Car and Driver -- Dollars and Sense

[indycool]

Steve Mayer covered the business side of racing for National Speed Sport News and other publications before and during the split. Interesting "look back."

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/motorsports/irl_cart_merger_car_news

[garyshell]

Steve Mayer covered the business side of racing for National Speed Sport News and other publications before and during the split. Interesting "look back."

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/motorsports/irl_cart_merger_car_news


Ahhh, ***** looking back. Let's look forward for a change. <big ol' grin>

Looking back just brings out all the moaning and groaning. Jimispeed does enough of that now.

Gary

[indycool]

Yeah, right about that.....(big ol' grin)...... :)

[pits4me]

Mayer calls it like he sees it. He was one of the few that questioned Joe Heizler's leadership integrity in 2001.

[MDS]

Well researched article, some things were attributed like I would like, but overall its been the most in-depth look at the series finances since the merger this year.

That said, we all knew the "too little too late" articles would start appearing sooner or later. Yes it would have been better if the merger happened in 2002. Yes it would have been better had the IRL never been formed in the first place. Yes the IRL has lost pretty much all its momentum from the merger this year. Can we just move on now.

I doubt the massive amount of money George spent this year, and likely over the next couple of years, will bankrupt the sport. The George family are billionaires, $100 million a year isn't a massive amount to them. The question is, can TG's money overcome his general lack of gravitas and vision and move the sport forward on his massive piles of inherited wealth? Well so far the "Throw money at it" solution has carried him forward, so there's no reason to think it won't continue to work.

[fugariracing]

Interesting, good read. Difference between now and then is TG has more cars to prop up if they want to keep going w/o the free chassis/engine leases that have occurred this year and not suffer a major car count hit for '09.

[Jag_Warrior]

Good find, Indycool. Yeah, that was a good summation.

[SportscarBruce]

Unlike Mayer and others, I'm optimistic that Verses and IMS Productions will achieve great things. For one creativity is best served by newer, smaller entities. The larger networks are permanently attached to formula and convention. Two, ESPN's platform was bigger but IndyCar was never going to compete for the limelight with NASCAR. My concern lies not with the Versus agreement but the fact IndyCar's most important product, the Indianapolis 500, remains within the influence of Disney. I hope there's some teeth in the wording referenced to which states there will be reciprocal promotion.

Moving the sport to a station maturing from start-up to major player was a bold and wise move, if this project bears fruit I hope ALMS joins the lineup and removes itself from what is now the PinksNASCAR Network.

PS: If SteveMayer reads this please check your PM's, I've responded to your message from several months ago. Sorry about the delay.

[anthonyvop]

Unlike Mayer and others, I'm optimistic that Verses and IMS Productions will achieve great things. For one creativity is best served by newer, smaller entities. The larger networks are permanently attached to formula and convention. Two, ESPN's platform was bigger but IndyCar was never going to compete for the limelight with NASCAR. My concern lies not with the Versus agreement but the fact IndyCar's most important product, the Indianapolis 500, remains within the influence of Disney. I hope there's some teeth in the wording referenced to which states there will be reciprocal promotion.

Moving the sport to a station maturing from start-up to major player was a bold and wise move, if this project bears fruit I hope ALMS joins the lineup and removes itself from what is now the PinksNASCAR Network.

Vs. is what is know in the Industry as a "scanner" channel. That means very few people turn on their TV sets to specifally watch the Channel as opposed to ESPN which does. People are sitting on a sofa flicking through channels then stop on Vs. if it is something that interests them.

As for a maturing network I fail to see it. ESPN was the 1st and has that locked as the Cable Sports Network. There are other networks out there besides Vs. that haven't come close to ESPN. FOX with all it's money and infrastructure has hardly put a dent in the ESPN juggernaut.
Comcast, who owns Vs. even has another Regional Sports Channel CSS.
USA, TNT, CNN, HBO have all been on Cable for over a decade and they have rarely, if ever, pulled in rattings that even approached those of the major networks. Vs. will be lucky if in 5 years they can even approach the numbers of ESPN 2.

[dataman1]

One person's opinion, from a biased point of view IMO. No facts to the original issue of the creation of the IRL other than to say it was to protect the Indy 500. Yet he spends paragraphs beating on KK and company. TG never made any mistakes in how he spent money??

He's correct in saying lots of money has been spent, othewise just another point of view not unlike what we read here often.

[weeflyonthewall]

One person's opinion, from a biased point of view IMO. No facts to the original issue of the creation of the IRL other than to say it was to protect the Indy 500. Yet he spends paragraphs beating on KK and company. TG never made any mistakes in how he spent money??

He's correct in saying lots of money has been spent, othewise just another point of view not unlike what we read here often.

Let bygones be bygones with an historic twist? Mayer often overlooks anything good the former CART franchise owners, Pook, CCWS, etc. brought to the table. Its always about saving Indy at nay cost. Not what's best for the sport.