The Obligatory IRL 497.5 Ratings Thread

[pchall]

ripped from somebody's blog (http://sportsmediawatch.blogspot.com/2009/05/indy-500-overnight-down-18.html)


Indy 500 overnight down 18%.

In a year when NASCAR appears to be shedding viewers, and on a day when the rival Coca Cola 600 was rained out, ratings still declined for the crown jewel of the Indy Racing League.

The 2009 Indianapolis 500 drew a 4.2 overnight rating on ABC Sunday afternoon, down 18% from a 5.1 last year, and down 13% from a 4.8 for the rain-soaked 2007 race. The 4.2 overnight is the lowest for the Indy 500 since at least 1995, and likely marks the lowest overnight ever for the race.

In each of the past two years, final ratings for the Indy 500 fell 10% from the overnight, putting this year's race on pace for a 3.8 final rating. The Indy 500 has never drawn a final rating below 4.1.

[trish]

I'd like to believe I had a part in this. :) ::fantasy

[KLang]

Me too. I was out working in the yard. :thumbup:

[chop456]

ABC's coverage drew just 3.9% of U.S. TV households. That's down 13% from last year, down 40% from coverage four years ago — and the lowest rating since the 500 got live start-to-finish TV coverage in 1986.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2009-05-26-indy-500_N.htm

Grate job fixing what wasn't broken, stupid. :tony:

Oh, and the fewest American drivers coupled with the Brazilian Ketchup Advisory Board sponsorship was a nice touch, too.

I'd like to think that stupidity could eventually reach critical mass, but I continue to be dissapointed.

[Don Quixote]

It would be really low class to make a helicopter crash comment right now. :gomer:

[Methanolandbrats]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2009-05-26-indy-500_N.htm

Grate job fixing what wasn't broken, stupid. :tony:

Oh, and the fewest American drivers coupled with the Brazilian Ketchup Advisory Board sponsorship was a nice touch, too.

I'd like to think that stupidity could eventually reach critical mass, but I continue to be dissapointed. There are more entertainment options today than in 1986 :tony:

[dando]

It would be really low class to make a helicopter crash comment right now. :gomer:

Even that won't stop this death spiral. :saywhat:

-Kevin

[trish]

The final rating is out. It's a 4.0. http://sportsmediawatch.blogspot.com/2009/05/indy-500-draws-40-rating-lowest-since.html

[SteveH]

The final rating is out. It's a 4.0. http://sportsmediawatch.blogspot.com/2009/05/indy-500-draws-40-rating-lowest-since.html

That article says its the lowest rating since at least 1973. And that's just about the worst year ever to be compared to. What a horrible year for the race 1973 was.

[Sean Malone]

That article says its the lowest rating since at least 1973. And that's just about the worst year ever to be compared to. What a horrible year for the race 1973 was.

Wasn't it tape delayed in the 70's?

[dando]

Wasn't it tape delayed in the 70's?

It was tape delayed until the early 80s, IIRC. I used to have to listen to "Andretti slows on the backstretch" on the radio back then. :gomer:

-Kevin

[Methanolandbrats]

... I used to have to listen to "Andretti slows on the backstretch" on the radio back then. :gomer:

-Kevin Ahhhh........fond memories..........:D

[pchall]

1985 comes to mind as the first year of live full coverage of the race.


It was tape delayed until the early 80s, IIRC. I used to have to listen to "Andretti slows on the backstretch" on the radio back then. :gomer:

-Kevin

[SteveH]

Wasn't it tape delayed in the 70's?

That race in particular was dreadful. Salt Walther spins at the start of the race on the front stretch and ends up in the fence spraying fuel into the crowd in the paddock grandstands. I could see the fence bow in and the fuel spray into the crowd from my seats. Then it rained. And rained and rained and rained. I was there for the first two days but didn't the see the race on the third attempt to run it. Just as well, as Swede Savage's crash would have been across from where I was seated. He eventually succumbed from that crash.

Considering it was tape delay, why would anyone want to watch that race? And this year's race is the lowest since then. Says something, doesn't it?

BTW 1973's ratings were 16.5/30 share :eek:
http://johnsonindy500.trackforum.com/johnsonindy500/indy500/imstv.html

^ complete history of Indy 500 broadcasts

[trish]

Looking at the ratings history, the 500 got its highest ratings when it was tape delayed and aired in prime time.

Edit: I bet someone rounded the 3.9 up to save face. I never realized that the rating was representative of the percentage of households.

This chart should help everyone figure out how many viewers the older ratings translated to.

TV HOuseholds trhough the years. (http://www.tvb.org/rcentral/mediatrendstrack/tvbasics/02_TVHouseholds.asp)

More details on airing. (http://www.geocities.com/johnsonindy500/indy500/imstv.html)

[pchall]

Looking at the ratings history, the 500 got its highest ratings when it was tape delayed and aired in prime time.


I think the high numbers for the early prime time/delayed/edited 500s were just the sheer novelty of being able to see much more of the race on TV the same day instead of waiting a week for the even more abbreviated recap on WWoS the next Saturday.

[Andrew Longman]

I think the high numbers for the early prime time/delayed/edited 500s were just the sheer novelty of being able to see much more of the race on TV the same day instead of waiting a week for the even more abbreviated recap on WWoS the next Saturday.

I think the prime time had more to do with it.

But back in those days I remember conversations at weekend BBQs among adults who were in no way race fans about "who won at Indy?" and "did anyone get hurt?"

Last time I remember that was literally 1996 at a neighbor's BBQ.

This year I joined my wife at a BBQ after watching the race and when I explained why I was late one person said "I thought the race was tonight" and another asked me who Castroneves was.

[Don Quixote]

You were late to a BBQ for that? [:foot tapping]

[G.]

You were late to a BBQ for that? [:foot tapping]HAD to be at the In-Law's.

[trish]

You were late to a BBQ for that? [:foot tapping]

He'd love the spelling bee I'm watching.

[nrc]

This year I joined my wife at a BBQ after watching the race and when I explained why I was late one person said "I thought the race was tonight" and another asked me who Castroneves was.

The proper inquiry is "What's a Helio?"

[Andrew Longman]

You were late to a BBQ for that? [:foot tapping]

I made tenderloins for lunch. What was I supposed to watch, Saved by the Bell reruns?

[Michaelhatesfans]

I made tenderloins for lunch. What was I supposed to watch, Saved by the Bell reruns?

I think I'd rather watch Screech's poop video than an IRL race.

[Insomniac]

I made tenderloins for lunch. What was I supposed to watch, Saved by the Bell reruns?

Kelly Kapowski > IRL :D