Paul Page fired by ABC : Blamed for IRL low ratings

[Paintergeek]

Paul page fired, they say they need an annpouncer to speak to the 'younger audience'. Theyll blame anyone, eh?


""They said they needed to make a change because the ratings were in trouble. But ratings in sports doesn't have anything to do with the broadcasters. We're on camera for 15 seconds if we're lucky," Page said last week, while sipping coffee at a Northside Starbucks not far from his home."

Also, dig the ratings chart they post with the article!




Paul Page Article (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050523/SPORTS01/505230394/1004/SPORTS)

Ratings:

1973 16.5
1974 16.4
1975 14.9
1976 17.9
1977 15.6
1978 13.4
1979 13.5
1980 13.8
1981 12.8
1982 12.3
1983 14.1
1984 12.9
1985 9.7
1986 8.8
1987 11.1
1988 8.5
1989 7.8
1990 7.4
1991 8.0
1992 9.8
1993 8.5
1994 8.3
1995 8.4
1996 6.6
1997 5.0
1998 5.5
1999 5.5
2000 5.5
2001 5.8
2002 4.8
2003 4.6
2004 4.1

[Don Quixote]

He will be missed. Nobody could say "whoa" like ol' Paul Page.

[Sean O'Gorman]

What happened in the mid-80s?

[trish]

Isn't this old news?

[sundaydriver2]

Yep, that will solve all their ratings problems. :rolleyes:

Now, who they going to fire over the attendance problems? :gomer:

[RTKar]

What happened in the mid-80s?

Cable TV starts to fractionate the TV audience in general and NASCAR began winding up.

[fourrunner]

Poor Paul !

[Spicoli]

What happened in the mid-80s?

Your Dad got laid? :gomer:









{sorry - that was way too f'in easy}

[Sean O'Gorman]

{sorry - that was way too f'in easy}

Easy like your mom. :p

And with that, the thread hi-jack is complete. :D

[FCYTravis]

Before 1985, the race was shown tape-delayed in Sunday prime-time hours.

In 1985, ABC began showing it live - and obviously, fewer people are watching TV on Sunday morning/afternoon than Sunday evening.

[pfc_m_drake]

What happened in the mid-80s?
The race went from being tape-delayed in prime time to being broadcast live Sunday afternoon. Many people 'picnic' in the afternoon on Memorial Day weekend, hence the drop in ratings.

Edit: Oh yeah...and too bad for Paul too. He wasn't my favorite or anything, but to 'blame' him for low ratings is very short sighted.

[DagoFast]

What happened in the mid-80s?

Whiney Andretti showed up with his first wife and her fugly outfits and hats. Veiwers turned the dials en masse. :rofl:

[Joelski]

Come on 3's!

[Methanolandbrats]

Whiney Andretti showed up with his first wife and her fugly outfits and hats. Veiwers turned the dials en masse. :rofl: What horrible flashbacks. Near the end of the race when FMA was dueling for the lead they'd cut to her and those hideous lids. Then they'd cut back to the track and FMA would be coasting along because he broke the car. Then back to Sandy and her anguish.
http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/cwm/3dlil/puke.gif

[fourrunner]

God - I remember at an Awards Dinner that Sandy wore a Cocktail Dress in a Black & White Checkered Flag material! And of course, the Big Brimmed Hat!


Sandy was his High School Sweetheart .... I kind of liked her & all her "Italian Mob Wife" look ! It was all so tacky .... But fun to watch! :)

Nazareth is a predominantly Italian Town ... very small ... Everybody knows everybody ... I'm sure Sandy wasn't the most garishly dressed wife in town.. She dressed in Themes, I'm sure all the wives competed !

[Paintergeek]

Isn't this old news?

It was in todays paper, I hadnt read it here yet, so I figured it was 'fresh'.

[Methanolandbrats]

God - I remember at an Awards Dinner that Sandy wore a Cocktail Dress in a Black & White Checkered Flag material! And of course, the Big Brimmed Hat!


Sandy was his High School Sweetheart .... I kind of liked her & all her "Italian Mob Wife" look ! It was all so tacky .... But fun to watch! :)

Nazareth is a predominantly Italian Town ... very small ... Everybody knows everybody ... I'm sure Sandy wasn't the most garishly dressed wife in town.. She dressed in Themes, I'm sure all the wives competed ! I think she was his babysitter, not his high school sweatheart, could be wrong, heard that rumor in the early 90s from a guy who shot CART races for a living.

[Turn7]

Sucks for him.

Personally, I'd rather listen to Mel Tillis call a race than him.

Still sucks to hear about folks having to look for work.

[Jervis Tetch 1]

Paul Page was made a scapegoat. The ratings still suck with whoever it is calling the I*L races.

[Spicoli]

Page's kid works for AGR.

They call him "Half Page".

[Bob_S.]

Ah ba dee dub a dee dub a dee......t-t-t-t-that's all, folks! :D

[Rogue Leader]

Wow... Paul was on the last of why it sucks but not that high.... sucks for him!

[fourrunner]

I think she was his babysitter, not his high school sweatheart, could be wrong, heard that rumor in the early 90s from a guy who shot CART races for a living.

She was enemicly thin, and did look older... you could be right ... I could just be remembering the local PR Spin ... Andretti's are great at PR, and I'm sure the public knew just as much as they wanted them to know!

I remember they were trying to promote Michaels sister as a "Disco Singer" and she had a CD release ... She sang a Disco Version of "The Star Spangled Banner" at Nazareth one year ... Picture the Audience in "The Producers" after they sang "Springtime for Hitler", and that's pretty much what the Crowd looked like after her rendition!

[Andrew Longman]

She was enemicly thin, and did look older... you could be right ... I could just be remembering the local PR Spin ... Andretti's are great at PR, and I'm sure the public knew just as much as they wanted them to know!

I remember they were trying to promote Michaels sister as a "Disco Singer" and she had a CD release ... She sang a Disco Version of "The Star Spangled Banner" at Nazareth one year ... Picture the Audience in "The Producers" after they sang "Springtime for Hitler", and that's pretty much what the Crowd looked like after her rendition!

That generation of Andrettis did seem to pick up the local Italian sensibilities for over-the-top taste. If you ever see Michael's house next to his dad's there is a striking difference. Mario's looks like an Italian villa. Huge yes but actually a little hard to see from the road. Michael's it glitzy and unrestrained. There is actually a sky bridge from the main house to the guest house.

[Mike Kellner]

Dumping Page is the first smart move made involving Indy since Tony got out of rehab.

This brings up a new horror that threatens real racing as we know it. He might end up on our broadcasts. Let's just hope he is crossing the street as Bruce "Tazer" Martin is driving home from the strip joint before that happens.

mk

[trauma1]

here's Ballards take on Greg Wray and Dr punchdrunk

Question: I watched ESPN's coverage of "500" qualifications on Saturday. It appears Jerry Punch and Greg Ray have drunk the "Kool-Aid", to carry on their coverage and never mention the empty grandstands. And Greg Ray to make the statement this is the most "qualified" field "ever". Really?

And when Al Unser was asked to look around and tell the female interviewer, "Is anything different from the days when you used to drive?" he said, "No!" How about the empty grandstands, Al? How about the empty infield, Al?

I guess those 250,000 FANS who used to come for qualifications don't count. And it looks like they've got the message! Its funny to hear WIBC radio telling people the best way to get into the Speedway in the morning. Have trouble getting those "hundreds" of FANS in there? (John from Indianapolis)

Answer: I was amused by this, too. I asked Greg Ray about his adjustment to the booth and he made reference to having to be politically correct. I know he hated doing that, but that's what you have to do when you work for the "broadcast partner" and you want to keep your job.

[oddlycalm]

Page, 59, has been replaced by Todd Harris, described by ABC as one of the "most respected young talents" in broadcasting. But Harris has never called an Indy 500 race. Todd, who doesn't know his tail from his elbow? Brilliant! I can see giving Page the hook, but only a major TV network is arrogant and brain dead enough to send in somebody totally green to call an event he doesn't know anything about. :laugh: Yep, that should fix everything. Look out 3's, here come the Gomerville 497 sliding through fast on the way to a solid 1 rating and total obscurity.... :thumbup:

oc

[trish]

It was in todays paper, I hadnt read it here yet, so I figured it was 'fresh'.
I thought he was fired a couple months ago. At least that's what I had heard. :shrug:

[JohnHKart]

That generation of Andrettis did seem to pick up the local Italian sensibilities for over-the-top taste. If you ever see Michael's house next to his dad's there is a striking difference. Mario's looks like an Italian villa. Huge yes but actually a little hard to see from the road. Michael's it glitzy and unrestrained. There is actually a sky bridge from the main house to the guest house.

Michael's house is without a doubt the ugliest I've ever seen. Talk about bad taste!

John

[Spicoli]

Michael's house is without a doubt the ugliest I've ever seen. Talk about bad taste!

John

FMA = GomerGotti!

:gomer:

[lone_groover]

Michael's house is without a doubt the ugliest I've ever seen. Talk about bad taste!

John


Staten Island is a state of mind.

fuggedaboudit!

:gomer:

[Mr. Toad]

That generation of Andrettis did seem to pick up the local Italian sensibilities for over-the-top taste. If you ever see Michael's house next to his dad's there is a striking difference. Mario's looks like an Italian villa. Huge yes but actually a little hard to see from the road. Michael's it glitzy and unrestrained. There is actually a sky bridge from the main house to the guest house.

Do they have any concrete lions?

http://www.concretejungle-wales.co.uk/lionl.jpg

[Don Quixote]

Do they have any concrete lions?
I'm guessing the concrete lions are way tackier than that one. :laugh:

[Bob_S.]

I'm guessing the concrete lions are way tackier than that one. :laugh:

Painted in day-glo colors with eyes that light up whenever the phone rings. :gomer: