F1 popularity

[robot9000]

Extramundane posted that the Top Gear guys are going to start doing the F1 broadcasets for the BBC next year. He didn't want to start a new thread, but the article got me to thinking...so I started a new thread :-)

Okay, I was always under the assumption that F1, like soccer, is this worldwide phenom that we Yanks are just gentically unable to grasp. Yeah, we like it all well enough, but we don't go gaga over it like we would, say, a new set of funny Budwiser commercials during the Super Bowl.

Okay, so in reading the link to the BBC F1 article, it seems that maybe the Brits are not so in love with F1 either. The comments left for that article lead me to belive that its a bit more popular than here, but not that much.

So, we all know it's a niche sport here in North America, and the Brits are luke warm on it.

What if its all a sham? What if we are all led to belive its the most popular sport in the world with Billions and Billions of fans world wide. That no F1 driver is safe from the roaming bands of rabid fans that inhabit every corner of Yurip. What if thats just all propaganda propped up by years of yapping by Bernie?

Whats to say the Germans and French'tards' and Italians are just a luke warm to F1 as we are? Things that make you go, hhhmmmm (or in French, l'hmmmmmm).

I'll take off my Tin Hat now and return you to your regularly scheduled conspiricy theories.

[opinionated ow]

and you would be wrong...the fact that they get hundreds of thousands to most races puts that to shame.....if they got 100K attendance per race that is nearly 2 million. i saw tv figures once and i was gobsmacked at the viewership, several hundred million per race iirc

[eiregosod]

its been luke warm for a long time, certainly in the past 7 years or so. ITV had to pay rebates to the advertisers because they didnt get the number of eyeballs they thought they would. ITV implemented some cost cutting measures in their packaging of F1, they dont have an on-track studio no more).

One of the things to realise is that the sports department at the BBC has a lot of cash to play around with now that the FA cup & England football internationals are going to ITV.

funnily enough, the early evening start time races get the biggest viewershp.

[dirtyboy]

If you watch any British sports news shows the coverage breaks down like this:

70% - Football
10% - Rugby
10% - Cricket
3% - Horse racing
3% - Darts
3% - Misc.
1% - Formula One

[EVL29]

and you would be wrong...the fact that they get hundreds of thousands to most races puts that to shame.....if they got 100K attendance per race that is nearly 2 million. i saw tv figures once and i was gobsmacked at the viewership, several hundred million per race iirc

Numbers supplies by Bernie.

And much of that viewership is supposed to be in China.:rolleyes:



Anyone remember sillypony's posts about CART viewership in China during the old 7thGear days?:rofl:

[Chaos]

If you watch any British sports news shows the coverage breaks down like this:

70% - Football
10% - Rugby
10% - Cricket
3% - Horse racing
3% - Darts
3% - Misc.
1% - Formula One

It was much higher than 1% last year thanks to Lewis Hamilton and the McLaren soap opera.

[robot9000]

and you would be wrong...the fact that they get hundreds of thousands to most races puts that to shame.....if they got 100K attendance per race that is nearly 2 million. i saw tv figures once and i was gobsmacked at the viewership, several hundred million per race iirc


Hundreds of thousands to each race? Wow, where do they all sit?

[dando]

If you watch any British sports news shows the coverage breaks down like this:

70% - Football
10% - Rugby
10% - Cricket
3% - Horse racing
3% - Darts
3% - Cheese Rolling
1% - Formula One

Fixed that for ya. ;)

If F1 gets 'hundreds of thousands' for its races, then that is the total attendance figure for the weekend. They might average 100K for race day.

-Kevin

[oddlycalm]

Hundreds of thousands to each race? Wow, where do they all sit? Motocycle racing generally gets a bigger crowd than F1 in Europe and has forever. No idea about TV.

I can tell you that's it's damn popular at our house. So that's one...:gomer:

oc

[RusH]

Here is something to chew on though.


A new report shows that the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix, a three-way showdown for the title that saw Kimi Raikkonen crowned world champion, was beaten only by American football's NFL Super Bowl as the most popular sports telecast of 2007.

The Interlagos race attracted an average global TV audience of 78 million, the report found, compared with 97m for the Super Bowl.

nitiative also found that the total 'reach' of the 2007 championship finale - the amount of people who watched at least three minutes of the telecast - was 152m.

The Super Bowl's 'reach' was lower, at 142m.

Source GMM
© CAPSIS International

[trish]

While the numbers for Formula One are global, the Superbowl numbers are U.S. viewers alone.

[RusH]

While the numbers for Formula One are global, the Superbowl numbers are U.S. viewers alone.

Where do you see that? The statement is about global viewership as far as I can tell.

[cameraman]

While the numbers for Formula One are global, the Superbowl numbers are U.S. viewers alone. There is no way that the Superbowl's reach was 142 million people in the US alone. As much as the NFL might want it to be, 50% of the nation did not tune in.

[trish]

I can give you several sources that give the average U.S. rating for the super bowl.


PR News - 93.1 million (http://www.prnewsonline.com/prnewswire/1900.html)

Nielsen Media - 93.1 million (http://www.nielsenmedia.com/nc/portal/site/Public/menuitem.55dc65b4a7d5adff3f65936147a062a0/?vgnextoid=ef42b9365bca7110VgnVCM100000ac0a260aRCR D)

140 million U.S. viewers watched all or part. (http://today.reuters.com/news/articlebusiness.aspx?type=media&storyid=nN05484005&WTmodLoc=HybArt-R2-IndustryNews-4&from=business)

Other Countries

3.37 Million in Canada (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2348403420070523)



Might be of interest

Claimed vs. Verifiable numbers (2006) (http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/why-fifas-claim-of-one-billion-tv-viewers-was-a-quarter-right-438302.html)


I don't find any numbers for any other countries (besides Canada of course).

[trish]

There is no way that the Superbowl's reach was 142 million people in the US alone. As much as the NFL might want it to be, 50% of the nation did not tune in.

This guy disagrees with you. (http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&p=267457) lol You can follow his link.

[RusH]

Anybody have a calculator? :wilke:

There is only 1 SB a year, vs 18 rounds of F1 :rofl:

[trish]

Anybody have a calculator? :wilke:

There is only 1 SB a year, vs 18 rounds of F1 :rofl:


If the same 50 million people watch all 18 rounds, how many times should they be used to compile the ratings?

[Gnam]

Wait a minute...are you saying I'm getting over the loss of my favorite niche series with yet another niche series?

I don't know if I can go through another death spiral. :p

[RusH]

If the same 50 million people watch all 18 rounds, how many times should they be used to compile the ratings?

you tell me

If %50 skip half the races and 90% watch all of the races and only %10 watch the last 20 laps...and add the fact that some fall asleep half way though.....you win :D

[trish]

I hate football, but I know the super bowl crowns the champion team. And so did the F1 race it was compared against. The super bowl wins that ratings war and they didn't even have to reach all over the planet for their numbers. lol

[RusH]

I hate football, but I know the super bowl crowns the champion team. And so did the F1 race it was compared against. The super bowl wins that ratings war and they didn't even have to reach all over the planet for their numbers. lol

The statement I posted was a global number for this year`s SB vs. Interlagos 2007.
Until someone proves otherwise, thems the facts. :) :D

[emjaya]

Stuporbowl was on live in Oz. Most of the blokes at my work watched it, one way or the other: if not, the football fans all knew who won. That goes for all the big games, no matter what sort it is.

The same guys all seem to know who won the weekends F1, MotoGP or V8 race, even if they didn't get to watch it.

Just my 2 cents. :\

[trish]

The statement I posted was a global number for this year`s SB vs. Interlagos 2007.
Until someone proves otherwise, thems the facts. :) :D

You're comparing 2008 Superbowl? Giants vs. Patriots?

[RusH]

You're comparing 2008 Superbowl? Giants vs. Patriots?

no...2007.

my bad

[trish]

The statement I posted was a global number for this year`s SB vs. Interlagos 2007.
Until someone proves otherwise, thems the facts. :) :D

I'll get to work on debunking those Interlagos numbers. :D

[robot9000]

and you would be wrong...the fact that they get hundreds of thousands to most races puts that to shame.....if they got 100K attendance per race that is nearly 2 million. i saw tv figures once and i was gobsmacked at the viewership, several hundred million per race iirc

BTW, this is what (1) 100k people look like. I've gone to a few Michigan games and you are packed elbow to elbow. BTW, this place is huge - they don't call it the Big House for nuttin !!


http://www.vsba.com/projects/fla_archive/images/6902slide.jpg

[opinionated ow]

BTW, this is what (1) 100k people look like. I've gone to a few Michigan games and you are packed elbow to elbow. BTW, this place is huge - they don't call it the Big House for nuttin !!


http://www.vsba.com/projects/fla_archive/images/6902slide.jpg

they reckon they get more than 100k to melbourne annually for race day. you have to remember that there is (on average) 5km of track to surround in people. if you filled eastern creek in Sydney, easily half a million people could fit around the track. the difference is that in your photo they are packed around a small field, not a 5km racetrack.

[opinionated ow]

I hate football, but I know the super bowl crowns the champion team. And so did the F1 race it was compared against. The super bowl wins that ratings war and they didn't even have to reach all over the planet for their numbers. lol

you have to remember that there are what, 300 million americans. 99% of those have either no interest or have never even heard of formula one. same as in the rest of the world-most have heard of the superbowl but couldn't GAF about gridiron, and there are 5.5 billion other people.

if either of the two is a niche sport, it is american footbal because hardly anybody who is not amerian actually gives two hoots about it.

[oddlycalm]

The stadium at U of M holds a big crowd but the FBR Open in Scottsdale often draws more than 100,000 three days in a row with total attendance around 570,000 in recent years. To watch golf. :eek: This year's Sunday attendance was down to 72,000 because a lot of people had superbowl tickets for the game across town. There were 175,000 on Saturday, 121,000 Friday and 84,000 Thursday. Over 57,000 showed up to watch them practice. So 538,356 people paid to attend the tournament and Tiger wasn't playing.

2008 FBR attendance (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special6/articles/0203fbr-crowds0204.html)

FBR attendance history (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/golf/07fbropen/attendance.html)

oc

[dando]

The stadium at U of M holds a big crowd but the FBR Open in Scottsdale often draws more than 100,000 three days in a row with total attendance around 570,000 in recent years. To watch golf. :eek: This year's Sunday attendance was down to 72,000 because a lot of people had superbowl tickets for the game across town. There were 175,000 on Saturday, 121,000 Friday and 84,000 Thursday. Over 57,000 showed up to watch them practice. So 538,356 people paid to attend the tournament and Tiger wasn't playing.

2008 FBR attendance (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special6/articles/0203fbr-crowds0204.html)

FBR attendance history (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/golf/07fbropen/attendance.html)

oc

That event is insane. I'd love to know how much beer they sell over all four days. :eek:

-Kevin

[cameraman]

It seems the Australian TV ratings for the race were rather lame.

It was 11th overall and was outrated by the Biggest Loser among others:shakehead

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns20180.html

[Ankf00]

The stadium at U of M holds a big crowd but the FBR Open in Scottsdale often draws more than 100,000 three days in a row with total attendance around 570,000 in recent years. To watch golf. :eek: This year's Sunday attendance was down to 72,000 because a lot of people had superbowl tickets for the game across town. There were 175,000 on Saturday, 121,000 Friday and 84,000 Thursday. Over 57,000 showed up to watch them practice. So 538,356 people paid to attend the tournament and Tiger wasn't playing.

2008 FBR attendance (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special6/articles/0203fbr-crowds0204.html)

FBR attendance history (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/golf/07fbropen/attendance.html)

oc

yes, but how does it rate in cokewhores per capita when compared to the Byron Nelson? :D

[Insomniac]

That event is insane. I'd love to know how much beer they sell over all four days. :eek:

-Kevin

Wouldn't you think not much (or not enough ;)) given golfers flip out over any noise?

[Ankf00]

there's might be more beer revenue at the Byron than there is total purse.

[oddlycalm]

yes, but how does it rate in cokewhores per capita when compared to the Byron Nelson? :D 12 per hundred, 5 of which are trophy wives under the age of 29 and 4 of those are bottle blondes, but I digress... Lets just agree there are more woman than at your average formula car race, coke heads or otherwise.

What is interesting to me is how much world attendance and TV ratings for golf have increased since the mid-80's and how many of the sponsors are former raceings sponsors including series sponsor Fedex. During the same period that professional formula car racing all but died in the US golf has increased attendance several times over and increased purses enormously. Golf is about as exciting and watching paint dry, which shows you can market ice to eskimos if done properly.

oc

[dando]

12 per hundred, 5 of which are trophy wives under the age of 29 and 4 of those are bottle blondes, but I digress... Lets just agree there are more woman than at your average formula car race, coke heads or otherwise.

What is interesting to me is how much world attendance and TV ratings for golf have increased since the mid-80's and how many of the sponsors are former raceings sponsors including series sponsor Fedex. During the same period that professional formula car racing all but died in the US golf has increased attendance several times over and increased purses enormously. Golf is about as exciting and watching paint dry, which shows you can market ice to eskimos if done properly.

oc

More people golf than race cars for a hobby.

-Kevin

[oddlycalm]

More people golf than race cars for a hobby.

-Kevin
True, but watching other people play golf is nearly as exciting as watching an embroidery bee. The golf industry has marketed itself effectively by both getting millions of new players and viewers as well.

oc

[dando]

True, but watching other people play golf is nearly as exciting as watching an embroidery bee. The golf industry has marketed itself effectively by both getting millions of new players and viewers as well.

oc

I watch some of the majors, but I can't watch golf weekly. However, my folks watch it all the time, and they play several times a week. I can't into golf like that (perhaps I would if I was any good), but peeps like my folks relate to watching golf becasue the play so much. I think it's the same for others, and factor in that Tiger is the new Michael Jordan/Magic/Bird, so that brings in a other faction of bandwagon fans. It'll be interesting to see if golf remains as popular when TW is gone in 10-20 years.

-Kevin

[oddlycalm]

Tiger is the new Michael Jordan/Magic/Bird, so that brings in a other faction of bandwagon fans. It'll be interesting to see if golf remains as popular when TW is gone in 10-20 years.

-Kevin Agreed. Having a star is a big help. Somebody like Tiger doesn't come around often, not even once in a generation.

Schumie was a big deal to F1, but he didn't penetrate US mainstream culture. F1 is marekting Hamilton as the one to take up the mantle.

oc

[Michaelhatesfans]

As if on cue...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/66146