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KY Speedway & IRL decided to move the race one week later to get away from the ATP Tennis Tourney held north of Cincinnati and what happens? The ATP also moves their date back one week. The race is still playing second fiddle to a bunch of men in white shorts. Today should good though, Sarah is driving an Indy car over from KY to the ballpark in Ohio, onto the field to throw out the first pitch. A local sportscaster offered her a $1000 to do a burnout in the outfield. I just hope they time it right to get it on the 6:00 news.
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The IRL did catch a little break though. Andre Agassi decided to skipped the ATP this year as it is not on his "preferred" list of tennis tournaments. -
I didn't know the fan base for tennis and the IRL was one in the same!You should avoid making yourself too clear even in your explanations -
Baltasar Gracian, Spanish philosopherComment
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I doubt if the fan base is the same but I'm talking more about the amount of coverage the race will get. The big sports story this week in Cincinnati is the tennis tourney not the race. If the race was last week it would be the biggie.Comment
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Quit whining, you make your breaks, auto racing fans won't be detracted on bit by the wine and cheese set going to the tennis matches. There original intent was to distance themselves from Mid Ohio, and they did that.
If I still lived in the Cincinnati area, I might have watched a day or so of tennis, I have watched that and gymnastics in the area in the past, but not at the expense of a good auto race.
The Kentucky race will do just fine, it wasn't like they were gonna fill the joint without the tennis anyway. IndyCar attendance problems won't be cured by locking out tennis.Comment
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Ratings for big time tennis are down as much or more since 1995 as the IRL's. Thanks, Tony.
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They could mix the two...Sarah and Danica in tennis skirts...sexist? Moi?"An emphasis was placed on drivers with road racing backgrounds which meant drivers from open wheel, oval track racing were at a disadvantage. That led Tony George to create the IRL." -Indy Review 1996Comment
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personally I like sweaty tennis tops and "point spreads!"Originally posted by ensign14
They could mix the two...Sarah and Danica in tennis skirts...sexist? Moi?
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In my case it is! I may not move real well (at 250 lbs with short legs), but I can sometimes pull off a wicked "inside out" forehand!!Originally posted by Wheel-Nut
I didn't know the fan base for tennis and the IRL was one in the same!
"IRL is better at everything except selling themselves." -- Jennifer Floyd Engel, ESPN/103.3 FMComment
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They had the GM from Kentucky on the IRL's radio show last night (Wednesday), and unless I heard it wrong, he said they'd already sold over 50,000 seats for Sunday and honestly thought they had a chance to crack 60,000 for the race-day attendance.
We shall see if he was blowing smoke or note, but he sure seemed upbeat about the IRL and the race this weekend.Chicago Blackhawks done didn't do it again!Comment
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They love the IRL down that way, and the radio broadcasters in Cincinnati actually treat the IRL with respect.Comment
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Mark Cassis (and I'm guessing this is who it is) is an eternal optomist. He was hoping for 60K last year but the attendence was only slightly better than the race in 2001, I think around 42K. I hope he is right about the 50,000 tickets sold though. Thats quite an improvement if that's how many show.Originally posted by Hardscrabble
They had the GM from Kentucky on the IRL's radio show last night (Wednesday), and unless I heard it wrong, he said they'd already sold over 50,000 seats for Sunday and honestly thought they had a chance to crack 60,000 for the race-day attendance.
We shall see if he was blowing smoke or note, but he sure seemed upbeat about the IRL and the race this weekend.Comment
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So can I, watching the women's doubles.Originally posted by SoDak_IndyFan
I can sometimes pull off a wicked "inside out" forehand!!
"An emphasis was placed on drivers with road racing backgrounds which meant drivers from open wheel, oval track racing were at a disadvantage. That led Tony George to create the IRL." -Indy Review 1996Comment
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Does the movement have more to do with the addition of Milwaukee and the shifting of the USGP or the Tennis Tournament. I suspected a shuffling of the schedule given the first two announcements."Remember, your kids can get student loans, but there's no such thing as a retirement loan."Comment
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The IRL will get it's breaks but not from fans of other sports, mainly NASCAR. I know NASCAR fans that avoid the IRL like the plauge. They won't acknowledge it. At work, for example, during the week of the ********, a cupper at work was talking about how awesome it would be to go around the IMS in a cup car at that speed. I mentioned to him that I'd rather go 230 than 180 if given the choice and that would be in an Indycar. He tried to change the subject, didn't want to hear it.
My take is that the fans of NASCAR, maybe Tennis to a lesser degree, are fixed on their sport. But in the case of racing, only the real, and I mean, REAL speed and excitement junkies are going to give the IRL a shot. Many who stick to the fenders are quick to pizz on Indycar because of the popularity issue in comparison to their preferrance.
The real break will go to those who tune in to watch the IRL or those who go in person to see the race.
.Get your head out of your past!!!Comment
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