Comcast / NBC merger and IndyCar

[NaBUru38]

Check this Sports Busineess Journal article. One quote:

Originally Posted by John Ourand

The Versus brand gets killed.

NBC Sports is a stronger brand than Versus, which is why Comcast, in the first couple of months after regulatory approval, will rename Versus to something like the NBC Sports Channel or NBC Sports Network. Golf Channel and Universal Sports will not be renamed. For Comcast, a national cable network that shares a name with a broadcast network will help the two share programming and talent.


[...] I wouldn’t be surprised to see on-air talent working across all the channels as Comcast tries to set up the ESPN competitor that leagues have been seeking for the past several years.

I find that strange. Versus seems to be building a strong quality brand. How is NBC perceived in comparison with ABC, CBS and Fox?

Second fact: you won't find "Indy" in that article. We're still in trouble to get recognition.

[mountainstar]

NBC means a lot more than Versus.

Versus I think tried to build a brand which I think 15-20 years ago they may have been more successful. But with all the new media out there that is internet based as well as saturation of channels, I think it's tough to get that name established.

indycar is still a crap product so there may be some turd polishing down the road when the channel gets renamed(if that even happens) and some hoopla from the 5 people left that still care, but it's not going to be a game changer for indycar.

[JHamilton]

Yeah, agreed the NBC name should help a lot and get it picked up on other service providers. That being said, I think, with the exception of Jack Arute, Vs. does an excellent job of coverage. Their college football coverage is pretty good too.

[Jacques Rabbit]

There may be more people watching "NBC Sports Channel" than "VERSUS," but people won't keep the channel on if they don't want to watch the IRL. No one's dumb enough to just watch one channel all day long and never change it. I like IndyCar, but the general public has not responded in a way that suggests they do (VERSUS ratings low, ABC ratings declining and underwhelming, etc), so I don't see this move magically solving much. A good platform to advertise a good product will solve the problems; now the IRL needs to determine what the proper product is...one that appeals to a casual viewer without putting off the hardcore fans.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Jacques Rabbit

There may be more people watching "NBC Sports Channel" than "VERSUS," but people won't keep the channel on if they don't want to watch the IRL. No one's dumb enough to just watch one channel all day long and never change it. I like IndyCar, but the general public has not responded in a way that suggests they do (VERSUS ratings low, ABC ratings declining and underwhelming, etc), so I don't see this move magically solving much. A good platform to advertise a good product will solve the problems; now the IRL needs to determine what the proper product is...one that appeals to a casual viewer without putting off the hardcore fans.

You can have TV out the wazoo and if the product is crap(which it is IMHO) then all the promotion and prancing about and tv coverage is all for naught. I'd bet you could put indycar on the main channel NBC right now and it wouldn't really matter. It doesn't really matter when it's on ABC, ratings a little higher, but a game changer, no.

I think people keep looking to treat the symptoms and really they need to look at the rotten core first.

[HJJ]

NBC also owns this little channel.

http://www.universalsports.com/

Combine the two along and I think it would be a pretty good sports channel. Has to be better than espn these days. If Indycar ends up with a couple of events on NBC broadcast T.V. all the better.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

You can have TV out the wazoo and if the product is crap(which it is IMHO) then all the promotion and prancing about and tv coverage is all for naught. I'd bet you could put indycar on the main channel NBC right now and it wouldn't really matter. It doesn't really matter when it's on ABC, ratings a little higher, but a game changer, no.

I think people keep looking to treat the symptoms and really they need to look at the rotten core first.

I completely agree.

I like the series, but only 200,000 others bother to watch the races with me. It's the product, not the TV contract or the lack of Rahal in a full-time ride or whatever else. You need good racing; good promotion may lure someone in, but they won't stay if they don't like what they see. The next car needs to produce better road course races, end of story, and the series needs an identity that separates it from NASCAR and F1 and ALMS and all the other series to the casual fan.

[PZippy]

I actually think Versus is a pretty cool name for a sports network. However, I understand NBC's thinking. It would require a huge amount of money invested to turn it into a household name ala ESPN. Go ahead, change the name, invest some money and get people watching IndyCar. Whether it's called Versus or NBC whatever is the least of our worries...consequently, calling it under the NBC banner will probably get the channel into more households pretty quick.