Not Everyone Thinks F1 is Boring

[Spritle]

The following article appeared on F1 live. I guess it's not as boring as some think.


Sustained interest in Formula One has been borne out by the half year audience analysis produced by international sport research company, Sports Marketing Surveys.

The mid season report shows that in spite of the dominance of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari, viewing figures have risen against the same period in 2003.

Spain, Italy and Japan all showed increases on last year, showing that national following of drivers is an important factor. Spain is becoming one of the fastest growing TV audiences in Formula One, with live race audiences up an average of +73% since switching to national broadcaster Tele 5 from TVE in 2003.

Increasing exposure continues to give good returns for sponsors with the use of on-board cameras, and interviews with drivers top and tailing broadcasts.

Competition on the track for the second, third and fourth places also boosted interest.

Nigel Geach, Director of Sports Marketing Surveys explains: “Formula One continues to be one of the highest viewed sports in the World, giving regular high audiences and excellent sponsor exposure. The first half figures are particularly good as other international sporting competitions (such as Euro 2004) gave additional choices to viewers.”

Press release
Sports Marketing Surveys

[luke]

Probaberly because Spain,Italy and Japan have had good drivers this year.

[Aysedasi]

OK, I give in. Buy me a place in Spain, Italy or Japan and I'll go over there and watch it? Can't say fairer than that........

[Mouser]

Nice to hear something positive about Formula One
viewing numbers!

[KRONOSJL]

marketing and nationalism are not sport....bad movies can be seen by a lot of people , they stay bad movies....
The F1 is boring not because SCHUMACHER wins all the races , but because he wins half of his victories ... in the pit and not on the track , because the news tracks have no interest , because pit stops are for the Mans and not for the F1 , because too mutch good drivers dont find a gear and because too mutch no god drivers have a gear , etc etc..

[GP Racer]

The numbers are picking up here in America to.

Speed Channel, which broadcasts all of the F1 races here live, has said that viewership is up again, and is continuing to grow. Speed shows all of the practices, qualifications and races live, and they have given us the best coverage I've ever seen on F1 here. Kudo's to them!

Next, we need an American driver, but thats another subject that may have already been covered once or twice here!

[jj2728]

Originally posted by GP Racer
The numbers are picking up here in America to.
Speed Channel, which broadcasts all of the F1 races here live, has said that viewership is up again, and is continuing to grow. Speed shows all of the practices, qualifications and races live, and they have given us the best coverage I've ever seen on F1 here. Kudo's to them!

agreed. SPEED'S coverage is generally top notch. additionally and interestingly/oddly (depends on your p.o.v.) enough i read somewhere that part of the reason for the increase in numbers is the growing interest by the NASCAR fan base.

[climb]

This year some new elements of spectacle have arisen.
I couldn't remember, for instance, a team displaying such an awesome tactical fantasy: 1-2-3-4 pits per races, every time different every time winner!
More than their drivers, it's ferrari's pit crew who make spectacle, of a very original sort.

[BootsOntheSide]

Originally posted by KRONOSJL
marketing and nationalism are not sport....bad movies can be seen by a lot of people , they stay bad movies....
The F1 is boring not because SCHUMACHER wins all the races , but because he wins half of his victories ... in the pit and not on the track , because the news tracks have no interest , because pit stops are for the Mans and not for the F1 , because too mutch good drivers dont find a gear and because too mutch no god drivers have a gear , etc etc..

Precisely true, although the racing hasn't been all bad - Germany, Monaco and Bahrain have been aprticularly exciting. I suspect viewing figures in Canada and Holland have dropped this year?