I guess it's a matter of the glass being half full or half empty. I'm not here to argue about that. But the way some local news outlets wrote up this year's Indianapolis 500, you'd think the cup runneth over for the IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That's simply not the case.
Several things are worth pointing out. Yes, TV ratings were up from last year, by about 7 percent nationally. But last year's 4.0 was near the worst ever in the televised history of the race.
And yes, the Indy 500 national overnight ratings topped NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 held later the same day. But IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard rightly pointed out the Indy 500 is the open-wheel Super Bowl. NASCAR's Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, last year notched a 7.7 national TV rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. And remember, NASCAR ratings are sliding, so it's no great victory to claim triumph over a wobbling giant.
Another important thing to remember is that we're comparing an overnight rating of 4.3 for this year's Indianapolis 500 to last year's final rating number. The final (more detailed) number for this year's race won't be out until Thursday or Friday. It's not uncommon for the final rating to be a bit lower than the overnight rating.
While Americans JR Hildebrand, Graham Rahal and Danica Patrick provided nice story lines, that doesn't cover up the fact that last year a record low nine Americans raced in the Indy 500, and this year that number was only up by two.
I'm certainly not saying the cup is empty either. I've already reported that according to Speedway boss Jeff Belskus, 2011 attendance was at a five-year high. Corporate hospitality also was up, along with merchandise sales and just about every other revenue stream in May. All my spotters at the track backed up Belskus' claims about increased attendance for this year's Indy 500.
And overall, there was a bit more buzz. Hildebrand's bad fortune turned out to be good business for the Speedway. The race was the focus of prime-time shows on ESPN, CNN and CNBC on Monday and into Tuesday.
Progress yes. Out of neutral, most certainly. But is the IndyCar Series in high gear? Without a doubt, the answer is not yet.
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What part of "the world's largest single-day sporting event" is hard for you to grasp? Over 250,000 people in one place to watch the race, and you are telling me that the glass is half-empty?
You are usually reaching, but come on man...
you nay sayers keep yappin about the death of indy EVEN if the series died indy will ALWAYS ALWAYS draw bigger crowds its just a plain fact no matter how you sin it
2cnd the fastest lap ever turned at indy by nascar 2004 Casey Mears â 186.293 would not even make the field 20 YRS AGO
and rating please you count only tv IN market that blacksout the rate for the state its in and its till up there and we are not even talking worldwide raido network but they dont count would wide racing network cause it not fair they say.
the comparison is idiotic nascar is ok i like it when richard petty and mario was in it BUT INDY IS INDY
True, IndyCar has a long way to go, but look how far it has come in the past two years...
The real challenge is whether the "buzz" from this year's 500 will increase track attendance, TV viewership and sports media publicity for the rest of the IndyCar series races in 2011.
The first thing IndyCar should do is figure out a way to get the 2011 Indy 500 winner into a competitive car for the rest of the 2011 season with a name sponsor. Having Dan Wheldon running in every race is critical.
The IndyCar corporate PR team needs to work hard now with local promoters/track owners to kick-start sales & promotion of all remaining races, instead of leaving it to the locals to promote their races.
And if it's really Danica's last year for IndyCar, consider a farewell tour for her the rest of the season. Increase her public appearance schedule and create local promotions that wring out every drop of celebrity she has with her racing fans to boost attendance and viewership.
So why was it necessary to draft a headline stating the "....500 still have a long way to go? Was not the event, the people, the spectacle, the racing, the dramatic finish, etc. not enough to warrant a headline worthy of a positive statement. Oh, and did I forget to mention the purse of over $13.5 million dollars?
And you wonder why people are so cynicle.
Also, it is imperative like you said for IndyCar to get Dan into a good ride for the rest of the season. Obviously, Brian Herta has a strong car for him, and with the 2.5 million and a decent sponsor, Brian should be able to field a car for Dan for the rest of the year.
I agree that we are not there yet, but our U.S. Open Wheel trend is besting that of NASCAR, and over time, I suspect that they will represent vastly different markets, with very different following.
Townsend Bell
Buddy Rice
Ed Carpenter
JR Hildebrand
Davey Hamilton
John Andretti
Danica Patrick
Marco Andretti
Graham Rahal
Ryan Hunter-Reay
The situation is better today than it has been in years. Oh, and Tony George conclusively shot down the cockamamie estimates 'insiders' provided about how much money was supposedly spent to fund the IRL.
Show a little respect for the institution that put Indianapolis on the map.
Even if the final numbers hold with the Indy 500 being greater than the Coca Cola 600. I say it will take a long time before IndyCar overtakes Nascar. For instance, Nascar got a 4.4 Rating with 7.4 Million Viewers for a random May 15 Dover Race. Wow that's greater than IndyCar's Super Bowl.
Other 2011 redneck races that drew higher than the Indy 500 includes Talladega, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Bristol, etc.
I like IndyCar and it looks like its getting better, especially since the merger, but for anybody to say Open Wheel is besting or is on track to best Nascar is ridiculous.
When was the last time an Indy Night Race beat the primetime network lineups against CBS, ABC, and NBC. Like the Coca-Cola 600.
I agree with Phil that IndyCar needs a better TV contract. Many people forget about Versus in their TV Sports watching.
How many more both have residences and work in America?
Tied for 2nd worst rating since 1972. Only outdone by 2010 for worst TV ratings ever.
So, quit slapping yourselves on the back, back to work drumming up more NO advertising and bad gimmicks.
IRL DEATHBLOW 2011 CONTINUES~!!! Bweahahhahhahhaa!
If the 500 is a deathblow, keep it up. Didn't you say that the family was going to announce the sale of the track after the race? We are still waiting. What I have heard is the next generation is stepping up to run the track and Mari saying she is not selling.
Still the most attended one day sporting event, sounds like a death blow to me.
One of the most exciting races from top to bottom. Still not sure I like the double file restarts, but it made it exciting. Unlike other series, some of the top contenders were small teams several, including the winner with one off drivers. Very happy for Herta, not a huge Wheldon fan, saddened for JR and the NG team, but second for a rookie not so bad. Definitely a finish that will be remembered for years. Not quite a spin to win, but oh so close. What a visual it would have been to have the crashed car on the victory podium.
Not as happy with the cheesy Hot Wheels show, but the jump was cool, the fans loved it and it got publicity around the country.
great ads leading up to the race. ABC was showing ads on all of its top shows and other networks had supplier ads across the board.
Now it is time to take the momentum forward. next year, new engines with two new suppliers, and some form of new aero packages. The 100th running coming up a couple of years after that, there are a lot of positives to pull out of this.
All in all, another wonderful month of May.
The Speedway spent NOTHING on advertising...because they DIDN'T advertise. And that's why they got NOTHING.
The old Indy is gone...it's dead. IMan has said he's in favor of doing whatever it takes to put butts in the seats. Like changing qualification rules, Carb Day, start times, and selective enforcement of caution light rules.
All in the name of entertainment. All under the Hulman George watch. When you look back, just don't blame it on anything else but the Speedway's own stupidity.
AND, it wasn't the "MOST IMPORTANT RACE in HISTORY"...not that day or any other day for that matter. TV ratings show that.
All Future Airings of IndyCar Open Wheel Weekly
None
Thats right fans, the season is over
Jim wilke and John Howard Approved (This Time)
The season rolls on with the added momentum from a successful month of May. Add in the new engines, new sponsors, the new cars, new aero packages and the future looks good.
But of course that really screws up your prediction of the end of Indycar, and I really think you may have to survive without getting your apology.
This one is a bit of a stretch, even for the Indy Car-obsessed Chief.
I believe taxpayer funding of racing (or any other sporting event of any kind) is unwise. It's a good thing the Indy Car Series shares the philosophy the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, who has never accepted even one penny of public financing. So shame on Texas Motor Speedway even though that 650 large will directly generate about roughly $4 million in economic impact. That small expenditure pales in comparison, however, to the F-1 boondoggle set to go down in Austin. $25 million per year for ten years. This at a time when teachers are being laid off. $25 million per year for ten years could pay 500 teachers $48,000 per year for ten years. Which is more important? A pointless Euro twisty race no one can have access to without connections or the education of children? You tell me li'l Mr. High and Mighty.
My advice: Grow up and enjoy it.
The H/G clan are taking taxpayer $$$ for their clown car league. Remember that they needed to hose the Wisconsin taxpayer in order to get the Milwaukee race. Baltimore is gonna take a bath hosting the .1rl and so is any other city naive to think they could turn a profit hosting an Indiana Razing League race. Edmonton said forget you, so the .1rl reduced their sanctioning fee. Throw in Indiana funding tubs for teams and the supposed dallara factory and the H/G clan are awash in taxpayer $$$.
But isn't it funny that when the .1rl is the "Top Tier" in AOWR, F1 finds >$250,000,000 to fund their expansion into the US market, but the .1rl can't catch a break. I seem to recall that CART pretty much made F1 a non-player in the US market, and was threatening them in popularity overseas.
But then someone went and "fixed" AOWR with the .1rl, and NASCAR and F1's dominance is the result of that fixing. Thanks FTG, for destroying a sport, all so IMS could keep its month of may, and keep all those terrible foreigners and street/road courses out of AOWR.
All Americans and all ovals, All The Time in the .1rl.
Oh, wait...
Who payed for the B2 bomber fly-overs?
Full-time Speedway APologists tell LIES all the time. Sure, we believe you.....bwahahhahha!
FAIL. 4.0 FINALS, tied for 2nd all time LOWEST TV rating. Now Kyle Busch get beat up by 65 year old Richard CHildress....AND feel-good story of year ALEX TAGLIANI is being sent to GLUE FACTORY.
Yep, how you gonna promote drivers who are only there for 6.5 days in May? FAILURE becomes you IRL'ers
What's causing them, Disciple?
Additionally, attendance is way up again this year, as is sponsorship and merchandising. Don't get me wrong...your continuing denial and simplistic expression is certainly quaint, but has no merit.
You recall, starting in 1996 and trending downward over the past 15 years, the IRL/Indycrz tv ratings are at lowest levels ever. Your numbers and paid speedway propaganda does not compute.
It is laughable that you could take a turd (such as 2011 500 TV ratings) and polish it into a sucksess story. This sport is OFF the radar since May 31, 2011 and will continue so for foreseeable future.
No one knows when Milwaukee or Texas is....how wonderful is that? INVISIBLE.
Are you unable to comprehend the written word? The ONLY value (and that is a stretch) for simplistic 12+ summaries are pointless saber rattling like this. NO ONE in the industry uses them when considering ad sales buy/sell transactions. They have little to no value in judging the health of programming.
"You recall, starting in 1996 and trending downward over the past 15 years, the IRL/Indycrz tv ratings are at lowest levels ever. Your numbers and paid speedway propaganda does not compute."
Let us evaluate the television landscape in 1996, shall we? Nine of the top ten shows no longer exist. E.R., Seinfeld, Suddenly Susan, Friends, Naked Truth, Fired Up, Single Guy, Home Improvement and Touched By An Angel are GONE. Only Monday Night Football survives, and it has been relegated to ESPN. Its ratings have decreased proportionately as well. Also in 1996 there was no widely available high speed Internet in almost every home or public place. Widespread mobile communication had not yet taken off. Those of you who arrogantly equate some self-perceived decline in Indy Car with the most ill-advised boycott in sports history are doing yourselves and the very concept of common sense a huge disservice.
"It is laughable that you could take a turd (such as 2011 500 TV ratings) and polish it into a sucksess story. This sport is OFF the radar since May 31, 2011 and will continue so for foreseeable future."
Would it be possible for your kind to elevate your dialog to a more adult level? This would include cessation of using juvenile words such as 'turd' and 'sucksess.' Points can be made without acting like four year olds.
"No one knows when Milwaukee or Texas is....how wonderful is that? INVISIBLE."
Hmmmm. That's odd. Both certainly have a lot of media coverage, and your kind is certainly aware of them. I am certain you will all be watching.