IMSA USCC in 2016 and 2017

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Agreed. IMSA's problems are far bigger than the line up of FOX's commentating and production team. It's a downward spiral and as it's not hard to imagine the ratings not increasing drastically with no major improvements lined up for better racing, a pull out from some manufacturers (as they no longer are willing to cough up the required marketing fees) might be next, soon to be followed by the rest of them. And then what Nascar? Selling the series as it becomes more and more a money loser? Or run it into the ground in order to make it harder (than it already is) for anyone to come up with something new....?

P2's and DP's are not headline acts in a successful and popular series, with good ratings. This was obvious from the beginning... not that P1 was an option either... but without something marketable at the front, it always was going to spiral downward. Given what they do have, the best answer might have been a top line GT series... marketed by the manufacturers.

[YZFrider]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Agreed. IMSA's problems are far bigger than the line up of FOX's commentating and production team. It's a downward spiral and as it's not hard to imagine the ratings not increasing drastically with no major improvements lined up for better racing,

As dissapointing as 2014/2015 (chalk it up to "transitional" years) may have been for us hardcore fans, I am really
I really am interested yet concerned for 2017-2019. Being committed to the global P2 regs but with our American twist. It's those years they have to get it right! Or have a contingency

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

And then what Nascar? Selling the series as it becomes more and more a money loser? Or run it into the ground in order to make it harder (than it already is) for anyone to come up with something new....?

Ugh there in lies a big part of the series survival. ISC/NASCAR did pass up on buying Laguna Seca after they determined that it wouldn't be money making for them. If they aren't willing to put money into TUSCC/WTSCC because it isn't making money...it's like WTF??? why did they buy it?

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by YZFrider

If they aren't willing to put money into TUSCC/WTSCC because it isn't making money...it's like WTF??? why did they buy it?

Control.

[Rcz]

Accessibility is the biggest problem right now.

You have to be visible to potential new fans, and not be on some obscure sports channel or some internet stream. Young fan and casual fans will never seek you out, so you have to put the product right in their faces.

I suggest putting most races on broadcast tv, and maybe a more consistent schedule.

Enduro will always be toughest to show one Tv, so this might be a exception to the above.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by YZFrider

As dissapointing as 2014/2015 (chalk it up to "transitional" years) may have been for us hardcore fans, I am really
I really am interested yet concerned for 2017-2019. Being committed to the global P2 regs but with our American twist. It's those years they have to get it right! Or have a contingencyit?

I thought Atherton said "one chance to get it right" years ago
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...eries/1988119/

[Coach Ep]

The next day one hour 'highlight shows' on Fox (not Sports x) attracted some good numbers though so that might be the way to go forward.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

The next day one hour 'highlight shows' on Fox (not Sports x) attracted some good numbers though so that might be the way to go forward.

Yeah but time is money + ratings are life (in TV world), and FOX doesn't want to give valuable air time to some B-series they were probably forced to acquire to get continuing rights for NASCAR proper.

[Coach Ep]

If IMSA (read: the manufacturers) are paying for that airtime, FOX will have no issues with it.

[Deleted]

The required dollar amount per aired minute should be pretty hefty.

[BullMan]

Because it may get deleted, I present what may be the worst press release I've ever seen. See how many factual errors and grammatical mistakes you can find! I don't think this was written by someone who graduated high school.











Jesus freaking Christ.

[Deleted]

It's incompetent but at least they put corresponding images there, unlike couple of years ago in (IIRC?) WEC preview of sorts where they but F430s in place of F458s, DBR9s in place of GT2 Vantages, and prototypes mixed with GTs, and so on

[Fogelhund]

That was pure gold, thanks.

[FLGTFAN]

I thought it was good. However, they failed to mention that watching racing at Daytona for 24 hours is BORING!

[DistortedSmile]

''These are the fastest and most technologically advanced cars in North America''

[carbsmith]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

And then what Nascar? Selling the series as it becomes more and more a money loser? Or run it into the ground in order to make it harder (than it already is) for anyone to come up with something new....?

Both.

And for good measure after they sell the rotted husk of IMSA to someone who cares they'll make the 24 Hours of Daytona a NASA race.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by DistortedSmile

''These are the fastest and most technologically advanced cars in North America''

This is almost as big of a lie as the title of 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship was.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by DistortedSmile

''These are the fastest and most technologically advanced cars in North America''

Well some of them are-just not the car in the photo haha

[MagVanisher]

"One chance to get it right!" is now "No freaking chances to get this series right!"

So many promises broken that it's depressing to watch the races. Better have someone competent over Jim France and his cronies.

[chernaudi]

I do somehow think that some guys in France (cough cough, the ACO and FIA, cough) have an endgame of letting NASCAR/former GA and ALMS management run IMSA into the ground so they can take it over and make a NA series in their own image as a feeder/regional support series for the WEC and the LM24.

[MagVanisher]

@chernaudi
What's worse is that FIA/ACO would cancel the NAEC races.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

I do somehow think that some guys in France (cough cough, the ACO and FIA, cough) have an endgame of letting NASCAR/former GA and ALMS management run IMSA into the ground so they can take it over and make a NA series in their own image as a feeder/regional support series for the WEC and the LM24.

I'm sure NASCAR is capable of this without aid from anyone else.

[chernaudi]

I'm petty sure that there'd be no need for the NAEC if all the races outside of Sebring and PLM were 1000km or 6 hours. Of course that'd be a problem for TV packaging.

And to be honest, I don't know how much longer IMSA will hold on to the NAEC, since it's not attracting any extra entrants on a recurring basis and the guy who owns Patron (who sponsors the NAEC) runs in the WEC now and only will probably run Daytona and maybe Sebring as WEC warm up races.

And I do believe that, considering the overall indifference overall that the ACO/FIA and IMSA have shown each other, I do believe that the ACO and the FIA, especially the ACO, are probably content to let IMSA get screwed over and destroyed by NASCAR/ISC/the combined former IMSA and GA regimes so they can quickly and easily pick up the pieces for little outlay of their own.

IMO, it's a little embarrassing right now that IMSA's top class of cars can't even run lap times around Sebring that the old Audi R8 was capable of 16 years ago, or even the Dyson R&S Mk III Fords did the year before that. And that's on 16+year old Michelin and Goodyear tires.

[Coach Ep]

D-wing back fulltime, besides Sean Rayhall wasting his considerable driving skills in it no real news but this I like!

he 2016 season comes with ... a bold new livery reminiscent of the legendary Panoz "Spirit of America" LMP1 Roadster S 14 years ago

[Matt]

[wdave0]

I'd say fitting all that on the d-wing nose could be as difficult as makin it finish.