The Current State of IndyCar

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I'm pretty sure I saw live races on Sky. The broadcast coincided with the scheduled time on the IndyCar website. Anyway, this season's come and gone. I've no idea what's going to happen next year.

You are mistaken. Maybe Sky Italy or Germany broadcast it although I doubt they do either.

I have direct access to the 6 Sky Sports channels [including F1 and news channels] that I watch like a hawk and it categorically never showed live Indycar on weekends. It was all on ESPN UK or the BT sports channel as ESPN became later in the year. When Sky dropped it, they dropped it.

http://www.crash.net/indycar/news/18...s_to_espn.html

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

You are mistaken. Maybe Sky Italy or Germany broadcast it although I doubt they do either.

I have direct access to the 6 Sky Sports channels [including F1 and news channels] that I watch like a hawk and it categorically never showed live Indycar on weekends. It was all on ESPN UK or the BT sports channel as it became later in the year. When Sky dropped it, they dropped it.

http://www.crash.net/indycar/news/18...s_to_espn.html

Fairenough. I don't subscribe to any of those channels so I rely on feeds. I can take it then ESPN UK/BT Sports Channel will be covering IndyCar next year?

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Fairenough. I don't subscribe to any of those channels so I rely on feeds. I can take it then ESPN UK/BT Sports Channel will be covering IndyCar next year?

They are covering it next year. On a live if they can basis presumably.



http://f1broadcasting.wordpress.com/...es-until-2015/

[rwintle]

FWIW, up here in Canada I am pretty sure all of the IndyCar races were on either SportsNet or ABC last year. No idea what the state will be for 2014 although the ABC races will surely be available.

[NaBUru38]

ESPN has been broadcasting IndyCar the past few years. Unfortunately, nearly every race is on the third feed, which I don't have. My father plans to get HD cable soon, including the three ESPN and the three Fox Sports feeds. (Fox Sports 3 has all Nascar Cup, Nationwide, Trucks and United SportsCar races live).

Originally Posted by gomick

We get all Indy car races on speed tv in Oz - why ain't it just on the 1 station over there?

ABC has a long-standing contract for the Indianapolis 500, but that company doesn't want to pay to show all IndyCar races. NBC Sports does pay for their races.

Actually, it's good to have multiple media partners, because that means that more than one company is required to cover the championship. In the United States, sports news shows only show the sorts that the channel broadcasts. When ESPN dropped NHL, it disappeared from SportsCenter, for example.

[HJJ]

http://nascarnomics.com/on-indycar-ratings/

[Formulahistory]

Originally Posted by DS"

Which should crush the myth that Randy Bernard was the "savior" of IndyCar once and for all. Signing a contract with Dallara for THAT LONG, despite most of the teams not wanting Dallara clearly shows that he really had no business in auto racing, let alone IndyCar. He should have stuck to bull riding.

Why do the teams not want Dallara? What do they want?

[Formulahistory]

Originally Posted by IceMan_PJN

American race fans are NASCAR fans, and in general NASCAR fans hate open-wheel racing and care little for anything that doesn't resemble NASCAR.

Why are they NASCAR fans? What is better there than in IndyCar? IndyCar was very popular 20 years ago, so why not again?

[Salamus]

Originally Posted by Formulahistory

Why do the teams not want Dallara? What do they want?

The problem with Dallara is that they have a monopoly now and force teams to pay ridiculous amounts of cash for stare parts, etc.

Originally Posted by Formulahistory

Why are they NASCAR fans? What is better there than in IndyCar? IndyCar was very popular 20 years ago, so why not again?

What is better? Well, bigger names, more sponsors, way better TV package.

After the split, NASCAR really took off and gained a lot of popularity. Of course now even they are starting to struggle but if IndyCar wants to regain their status, they have to become relevant again to the average viewer. A lot has happened in the last 20 years.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Salamus

The problem with Dallara is that they have a monopoly now and force teams to pay ridiculous amounts of cash for stare parts, etc.

A deal was reached with Dallara over spare parts, this Autosport article has the details.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105175

However, it still means teams can't use spare parts from 3rd party suppliers, which are cheaper, plus it stifles competition.

Originally Posted by Salamus

After the split, NASCAR really took off and gained a lot of popularity. Of course now even they are starting to struggle but if IndyCar wants to regain their status, they have to become relevant again to the average viewer. A lot has happened in the last 20 years.

Well as CART self-destructed, post split, the vast majority of companies that once sponsored CART went to NASCAR, rather than IndyCar and can you blame them; better TV coverage better crowd attendance.

[Formulahistory]

So what must be done that IndyCar get stronger:

1) The races must be in free tv in the important countries, not just in America, but also in Western Europe for example.

2) They also had to race in other countries like Mexico, Europe and so on. But perhaps with a budget cap.

3) IndyCar needs more big names from NASCAR and Formula One. Names like Jimmy Johnson, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and guys with such names.

4) There must be a strong feeder series (like GP2 America)

5) Perhaps we need more competitive cars, stronger, more powerful and so on.

6) IndyCar needs race events shared with NASCAR or USSC, perhaps also F1 (Austin, Montréal).

7) Spare parts must be not that expensive like now.

8) We need more chassis and engine builders, combined with budget cap.

[Marcus666]

Originally Posted by Formulahistory

So what must be done that IndyCar get stronger:

1) The races must be in free tv in the important countries, not just in America, but also in Western Europe for example.

Agree.

2) They also had to race in other countries like Mexico, Europe and so on. But perhaps with a budget cap.

Agree. Puebla 300, Eurospeedway 500, Rockingham 400, Jerez 200 and Mugello 200 would be really nice as events.

3) IndyCar needs more big names from NASCAR and Formula One. Names like Jimmy Johnson, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and guys with such names.

Agree but also disagree. The series should be attractive to drivers who are searching for F1 drives, but (hopefully) realizes that the competitiveness between the teams in F1 are ridicoulus outspread. Di Resta would be a really nice addition to the sport, but it would be great if more F1 rejects could join, like Bruno Senna, Piquet jr and Sebastien Buemi. Nascar drivers? well maybe, but they still get more recognition in the Sprint Cup than in Indycar.

4) There must be a strong feeder series (like GP2 America).

Disagree, Indy Lights needs to get more attractive. Would be nice if it could be more open when it comes to chassis.

5) Perhaps we need more competitive cars, stronger, more powerful and so on.

Agree. They should ban twin turbochargers and mandate single turbochargers with higher boost. Also introduce 2 into 1 exhausts so the engines will sound more high pitched. At the moment the turbochargers are allowed around 1.5 bar of boost, they should be allowed to have up to 4 bar in my opinion!

6) IndyCar needs race events shared with NASCAR or USSC, perhaps also F1 (Austin, Montréal).

Agree, I was hoping for the Indy GP to be on the saturday of the Brickyard 400 week instead of the month of may.

7) Spare parts must be not that expensive like now.

I think that's allready fixed.

8) We need more chassis and engine builders, combined with budget cap.

Any engine builders can join, so that is fixed. I am quite convinced with the Dallara safety cell, and that other chassi makers can modify it sounds good to me (if it's able on BOTH ovals and road courses).


Well, thats me atleast.

[JacobP]

^

The idea of "budget cap" is superfluous for IndyCar. Since everyone is using customer chassis, this is little room for having a spending arms race. In the short terms, they should look for more race tracks and aero kits. There are too many street circuits and double headed weekends right now.

[NaBUru38]

IdncyCar should focus on countries where they may get higher television ratings. That's the Americas.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

IdncyCar should focus on countries where they may get higher television ratings. That's the Americas.

Without a race in Brazil next season that's going to be hard to do.

[Jape]

I would not say that series is on crisis, but to make it even more successful I would:

a) make it as low budget as possible to get more cars to grid (basically this would meant also to no differences in technical side, no races outside US, etc)
b) shut down some of the ladders to Indy to get more drivers directly to cheaper Indy series
c) minimize the safety car period durations
d) create fascinating "music video" like material from race highlights to multiple channels to make the series look 'must to watch' for younger audience

At least in Europe, official television rates does not tell anything anymore since people watch everything via internet and alternative channels.

I would also doubt the importance of old stars. It is more important to make the current names they have interesting than try to hunt some old starts to series. Series has / has had / will have interesting dirvers just if they are presented right way.

Basically the same goes for tracks and teams. I don't understand why Indy500 should be the only important event. Many of the North American tracks has fascinating and long history with open wheel racing. It is just how to use that on marketing the events. Same goes for teams and back ground people how are as know as Enzo Ferrari and Frank Williams, but somehow it is not shown for audience like that.

[Jape]

By costs cutting, I would also meant reducing the number of races
/ tests, reducing the number of tires that can be used, cars should be lighter, engine should last the whole season, and in the end there should be the max. budget set for season/team/car. If this would not help to get costs down and to get more teams / cars to grid, I would be really amazed. Once the grid are over full, I guess people get more interested to watch series again.

If there could be something in wish list, I'd like to see one Spa type of track build somewhere to US and add that track to the series calendar. Some of the street circuits and Tilke type new tracks are not that interesting as old and natural road courses.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Without a race in Brazil next season that's going to be hard to do.

Indeed. The Brazil situation is very bad news.

Originally Posted by Jape

I don't understand why Indy500 should be the only important event. Many of the North American tracks has fascinating and long history with open wheel racing. It is just how to use that on marketing the events.

I agree. The Triple Crown is a good idea, but still not exploited well enough. And that's why I propose double points at the Triple Crown and Long Beach.

[ptclaus98]

I like how everyone has these (they are good, for the most part) ideas about how to make the series popular. The problem is, all your doing is shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted. IndyCar will be always and forever a niche as long as it continues down the path of road/oval/street. So the focus should be on how to make it cost effective for ALL involved. Teams, drivers, track owners, promoters, and fans. Cost effectiveness and visibility (and not "appealing to the youth" with flash) because IndyCar is in this awful purgatory where they don't have a linear or glamourous history to give depth to accolades won outside of the 500, it's not new nor is it refreshing, its been floundering in a period which has seen a meteoric rise in alternative entertainment methods. It does not need to keep trudging along as entertainment because it only is for a very small minority of a niche. Purity would suit IndyCar well.


All that being said, if IndyCar was raced only on road courses and called Formula A, I have a feeling it would be viewed more amicably by racing fans. And if it raced only ovals and was the Gold Crown National Championship, I think it too would be healthier.

[Bob Riebe]

[QUOTE=Jape;3348028 I don't understand why Indy500 should be the only important event.

Many of the North American tracks has fascinating and long history with open wheel racing. It is just how to use that on marketing the events.[/QUOTE]
Because it is.

The only thing that comes close to the Indianpolis history is Milwaukee and they are not doing well.

One cannot create a storied history, it simply exists or does not.

People ballyhoo about TV but if the tracks do not have fans in the stands there will be tracks to show on TV.

Television does not make a series successful, it shows a series is successful.

[Formulahistory]

Originally Posted by Marcus666

Agree but also disagree. The series should be attractive to drivers who are searching for F1 drives, but (hopefully) realizes that the competitiveness between the teams in F1 are ridicoulus outspread. Di Resta would be a really nice addition to the sport, but it would be great if more F1 rejects could join, like Bruno Senna, Piquet jr and Sebastien Buemi. Nascar drivers? well maybe, but they still get more recognition in the Sprint Cup than in Indycar.

I don't think drivers like Di Resta would really help the IndyCar because only a few fans in America know such a name. Of course Di Resta would be a very good IndyCar driver, but big names would generate more attention for IndyCar.

Originally Posted by Marcus666

Disagree, Indy Lights needs to get more attractive. Would be nice if it could be more open when it comes to chassis.

Yes, if there will be no GP2 America (and such a series will not take place in the next years) we need a string Indy Lights.

[Formulahistory]

Originally Posted by JacobP

^

The idea of "budget cap" is superfluous for IndyCar. Since everyone is using customer chassis, this is little room for having a spending arms race. In the short terms, they should look for more race tracks and aero kits. There are too many street circuits and double headed weekends right now.

Simon Pagenaud said that the big teams could do very much more with more money (dumpers, testing, simulations and so on), but a budget cap would help in open chassis and engine regulations which I want to have.

[Paradise City]

Budget cap in Indycar. I think there's a joke in that somewhere.

But on second thoughts, maybe an imposition of a budget cap might permit a return to multichassis formula if the teams could be reassured that multichassis wouldn't spill over into a spending race. A budget cap might help do that.

[ptclaus98]

They've tried that though. It still isn't working.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Formulahistory

I don't think drivers like Di Resta would really help the IndyCar because only a few fans in America know such a name. Of course Di Resta would be a very good IndyCar driver, but big names would generate more attention for IndyCar.


.

A good, unknown, driver has to be better than an average (or bad) known driver. I'm sure that neither Montoya or Franchetti, to name just 2 off the top of my head, actually, add Bourdais to that list, were known beforehand. But they grabbed the cars by the scruff of the neck, proved their talent and became well known.