Average Joe

[Mazzacane]

I read a lot of comments from TF members abot IndyCar and what Average Joe cares about. Average Joe is not interested in seeing foreign racing drivers dominating therefore he watches NASCAR. As I understand, the main reason why IRL should have more American drivers and Danica is that it will bring on more fans to the series.

I don't understand you. Why do you care so much about Average Joe watching IndyCars? I watch these races just because I like them and I couldn't care less if there is any other single person on the planet also watching them. And I like NASCAR a lot also. There are very very few fans of American style of motorracing in my country but I've never felt a need for more. What is the thing about that Average Joe and what he likes?

[Kurt Cobain]

Good post

Does anyone have a real description of Average Joe?

[cheeseczar]

I'm pretty much with you on every point except for liking nascar.

The average Joe puts butts in the seats, see the sponsors and consume their products which in turn brings more sponsors into the series. Capitalism at it's best, and that's why the averge Joe is important to any series.

At least that's my take. Many here may have other opinions about it.

[midtown]

Does anyone have a real description of Average Joe?

There was a study that identified what the Average Joe or Jane might be. There was a snip-it on it in the Periscope section of Newsweek this week. I can dig it up and post it later or find it on the web.

And here it is:

Newsweek Average Joe

[skypigeon]

From the link above (I left the boldfaces from the story intact):

"'Average' turns out to be interesting. Joe (or Jane) has nine friends and is within five years of his best friend's age; drinks the milk in the bowl after the cereal is gone; believes in God, and has never doubted His existence; eats 25 pounds of candy per year and by age 50 has lost 12 teeth; and recycles at least occasionally. He or she enjoys a good night's sleep and usually goes to bed before midnight, and goes to church at least once a month. Of course Mr. or Mrs. Medium is not famous—and doesn't necessarily want to be."

OK, IRL marketing experts; nail this one to the wall. How do we catch this massive set of humanity?

[lkchris]

I'm pretty much with you on every point except for liking nascar.

The average Joe puts butts in the seats, see the sponsors and consume their products which in turn brings more sponsors into the series. Capitalism at it's best, and that's why the averge Joe is important to any series.

At least that's my take. Many here may have other opinions about it.

Opinions, however, do not change the facts of economics.

Until auto racing decides to become a "niche" activity like, say, dog shows, it depends on "average Joes" and how they decide to spend their recreation dollars and their TV-watching time. That is, it isn't simply dedicating itself to a small fixed group of fans and trying to make a living on that, but rather seeks and expects growth and conquest from other sports of fan dollars and time. The fact that auto racing is so much about selling cars and other automotive products--industries looking for growth and not stagnation--is also of relevance.

It makes a lot of sense to view other forms of auto racing as the primary competition and it should be painfully clear by now that NASCAR wins because of its personalities. It wins twice, of course, because personality-based advertising is a proven concept. There may be three whole Americans somewhere drinking Jim Beam because of Dan Wheldon, but you can't count the number drinking Bud because of #8. Surely even Robby outsells Dan.

The fact that a particular individual can post here that he likes the IRL as it is and doesn't care about anybody else is totally and utterly irrelevant and changes the goals of the IRL and its sponsors not a bit.

[Broadway Joe]

Does anyone have a real description of Average Joe?

Cold beer, fairly decent racing memorabilia on the walls.

[carl s]

What is the thing about that Average Joe and what he likes?

apak?nama Ladzens

A liability in the Old World
An opportunity in The New

[CircleFan]

Seriously though;

Gender

Female 38%
Male 62%

Residence

Rent 28%
Own 72%

Education

Some H.S. 12%
H.S. Grad 88%
Some College/College Grad 38%

Employment

Full Time 72%
Part Time 10%
Retired/Unemployed 18%

Occupation

Professional/Manager 27%
Tech'n/Clerk/Sales 21%
Craft Precision 13%
Unskilled Labor 10%
Retired/Unemployed 12%
Other 17%

Age

Under 18 3%
18-24 15%
25-34 29%
35-44 25%

Marital Status

Married 64%
Single 22%
Divorced/Widowed 14%


This is the NASCAR Demographics Compiled by Racing West

[Radny]

From the link above (I left the boldfaces from the story intact):

"'Average' turns out to be interesting. Joe (or Jane) has nine friends and is within five years of his best friend's age; drinks the milk in the bowl after the cereal is gone; believes in God, and has never doubted His existence;[b]eats 25 pounds of candy per year and by age 50 has lost 12 teeth; and recycles at least occasionally. He or she enjoys a good night's sleep and usually [b][b]goes to bed before midnight, and goes to church at least once a month. Of course Mr. or Mrs. Medium is not famous]—and doesn't necessarily want to be."

OK, IRL marketing experts; nail this one to the wall. How do we catch this massive set of humanity?

How about free dental care if he buys a ticket to IRL races?

[Cygni]

Does anyone have a real description of Average Joe?

He has an excellent gymnasium. I saw it in dodgeball.

[Lancelot]

I watch these races just because I like them and I couldn't care less if there is any other single person on the planet also watching them.

If you were the only person watching, then the races wouldn't be on TV to watch. That is why you should care.

The more people that show up at the track, the more response the sponsors get, then the more races there will be, the more racers there will be, and the more television coverage there will be.

Unless the above defined "average joe" starts watching IndyCar racing, then IndyCar racing will be relegated to a very small niche in Cable TV narrowcasting.
Poker is now getting more TV time than IndyCar, for crying out loud.

Today, I don't think the "Average Joe" even knows that the IRL exists. A month ago, I mentioned Danica Patrick to my 75 year-old father, who keeps himself fairly well informed about news. He had never heard of Danica Patrick. The only, and I repeat only, name he recognizes in the IRL is AJ Foyt. Now my dad may not know who Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, or Kurt Busch is, and to him Jimmy Johnson is the guy who stole Tom Landry's job, but I guaran-dang-tee you that he knows who Tony Stewart, Dale Jarret, Dale Earnhardt, and Mark Martin are, and my dad is not even a NASCAR fan.

[Plectraholica]

Average Joe, like society, scares the bee-jeezus outta me.

[Tara]

I don't care much for 22 car races.
I want bumping at Indy.
I would like to see bumping at other IRL races.
Certain drivers I like don't have rides and should
I want to see the best American drivers compete in the Indy 500 again

Without the big crowds, we don't have as many sponsors. With less sponsor money you have less teams. Without the big crowds drivers search for fame and fortune in Nextel Cup not the Indy cars.

Pretty simple really.

[NoviVespa]

Of course, to draw more fans, you mention that the series has more American drivers, you will hear a hundred posts about your being biased against foreigners. Why is it the avid road course followers can see that anytime a race is held in F1 in a foreign country, say, Spain, that a tremendous avid crowd cheers for any Spanish driver. This alone shows that any series with more Americans in it would be more popular in America.