Lance Armstrong could give the Indy Racing League a big boost this month.
Versus is the TV home of the Tour de France in the U.S. And when Armstrong rides the three-week-long race, the telecasts routinely reach more than 1 million TV households nationwide on a daily basis. Versus’ biggest ratings numbers ever came during Armstrong’s reign as Tour de France champion, and his return to the Tour after a three-year retirement is sure to get stronger than normal ratings.
Versus, which is in its first year of airing IRL races, is using July to heavily promote the open-wheel racing series and its drivers during its amped up Tour coverage.
Versus says 33 million viewers in 2008 watched some of the cycling event, and there was an 80 percent increase in the number of male viewers ages 18 to 34, a demographic that should be attractive to IRL marketers. This year, TV analysts think more than 40 million viewers will tune in.
It’s important to note that Versus has significantly more subscribers now than in the previous years Armstrong was racing, so its viewership should be up from the last time the Texan drove ratings up. Versus will air the Tour live every morning and telecast a prime-time race show every evening.
Versus officials project improving its Internet activities for this year’s Tour too. Last year, Versus’ Web site, versus.com, streamed 6.5 million video views—almost double its 3.4 million views in 2007. This year, that number could ebb toward 10 million.
While cycling isn’t a huge spectator sport in central Indiana, it scores strong ratings in cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia. Those are markets—certainly in size—IRL marketers ought to be interested in.
Versus officials seem to get the picture. Viewers couldn’t watch 15 minutes of Tour coverage during the opening July 4 weekend without seeing an IRL commercial. And we’re not just talking about 10-second spots. The 30- and 60-second spots feature the likes of Graham Rahal and Tony Kanaan giving their unique take on the sport. IRL marketers must be hoping Versus rolls out other drivers during the Tour telecasts in July. The series' July 26 race in Edmonton also is getting heavy promotion.
While the two sports might not seem particularly related, the types of enthusiasts who like watching riders ride bicycles down the French Alps at 60 miles an hour, are often the same types of people who like watching other thrill-seeking sports. And people who like racing … well, they like racing … whether bicycles, cars or just about anything else on wheels.
What the IRL is getting virtually free, other corporate sponsors are paying big bucks for. American Honda, Cadillac, General Mills, Nike and Hampton Inn Hotels are making big ad buys during Versus’ Tour coverage, which includes 250 hours in high-definition.
Versus will air the final seven IRL races this season.
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Anthony, are you a fan of racing in general, or just a fan of the IRL?
getting a car sponsored or owned by Armstrong in the IRL? Now there's an interesting
story.
I think the IRL of late makes interesting reading as this blog (and many other sites) are following the business lesson that is Open Wheel in North America. To understand just how F'd up it is, go back and trace the movements of Tony George over the last 14 years. He started off with what I thought was uctually a decent idea (ovals, gomers in cars, only US, no engine leases etc etc) but could not keep his eyes off the beauty that was CART. With the magic of the Internet, it is now possible to take a clear retrospective view on what NOT to do when it comes to running a racing series. Now, none of them is perfect (ALMS, F1, NASCAR) all have their problems, but they actually have survived, even thrived in the same environment IRL has. What was the difference? Tony George. This guy took the BS from IRL and the STINK from CART and built a series that fails on so many different levels. One big giant stinkball. :lol:
I think Tony could have made it with his original vi$ion$, but he got fascinated with the big boys @ CART and deviated from his goal. That is unless his goal all along was to seize control of CART and/or kill it off, which is what he did....somehow. But anyway, to be able to go back and look at every misstep and miscue, as Anthony provides here, is well worth its weight in gold.
Anthony, do you think you can get an interview with Tony? Man that wood be grate.
Again, same question as always. why did this success that some here seem to think cart was fail with the loss of one race? Really a simple question. If it had the cars and stars, the big name tracks (minus one), the big name teams, the big name sponsors, what happened?
Ain't it GRATE?
Way to stay on topic, you cart-obsessed Hulmanista loser psycho! :lol:
Indyman - the Shut your pie hole was a funny. You know, a haha moment. Axe Berwickguy what its all about. It took his a couple months to figger me out, maybe you can learned some more.
I appoint you as the Counselor Extraordinaire for his Excellency, Anthony George. Perhaps he will need your couch to lay on and your shoulder to cry on. And perhaps you can lead him to the oval promised land. As Bi Girl Fan would say: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Insert EXTRA BIG SMILEY FACE HERE!!!
anthony - how about that 1 on 1 interview with Tony George. You could beat Robin to the punch! :eek:
Stan,
You seem to pretend that the IRL situation exists in a vacuum. The IRL was created in response to abuses or perceived abuses by cart. Everyone claims cart was so well run and the greatest thing to the second coming of Michael Jackson (sorry, some guy keeps giving me updates on the MJ memorial and I do not care). So again, if it was so well run, and so great how did it go into bankruptcy three times in 15 years? If the IRL was not created, then would it have somehow miraculously survived and thrived? Did the loss of one track doom an other wise well run business? You can keep sticking your head in the sand and claim cart has no point in these discussions, but it very much does. It would be what we would have now, or probably more likely not have now if the IRL was not formed.
can't have it both ways now can ya?