Interesting

[hdolan]

http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/1/078520-9021-156.html

[indyracefan]

...I think BE's tight grip on broadcasting has alot to do with it.

This isn't Europe where F1 reigns supreme and their viewing choices of races are limited. And Americans have alot of racing choices available on television.

I don't believe this has any reflection on IMS as people in Chicago, LA, wherever have little interest in F1 because release of video & television of anything F1 is so tightly controlled by Bernie....all for the sake of $$$. So therefore there is little press and almost no video on television concerning F1 which means American know very little about F1 or care.

And of course you can't discount the fact that there are no American teams or drivers in F1.

A good example is the IndycarSeries, there is very little intrest to this point for a number of reasons but one of them has to be the way it comes across on television & the media. I think the media is the #1 reason....the Indycar Series has been beaten to death, and F1 has also had less-than-favorable press over the years.

The sad thing is, F1 has had a great season this year with a tight Championship battle and better competition in the races than has been exhibited in recent years....yet very few are aware of it.

[ramdacf]

My theory on the problems of F1 in the US (and maybe other racing series as well) is that in Europe road racing is a "rich man's" sport. In the US, racing is a "working man's" sport.

Also, in Europe, there doesn't seem to be that much sports competition - soccer and F1 (and WRC? motorcycle racing?). The US has NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NCAA tourney, NASCAR, College football, and lots of others.

[roadracer]

So if 736,000 watched the USGP last year on television, and 100,000 plus showed up in person, that's only 850,000 (rounding up) F1 fans in the US who cared to see it? Well, it was last year and the championship was wrapped up, but still...

Or, 1 in 8 people that were interested made the trip. That's a dedicated group of fans.

It'll be interesting to see the numbers for this year. Judging from day after reactions that I've heard today, F1 made a some new US fans yesterday. If 1 in 8 come next year, that'll be pretty decent.

But. I have also heard from a guy that tried that there were a good many disgruntled people at the ticket office yesterday morning trying to buy single day General Admission tickets. There weren't any. The Speedway wasn't selling them. If you want to keep the fans you have, best to keep them happy, not turn them away angry.

This is definitely a work in progress. I think that handled correctly, the event will grow. IF handled correctly.

[GrandView]

"There is little personality. A minute with Tony Kanaan or Rusty Wallace produces more laughs than the entire roster of stone-faced F-1 drivers presented to the media Saturday."

These two lines are the crux of the marketing problem in the US.

The majority of Americans aren't particularly interested in the sport of Formula One. Even that segment that is interested in other racing. What they really want is a George Carlin/Ben Affleck/Brad Pitt/Buddy Hackett clone as driver, and a managed afternoon of "3-wide into the corners passin'".............followed by multiple People Magazine type interviews.

America doesn't participate in Formula One. Providing an American driver to the sport would hardly change that. Formula One won't be signficantly important in the US unless there is a US constructor..............building cars to compete in the sport. That happening is rather doubtful.

If IMS can afford to retain the USGP with an attendance of 100,000 to 150,000.......that's about as good as it gets. And that's pretty good.

Providing multiple media outlets of hackneyed journalistic efforts on the USGP, or Formula One in general, won't change that premise.

GV

[gators]

F1 needs a american driver.