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23 Feb 2009, 20:31 (Ref:2402688) | #76 | ||
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Er.. two more factors that helped RTL making the decision:
1) RTL didn't have the rights to broadcast F1 at the time and 2) RTL's commentator Allard Kalff is Jeroen Bleekemolen's manager |
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24 Feb 2009, 02:06 (Ref:2402848) | #77 | ||
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While I am not there I hear mixed reports about A1GP's success in NZL. Taupo seems to get good crowds (although slightly lower each year?), and TV3 show each round it is delayed and late at night. It seems the viewer base is motorsport fans, other people there tell me the general public are not very interested at all.
In China it's simple - very few people have heard of it. It seems NED and RSA are way ahead in terms of popular interest. Perhaps some others can shed light on other countries? |
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24 Feb 2009, 08:04 (Ref:2402947) | #78 | ||
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I am very certain A1GP is also very popular in Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan (judging by their presence on several forums)
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24 Feb 2009, 09:23 (Ref:2402981) | #79 | |
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It is very popular in OZ, just Sydney's Eastern Creek always struggles to pull crowds. The Gold Coast race should attract a big crowd and also introduce it to the V8 supporters.
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24 Feb 2009, 10:08 (Ref:2403006) | #80 | ||
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The South African round was on TV3 here at 2am Monday morning.Most normal people have to go to work at 8am so the viewing numbers here must have been very low.No replay either,
As to the money side story I heard that as Fiat/Ferrari have got involved theres no way they will let it go tits up and will empty some of thier money bin into A1GP to keep it going if necessary. |
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24 Feb 2009, 12:33 (Ref:2403090) | #81 | |||
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A1GP is really going to have to sort out their act for next year if they want to make this series work and hopefully get some better tv deals going and bigger crowd numbers.
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"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity;and I'm not sure about the universe." 'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt. |
24 Feb 2009, 15:12 (Ref:2403203) | #82 | ||
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May I point you all to a nice series of articles on the German site motorsport-total.com ?
Pete Da Silva talks freely about what has happened the last few months, why Mexico was rescheduled because of a pop concert and why Lippo exactly was cancelled. You'd do well to read it |
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24 Feb 2009, 16:16 (Ref:2403243) | #83 | |
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Here's a link to the most Frank interview Pete da Silva has ever given ....
http://www.motorpics.co.za/picsites/...=564575-147898 We get every round of A1GP as well as most qualifying on SABC3. Sprint race is recorded but feature is live (NZ @ 3:00am!) SABC is a free to air TV and A1 is the ONLY motorsport shown on it. The rest (F1, WSB, MotoGP even all South African motorsport) are all on pay to view Supersport chanelels. Perhaps explains why Kyalami had a good crowd even though I didn't think the event was well advertised Last edited by rychard; 24 Feb 2009 at 16:24. |
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24 Feb 2009, 16:27 (Ref:2403249) | #84 | ||
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In view of that interview perhaps we can reduce the number of "panicking and stirring up trouble" posts from "insiders".
Positive noises are coming from A1gp and we should support it, not knock it. |
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24 Feb 2009, 17:39 (Ref:2403291) | #85 | |
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Half the problem is that A1GP don't communicate so speculation is rife - very often half correct as well.
On Thursday afternoon it seemed certain that there'd be no race yet there was still no reassurance or communication from A1GP. |
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24 Feb 2009, 19:11 (Ref:2403363) | #86 | ||
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I agree. If they had told us the reason for rescheduling Mexico was because if not, people could only visit the concert by going through the pitland of the circuit. That makes perfect sense.
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25 Feb 2009, 02:49 (Ref:2403628) | #87 | ||
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This is the second very frank interview that I have seen Pete Da Silva give (there was one on autosport website a month or so ago), although this one does outdo the other one.
It answers a lot of questions and builds confidence. There has also been a fairly frank interview by Tony Teixeira this weekend. Hope the trend continues! The A1GP communications department on the other hand really could explain things better sometimes... |
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26 Feb 2009, 02:07 (Ref:2404292) | #88 | ||
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The fact remains that the series might well comprise of 7 rounds which is laughable for an international championship (or even a professional national one).If this is the number of promoters that can run a viable round then something needs to change drastically for the series to survive.There will be new venues in the next series but at least 2 of the 08/09 circuits probably won't be back.An unrefuted story in the Sydney Sun Herald newspaper a few weeks back said that Alan Jones had to recently take a $8mill loan for the Australian team to survive.The hoped for/fantasised about new investors have failed to arrive.I have been a fan of A1 since its inception but it seems like it is in a downward spiral and I cannot see any way it will be able to generate a big enough income stream to enable it to survive.
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26 Feb 2009, 03:53 (Ref:2404310) | #89 | ||
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I think seven rounds would have been very disappointing for everyone if the economy was still functioning normally, but considering the financial crisis I'd rather A1GP be cautious and only go to venues where they are reasonably certain of a good turnout.
Which financial institution is giving $8m loans these days? Perhaps before the financial crisis, and perhaps Jones needed it for the franchise fee for the next 3-5 years. A1GP has seemed to struggle a bit in Australia so far, but surely Surfers Paradise will change that. Not sure how revenues are to be split between A1GP and V8 Supercars, but surely the crowd at such an iconic event will produce a profit on that one? Times that by however many rounds, and then add the fact that Tony Teixeira views it as a long term investment, with more sponsors hopefully coming on board later... Chengdu was definitely a one off, but I am lead to believe that A1GP has a five year contract with the Chinese government (with them paying), so I presume it is a case of moving it back to Zhuhai. I guess Taupo might not be back, but hopefully that would also just be a case of moving it to Hampton Downs. I cannot think of what other venues from this season will be disappearing, Zandvoort is fantastic, crowds are increasing at Sepang every year, Kyalami was Zandvoort-esque and Brands is always brimming. |
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26 Feb 2009, 11:34 (Ref:2404489) | #90 | |
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And I thought the government spin doctors were the best...
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26 Feb 2009, 16:03 (Ref:2404706) | #91 | ||
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Autosport magazine in the UK reported a few months back that A1 had signed a 2-race per season contract with the Chinese government starting next year.
And to be honest, I didn't actually think Chengdu was that bad... |
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27 Feb 2009, 02:01 (Ref:2405056) | #92 | |||
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27 Feb 2009, 07:41 (Ref:2405160) | #93 | ||
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Alright, the only thing I noticed from TV was the racing which was quite good... didn't realise the other stuff was so "extreme".
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27 Feb 2009, 07:56 (Ref:2405166) | #94 | |||
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27 Feb 2009, 09:58 (Ref:2405248) | #95 | ||
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Actually, the conditions were not even half as bad as those experienced by the crazy individuals in the Netherlands that sit on sand dunes and watch A1GP in driving rain and freezing wind...
Also the grid girls in Chengdu were gorgeous (actually the TW Steel ones), so it wasn't all bad being there! I'd gladly go again. |
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27 Feb 2009, 18:18 (Ref:2405556) | #96 | ||
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Seriously, lack of grandstands and other facilities is what keeps Zandvoort from having a grade 1 homologation (They have 1T if I am not mistaken).
They do have some plans for the future though |
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1 Mar 2009, 05:31 (Ref:2406403) | #97 | |
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Kyalami doesn't have a lot of grandstands, but the promoters erected a lot of temporary one which will probably stay until after the world superbikes in May.
In other words the promoters went the extra mile .... |
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1 Mar 2009, 09:15 (Ref:2406462) | #98 | ||
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Before this runs into a 'our circuit is in this status tread', shall we continue discussing the financial side of A1 please?
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1 Mar 2009, 19:12 (Ref:2406828) | #99 | |
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I think mentioning the lengths the promoters went to is relevant to the 'financial' side of things. If the series isn't viable then someone certainly is making an effort to change it.
The Durban organisers also went to a lot of effort so surely that shows committment from South Africa? Last edited by rychard; 1 Mar 2009 at 19:37. |
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1 Mar 2009, 20:14 (Ref:2406872) | #100 | ||
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Yes it does. South Africa has been committed to A1 since day 1, and it shows.
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