Dateline Alaska - TV time-buying costs are set to escalate significantly next year

[SurfaceUnits]

A few optimistic souls see Champ Car's new television package as the bridge to unification since it's going to share the airwaves of ABC/ESPN with the Indy Racing League starting next year.

It's possible this could be one large hurdle removed from the equation if Tony George and Kevin Kalkhoven were ever to become blood brothers.

But let's look at it a little more pragmatically.

The money Champ Car is spending to be on ABC/ESPN will counter what those networks pay the IRL in rights fees. In some delicious irony, if you're a fan of that, Gerry Forsythe and Kalkhoven are indirectly putting money in George's pocket.

Think not? Let's look at the numbers, or what we perceive them to be after talking with some veteran television folks.

http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/34136/

[emjaya]

One thing is for sure. Regardless of whether it's IRL or Champ Car, their ratings on network television are usually under 1.0 and both were badly beaten by the Westminster Dog Show again this year.

:confused:

[nrc]

http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/breedinformation/terrier/images/manchter.jpg
Doggies! :gomer:

[chop456]

"3-Day festivals of speed! With wiener dogs!" It's a can't miss.

Please send the hardcard directly to my house.

You're welcome.

[RTKar]

"3-Day festivals of speed! With wiener dogs!" It's a can't miss.

Please send the hardcard directly to my house.

You're welcome.


Weiner Dog Nationals


http://www.woodlandskc.com/WDN.htm


....T-shirts available

[Spicoli]

Igloo boy can bite me. Until we all see the documents that outline the parameters and details of the broadcast agreements, nobody - including RM - has a clue.


And you know what? I don;t GAF anyway.


STFU gomers.:gomer:

[jonovision_man]

His article misses half of the equation... selling commercial spots on ESPN/ABC should be an easier sell and more lucrative than trying to sell spots on Speed.

So while airtime costs may escalate, if advertising revenue also escalates then it could be a wash.

BTW - what's happening with Robin's relationship with CCWS? Will his articles still appear on the ChampCar web site? Or is that gone with Speed?

jono

[Insomniac]

Wow. That's a lot of speculation from RM. Can anypne explain why CC would sign a 5 year deal where they have to pay ESPN/ABC for time? Or how about all the time they will also be buying for the Atlantic races. If it's such an expensive thing for CC, wouldn't Atlantics be even worse? I generally like RM and his writing, but I think he did his fact checking on Gomer forums.

[NismoZ]

He's just another forum guy, just like us, but on a REALLY BIG forum. Remember, it's entertainment, not racing.:gomer: But so help me if anyone can prove I'm putting money (directly) into Fat Tony's change purse by watching The Long Beach Grand Prix I'll shoot myself.

[Chief]

What a crock of sheeet. Riiight....Indy is the center of the racing television universe and everything revolves around IT. Desperate Housewives, NASCAR, World News Tonight, even saturday morning cartoons dating back to the mid 80's were all conceived and designed as A MONEY TREE for the swirling black hole known as the Indianapolis 500. I better get back to school to learn more about how the SUN revolves around the arrogant pompus ass Tony George.

I'll tell you what's fact.....no one knows whats in the IRL deal and we all know that they sold off significant rights to everything they have in that 2009 contract extension. I tend to believe ABC/ESPN owns rights to the IRL and this eventually could be a way of a transfer of power to CCWS, buy in or not. So you're right, WGAF.

[SurfaceUnits]

With all the speculating going on, I wonder if KK told GF and/or PG any of the details :laugh:

Could it be possible that ESPN approached CC with a deal?

[NismoZ]

You take what you can get...or can afford. Just a lame attempt at negative spin but the positives must outweigh the negatives or CC wouldn't have bothered. Looking forward to it. (The production and presentation are the keys anyway.)

[jonovision_man]

You take what you can get...or can afford. Just a lame attempt at negative spin but the positives must outweigh the negatives or CC wouldn't have bothered. Looking forward to it. (The production and presentation are the keys anyway.)

Agreed. 100%.

BTW - part of the original press release most have ignored:


As part of the deal, Champ Car and ABC/ESPN will also pursue strategies to exploit digital media applications as they pertain to the Champ Car World Series, including internet and wireless media opportunities.

Very vague, but could this possibly apply to Race Director? Who owns the technology there, anyone know? I wonder if there's any potential to license it to other series, ie. NASCAR? Or do they have something similar already?

jono

[oddlycalm]

You take what you can get...or can afford. Just a lame attempt at negative spin Agreed, and you do what you need to do to run the store. Off season yawns for those not already in a turkey coma...

Since it's well knows that virtually all racing outside of NASCAR and the i500 is a time buy in the US the only aspect that varies between various series is the specific details about which few care.

oc

PS - I'm thinking that rocket cars piloted by dogs might be a big audience draw...

[eiregosod]

PS - I'm thinking that rocket cars piloted by dogs might be a big audience draw...

and have the dogs wear party hats and Benny hill theme music !

[rabbit]

I thought Oreo said on that interview that dm posted that ESPN was paying Champ Car, although it was a very small amount.

[FTG]

You heard it here first. Honda is paying for the TV time. Maybe not this year, but the deal is done.

[SurfaceUnits]

You heard it here first. Tony George is paying for the TV time. Sarah Fisher won an open wheel race. Danica Patrick was a virgin when she married.

[cameraman]

and have the dogs wear party hats and Benny hill theme music !

http://www.carolynbahm.com/knitblog/images/go_dog_hat.jpg

[Andrew Longman]

No one knows what the TV deal is but I would not be surprised if they are getting paid or are paying. I see incentives on both sides in this venture.

But also, when you are getting beat by a dog show, you better do something. Getting a better TV deal gives you a chance at better ratings which improves chances are selling advertising and sponsorships. Even if it is as much as Robin says, without it, there is almost no chance to sell sponsorships, in which case KK has to fork over something to the teams directly just to make a minimum field. That makes no sense.

I don't see the TV deal as becoming the most popular thing on ABC, but I do see it as far better than anything else they could have done and a big step towards squeezing some sense into TG.

[Insomniac]

Very vague, but could this possibly apply to Race Director? Who owns the technology there, anyone know? I wonder if there's any potential to license it to other series, ie. NASCAR? Or do they have something similar already?

I was figuring it would all be moving to ESPN 360.

[Insomniac]

But also, when you are getting beat by a dog show, you better do something. Getting a better TV deal gives you a chance at better ratings which improves chances are selling advertising and sponsorships. Even if it is as much as Robin says, without it, there is almost no chance to sell sponsorships, in which case KK has to fork over something to the teams directly just to make a minimum field. That makes no sense.

The dog show pulls in 2.0+. It beats a lot of stuff on cable.

[Chief]

Shill Ed Hinton posted this in the Sun Sentinal yesterday:

Golden Ball-Peen Hammer: To ABC-ESPN, for knocking some sense into Indy Racing League founder Tony George's head by guaranteeing, with a five-year TV contract, that rival Champ Car isn't going away anytime soon. Either he starts negotiating (rather than pretending to) or maybe it's his league that goes away after all.

[mueber]

Sometimes Ed. Hinton is spot on.