ALMS ratings trump IRL

[FredSonicSmith]

From MotorsportsTV:

Score a victory for the American LeMans Series. The race from Monterey on NBC on Sunday from 4 - 6 p.m. scored a 1.1 final rating and 3 share, averaging 1,205,000 households, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The IRL race on ABC from Chicagoland from 2- 4 p.m. registered a final 0.8 rating and 2 share, averaging 831,000 households.

[Tara]

I don't really see anything to spin, the IRL and ALMS aren't enemies, in fact I like ALMS, I don't particularly like C^RT. Good job ALMS, but I think the people that watched the Chicago IRL event saw a better race.

So do you own any shares of C^RT stock

[Indyknut]

You're ruining a perfectly good day of Cart bashing and grave dancing with this post. Now go away.

[carl s]

Makes sense to me.
Road racers driving on roadcourses
versus roadracers driving on ovals

Good for the sports cars guys
Now let's get some oval drivers for the IRL

carl s
Indio, CA

[Doc Austin]

The ALMS race and the cars are hardly interesting, which quite saddens me because i'm a sportscar fan first. It's good to see them having an upturn in fortunes, but i'de really like to see them put the roofs back on those ugly roadsters, ease the restrictions so they go like stink, and call them GTP cars again. I think that's what they need to do if they really want to get everyone's attention.

But the ALMS races suck compared to an IRL thriller.

[skypigeon]

More ammo to move the league over to NBC if you ask me.

[Jim Wilke]

NBC is the number one network.
ABC is the number four network.

[OWFANatic]

I don't care how you care to spin it, this is pitiful. An indictment of the state of open wheel racing in America. More people are supposed to watch a major network like ABC "by accident" than this. Looks like more people are turning it off "on purpose".

Doesn't matter how exciting the race was, or where the top teams, drivers and sponsors are...if no one cares to watch or show up in large numbers outside of the 500, then what's left of American-based Open Wheel racing?

[Doc Austin]

Originally posted by OWFANatic
Looks like more people are turning it off "on purpose".

Scorched earth.

[FredSonicSmith]

Originally posted by Jim Wilke
NBC is the number one network.
ABC is the number four network.

So when CART gets bad ratings on Speed, it's because nobody wants to watch CART. But when IRL gets bad ratings on ABC, it's because they're the #4 network? Rubbish. Besides, ABC is #3, not #4.

[Doc Austin]

Originally posted by FredSonicSmith
So when CART gets bad ratings on Speed, it's because nobody wants to watch CART. But when IRL gets bad ratings on ABC, it's because they're the #4 network? Rubbish. Besides, ABC is #3, not #4, but then you've never let facts get in your way before.

It's ALL because of scorched earth.

[Joe Angers]

Originally posted by Doc Austin
It's ALL because of scorched earth.

Ok..time to let it go. For all intent and purposes you guys got your wish and CART is dead. Time for the IRL to stand on it's own two feet and stop blaming CART and "scorched earth" everytime it fails.

[slinger]

I don't think CART is dead but otherwise, I agree with Joe. Great racing doesn't necessarilly produce great ratings. The sooner the IRL figures this out and finds a way to connect with the public and a larger fanbase, the better off it will be.

JMO, your mileage may vary.

[Jim Wilke]

Originally posted by FredSonicSmith
So when CART gets bad ratings on Speed, it's because nobody wants to watch CART. But when IRL gets bad ratings on ABC, it's because they're the #4 network? Rubbish. Besides, ABC is #3, not #4.

You posted the ALMS numbers, not me. My guess is that if the races were reversed, if the IRL were on NBC and ALMS on ABC, the ratings would reverse as well.

As for your other statement, you are right. NBC and CBS are neck and neck for #1 and ABC is just ahead of Fox and in #3. That may change when winter gets here and American Idol and Joe Millionaire go back on the air. Still, there is no doubt that ABC is well behind NBC and doesn't provide much of a lead-in.

[Longhorn]

Originally posted by Jim Wilke
You posted the ALMS numbers, not me. My guess is that if the races were reversed, if the IRL were on NBC and ALMS on ABC, the ratings would reverse as well.

As for your other statement, you are right. NBC and CBS are neck and neck for #1 and ABC is just ahead of Fox and in #3. That may change when winter gets here and American Idol and Joe Millionaire go back on the air. Still, there is no doubt that ABC is well behind NBC and doesn't provide much of a lead-in.

OH CRAP! Defender might be on to something about moving to NBC........Personally I think its the IRL production,get some new announcers,and bring in Linger's group to produce the thing. Follow Defender's idea and move it to NBC,and I am guessing the IRL will average 1.5s in the first year alone. JMO.