TV Blackout of Nascar

[muggle not]

What do you think?????? As if I didn't know.

by David Poole, The Charlotte Observer, N.C. , The Charlotte Observer


Updated: January 21, 2009, 9:30 AM EST

Jan. 20--Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman Bruton Smith said he thinks NASCAR should follow the NFL's lead when it comes to blacking out races in a track's local area when the event is not sold out.

"That's exactly what should happen," Smith said. "It worked for the NFL, so you have a forerunner there who has done it successfully."

Smith said he doesn't know how big of an area should be blacked out around a track that has not sold out its event. NASCAR's network television package does not have blackout provisions.

"I think it would be beneficial to speedways," Smith said. "If it's blacked out and people who live close by say they're going to sit home and watch it, they wouldn't get to see it."

 

[Digger]

What do you think?????? As if I didn't know.

by David Poole, The Charlotte Observer, N.C. , The Charlotte Observer


Updated: January 21, 2009, 9:30 AM EST

Jan. 20--Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman Bruton Smith said he thinks NASCAR should follow the NFL's lead when it comes to blacking out races in a track's local area when the event is not sold out.

"That's exactly what should happen," Smith said. "It worked for the NFL, so you have a forerunner there who has done it successfully."

Smith said he doesn't know how big of an area should be blacked out around a track that has not sold out its event. NASCAR's network television package does not have blackout provisions.

"I think it would be beneficial to speedways," Smith said. "If it's blacked out and people who live close by say they're going to sit home and watch it, they wouldn't get to see it."

NASCAR isn't the NFL. NASCAR fans aren't NFL fans. Loyal? Yes. But they're not durhards like the fans the NFL blesses us with.

My example would be your typical average DC-area Washington Redskins fan. I'll let fergy and VAJen explain what I'm talking about.

The tracks that always do well will be fine.

Martinsville, though, better get it's act together. I would not be surprised if NASCAR shipped that date off to Kansas.

 

[speedwayphoto]

oh how quickly the 'powers to be" forget......... 20-25 years ago, tracks like Charlotte were beging reporters, TV, ANYBODY to cover them................ now they wanna black it out.....lol...... go figure.
Problem is as I see it, is you have basically ran off the die-hard fans, in favor of the more politically correct, upward mobile, corporate crowd...... build 'em bigger hospitality tents, make more suites, designate more privelges to the big spenders.......... that worked in the boom of the ninety's, up to the early 2000's........... now the economy slumps, and the big money finds the newest fad...... and the loyal fans are standing outside the fence lookin in, not sure it is still our sport....... and if it is, can we still afford it???????

 

[basscatcher89]

They can go ahead and do that and REALLY help out the local tracks. If fans want to watch racing but don't want to pay the nascrap price they've got awesome racing down the road for a whole lot less money and a whole lot more action happening on the track.


Do NFL fans really have that option though? except High School and some College games?

 

[Mopardh9]

Well the way i see it is: if they want to black it out , fine, if i want to watch it that bad, i'll find a way to get it, either through the internet or pay per view. I think they are really cutting their nose off to spite their face if they go this route though.

 

[Betsy]

They cannot

blackout cable or satellite.. and most of their races, if not all, are on those servers. Only the local stations can be blacked out.
Just hearing the words spoken makes my teeth grind! Those words only affect us hard core fans! The casual fan will watch his/her soapy instead, and not give a hoot that he/she can't see the raceing.
Betsy

 

[VaDirt]

For one thing, the NFL games that are blacked out are blacked out in the area of the home team. Nascar doesnt even come close to comparing, since there is no "home" team.

Blacking out the race in the area will not sell ticket. In fact, it would probably hurt more than help.

 

[tkj24]

If I'm not dreaming or mistaken or something seems like I remember Charlotte blacking out tv coverage around the track several years back? Anyone else remember this?

 

[buckaroo]

If I'm not dreaming or mistaken or something seems like I remember Charlotte blacking out tv coverage around the track several years back? Anyone else remember this?

Yes, they did that many years ago. We could watch the race here in Winston Salem, but those who lived in, say Hickory couldn't.

 

[speedwayphoto]

I remember that too..... for me it was twice as bad...... they blacked out Charlotte AND Darlington, cause I'm within an hour of both tracks....... don't think they blocked the Rock, but I don't remember for sure...... ( I'm in that market as well......I know, it's a great place I live....lol..... MANY tracks within an hour or two......lol)

 

[muggle not]

http://hamptonroads.com/blogs/dustin-long
Fox boss defends starting times, rips Bruton and questions NASCAR
David Hill is responsible for what you see on Fox’s broadcast of NASCAR races in his role as Fox Sports Chairman and CEO and he doesn’t hold back on his opinions.
He rips Bruton Smith for suggesting NASCAR should blackout races in local markets. That's not all. Don’t like the race starting times? Hill wants to make them later. Don’t like the points system. Neither does Hill. Don’t like all those commercials. Sorry, but they pay the bills. And on and on Hill goes when he has the time.

Those are just some of the things we talked about in a phone interview Wednesday night for a future story. Here’s some of what he said in regards to racing and TV broadcasts.

Q: What did you think about Bruton Smith’s idea of blacking out races in local markets if the events are not sold out?

HILL: “I thought it was total bull … It just upset me. The fans have made Bruton a multi-billionaire. What he in effect was saying by blacking out, “Well, I don’t want the fans who can’t come and pay me money to watch the racing in Charlotte.’ I thought he had absolutely turned his back on the fans to do that. Let’s face it, there’s people who might not be able to afford to come. Just because he’s not making his numbers, why the (heck) should be disenfranchise people who live near the tracks and for one reason or another can’t make it there?

Q: There are a lot of people, particularly on the East Coast, who do not like the later starting times, do those later starting times still work for you and Fox?

HILL: I would like to see the races later in the day. That’s just simply because the later you go, the greater HUT (houses using televisions) levels you have. The greater HUT levels, the greater ratings you’re going to get. It stands to reason that at one o’clock on the afternoon that a lot of people are out and about and then as the day gets later and later, obviously more people go in. I would like to see late afternoon starts with the checkered around a quarter till eight (to lead into prime-time programming). I have communicated this on any given number of times to NASCAR, which was fallen on deaf ears.

“The one thing I’m pleased about is that they have changed the schedule. We had this absolutely ridiculous situation where the third week was a bye. The first time that happened I was told it had to do with phases of the moon. I thought, OK. I had never ever heard that before. Now, engineers have told me that sunspots are going to destroy the telecast but I’ve never heard phases of the moon. The second year around when I was told that … there was a free and frank exchange of views and I’m pleased to say that the problem with the moon obviously has been rectified because we now don’t have that third week bye. That really impacted us badly. We got off, we had Daytona and then would have the race in Fontana and there would be nothing. Changes like that in NASCAR happen with glacier speed, and I just hope with a little bit of financial uncertainity that the powers-to be at NASCAR realize that if they have to make changes, they make changes.

 

[Mopardh9]

Ummm phases of the moon..?
Sounds to me like as usual it is all about the almighty buck, ( no not you Buckaroo..sorry), Fox is getting greedy, Nascar is getting greedier, and the fan is left footing the bill.

 

[buckaroo]

Mopar, I don't like any of this either, but what got us where we are today in NASCAR is money, pure and simple. I just saw an article about the TV bidding is now on for the NASCAR HOF showcase. In the past, NASCAR had to pay to have the races showed on TV, now it's the other way around. Just remember, today if someone doesn't pay to show it, it won't be shown. Greedy, if that is what your definition is, then it's greed that grows the sport. If the viewership goes down, then the bidding will be lowered and when it gets to the bottom, we won't see the racing anymore on a national basis. Will that ever happen? Who knows, but one thing for sure, people in this economy are greedy with their own money. Aren't you? Maybe we should call it frugal, but I'm sure someone somewhere in the world would call us greedy. The one thing that is true of it all and that is no one is forced to watch any of this. If Fox makes more money showing the races later in the day, that's what they are going to do. Greedy? Maybe we should ask their stock holders. Like it? I sure don't but I will either watch it later or do something else.

 

[WNY24Fan]

I'm just glad it's on for us to watch, PERIOD.

 

[Digger]

I'm just glad it's on for us to watch, PERIOD.

 

[wilson89]

Blacking out races is a bad idea. NFL can do they because they belive people wont stop watching if they black out some home games. But Nascar races only come around here once a year and if it aint on tv its gonna lose major credibility localy.

 

[Mopardh9]

Mopar, I don't like any of this either, but what got us where we are today in NASCAR is money, pure and simple. I just saw an article about the TV bidding is now on for the NASCAR HOF showcase. In the past, NASCAR had to pay to have the races showed on TV, now it's the other way around. Just remember, today if someone doesn't pay to show it, it won't be shown. Greedy, if that is what your definition is, then it's greed that grows the sport. If the viewership goes down, then the bidding will be lowered and when it gets to the bottom, we won't see the racing anymore on a national basis. Will that ever happen? Who knows, but one thing for sure, people in this economy are greedy with their own money. Aren't you? Maybe we should call it frugal, but I'm sure someone somewhere in the world would call us greedy. The one thing that is true of it all and that is no one is forced to watch any of this. If Fox makes more money showing the races later in the day, that's what they are going to do. Greedy? Maybe we should ask their stock holders. Like it? I sure don't but I will either watch it later or do something else.

Good points, I'll counter with this: isn't it the fan, the people who brave the elements, the guy that goes to all the races with his buddies, who put Nascar where it is today in the first place? Don't you think the fans deserve some amount of repect? I do, but then again I am an old school type of guy, so I guess I am in the minority on this one.

 

[barelypure]

Blacking out races is a bad idea. NFL can do they because they belive people wont stop watching if they black out some home games. But Nascar races only come around here once a year and if it aint on tv its gonna lose major credibility localy.

The NFL has enough games going on that they don't need to black out where the fans can't watch a game. They just can't watch a game in their area. Big difference.