4 Wide Earns Highest ESPN NHRA Rating since 2009 (2 Viewers)

[Paul]

Well the 4 wide haters are not going to like this, 4-Wide Ntls earns best #NHRA rating on ESPN2 since '09 with 0.6 HH cvg rtg, best rating & most-viewed program all day on ESPN2. Good news!! Guess you can bet on seeing 4 wide in the years to come with this kind of news.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Thank you Mr. Miller. YES 4-wide is here to stay.

 

[Jimbo]

Well it did have more air time than the normal format Drag Racing events and there were a lot of explosions and people getting hurt...

Hell if they continue to add the made up drama and a few new cast members they could get to the point of having a great reality show. Team Force to be replaced by Team Kardashian? How about Snooki (aka 4 wide) on a third Harley (Bagger) in the middle of the Pro Stock Bike Battle... What a F#&KING joke...

 

[Paul]

Well it did have more air time than the normal format Drag Racing events and there were a lot of explosions and people getting hurt...

Hell if they continue to add the made up drama and a few new cast members they could get to the point of having a great reality show. Team Force to be replaced by Team Kardashian? How about Snooki (aka 4 wide) on a third Harley (Bagger) in the middle of the Pro Stock Bike Battle... What a F#&KING joke...

Explosions and people getting hurt can happen at a normal drag race also, it has NOTHING to do with 4 wide. Didn't Johnny Gray have a huge explosion at Vegas last fall? Last time I checked that wasn't 4 wide. The only joke I see here is the person who is bring Snooki and the Kardashian's. The ratings don't lie, people were watching is what the sponsors want and will keep the sport going. Now the NHRA has to build on this result.

 

[Jimbo]

Explosions and people getting hurt can happen at a normal drag race also, it has NOTHING to do with 4 wide. Didn't Johnny Gray have a huge explosion at Vegas last fall? Last time I checked that wasn't 4 wide. The only joke I see here is the person who is bring Snooki and the Kardashian's. The ratings don't lie, people were watching is what the sponsors want and will keep the sport going. Now the NHRA has to build on this result.

Get a Clue... The rating can be adjusted to fit the wants and needs of whoever has control of them (NHRA, ESPN customer)... Besides unless you are comparing NHRA Coverage with the same amount of air time, and competing programming its all Apples and Oranges... EG: It has little to no value in the real world...

The 4 wide had MORE air time. Why? NHRA want the 4 wide... its all about the Spin...

 

[Just Paul]

Pretty interesting to say the least. Maybe the time slot? Maybe because it started on time? Or maybe folks and potential sponsors just tuned in to check it out? Works for me no matter what it is. Ratings is something to sell to the sponsors.

I don't think Hagans explosion had anything to do with it, or the starting line accident.

 

[rckymtn3]

Get a Clue... The rating can be adjusted to fit the wants and needs of whoever has control of them (NHRA, ESPN customer)... Besides unless you are comparing NHRA Coverage with the same amount of air time, and competing programming its all Apples and Oranges... EG: It has little to no value in the real world...

The 4 wide had MORE air time. Why? NHRA want the 4 wide... its all about the Spin...

Jim is DEAD ON RIGHT

it's like any statistics (something I did for a looong time)

the result is only as real as you wish to make it. if your livelyhood depends on it resulting in a certain value, you can make it reach that value, if your livelyhood depends on the most honest and real outcome, you can work very hard to get your results to reflect that....TV is about selling time....and you sell time by saying how valuable it is....

tell me how big drag racing is when the little league world series or college volleyball preempts it, again....or tell us how big an impact 4-wide is when it's directly competing against bubba and the crowd goin' 'round and 'round

 

[Wayne]

Well it did have more air time than the normal format Drag Racing events

Pretty sure it was the normal coverage that the other Nat Events get (except Indy).
2 hours qualifying & 3 hours eliminations.

& please don't be nasty to others here!!!

 

[Jimbo]

Pretty sure it was the normal coverage that the other Nat Events get (except Indy).
2 hours qualifying & 3 hours eliminations.

& please don't be nasty to others here!!!

Get over it and put your big boy pants on. This is a public forum and I don't have "NHRA" Knee Pads.

If you don't like my post feel free NOT to read them, no one is forcing you.

That the beauty of this country Freedom Of Choice... Please feel free to exercise yours.

 

[Rat]

It did have 2 and a half hours of coverage. Most of it is spin, this is not an event that is loved by everyone. It does not make sense that the best rated show in 3 years happens to be the one that most viewers say (myself included) is one of the most difficult to watch.

 

[Wayne]

Jim: here's my freedom of choice; I believe that you're an ass!!!

 

[Wayne]

It does not make sense that the best rated show in 3 years happens to be the one that most viewers say (myself included) is one of the most difficult to watch.

My thinking too Patrick!

 

[Paul]

Get a Clue... The rating can be adjusted to fit the wants and needs of whoever has control of them (NHRA, ESPN customer)... Besides unless you are comparing NHRA Coverage with the same amount of air time, and competing programming its all Apples and Oranges... EG: It has little to no value in the real world...

The 4 wide had MORE air time. Why? NHRA want the 4 wide... its all about the Spin...

Jim you really seem to be on the chip about the 4 wide. The people have spoken with the highest NHRA ESPN show since 2009 and a 20% increase in attendance at Z-Max. Sounds like a success to me. By the way, you are the one who needs to get a clue, you are blaming incidents that can occur at any race on 4 wide which is a load of crap. You are spinning everything about 4 wide to the negative. Reality is somewhere in the middle which will allow 4 wide to continue. Have a beer or smoke a joint and chill out.

 

[rckymtn3]

The people have spoken

actually, I'm still speaking....

and no matter what "cool" factor you attach to it, you're watching one, maybe two cars during a run.....when you run 4 at a time, that's two other cars that you ignore.....you take a 16 car field and evaporate it to 8....

I think that's the gist of most people's issue with this....it waters it all down for the sake of being labeled as "new" "cool" "advanced" "cutting edge", when it's not, it was a gimmick, and remains a gimmick...a shiny sparkly

 

[e]

I do agree with you on the "trying to pay attention" part of the deal.....I've seen every 4-wide on TV or computer and unfortunately never in person.....I know the outright "spectacle" must be pretty awesome in person, but as for trying to keep track of what the individual cars are doing on any particular run it's just too hard for me to do on TV.....And that is the main thing I miss with the 4-wide format as it comes across on TV.....I also know there's a bunch of people that seem to like it and that's fine, but I do hope it stays just once a year and only at that track !!!..............................e

 

[.]

I have never watched a 4 wide race on TV. Every 4 wide pass that I have ever seen has been on Youtube or some other website. And now that I think about it, I only watched one "eliminations" broadcast during the entire season last year. And I have watched exactly zero racing so far this year.

There was a time when I would attend 3 or 4 national events per year. (along with a handful of divisional events) 2007 was the last time I attended more than one national event per season. This year I am considering not attending any national events for the first time in probably 20 years..... not even Brainerd, my home race!

Between the Countdown, 1000 foot racing, and 2 teams (Schumacher and Force) pretty much dominating the fields I feel the racing has become so stale and boring that it's almost painful to watch.

As far as I'm concerned, Nostalgia Funny Car is THE category to watch (or be involved with) in all of drag racing. This season I plan to attend as many nostalgia events as I can. Any money that I would normally spend attending the "big show" will now be spent traveling to nostalgia events.

Sorry my post was a bit off topic. lol

 

[BF]

I have never watched a 4 wide race on TV. Every 4 wide pass that I have ever seen has been on Youtube or some other website. And now that I think about it, I only watched one "eliminations" broadcast during the entire season last year. And I have watched exactly zero racing so far this year.

There was a time when I would attend 3 or 4 national events per year. (along with a handful of divisional events) 2007 was the last time I attended more than one national event per season. This year I am considering not attending any national events for the first time in probably 20 years..... not even Brainerd, my home race!

Between the Countdown, 1000 foot racing, and 2 teams (Schumacher and Force) pretty much dominating the fields I feel the racing has become so stale and boring that it's almost painful to watch.

As far as I'm concerned, Nostalgia Funny Car is THE category to watch (or be involved with) in all of drag racing. This season I plan to attend as many nostalgia events as I can. Any money that I would normally spend attending the "big show" will now be spent traveling to nostalgia events.

Sorry my post was a bit off topic. lol

Wow, you sound exactly like me only I don't think there are any Nostalgia shows close to me.

 

[TooTall999]

Bruton probably paid people to watch...

 

[Toejam]

I'm sure the Media play of Hagen's Boomer didn't hurt! Anytime this sport can attract a higher TV Audience Is a Good thing! But for an 0.6 to be the highest in 3 years means Professional bowling gets a bigger audience then NHRA! That is Sad...

 

[Mark]

Yeah, I don't know if it was Hagan's explosion or not. However, I will say that many of my friends who know next to nothing about the NHRA know about the 4 wide event.

Like it or not, it's here to stay for a while, so for those of you who really get your panties in a twist about it, and can't seem to have a civil discussion about it, you're gonna have to square with it.