Does the lack of media coverage for the Indy Car Series bother you ??

Question

My hometown paper. Atlanta Journal Constution, only has paragrah for on the last page under the "Briefly" section. Most times they have the box score. But they hardly ever pick up an AP story about the IndyCar Series. And yet they have 3 pages of Nascab stuff every monday and friday, and 1 page to 1/2 a page the rest of the week.

And the USA Today coverage of the INDY 500 was Pathetic. And the only time Sports illustrated, The Sporting News, ESPN the Magazine, and ESPN actually covers ANY bit of Indy Car Series news its about the Indy 500 or a fatality.

thats just a few of the media outlets that continue to ignore Indy Car racing, yet put out "news" about the Neckcar series !
shame on you all sportsmedia outlets

how bad is the coverage in your in market on the TV, Radio and in the newspaper ? aren't you sick and tired of it ? Do you think it will take a CCWS merger(the IRL buying what they want of the CCWS or CCWS going bankrupt again?) for some coverage ?

Answer 1

My market sucks as well for IRL coverage and it really gets under my skin that we get no respect in the racing community..NASCAR(NASCRAP as far as I am concerned) has figured out the marketing though and have earned there spot in the headlines by marketing..IRL needs to do a better job of marketing the product they are putting out..By far it is the best racing..I think it is a matter of time before the IRL gets it all figured out though.

Answer 2

It all depends on where you live. I think that really applies to every race location. During the month of May, the Indianapolis Star has a special section each day about the goings-on at the track. Just about the only thing you don't read about are the trips to the restrooms. How does the AJC handle each race weekend at AMS? I really haven't cared enough to look at the websites of the local papers where the races are being held to see if any of them do anything different. As for TV, I don't know why ESPN and SPEED don't cover the IRL like they do NASCAR. That probably has a little bit to do with the lack of popularity of the IRL.

As for the level of coverage that racing gets on TV here in Ohio? I could do a better job of reporting the results, and I would be able to pronounce the driver's names correctly, and have at least a BASIC understanding of the racing itself. Our local sports guys don't get enough exposure to NASCAR or the IRL to do them ANY justice. I cringe when they try to report on racing. They just don't have a clue.

Answer 3

yes, but as everyone else has said, the press is covering what their readers are interested in. So the question is not about lack of media coverage, but not having a large mass audience following. So how does the IRL (and for that matter CHAMP) correct the issue.

First there needs to be one series that has both oval and road courses.

Second encourage more manufacturer participation - Honda has been great for the IRL, but a factor that draws fans in, is the competition between manufacturers (Chevy - and their fans Vs Ford -and their fans).

Third, a top series sponsor - that touches almost everyone's life (i.e Nextel, Busch, Craftsman, Wal-Mart, Subway, etc.). It helps draw attention of more people to the series and other car sponsors (speed costs money).**

Finally, it doesn't matter where the driver is from, they all live in the U.S by the time get to IRL circuit. But to make them and future stars (coming through the Indy Pro and Sprint Car), they need to develop a more outgoing personallity - a good example is Helio, a very good guest for interviews. While NASCAR drivers privately complained about all the Fan meet and greets and the sponsor obligations, those actions reinforce the NASCAR fan's devotion.

** I remember the old days (1970's), where you had Johnny Rutherford, Gordan Johncock, Tom Sneva, and of course Rick Mears - Their sponsors were the likes North American Van Lines, Michelob, Allied Moving, etc. thinks the people can connect with during their normal day....how many people think of Argent Mortgage.

Answer 4

Have you ever seen one of those races thats not the Indy 500 on TV? The stands are mostly empty. The newspaper is going to cover what is of interest to its readers. In Atlanta in the summer that will be the Braves (always in contention so plenty to cover), Falcons off season talk - Vick etc., Which pick the Hawks will get (usually a lottery pick). College baseball if any of the local teams are hot and College foot ball as the season approaches.

Being the South Nascar will also get a big play but Indy fans are probably far and few between. Brought on by the split of Cart and IRL at the time that Nascar was rising.

Answer 5

There was a time when open wheel racing got all the coverage and NASCAR was followed only by the "south will rise again" crowd, then came Tony George and a few pissed off CART team owners complaining about how the sport was becoming too expensive and there were too few American drivers winning - AJ Foyt being the loudest (what an *** he is). So these brain-children decided they wanted a series of strictly oval races and less expensive cars (no turbos) to develop homegrown talent, blah, blah, blah and now we have two open wheel series' neither of which is all that great and the Indy 500 is still being won by foreigners. Good job guys for killing a far more exciting sport than a bunch of hillbillies still using carburated engines and just recently gave up on leaded gas almost 30 years after it was band at your local gas station, aka NASCRAP. So, yes I think a merger will have to happen, especially since the IRL has failed to accomplish the original goals.

Answer 6

I agree total crap on the coverage but until IRL decides to go back to the original goal it was aiming for originally. Low cost so anybody can enter it will NEVER appeal to the masses. Every good homegrown driver with a few exceptions get sucked up by NASCRAP because that is where the money and fans are. I tell you what ruined the IRL two names, Penske and Andretti, as soon as they cam over from CART they brought their big money and you all know money talks and BS walks, so they get every thing the want from Tony George because he wants their money, guess what CART all over again and in 10 years there will be no CART and no IRL.

To get media coverage you gotta have fans, to get fans you gotta have drivers that have a following from the home town racing ranks, late models, sprints, silver crown, ect. Until the you don't have squat.

Answer 7

the media simply gives the public what they want. NASCAR is a far more popular and entertaining series than IRL, so of course it is going to get more coverage, duh!