2016 IndyCar Schedule.

[BudLightJaguar]

No Haavahd Yahd jokes from Boston GP marketing team yet but...

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by TheMightyM

To the surprise of no one, NOLA is officially off the 2016 schedule. Racer has a short article about it here.

I hope the nonsense surrounding NOLA and the lawsuit between Andretti Autosport and Andretti Sports Marketing hasn't impinged on Milwaukee.

[BudLightJaguar]

Firestone 600 confirmed
Firestone 600 will be contested on the 1.45-mile, high-banked oval on June 11, 2016

[Coach Ep]

Pocono expected to return on Aug. 21:

http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/12...return-in-2016

[fieldodreams79]

Wow, this is a piecemeal method to put together a schedule for a major series.

I don't watch the Texas race anymore...makes me cringe.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

I don't watch the Texas race anymore...makes me cringe.

Cringe in terms of ?

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Cringe in terms of ?

Ever since I attended the last race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, that saw a nasty pileup, destroyed numerous cars, ended one driver's career and caused a 70 lap caution period, I tend be very nervous when watching these types cars on a high banked 1.5 or 2 mile ovals. Cringing, if you will.

[BudLightJaguar]

Any clue when the 2016 schedule will be officially confirmed? Last year it took till the end October.

[Coach Ep]

We're not far off this year either...

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Ever since I attended the last race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, that saw a nasty pileup, destroyed numerous cars, ended one driver's career and caused a 70 lap caution period, I tend be very nervous when watching these types cars on a high banked 1.5 or 2 mile ovals. Cringing, if you will.

Yeah totally understand.

Since the aero changes on the 1.5m ovals I have found the Texas quite good without the pack racing

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Wow, this is a piecemeal method to put together a schedule for a major series.

I don't watch the Texas race anymore...makes me cringe.

It can't be easy when TV viewing figures, though up, are still not particularly brilliant and track attendance is likewise.

Hopefully the welcome return to Road America will help with both to a certain extent. It was always a staple in the CART era.

However, I think a big part of the problem, in putting the series together, is Mark Miles. He did a great job for Tennis, as CEO of the ATP Tour, building the ATP into a world-class, professional organization. As Chairman of the Board of the 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee, he was also instrumental in getting Indianapolis to host Super Bowl XLVI . This is all very well but he has no motorsports background and therefore won't understand the dynamics and this is the problem.

[D.R.T.]

Whilst I agree that the move to condense the schedule to avoid the NFL wasnt the best - apart from that decision I feel Miles is doing a pretty decent job for Indycar.

[TheMightyM]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

However, I think a big part of the problem, in putting the series together, is Mark Miles. He did a great job for Tennis, as CEO of the ATP Tour, building the ATP into a world-class, professional organization. As Chairman of the Board of the 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee, he was also instrumental in getting Indianapolis to host Super Bowl XLVI. This is all very well but he has no motorsports background and therefore won't understand the dynamics and this is the problem.

Road America isn’t a game changer.

I absolutely don’t buy that business leaders must come from the exact same industry to be successful nor do I believe that motorsport in general or IndyCar in particular is somehow special in this regard. Executives fail all the time across a variety of industries when they don’t understand their core market.

IndyCar’s problems go well beyond whoever is running the show — and I’d go as far as saying that the series is going sideways at best as long as it remains under the control of the Hulman George family. It’s pretty clear that Miles’ number 1 mandate is to not lose money which, given the series’ get-significant-franchise-fees-from-promoters business model, makes scheduling very difficult. Sometime you have to spend money to make money, which is difficult to do when you don’t have any money to begin with.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by TheMightyM

Road America isn’t a game changer.

I absolutely don’t buy that business leaders must come from the exact same industry to be successful nor do I believe that motorsport in general or IndyCar in particular is somehow special in this regard. Executives fail all the time across a variety of industries when they don’t understand their core market.

IndyCar’s problems go well beyond whoever is running the show — and I’d go as far as saying that the series is going sideways at best as long as it remains under the control of the Hulman George family. It’s pretty clear that Miles’ number 1 mandate is to not lose money which, given the series’ get-significant-franchise-fees-from-promoters business model, makes scheduling very difficult. Sometime you have to spend money to make money, which is difficult to do when you don’t have any money to begin with.

No one said Road America was going to be a game changer.

It's not a given, that business leaders must come from the exact same industry to be successful. However, how else is one to understand a core market, if they have no experience of it and never worked in it? For example, look at F1 and you'll find the likes of Bernie Ecclestone, Christian Horner, Colin Chapman, Ron Dennis, Ross Brawn, all came from a motosports background, whether it was as a driver or as a mechanic before they achieved what they did.

IndyCar isn't special per se but compared to other sports, like Baseball, Football, Rugby or Tennis, it's quite different in that it has that extra variable namely the car. Not to belittle the other sports, this isn't 11 or so people running around a pitch with a ball or two or four people hitting a ball back and forth over a net. Plus there's the venue, where the sport takes place and this can vary quite considerably.

I think many would agree with you about the Hulman George family.

[Paradise City]

I don't necessarily mind them trying to avoid the NFL per say and moreover it gives space for NBC to broadcast all their motorsport live. But Indycar have to complete the thought and hold a race in December or January perhaps in Australia. It's not good for Indycar to be missing for the number of months that it is, that is certainly bad.

This is where Indycar is at though in terms of popularity. And that's it. I don't see a marketing guru or a business genius out there that will be 'game changer'. Tweak it, help it along yeah, but no game changer.

It's like trying to revive the Roman Empire. The conditions just aren't there to do that, the world is a radically different place. Gotta get used to the new reality.

[Coach Ep]

Indycar going intercontinental won't help them - on the contrary, the huge extra (travel) costs will hurt it badly.

However, you are spot on when it comes to the big gap/winter break in their schedule but going to Brazil or wherever in the Middle East (really?!) like Miles is/has been trying won't work either (Mexico will likely only stand a chance when it's in Monterey and therefor not required to air transport the whole circus).

The reluctancy 'to go up against NFL' is something I find hard to understand - Indycar is in no way a competitor to the NFL and the required 2 hours airtime cannot be that hard to find on one of the primary NBC channels. Just keep it limited to one or two races at max. Having the final race on Sat. night wouldn't hurt either.

As for location of potential venues: As much as I dislike CotA it would be the perfect opportunity late in the year (Sept./Oct.) or hook up with World Challenge early in March (and maybe do a back-to-back trip with Monterey, MX before heading to Florida.
Speaking of, Sebring might be an option as well, there's already a lot of testing done and it would make a great combo with St. Pete because the weather in (early) March is usually good and the extra costs for the teams are very much within control.

But I guess that would all make too much sense...

[BudLightJaguar]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

As for location of potential venues: As much as I dislike CotA it would be the perfect opportunity late in the year (Sept./Oct.) or hook up with World Challenge early in March

I'm pretty darn sure that as long as F1 leaves US once again, IndyCar goes to CotA. Even if it means there will be a chance for direct lap times comparison.

[Coach Ep]

2016 schedule announcement expected next week - maybe as 'soon' as this Tuesday.

Also name new president of competition will be made public shortly after.

From http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/12...of-competition

[10TENTHS]

What's all this babbling about the NFL? Most of the schedule is already set: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_I...onfirmed_races

Basically we're just waiting on an official confirmation of Phoenix and Pocono. Possibly one other oval (Gateway) in August.

Considering two teams went tire testing at PIR recently, that's as good as set.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Indycar going intercontinental won't help them - on the contrary, the huge extra (travel) costs will hurt it badly.

However, you are spot on when it comes to the big gap/winter break in their schedule but going to Brazil or wherever in the Middle East (really?!) like Miles is/has been trying won't work either (Mexico will likely only stand a chance when it's in Monterey and therefor not required to air transport the whole circus).

The reluctancy 'to go up against NFL' is something I find hard to understand - Indycar is in no way a competitor to the NFL and the required 2 hours airtime cannot be that hard to find on one of the primary NBC channels. Just keep it limited to one or two races at max. Having the final race on Sat. night wouldn't hurt either.

As for location of potential venues: As much as I dislike CotA it would be the perfect opportunity late in the year (Sept./Oct.) or hook up with World Challenge early in March (and maybe do a back-to-back trip with Monterey, MX before heading to Florida.
Speaking of, Sebring might be an option as well, there's already a lot of testing done and it would make a great combo with St. Pete because the weather in (early) March is usually good and the extra costs for the teams are very much within control.

But I guess that would all make too much sense...

I think there's a lot to be said for IndyCar going intercontinental. A number of the drivers come from South America and the two most recent Driver's Champions come from Australia and New Zealand. We're not talking about loads of races, just two or three at the most, out of the whole season. Would the travel costs be that prohibitive? IndyCar was all geared up to race in Brazil this year.

Both South America and the Antipodes have a solid motorsports fan base. It seems a bit silly to ignore that. Also the season could start earlier and there wouldn't be this very long off season. However, I don't see any point in going to the Middle East. There is a lot money out there but there's no natural fan base and where would IndyCar race?

As for the NFL, I don't understand Mark Miles thinking on this one at all. It's as if being an NFL fan precludes being an IndyCar fan. The eqivalent in F1 would be for Bernie to say, the F1 season can't clash with the Premier League.

[NaBUru38]

No Fontana or Milwaukee? Just five ovals? Just 14 rounds? That would be terrible news.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

No Fontana or Milwaukee? Just five ovals? Just 14 rounds? That would be terrible news.

It was announced some time ago Fontana wouldn't be on next year's calendar but has there been any confirmation either way regarding Milwaukee?

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I think there's a lot to be said for IndyCar going intercontinental. A number of the drivers come from South America and the two most recent Driver's Champions come from Australia and New Zealand. We're not talking about loads of races, just two or three at the most, out of the whole season. Would the travel costs be that prohibitive? IndyCar was all geared up to race in Brazil this year.

Both South America and the Antipodes have a solid motorsports fan base. It seems a bit silly to ignore that. Also the season could start earlier and there wouldn't be this very long off season. However, I don't see any point in going to the Middle East. There is a lot money out there but there's no natural fan base and where would IndyCar race?

As for the NFL, I don't understand Mark Miles thinking on this one at all. It's as if being an NFL fan precludes being an IndyCar fan. The eqivalent in F1 would be for Bernie to say, the F1 season can't clash with the Premier League.

And lodging, and dining, etc, etc. It's not about having a large fanbase out there, it's about making financial sense - going overseas clearly doesn't at this point and with basically a spec format and a 2 manufacturers-only-series that's not gonna change soon.

No problem imo, the series doesn't necessarily need more races - just better spread out over the year. Its season is long done when IMSA, F1 and Nascar are either still wrapping things up or are in full swing gearing towards their finale. Stretching things out until somewhere in October is a must. I'm hopeful and confident we'll see some improvement next season!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

And lodging, and dining, etc, etc. It's not about having a large fanbase out there, it's about making financial sense - going overseas clearly doesn't at this point and with basically a spec format and a 2 manufacturers-only-series that's not gonna change soon.

No problem imo, the series doesn't necessarily need more races - just better spread out over the year. Its season is long done when IMSA, F1 and Nascar are either still wrapping things up or are in full swing gearing towards their finale. Stretching things out until somewhere in October is a must. I'm hopeful and confident we'll see some improvement next season!

Of course it's about making financial sense and that's ultimately due to the fans. No fans, no money, no series. Sponsors, race promoters and track owners, aren't going to shell out shed loads of money, if there's no return on their investment because no one's watching or attending races.

Lodging, dining etc., still has to be taken into account when IndyCar goes racing within North America.

Going abroad this season to Brazil did make sense, or it would never have been on the calendar in the first place. Fuel and tyres had already been shipped, before the race was killed off and that was due to a change in local government.

It would be great to have other manufacturers involved and it's a pity Lotus couldn't deliver with a third engine. However, the racing itself has been excellent, far better than F1 afaic and as a race fan that's what you go to see. Take Le Mans this year. At the end of the day it was really about Porsche and Audi but it was still a great race.

I'm all in favour of a longer season but with a calendar consisting of potentially only 14 races, that's going to be a long, drawn out season between March and October.

[Paradise City]

If country X has a strong national racing scene then it's feasible to run an event and double up with them. Never underestimate the ability of star name known internationally (like Montoya) to open up opportunities and make things happen.

For me, though, Indycar is about as popular as it's gonna get right now, no matter what cutting edge marketing techniques that are deployed, there's no game changer for this series.