More Live TV

[Nunz]

I enjoyed it when they did it last year and was hoping they would expand on it.

http://competitionplus.com/drag-racing/news/28017-nhra-to-broadcast-live-three-times-in-2014

 

[PJ]

I know there are some that want a live airing and that's fine. I wonder if timing of day will be more important then if it is live or not.

Would a live airing the middle of a summer Sunday afternoon do better than a live showing later in the day says 2p-5p vs 6p-9p

Would the live airing do better than a tape delayed version shown in a consistent time spot later..again using the 2p-5p vs 6p-9p example.

With the mass usage of DVR's I would think a live or tape delayed show in the middle of the afternoon, will end up being recorded and watched later anyways.

Don't mind live at all, but since I almost always watch it later it has no bearing on me, my only concern is how much do they shorten the time before people are rushing too much and safety becomes an issue.

 

[Nunz]

I think the live coverage puts importance back into watching. How many people end up watching Espn3 or looking for the results on the Internet? Not to mention the shows constantly being delayed. I thought the live experiment last year was really suspenseful.

 

[.]

Even if it's live, ESPN2 will find a way to schedule something before the show and delay it.

I recall also, the amount of dead time during that last live telecast. There was nothing going down the track, remember? Something entertaining has to fill the turnaround time.

 

[mick]

the argument is; does the instant internet age we live in force sports entertainment to be shown live.
A) yes, until we can cut our cable and watch sports ala carte live streaming
B) in the case of the nhra with it's low tv ratings, it lends credibility to the organization and it's partners to offer some live programming,
but i don't think the entire season is necessary; they do a good job with same day delayed sunday evening slot which is actually a great
viewing time for anyone who is not a weekend couch potato and doesn't spend their whole day online.

 

[DrRocket]

A "live" show does nothing for me. Like Paul said, I remember quite a bit of tap dancing going on at the last one myself.

I'll record it and watch it later anyway, it's what I always do. As I've said before, I refuse to spend a summer Sunday afternoon or evening sitting inside, watching television.

 

[HEMI6point1]

Doesn't matter to me as I watch the ESPN3 streams on my Roku and big screeen TV. Live every time.

 

[.]

This has the capability to be a either very good exposure or a very big nightmare and a huge black eye for the sport. Don't get me wrong, I am all for it. Like Samuel, I have it stream from a Roku.

But 3 or 4 big oil downs and this will not look good for NHRA on television. Lose casual viewers because of downtime, and they will find something else to do or watch for the rest of the day.

 

[Jimbo]

I am happy they will have some live shows but I hope it works better then Nascar's shows because rather then watch stock go around in circles for three hours I would rather simply tune in for the last 100 laps or so.

It is always going to be more interesting when you are at the drag racing and you can not only watch but smell the fuel in the air and feel the ground shaking under your feet.

Maybe that is the next logical step for technology for live shows.

Jim Hill

 

[Terry]

As far as the non-racing "dead time" I agree there was quite a bit, but the interview and side story quality has really improved this year, in my opinion, so I am looking forward to some of things like Jamie Howe's "walking interviews" and feature items with this year's live broadcast. Unless, of course, they focus on all things Force like picking flowers on the roadside and the scooter odometer, ad infinitum ad nauseum, and then the live broadcast will become a very, very bad thing indeed!

 

[mick]

just get with clay millican to pre-record filler; if the nhra honestly wants to develop their racers; clay has got to be rite on
par with john force in the charisma department.....you give me one more racer that says 'my guys are workin' their butts off
and 'joe owner' has given us all we need to compete'.....please, gag me. i wanna' hear and see clay's big smile tellin' me somethin'
about his momma in tennessee; now that's good filler

 

[PJ]

Terry- I agree those walking interviews are pretty good. The drivers seem more at ease then the typical slogan/sound bite/promo that you get after a run or in the pits.

 

[rckymtn3]

I am looking forward to some of things like Jamie Howe's "walking interviews"

I have always thought she was a good racing reporter. She knows her stuff, no matter what type of racing she is reporting on, and has a solid style that I like. She seems to think about what she's going to ask someone versus the "how do you feel?" boilerplate questionnaire. The way Steve Evans would cut through all the clutter and ask someone the really important question, the one thing that really mattered at that point, and gave us all the insight as to what the real deal was, Jamie is fast approaching that sort of reporting.

 

[rckymtn3]

i wanna' hear and see clay's big smile tellin' me somethin'
about his momma in tennessee; now that's good filler

made me remember Emma Thompson's character in "Primary Colors" talking about the Southern boys hanging out jawing on the porch of the BBQ joint.

''He's in a momma-thon, that could go on all night in the South.''

.

 

[Raconteur]

just get with clay millican to pre-record filler; if the nhra honestly wants to develop their racers; clay has got to be rite on
par with john force in the charisma department.....you give me one more racer that says 'my guys are workin' their butts off
and 'joe owner' has given us all we need to compete'.....please, gag me. i wanna' hear and see clay's big smile tellin' me somethin'
about his momma in tennessee; now that's good filler

Clay Millican is the on camera guy for the IHRA Nitro Jam on MAV TV where they will air all 12 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series events and a special season in review episode in a unique, character-driven show that will focus on equal parts behind the scenes stories, car and driver profiles and on-track racing. The show will air in the fourth-quarter of the 2014 season at a scheduled airtime each week.

 

[MHayes]

She seems to think about what she's going to ask someone versus the "how do you feel?" boilerplate questionnaire. The way Steve Evans would cut through all the clutter and ask someone the really important question, the one thing that really mattered at that point, and gave us all the insight as to what the real deal was, Jamie is fast approaching that sort of reporting.

As much as I like the G-Man, that is what drives me up a wall about the top-end interviews......it's so predictable it terms of what he's going to ask! I say bring back Bill Stevens for the top-end interviews or let Alan Reinhart do his top-end interview on air!

 

[Toejam]

Live broadcasting would only boost NHRA's ratings, takes ESPN 3 and the Drag racing websites out of the results equation!

 

[Raconteur]

Live broadcasting would only boost NHRA's ratings, takes ESPN 3 and the Drag racing websites out of the results equation!

Sure, there is nowhere for the NHRA/ESPN2 ratings to go, but UP! On average, nearly 1.0 million viewers tune-in to watch an NHRA event (Qualifying & Eliminations Shows) over the course of a race weekend.

 

[Huge]

Sure, there is nowhere for the NHRA/ESPN2 ratings to go, but UP! On average, nearly 1.0 million viewers tune-in to watch an NHRA event (Qualifying & Eliminations Shows) over the course of a race weekend.

Darr, do you know the ratings for the Lucas Oil Sportsman show?

 

[Raconteur]

Darr, do you know the ratings for the Lucas Oil Sportsman show?

I'll try to find that out, the numbers for the Big Show show are from NHRA/ESPN2 2014 publicity.