It’s easy to get excited about exposure for the city when something like the Super Bowl rolls into town.
But the numbers also pile up in meaningful ways even when the number crunchers don’t have their calculators calculating.
This past extended weekend is a good example of how the city’s sports infrastructure pays off.
We could argue for hours about the value of the exposure from people tuning in to this city for a sports event. Most can agree that it has value. So let’s focus on viewership numbers.
Almost 4.1 million households nationwide watched the Pacers beat the Miami Heat during Thursday’s second-round playoff game, according to New York-based Nielsen Media Research.
On Sunday afternoon, 6.5 million households tuned to watch game four at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. A stroll through the parking lots to check out license plates shortly before those two games showed that people traveled from Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and even from New York to watch the games live.
“A team like the Heat, with the type of stars they have, attract a wide following, and people often find it’s less expensive to come to Indianapolis than it is to travel to a city like Miami,” said Chris Gahl, Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association spokesman.
This type of exposure, while not guaranteed every year, has to be put into the equation when discussing the Capital Improvement
Board’s financial support of Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Will this type of exposure quiet the critics of the city for things like paying $33.5 million over three years to help operate
and upgrade the Fieldhouse? No way. And I'm not arguing that it should.
But if you're going to take an honest look at whether any investment this city makes on sports initiatives delivers a worthy return, these types of numbers and this type of national exposure have to be part of the conversation.
The two days of qualifying at the Indianapolis 500 televised on the NBC Sports cable channel attracted about another 1 million households nationwide.
So it’s safe to say 7 million households (roughly 14 million people) tuned in to watch sporting events in Indianapolis over the last four days. Of course, I've factored in households that tuned in more than once to either the two playoff games and/or two days of qualification. They only get counted once even though they've tuned in more times than that. The 14 million is a conservative estimate.
The exposure that the Indianapolis 500 and other events at the Speedway bring is pure gravy for the city. The Hulman-George family that owns the track has never asked for a tax break or a penny to support their operation.
Already a sizable group from Michigan, Ohio and Canada have rolled into town to take in the Indianapolis 500 festivities, and local tourism officials expect an even bigger block of race fans and media to start pouring into the Circle City starting Thursday.
The Indianapolis 500 on Sunday on ABC will attract another 4 million-plus viewers. ICVA officials said downtown hotels and
many in the suburbs are sold out for this year’s race. Three-night minimums are required for most hotels.
Sure, it's great to have these teams and events here. The money and exposure it brings to our city is undeniable. But
a larger question still looms. And maybe it always will.
Is it worth the expense?
You'll have as many thoughts on that as on who will win the next Indianapolis 500.
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Speaking of qualifying, here's the latest installment of IBJ's video series "At the Track," following Venezuelan
driver E.J. Viso as he and the team from KV Racing Technology prepare for Pole Day and score high.
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Go figure.
I will say this years Pole Day was exciting, but not near as much as it was last year.
Bump day was ho hum, but to be expected with limited cars and engines. Fully expect to see much more excitement next year as more engines, more cars and more aero packages are out there. It will be interesting to see if car owners will switch aero packages as the day goes on to try to get more speed.
To answer Anthony's question, no, none of this will quiet the small minority of people who question the value of the fieldhouse, Lucas Oil or any sports venue.
"Almost 4.1 million households nationwide watched the Pacers beat the Miami Heat during Thursday’s second-round playoff game, according to New York-based Nielsen Media Research."
"The two days of qualifying at the Indianapolis 500 televised on the NBC Sports cable channel attracted about another 1 million households nationwide."
You source Nielsen for the NBA numbers, but don't source the .1rl info. Is there a reason for that? Are you able to get Nielsen to give you the league numbers yet?
Also, do those numbers include Indiana/Miami markets, adn if so, what percentage of the totals are from those areas?
Thanks.
Go figure.
I'm just afraid the strategy is just not working because of recent decisions that have broken the self sustaining business model.
Endless loss leaders, empty promises, and blind faith don't make an effective strategy or pay the bills.
We can't even own up to the fact that superbowl profitability was even a promised outcome for building a $750 million football stadium.
Any business person will tell you that endless promotion without proportional profits results in bankruptcy.
If you want to play this game, you must keep an accurate scorecard!
Why don't we stick with a sport closer to racing like say racing. NASCAR has had lower viewership for every race this year but two. Daytona was off by 2 million viewers.
Just watch the airports private jet and commercial passenger traffic numbers for results.
Indyman, are you sure you want to compare against the big dog? maybe you should choose F1 or Grand AM for comparisons.
The NBA is experiencing its strongest TV viewership since the Michael Jordan era, with local ratings up 19 percent and four teams more than doubling last year’s local ratings.
The Minnesota Timberwolves (+140 percent), Oklahoma City Thunder (+140 percent), Los Angeles Clippers (+138 percent) and Philadelphia 76ers (+112 percent) have more than doubled their local TV ratings this year, according to Nielsen figures through the middle of the month.
“The fans are happy to have the NBA back and it’s reflected in the ratings,” said Jeff Krolik, executive vice president of Fox Sports Networks, which oversee RSNs that cover three of those four teams. “It’s another example of the power of live sports.”
The numbers are just as good nationally, where ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV are on pace to post their highest NBA game ratings ever. Through four games, ABC is averaging 2.063 million viewers, up 10 percent. Through 21 telecasts, TNT is averaging 2.7 million viewers, up 25 percent from last season. ESPN is averaging 2.063 million viewers through 28 games, up 20 percent. And NBA TV is averaging 352,000 viewers through 52 games, up 52 percent.
You are more clueless by the day, grow up.
Friday’s NBA playoff doubleheader performed well for ESPN, with Thunder/Lakers Game 3 earning one of the network’s largest early round audiences.
Game 3 of the Thunder/Lakers second round NBA playoff series drew 7.377 million viewers on ESPN Friday night, down 4% from Lakers/Mavericks Game 3 last year (7.658M), but up 73% from Suns/Spurs Game 3 in 2010 (4.267M).
The game stands as the second-most viewed telecast of the postseason (through Friday), behind only Game 2 of the series (7.445M).
Overall, Game 3 ranks as the third-most viewed first or second round NBA playoff game ever on ESPN — behind only Cavaliers/Celtics Game 6 in 2010 (8.983M) and last year’s aforementioned Lakers/Mavericks Game 3.
Earlier in the night, Game 4 of the Celtics/Sixers series drew 4.751 million viewers, up 32% from Bulls/Hawks Game 3 last year (3.610M), and up 28% from Cavaliers/Celtics Game 3 in 2010 (3.701M).
The 32% increase is the second-largest of the playoffs on ESPN/ABC or TNT, behind only a 41% jump for Thunder/Mavericks Game 3 in the first round.
Does anybody have the local TV ratings numbers for Pole Day and Bump Day? If it's any consideration, NHL got a 0.1 on NBC, the same network that owns the NBC Sports Network that the IRL..err, IZOD INDYCAR SERIES exclusively advertises and broadcasts on these days.
If NHL got 0.1, and Indy had little attendance and prolly even fewer watching on TV because of no OTA presence...geez, what does that tell ya businesspeople? Yep, Indy is dead as a doornail.
Since you are a liar, and delusional, I am going to do it just to prove the point.
I skipped the whole weekend at the Speedway this year. A nice boating opportunity I couldn't pass up came about and I spent Friday through Monday on the Mississippi with friends. They ahd a TV on board. We did not watch quals. What was alarming was the fact local news stations did show qual results AT ALL in their evening sports reports. Both days. They did show the Nationwde results from Iowa. NO, ZERO, mention of the Indy 500 Pole Day or Bump Day. I found out who won the pole from ESPN on Sunday night.
The Indy 500 is a severly diminished event. Like it or not, Disciple, it is a marginally noted sporting event now with even Midwestern media.
Disciple, enjoy your lunch! I'll ask Mr. Penske how it went. Seriously.
In other words, no lunch with Roger or Randy at Byrds this week. But tell him I said 'hey' anyway.
Here's my prediction for this weekend: Hundreds of thousands, twice, for track events. Outstanding ratings for the race. You have fun out on your raft or whatever holiday activity you have planned.
Perhaps you could offer insight as to why you continuously offer contributions about something you claim you (and everyone else) are not interested in? That defies logic.
People DON'T LIKE the IZOD INdycarz Series, therefore they don't watch and the series gets bupkis for TV ratings LOCALLY.
We're comparing local sports TV ratings in Indy...no need to get delusional Indyman.
I go primarily to slap around the handful of IndyCar obsessed haters who squat there continuously waiting for any IndyCar column, then run the 'comments' section up over 100 about every time with some of the most mind numbingly inane, incoherent gibberish anyone has ever tin-foil-hat'd their way into. It is one of the last places on the Internet where such slapping can occur with relative impunity. For me, it's a release. Beats pounding on the dog or stressing at work anyway. I know...I should stay away and out of that particular gutter, and much of the time I do. But sometimes it's just fun.
-The Anthony Schoettle Still Has A Lot To Learn As Well Disciple of INDYCAR
Funny he fails to mention everytime a thread goes over 100 half of the post are from him. And he gets his arse handed to him.
I know this is hard for you, this comprehension deal. Maybe you are distracted with all wind up moves you do for your slap around over here, turbo ninja. I get that.
Anyhow, save your moves for Hackforum with all the other Gomeratti on there Hinchtown makes cry. You know, the Clausonites, who collectively piddled pant when their new dirt car hero smacked the wall all sprint car driver, old school style-like before qualifying alongside Simona and the old man.
- The Deflects Every Blow With the Mighty Hand of Reality Disciple of INDYCAR.
Poor Chief.
- All oval series = FAILURE
- Control AOW, Kill Sport = SUCCESS
- Quality Field versus Quantity Field = FAILURE
- Driver Death/Poor Chassis Design = FAILURE
- More American/Less Foreign Drivers = FAILURE
- More Street Courses/Less Ovals = SUCCESS
- Merger/Asset Aquire with CCWS = SUCCESS
- Penske wins all the time = SUCCESS
- LOTUS barely is 3rd Manufacturer = FAILURE
- Less Major Network TV/More Obscure TV = SUCCESS
- Traditions Sacrificed for Survival = SUCCESS
These are just a few topics....how is Indy on it's way back up?
Like Chief, who just does not get it. The problem cart/owrs/ccws had and the reason it was destined to fail is the inmates ran the assylum.
Again, name a successful major race series that is controlled by the race teams. There aren't any. That was the problem with cart. That is why cart repeatedly died. You can't have the competitors controlling the sport. Until you get it through your heads that, that is the issue, you just won't get it.
When is the next "Perfect Storm" Iman? Who's to blame when Indy gets a 4.0 tv rating this year? Who do you blame if there's no marketing or advertising of the 500 or the series? These are excellent questions that there is only one answer for.
Oh, I get it...and I know EXACTLY who to blame.
Huh? Does that mean the cars used the other 40 or so deaths cause by racing accidents over the same period of time in other recognized series are also deathtraps, or is this just another of your little cutesy taunts?
'And, because only the Speedway's interests were at stake, someone got killed.'
Actually, it is because Dan Wheldon's head hit a fence post at well over 100 mph.
'And now, everyone turns deaf ear again physical plant is deteriorating, traditions are changed....all because the central scrutinizers at 16th and Jonestown say it's ok.'
Hmmm. Jonestown. Was that not where 918 people died after drinking poison? Classy. You seem to have a juvenile fascination with death.
'When is the next "Perfect Storm" Iman? Who's to blame when Indy gets a 4.0 tv rating this year?'
Why would there be 'blame?' What are your ideal expectations? Perhaps if you could intelligently answer the simple question 'What is the primary purpose of television ratings' you might not have such angst over 4.0 12+ overnights.
'Who do you blame if there's no marketing or advertising of the 500 or the series?'
That is what happens when you look selectively. I have seen marketing and advertising for the 500 more heavily over the past six months than at any point in recent years.
'Oh, I get it...and I know EXACTLY who to blame.'
Let me guess. The dastardly mastermind Tony George, right? LOL
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5/31/2012
8:00 PM view
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DIVISION STANDINGS
Division Standings
NBA Northwest W/L
Oklahoma City 47-19
Denver 38-28
Utah 36-30
Portland 28-38
Minnesota 26-40
Full Standings
OKC THUNDER TEAM LEADERS
Team Leaders
Points K. Durant 28.0
Assists R. Westbrook 5.5
Rebounds K. Durant 8.0
Field Goal % S. Ibaka 53.5
Steals R. Westbrook 1.7
Blocks S. Ibaka 3.7
Player Stats | Full Roster
OKC THUNDER OFFENSIVE STATS
Offense
Record Rank
Points/G 103.1 3
Field Goal % 47.1 3
3-Point % 35.8 11
Free Throw % 80.6 1
Rebounds/G 43.7 6
OKC THUNDER DEFENSIVE STATS
Defense
Record Rank
Points/G 96.9 17
Field Goal % 42.7 3
3-Point % 34.2 9
Free Throw % 76.8 28
Rebounds/G 41.3 12
OKC THUNDER SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Schedule/Results
NEXT 5 Remaining Games
Date vs Last Meeting
5/27/12 @SA L 105-114 3/16/12
5/29/12 @SA L 105-114 3/16/12
5/31/12 SA L 105-114 3/16/12
6/2/12 SA L 105-114 3/16/12
6/4/12 @SA L 105-114 3/16/12
LAST 10 Past Results
Date vs Score
5/21/12 LAL W 106-90
5/19/12 @LAL W 103-100
5/18/12 @LAL L 96-99
5/16/12 LAL W 77-75
5/14/12 LAL W 119-90
5/5/12 @DAL W 103-97
5/3/12 @DAL W 95-79
4/30/12 DAL W 102-99
4/28/12 DAL W 99-98
4/25/12 DEN L 101-106
Game 5 also was a hit nationally. It averaged a 5.3 rating and 8.2 million viewers to become TNT's highest-rated and second most-viewed second-round game ever. It also ranks as the highest-rated and most-viewed 2012 playoff game on any network.
NBA up again. 2nd highest ever for a second round series. But wait, the media insider said NBA was down. That's odd. Should we expect the 2nd highest rating ever on Sunday for the 500* or will most people be on the internet? LOL
We could blame the new car...because it's ugly and has a V6 that has less horsepower than the pace car. CART (to my knowledge) never had that problem with cars they presented at the speedway years 1979 through 1995.
We could blame the fencepost, but that would be crass. Or maybe Danica? Or maybe Jean Alesi....or boost increases from constant rules tampering. Maybe we could blame Penske who still is winning everything as usual.
Maybe we can blame the world for not understanding the the great Indy gods who regularly twist things in such ways that we mere mortals must only accept, but never question.
So, it does beg the question....who is responsible if the series and Indy continues to flounder? Are the responsibilities so diffuse and complicated that no one really is to blame for it's fall from grace?
I urge the speedway to sign on for 7 more years of ABC coverage and 7 more years of NBC Sports Network coverage. It been win-win so far....*cough* *cough*
Still waiting for you to realize the fatal flaw in cart was its structure. Again, name a major racing series where the team owners control the series?
FYI, the 500 has been heavily advertised during the NBA playoffs, but we know you really would rather watch your dancing shows then sports. FYI, which cart driver one a mirror ball trophy?
Brett, are you now providing a service of posting the NBA schedules to somehow correspond to racing? Great waste of space.
I see where a gentleman named Steve Hammer posted a fascinating opinion piece in Indy's NUVO today. He doesn't even have the nerve to bring up CART, sez Indy stinks on it's own.
Oh, and blaming fenceposts won't work because the quote from Tony Kanaan said it all, "We killed someone at 225". "We" are the goofs that have propagated this disaster we have today. That's everyone that went along with the sham....several obstinate folks who parrot the speedway propaganda here included. Now, it withers on the vine in the hot sun...and you can be proud that you let it happen.
IMS* should have kept Gene Simmons
Truth,
So are you saying cart was around in 1953? At this point, I am not even sure you have a clue as to what you are saying anymore.
I agree with Disciple from now on with the "just get in the car and drive" and "racing is dangerous" mentality.
So, why did they even bother to chance the chassis NOW? Heck, they got 5 races under the belt with the new car and it's only flown 6 times already. Geez, knee-jerk reactions to safety if you ask me.
The old car that broke so many backs in the IRL and Indycarz and killed some drivers, the IRL/IZOD Indycar never reacted to safety THAT fast! WOOOT! Too bad some drivers weren't as fortunate to have the same folks running the series be as safety conscious now. Go figure! Boggles the mind, doesn't it place fans?
Again, all Chief and the cart apologists care about is trying to destroy the series that they feel destroyed their favorite and seems like only series they knew.
Considering IMS, IRL and TG pioneered SAFER Barriers including giving up royalty rights so small tracks could afford it and was the first series to have a full time traveling safety team, knocking its safety record is not the smartest move.
While I applaud their quick reaction to this chassis issue, at the same time I implicate them for their failure to act swiftly with regard to the prior chassis. The IRL/Indycar purposely ignored chassis design issues and in turn it contributed to the lame excuse that it was a *perfect storm* that killed Wheldon and Renna, and maimed Briscoe, Brack and others. "Our cars don't fly" was the phrase associated with the prior car. No one reacted quickly then, did they?
Stop acting cutsie IMan, it was a hit and run and you love to drive the getaway car, you and your speedway propagandist buddies.
"IMS's George Honored: Tony George, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president and chief executive officer, received the inaugural Pioneering and Innovation Award at the Autosport Awards Dec. 5 in London for his leadership in the development of the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) Barrier. George received the award at the annual gala at the Grosvenor House on behalf of the creators of the SAFER Barrier from Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the leader of the Bahrain International Grand Prix circuit. This is the fourth major award that has been presented to honor George and the SAFER Barrier development team. The SAFER Barrier also received the Louis Schwitzer Award, SEMA Motorsports Engineering Award and GM Racing Pioneer Award in 2002. The SAFER Barrier was installed in all four turns of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway a pioneer in safety for drivers, cars and tracks -- in time for the 86th Indianapolis 500 in 2002. It since has been installed at more than a dozen other tracks, and the latest iteration will be installed at the Speedway in the spring.(IMS PR), see more on my Indy Track News page.(12-7-2004)"
As far as the cart safety team, I cannot find anything on its date of creation. The Delphi Safety team was created in 1996. For some reason there is not much info out there on defunct racing series.