City tracks easier to sell to clients...

[TorontoWorker]

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=9038

Hightlights:

"Jensen:

I actually hope they don't get back together... The oval track open-wheel model doesn't work for attracting sponsors with the sole exception of Indianapolis, mostly due to the lack of consumer interest in that type of racing... Meanwhile, if Champ Car races on city streets, we are regularly attracting crowds in the range of 150,000 for a 3-day weekend... And that model gives me something to sell to corporate marketers... So I don't see the need for Champ Car to embrace the IRL, since I don't see that they add any commercial viability for Champ Car with the exception of Indianapolis... And in my view Indianapolis isn't very attractive any longer on a cost / benefit perspective for corporate marketers since the TV numbers aren't great, and it's become just a regional event now."

Whoa! Indy a regional event!!! :rofl: Thats gotta explode like a car bomb over at wanker forum! :D

[Spicoli]

Good to know that Jewnsen is only in charge of himself.

what an idiot. :gomer:

[Dr. Corkski]

Good to know that Jewnsen is only in charge of himself.

what an idiot. :gomer:At least the crappies love him. :gomer:

[Sean O'Gorman]

And if anyone knows about attracting actual sponsors, it sure is Jensen... :rolleyes:

[coolhand]

At least the crappies love him. :gomer:

yeah, the guy posts in their boards, maybe he is checking out the "commercial viability for Champ Car" and the "cost / benefit perspective for corporate marketers" on their board and the posters eat it all up.

I like how Jensen talks like he is some savvy marketeer. Considdering he is awash in sponsorship. :gomer:

[Dirty Sanchez]

At least the crappies love him. :gomer:I thought they were called fannies now? :confused: :gomer:

[Ray Scar]

"....and in my view Indianapolis isn't very attractive any longer on a cost / benefit perspective for corporate marketers since the TV numbers aren't great, and it's become just a regional event now."

Ow....That's gonna leave a mark!

[cart7]

Gee Jensen. I wonder how Cart managed to pack in fans to those rural ovals, and road courses for that matter, back in the 90's. :rolleyes:

Sorry bud, you're missing one component, real race fans who'll be interested in following a racing series that travels from one eggciting street race to the next. Yep, you'll be able to show potential corporate sponsors packed stands at city A, B and C but the TV ratings will suck cause the fanbase disintigrated when you dropped virtually all the road courses and ovals. Try and sell that.


Count me out. :(

[RTKar]

Gee Jensen. I wonder how Cart managed to pack in fans to those rural ovals, and road courses for that matter, back in the 90's. :rolleyes:

Sorry bud, you're missing one component, real race fans who'll be interested in following a racing series that travels from one eggciting street race to the next. Yep, you'll be able to show potential corporate sponsors packed stands at city A, B and C but the TV ratings will suck cause the fanbase disintigrated when you dropped virtually all the road courses and ovals. Try and sell that.


Count me out. :(

:thumbup: My biggest concern with the new management is the street race vision, particularly where I live. It's apparent that it's near impossible to establish a street race in Chicago and with Milwaukee, as the only oval, probably falling away and RA already gone, what will be left in the upper midwest? A location that any fan could once have easily attended 5-6 races. Having 100,000 + fans at a street race is great but I'm not so sure scattered city races will establish a solid "real" fan base that continues to tune in on TV throughout the year. Certainly certain cities should have races, Chicago being one of them and something on the east coast, however what I see is a fragmenting of the fan base and a dilution of the interest in the series.

[Amanda B.'s Mom]

If Champ car becomes a street circuit only series then it will abandon what made the series unique. It will be abandoning what many fans want and appreciate about the series. It will be abandoning what many drivers want. It will be abandoning the heritage of the series for an unknown future that will probably cause the series to vanish.

JMHO

[nrc]

Sorry bud, you're missing one component, real race fans who'll be interested in following a racing series that travels from one eggciting street race to the next. Yep, you'll be able to show potential corporate sponsors packed stands at city A, B and C but the TV ratings will suck cause the fanbase disintigrated when you dropped virtually all the road courses and ovals. Try and sell that.The ratings went into the toilet with Road America, Laguna Seca and MidOhio all on the schedule.

I agree with the general idea that more American road courses would be good for the series in the long term. But I'm not convinced that it's important enough to throw money at right now.

[nrc]

:thumbup: My biggest concern with the new management is the street race vision, particularly where I live. It's apparent that it's near impossible to establish a street race in Chicago and with Milwaukee, as the only oval, probably falling away and RA already gone, what will be left in the upper midwest? I guess this means that RaceGrrl and I will have some extra time on our hands in Vegas.

[Methanolandbrats]

The street race model draws people looking for something to do without travelling. Most are'tn race fans. Can that model be successful in the long run, hell I don't know.

As far as Road America and other traditional CART venues go, they were packed before FTG screwed everything up. The 80k that went to Road America dwindled down to 30k or so as the split wore on. That's because people want to spend their leisure time cash on entertainment, not a political debate, so lots of em gave up. All that's left is the true hardcore fans who value those traditional venues and REAL racing.

So where does that leave us. Champcar is going street racing for sanctioning fees. Great. Hopefully that will lead to growth and a return to traditional venues. It may also lead to more street races in which case Champcar will have alienated the last of the hardcore CART fans. If that happens, either a new era of international street racing will be born or the whole thing will fold up. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

[RTKar]

I guess this means that RaceGrrl and I will have some extra time on our hands in Vegas.


lol...forgot about Vegas...obviously..... and I had thought about going. :saywhat:

[KLang]

As far as Road America and other traditional CART venues go, they were packed before FTG screwed everything up. The 80k that went to Road America dwindled down to 30k or so as the split wore on. That's because people want to spend their leisure time cash on entertainment, not a political debate, so lots of em gave up. All that's left is the true hardcore fans who value those traditional venues and REAL racing.


While the split/politics might be part of the issue, I really think the bigger issue is loss of the big corporate sponsors. RA used to have huge tents filled with people from Target, Motorola, the beer companies and so on. I can't think of a single big name hospitality tent last year.

Another issue, even though the Chicago Tribune was a race sponsor, there was no race coverage in the paper they handed out at the track each day. Was there any advertising in the Chicago area?

[cart7]

The street race model draws people looking for something to do without travelling. Most are'tn race fans. Can that model be successful in the long run, hell I don't know.

.......

My point exactly. Those folks show up in droves for the actual race but how many will really tune in next week on the TV to watch the street race in city B? It takes more than just packed stands to get real corporate interest. KK might be able to lure enough sponsors to remove the financial burden of the series off his back but whether it will ever get beyond that stage is another matter. TV ratings under a 1.0 will always hold the series back from moving to the next level.

[RTKar]

My point exactly. Those folks show up in droves for the actual race but how many will really tune in next week on the TV to watch the street race in city B? It takes more than just packed stands to get real corporate interest. KK might be able to lure enough sponsors to remove the financial burden of the series off his back but whether it will ever get beyond that stage is another matter. TV ratings under a 1.0 will always hold the series back from moving to the next level.

Bingo! In reality packed stands are just eye candy for TV. The truly big dollars that sustain any professional sport come from TV. Of course promoters need to turn a profit but one needs only to look at F1 attendance to see the point. If KK sees more opportunity for sponsorship overseas or in street racing, then so it must be in order to survive. The core of the current fan base is a remnant from the days of people being able to attend multiple races. With the schedule developing as it is, those days are ending. Considering the mutiple opportunities for people to spend their entertainment dollar, I'm wondering how long people's attention spans will stay focused on Champcar when the circus leaves town.

[FTG]

If you guys would admit that the reason you're so pissed off about RA is because you like camping there and getting wasted, then we can stop having these stupid arguments about how the best way to grow the series is by racing at tracks barely anyone goes to and barely anyone watches on TV. (The IRL has tried that for 10 years. It obviously doesn't work.)

[Methanolandbrats]

If you guys would admit that the reason you're so pissed off about RA is because you like camping there and getting wasted, then we can stop having these stupid arguments about how the best way to grow the series is by racing at tracks barely anyone goes to and barely anyone watches on TV. (The IRL has tried that for 10 years. It obviously doesn't work.)Actually, you're full of ****. When F1 bailed on Spa, I was just as pissed and I've never been there.

[RTKar]

Actually, you're full of ****. When F1 bailed on Spa, I was just as pissed and I've never been there.

Yup...and I either drove back and forth from home for RA or stayed in a hotel and I didn't get wasted.

[EDwardo]

This thread is on the verge of a malfunction. Instead of being a platform for a debate about the direction of CC it sadly is being used as a platform by some for petulance and snide remarks. It raised a valid question and deserves a thoughtful exchange of divergent points of view. Those who decided that that bloviating is witty and clever have failed.

[RTKar]

bloviating is a cool word...I'll have to look it up. :)

[EDwardo]

bloviating is a cool word...I'll have to look it up. :)

I always strive to use words that precisely express what I mean to say. In this instance it is a perfect fit. I have quite a few others waiting for the proper time!
To fully understand my use of it I suggest you take note of the root word it is derived from as well as seeing what similar words the thesaurus relates it to.

[Racing Truth]

And if anyone knows about attracting actual sponsors, it sure is Jensen... :rolleyes:

Heh.

You just don't know what San Jose means. :gomer:

[Dr. Corkski]

And if anyone knows about attracting actual sponsors, it sure is Jensen... :rolleyes:Jensen should worry about getting his Atlantic car to finish the race before he takes on something easy like Champ Car. :gomer:

[Sean O'Gorman]

If you guys would admit that the reason you're so pissed off about RA is because you like camping there and getting wasted, then we can stop having these stupid arguments about how the best way to grow the series is by racing at tracks barely anyone goes to and barely anyone watches on TV. (The IRL has tried that for 10 years. It obviously doesn't work.)

First you admit that you are defending Champ Car no matter WHAT they do. :shakehead

[Jervis Tetch 1]

This has always been true. It's the carnival factor, which means more people to see the freaks and everything else. And the cool race cars.