Cool." said I.

I watched a good IRL Gateway race, and enjoyed it.

[akh]

Actually, this would have been one of the few times I would have thought going head-to-head might work. There are NASCAR fans who REALLY don't care for the road courses (sort of like some of the folks around here). The IRL was perfectly positioned to give them an oval alternative. CART was at M-O, so that was not an alternative. Unfortunately, the Gateway race 1) was not promoted heavily enough to capture the potentially disaffected 2) didn't have the same telecast zing that the last couple of broadcasts seem to have had and 3) can't match either a Fox or NBC NASCAR telecast for drawing the casual fan in.

If the IRL would schedule one of their 1.5-milers as competition for Infineon or Watkins Glen...and promote the H#&@ out of it...maybe they could catch a few oval fans and grow the fan base.

[PHJIndy]

Originally posted by TxIndyFan
Funny. I didn't even know that NASCAR was racing last Sunday, until my son told me about it later that night.

He said, "Robby Gordon won the NASCAR race today." I said, "Where? I didn't know they were racing." "Watkins Glen," he said. "Cool." said I.

I watched a good IRL Gateway race, and enjoyed it.

Nice post!!!

[Sammich]

Come on Tx even if you stay off the internet and not read papers you can be pretty much assured that nascar is racing somewhere that weekend.

[ensign14]

It was crazy, I had 3 races on simultaneously here - we have a channel called NASC or something on free for a couple of months showing the NASCAR, Eurosport for once had the CART showing live and on time, and Sky Sports 3 had the IRL. All live.

[hdolan]

"Funny. I didn't even know that NASCAR was racing last Sunday, until my son told me about it later that night.

He said, "Robby Gordon won the NASCAR race today." I said, "Where? I didn't know they were racing." "Watkins Glen," he said. "Cool." said I.

I watched a good IRL Gateway race, and enjoyed it."

Good for you...

Gateway = .8
NASCAR = 5.0

As another has stated, only the dead don't realize that Cup races nearly every Sunday...it wasn't Easter or Mother's Day...

[IndyIRLman]

Originally posted by hdolan
"Funny. I didn't even know that NASCAR was racing last Sunday, until my son told me about it later that night.

He said, "Robby Gordon won the NASCAR race today." I said, "Where? I didn't know they were racing." "Watkins Glen," he said. "Cool." said I.

I watched a good IRL Gateway race, and enjoyed it."

Good for you...

Gateway = .8
NASCAR = 5.0

As another has stated, only the dead don't realize that Cup races nearly every Sunday...it wasn't Easter or Mother's Day...

Howard I see no need for your little jab on txindyfan.

[hdolan]

"Howard I see no need for your little jab on txindyfan."

You're right...I should have said...it's reaaly interesting that you weren't aware that WC races on Sundays...I'm sorry...I just have a hard time with fiction...