Road America TV - PPV?

[JoeBob]

From the 7G Rumors Page:

SeventhGear has learned that there is a strong possibility that the August 3rd airing of the "Mario Andretti Grand Prix" from Elkhart Lake could be in a form of pay-per-view deal, on HDNet, and not via the regular TV feed that Champ Car fans have become accustomed to. It seems that after the initial cancellation of the race earlier in the season, both SPEED and CBS filled the time slots with alternate programming.
:eek:

[RaceGrrl]

Commercial free PPV? I'd do that.. at least this time.

[tllips]

That Blows if true. I will be at the race so, I would like to let my TiVo record it so I can see what I missed when I get home.

How much woudl PPV for something like this cost? :confused:

[pchall]

I think this would be a guaranteed money loser. Production costs will far exceed the revenues unless they put Mike Tyson in a Coyne entry.

[Turn7]

I think the PPV idea is bad. I am a big fan but, I wouldn't buy it. Just admit that the whold RA scenerio is a screwed up thing this year and the opportunity to broadcast the race was lost. No big deal. Trying to make it happen by going to PPV is just another mistake in an already long line of mistakes that has circled this event for this year.

I say just let it go and if you really need to see the race that badly, attend it. It was one of the lowest rated events on TV last year, no need to throw away money on production costs that will never be recouped.

[RaceChic]

You, I, and many of us here probably would watch, but the general fans who would otherwise tune in perhaps out of curiosity would not. We need to increase our viewing audience in order to attract more fans not alienate them because they now have to pay for something they are "just checking out". Bad, bad idea. :shakehead

[KLang]

I posted this in a similar thread at 7g:

Part of this doesn't make sense. HDNET is an HDTV channel on DirectTV and possibly a few small cable systems. It is NOT a PPV channel. HDNET did show one race last year, I think it was Denver.

[Hink]

Let's see. Ratings are at an all time low, raise the prices.

This would be ridiculous - stupidest thing since Texas.

[Napoleon]

Originally posted by JoeBob
It seems that after the initial cancellation of the race earlier in the season, both SPEED and CBS filled the time slots with alternate programming.


And they can't open up some other slot at some other time to run it on a tape delayed basis? I don't beleive that.

[Turn7]

Originally posted by Napoleon
And they can't open up some other slot at some other time to run it on a tape delayed basis? I don't beleive that.

Are you going to be satisfied with just the race and not any of the quals or practice? Will they have to have pre and post race reporting? What if Speed did a highlight show?

If they try to make something out of nothing, will that only fan the flames that they will receive?

If they do get anything on speed or cbs it will more than likely be a highlight show that they would time buy. At that point they need to determine if the cost would be greater to produce the PPV or buy an hour time slot. Either way it is throwing good money at bad. I say just let it go and not make the mistake of cancelling a race then adding it again.

[flobee1kenobi]

Isn't CBS the network that cut short several races last year for programming such as womens basketball?
I would think they can move around a couple of infomercials to fit in 3 hours of racing!

[Napoleon]

Originally posted by Turn7
Are you going to be satisfied with just the race and not any of the quals or practice?

If the choice is just the race, or the race and qualications, etc. on a channel I do not get, yes.

[JoeBob]

I have a feeling the situation is not so much that CART wants PPV. I think the situation is that they have no alternatives other than PPV.

If the networks have already scheduled other programming, there's not much to do.

With the complete lack of hotel rooms anywhere near Elkhart Lake that weekend (due to the EAA fly-in) it isn't like there's going to be huge crowds at the track either. IMHO, they should have just cancelled this year's race and announced that it was back for next year.

[KobySon]

Originally posted by Type-S
I posted this in a similar thread at 7g:

Part of this doesn't make sense. HDNET is an HDTV channel on DirectTV and possibly a few small cable systems. It is NOT a PPV channel. HDNET did show one race last year, I think it was Denver.

I don't believe the Lingner Group is shooting in HD Cam. If HDNET did air the race, was it in High Definition or standard definition?

[Foxman]

Originally posted by pchall
I think this would be a guaranteed money loser. Production costs will far exceed the revenues unless they put Mike Tyson in a Coyne entry.


LMFAO! I can see it now, Tyson driving countercourse while hunting for Bourdais "You can't lap me, I'm da champ!" Ok, so maybe I'm the only one that finds this amusing :rofl:

[JoeBob]

HDNet brought their own cameras/production trucks to Denver and Cleveland last year. They used the SPEED Audio, but other than that it was essentially a completely seperate broadcast.

[KLang]

HDNET did air the Denver race in HD last year. I don't have DirectTV so I didn't see it myself but I've read elsewhere that the coverage was a little lacking in that they were a little short on HD cameras. HDNET has there own HD cameras so they would have been there alongside Lingner. HDNET also broadcast last years Cleveland qualifing as well. If the HD cameras are still hard to come by I don't know how the hope to cover RA.

If this truly is a HDNET broadcast it's not PPV. You will need to have an high definition TV and STB though.

edit.. yea, what joebob said :)

[RaceGrrl]

Originally posted by Foxman
LMFAO! I can see it now, Tyson driving countercourse while hunting for Bourdais "You can't lap me, I'm da champ!" Ok, so maybe I'm the only one that finds this amusing :rofl:

No, you're not the only one that finds this amusing. Tyson is amusing in a very creepy way.

[nrc]

I'm very skeptical. Even if SPEED has commited to something else during the live time slot, they have enough filler in their schedule to provide a tape delay at the very least.

HDNET isn't normally PPV and it isn't available at all for people without HDTV. You would take tape delay on SPEED to Monday afternoon before you would accept HDNET as your only broadcast.


EDIT:sp

[Railbird]

Like I told 'em over at Track Forum, find a bar with a big dish and a friendly waitress, slip her a twenty to chase the Nascar fans off and make a party of it.

When life gives you lemons make it a deal for the vodka too.

[RaceGrrl]

If this happens, no doubt there would be an OC WooDoggies party for it, right DJ? :)

[RaceChic]

Originally posted by JoeBob
With the complete lack of hotel rooms anywhere near Elkhart Lake that weekend (due to the EAA fly-in) it isn't like there's going to be huge crowds at the track either. IMHO, they should have just cancelled this year's race and announced that it was back for next year.

I would rather have the race run this year. Not have it absent for a year and put us at greater risk of loosing it by putting something else there temporarily for a year and giving RA any bright ideas that the other product is preferred by them (RA).
Also, RA is a great track for fans to have fun and I plan on driving 13 hourse to get there and am excited it is here this year. My first time there last year and hope to be there every year that it is run. :D

[RTKar]

Originally posted by RaceGrrl
If this happens, no doubt there would be an OC WooDoggies party for it, right DJ? :)


Hell , have the party at RA! Pack up the goats and chickens...find Viagra Boy and some of the other NASCAR types and bring them along too. We need fans at RA, LOTS OF 'EM, all sitting on pic-nic tables and using porto's all weekend long.

[RaceGrrl]

RTKar, the problem with that is that tickets cost a lot more than the PPV, and so does the road trip. Are you offering to pay our way? ;)

[KLang]

I just don't think the PPV part of this is correct. HDNET isn't PPV. Of course it might as well be since so few people have access to HDNET. Surely there will be a tape delayed broadcast. Heck they waited a week to show the Brands race.

[RacinM3]

For most fans, they may as well have just left the race off the schedule now. I think this is a slap to what Mario was able to accomplish. Too bad if true.

[krunch]

So am I right in assuming that there will be no International coverage of CART's best road course.

Please say it isn't so!

[DjDrOmusic]

Originally posted by RaceGrrl
If this happens, no doubt there would be an OC WooDoggies party for it, right DJ? :)

No promises, but let me see what I can do!
:cool:

[datachicane]

At the Portland fan forum Friday night, Rena Shanaman said that CART was organizing viewing parties in the major markets (apparently including Portland)... if that's some consolation.