Why isnt Formula One popular in the USA?

Question

yet driving 250 laps in a circle, is.

Answer 1

Not enough media in the states. Hamilton is having the best year ever for a rookie and all we hear is if Dale Jr. will get to the the #8. The things we care about are "dumbed down" . Ever watch the news here, it's 2 people with counter views, and they call that news. Formula 1 doesn't have a chance.

Answer 2

IT isn't the driving of 250 laps in a circle that is popular, it is WHO is driving.

Americans tend to support their own. NASCAR has always featured a primarily American field. When the CART series was primarily American drivers, it was immensely popular, as the number of Non-American drivers has increased in that series, the popularity has decreased.

This trend is far more noticeable in tennis. In 1980, 60% of the seeded players were American. 27 years later, only 12% are American, and ratings are at their lowest.

In 1978, Formula 1 had great ratings on ABC.....a year in which an American won the series. The previous year, and the year after had ratings less than half.

The 1992 World Series is another example, ratings for the 1991 World Series were a lot higher because both teams were American, in 1992 without a second US market competing, the ratungs were horrible. IN 1993, they were even worse because a less popular US team was in the World Series.

So, if an American were to be cometitive in F1, the popularity would increase.

Answer 3

You want the truth? American's can't handle the truth! Sorry Jack!

Here it is! American's, (excluding Canadians or Mexicans or anyone from South America) are totally ignorant when it comes to anything that's not "American", or dominated by "Americans"

The Olympics are a classic example, unless American athletes are winning, American's turn off their T.V.'s.

As mentioned in another response, CART in the 1980's was as popular as NASCAR. CART boosted Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan, Bobby Rahal, Michael Andretti and Al Unser Jr., and a few foreign drivers like Emmerson Fittipaldi. But as the 1990's came and most of these American drivers retired and were replaced by non American drivers, the ratings and the attendance fell. Oh course the IRL spilt in 1995-96 was a shootgun blast in the face as well.

If Jeff Gordon had gone to F-1 and had won like Michael Schumacher, I still think it would not have made a big difference. Not unless it was marketed better.

Example, look at Moto GP! American riders like Nicky Hayden, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, and Kenny Roberts Sr, & Jr., Kevin Swantz, and Wayne Rainey have all won championships, but, the coverage is nothing compared to NASCAR. How many of you knew that these American's had won the world championship?

WHY? Marketing! NASCAR is not racing, it's all about the marketing period.

To those screaming NASCAR nuts who are reading this, Just look at the #8 Dale Jr. T-shirt, and underoos, you are wearing right now, and all the Bud bottles in your frig! Don't tell me you've not been raped but the NASCAR marketing machine!

NASCAR is nothing better than the wrestling! Too much flash, too many new no names drivers getting too much press coverage. Dale Earnhardt was a great driver, and so too is Jeff Gordon, but the remake of the 'New Kids on the Block", and "N-Sync" drivers they have now are just rubbish!

HOW CAN YOU PEOPLE WATCH THIS JUNK?

Yes, it's a tuff job driving one of those elephants around a bull ring turning left 1,000,000 times a night, and yes, you now have Montoya and soon Villeneuve(Both Fired from F-1 by the way), but they're there for one thing! MONEY! If Ferrari called either one of them back, they couldn;t find a flight fast enough out of Charlotte!

Finally( I know applauses) F-1 doesn't have a chance in the USA until Bernie Eccelstome dies! Bernie hates American's as much as American's hate the rest of the world! There will never be a successful race in the USA until at least one of these two changes.

So it will have to be Eccelstone's death. Because American's will always hate the rest of the world!

Yours Respectfully
CrazyAboutFormulaOne
www.f1zone.homepage.com

PS: A born and raised American! LMAO

Answer 4

The whole problem with f1 is that....its hard to get exicted about a league that come to the us once a year, at least nascar is here on amercian soil. but f1 race genearlly not as excitinga nascar- or even in openwheel counterpatr the IRL or enen Champ Car. At least these some drama in IRL and Champ Car, FI the realisticly on 3to 4 car the have a shot to win, IRL maybe 7 or 8 Champ Car 5 or 6 but Nascar, 15 to 20 drivers have a legimate shot of winning

Answer 5

Try avoiding the disrespect to stock car racing fans when asking a question about your favorite form of auto racing. No one is better for liking one kind of racing or another, so lose the elitist attitude.

I like F1 and NASCAR.

Answer 6

Because Americans like to see Americans compete against Americans. F1 is countries against other countries. The Olympics isn't even popular here.

I don't want to sound snobbish but most of us really don't care what other countries do. If they want their F1 or soccer or rugby, or cricket, then they can do whatever they want, but don't expect us to be interested in your sport, we don't ask "Why don't Europeans like Nascar?"

Answer 7

Different culture. Some of us like F1. However when it comes to road racing I like the Touring cars. I also like The 24 hrs races as well. I also like NASCAR. Here in the states the most televised racing series is NASCAR, but if you ask most people they will tell you they like any type of racing.

Answer 8

The US generally holds their homegrown sports in a higher regard than international ones. It's just like how American football is immensely popular here, yet the game we refer to as "soccer" isn't.

Answer 9

it is very popular in certain regions like in the midwest and west coast i grew up in sc and my dad, being from up north preferred open wheel racing to cup racing so i saw it whenever it was broadcast here

Answer 10

most us fans consider f1 to be elitist and snobbish....plus
there are only 2 or 3 manufacturers that ever win...and of
course when the f1 teams refused to race at Indy? that year
its just a lot of little things.....
and no, its not that the f1's are too advanced ....