[WEC] 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship

[EricS]

Great news! Hindy and GG as commentators for WEC's official TV coverage for rest of the season. The RLM audio stream will use different commentators.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2014/0...and-radio.html

[seanyb505]

Originally Posted by EricS

Great news! The Dacia Sandero is...Hindy and GG as commentators for WEC's official TV coverage for rest of the season. The RLM audio stream will use different commentators.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2014/0...and-radio.html

How I read the post lol.

Why wouldn't RLM use what Hindy & GG are doing? Contract reasons? Is it wrong to use the same product to get Nissan advert dollars as well as payment from the WEC?

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by seanyb505

How I read the post lol.

Why wouldn't RLM use what Hindy & GG are doing? Contract reasons? Is it wrong to use the same product to get Nissan advert dollars as well as payment from the WEC?

WEC want dedicated TV feed including commentary, RLM committed to free to air coverage - The two don't mix. This means that there are more choices, including a choice to hear it free.

[Articus]

Originally Posted by EricS

Great news! Hindy and GG as commentators for WEC's official TV coverage for rest of the season. The RLM audio stream will use different commentators.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2014/0...and-radio.html

Hallelujah!! It's about time we had nice things.

[blankfile]

Originally Posted by Graham Goodwin

WEC want dedicated TV feed including commentary, RLM committed to free to air coverage - The two don't mix. This means that there are more choices, including a choice to hear it free.

Well it isn't RLM but the second best thing, verry sneaky!

[airbusA346]

Millennium Racing haven't written off the 2014 season yet.

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/mil...tie-de-saison/

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by airbusA346

Millennium Racing haven't written off the 2014 season yet.

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/mil...tie-de-saison/

Until Interlagos draws to a close, will they ever?

EDIT: The race thread will be up by Friday, August 15.

[JoestForEver]

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2014/0...available.html
Looks like Ram Racing is liquidating their asset now, another failed attempt to step up from ELMS to WEC, isn't it?
The rocketing expense of racing in a world championship is just prohibitive to private entries, and stepping up from regional endurance series looks more like a joke now. This will, inevitably, make every group from P1 to GTE into BoP'ed racing in the foreseeable future as ACO will do everything they can to please all existing factory teams. The series is far from success, or at least unhealthy.

[carbon_titanium]

Originally Posted by JoestForEver

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2014/0...available.html
Looks like Ram Racing is liquidating their asset now, another failed attempt to step up from ELMS to WEC, isn't it?
The rocketing expense of racing in a world championship is just prohibitive to private entries, and stepping up from regional endurance series looks more like a joke now. This will, inevitably, make every group from P1 to GTE into BoP'ed racing in the foreseeable future as ACO will do everything they can to please all existing factory teams. The series is far from success, or at least unhealthy.

The first thing I thought when I saw not one but two full season entry for RAM RACING! was clear that after LM the withdraw was automatic.
Anyway since 2012 ACO uses to pick teams like pescarolo, luxury racing, gulf middle east, ram racing etc... who barely are able to race in europe...

[TF110]

How did you come to the "rocketing expense" in wec conclusion from this (sad) story? If they couldnt afford the wec but could afford the elms, why are they selling these cars? They should do elms if they can afford to or if they want to. We dont even have the full story.

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by JoestForEver

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2014/0...available.html
Looks like Ram Racing is liquidating their asset now, another failed attempt to step up from ELMS to WEC, isn't it?
The rocketing expense of racing in a world championship is just prohibitive to private entries, and stepping up from regional endurance series looks more like a joke now. This will, inevitably, make every group from P1 to GTE into BoP'ed racing in the foreseeable future as ACO will do everything they can to please all existing factory teams. The series is far from success, or at least unhealthy.

I think this is symptomatic of a problem seen everywhere in motorsport worldwide, namely, the absence of sponsors on the paintwork. Teams are having to get more creative and less selective when it comes to finding investment, and that often means turning to unreliable - and in some cases, shady - sources.

RAM probably tried to make the move to the WEC a little too early, but I think the lack of avaliable sponsors is the issue more than the cost of the championship. How cheap can a World Championship realistically be?

[JoestForEver]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

I think this is symptomatic of a problem seen everywhere in motorsport worldwide, namely, the absence of sponsors on the paintwork. Teams are having to get more creative and less selective when it comes to finding investment, and that often means turning to unreliable - and in some cases, shady - sources.

RAM probably tried to make the move to the WEC a little too early, but I think the lack of avaliable sponsors is the issue more than the cost of the championship. How cheap can a World Championship realistically be?

A world championship is supposed to provide ram racing with more media exposure and thus more sponsor money, which is not necessarily the case now.

The problem, at least it seems now, is that world series teams raise funs differently from regional series. ELMS teams can be supported by selling seats to gentlemen drivers but in a world series you got to sell your team to large sponsors, or you either go to the stock market like Williams or live purely on TV dividend based on your season standings(Like the rest of the F1 independent teams).

In short, what I want to say about this is that ACO/FIA have to find a way to encourage more privateers to keep the series healthy. In order to do so, they might need privateers-exclusive talk show before the race or promotion activities to help them raise money, or privateers dividend in the form of entry fee credit instead of raising entry fee drastically season after season.(No source for the exact number though, sorry for my memory, but I see the report on this forum.)

[TzeiTzei]

Originally Posted by JoestForEver

In short, what I want to say about this is that ACO/FIA have to find a way to encourage more privateers to keep the series healthy. In order to do so, they might need privateers-exclusive talk show before the race or promotion activities to help them raise money, or privateers dividend in the form of entry fee credit instead of raising entry fee drastically season after season.(No source for the exact number though, sorry for my memory, but I see the report on this forum.)

I would say they need get the maximum amount of viewers possible. You want more sponsors? Well get more people to watch the series first. Get rid of the paywall, put the races on tv (offer it for free if necessary) and advertise. Porsche just joined, Nissan will join next year, the interest is there. ACO have the golden opportunity to grow the fan base. Remember, in the end we are the ones who pay the bills. But now is the time to invest, not to cash in. If the ACO can't afford this, then talk to the manufacturers. I'm confident that for marketing purposes the likes of Audi, Toyota, Porsche and Nissan would be willing to put some money into this.

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by TzeiTzei

I would say they need get the maximum amount of viewers possible. You want more sponsors? Well get more people to watch the series first. Get rid of the paywall, put the races on tv (offer it for free if necessary) and advertise. Porsche just joined, Nissan will join next year, the interest is there. ACO have the golden opportunity to grow the fan base. Remember, in the end we are the ones who pay the bills. But now is the time to invest, not to cash in. If the ACO can't afford this, then talk to the manufacturers. I'm confident that for marketing purposes the likes of Audi, Toyota, Porsche and Nissan would be willing to put some money into this.

+1

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by TzeiTzei

I would say they need get the maximum amount of viewers possible. You want more sponsors? Well get more people to watch the series first. Get rid of the paywall, put the races on tv (offer it for free if necessary) and advertise. Porsche just joined, Nissan will join next year, the interest is there. ACO have the golden opportunity to grow the fan base. Remember, in the end we are the ones who pay the bills. But now is the time to invest, not to cash in. If the ACO can't afford this, then talk to the manufacturers. I'm confident that for marketing purposes the likes of Audi, Toyota, Porsche and Nissan would be willing to put some money into this.

Pierre Fillon, Gerard Neveu; take note.

[TF110]

At least in America, the cota round will be broadcast, if only for portion. They need exposure, and if teams want it to expand, they need to voice their concerns. This series cant be run by a few people who think they know best. All the participants need to be heard and need to talk.

[chernaudi]

I thought that the COTA round would be broadcast live in whole, but on FS2, which not everyone has, even if they have FS1.

It's either that, or hope to get the highlights show on FS1 when it comes out.

[TF110]

Sportscar365 has an interesting article on the logistics of the wec. Includes shipping details. Interesting that lmp1 manufacturers are responsible for shipping the hybrid batteries.

[Maelochs]

One more vote for Tzei-Tzei's approach. Trying to milk a small fan base for small money is not as smart as trying to increase that fanbase, and Internet right now offers minimal RoI for sponsors compared to TV.

The money ACO/FIA make from the paywall all year can't be more than the tire bill for one race. Is this another case of the series running only to make the management's paychecks, and too bad for everyone else? Ask ALMS how that works out.

[TF110]

Theres no specific reason for a pay stream. Same with F1.com asking you to pay for a live timing app as if they dont make enough money already.

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by TF110

Theres no specific reason for a pay stream.

Yes there is. It has been explained several times that the pay stream has to be in place in order not to violate Eurosport's rights of exclusivity.

Now one could argue that they should not have signed this deal this way but the way the contracts are now, there is a very specific reason as to why the pay stream is there.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Acid09

Yes there is. It has been explained several times that the pay stream has to be in place in order not to violate Eurosport's rights of exclusivity.

Now one could argue that they should not have signed this deal this way but the way the contracts are now, there is a very specific reason as to why the pay stream is there.

Since when has Eurosport ever cared of exclusivity outside Le Mans? Yeah for that one race it has been the norm for ages not to offer free streaming - for obvious reasons - but the other races?

And it's not ES is that exclusive anyway as Motors TV broadcasts all those other races anyway, in more depth too

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Since when has Eurosport ever cared of exclusivity outside Le Mans? Yeah for that one race it has been the norm for ages not to offer free streaming - for obvious reasons - but the other races?

And it's not ES is that exclusive anyway as Motors TV broadcasts all those other races anyway, in more depth too

MotorsTV is basically a pay-TV channel though, it's not free to air.

Eurosport is and a free web stream in HD is competition for them. Why should people watch Eurosport and their commercials if they can watch a commercial-free stream instead?

It's something that potentially costs them viewers, that's why it had to be blocked off.

[Ginaro Zukovsky]

Originally Posted by Acid09

MotorsTV is basically a pay-TV channel though, it's not free to air.

Eurosport is and a free web stream in HD is competition for them. Why should people watch Eurosport and their commercials if they can watch a commercial-free stream instead?

It's something that potentially costs them viewers, that's why it had to be blocked off.

MotorsTV is available for free in the UK via Freeview, and on satellite for those with a Sky viewing card. MotorsTV has been showing the WEC live since the start, strange for Eurosport to suddenly say, "take your fiawec.com live stream behind a paywall".

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Ginaro Zukovsky

MotorsTV is available for free in the UK via Freeview, and on satellite for those with a Sky viewing card. MotorsTV has been showing the WEC live since the start, strange for Eurosport to suddenly say, "take your fiawec.com live stream behind a paywall".

I don't think they have said anything like that (except for LM since the beginning of time), unless Acid09 has some proof

And if he's referring to this old line from Neveu
"If the live streaming is free for all, this will cause problems for our first screen broadcasters. First screen participants, such as our TV Broadcaster, will not sign a contract if the content is available for free in an application."

That could just be an excuse or meant just for LM, but even if it wasn't the quote doesn't make sense as Eurosport already signed the 2013-2016 contract for LM&WEC in June 2013 - so what contract signing was there left to be done?
http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/e...ec_until_2016/

I guess you could argue that it was already part of the 2013 contract to make it non-free in 2014, but if that was the case, why did the manufacturers appear to be so shocked in April? Surely ACO wouldn't have kept them in the dark
http://tentenths.com/forum/showpost....&postcount=347

As for Motors TV, it's rather telling that they don't have the rights to broadcast Le Mans, but every other race is theirs. So clearly Eurosport doesn't give rats ass about the rest of the schedule outside Le Mans if they let them air full races alongside them. I've always said that the rest of the championship is likely only broadcasted as it's part of ACO's Le Mans TV rights deal. That is obviously just my assumption but probably not too far stretched don't ya think?