Raconteur
Nitro Member
Ratings down for NHRA/ESPN2 show (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Raconteur
- Start date
NHRA TV Ratings
DRO is reporting that NHRA's ESPN2 show is showing a 33% decline in ratings so far in 2009, translating into barely 600,000 viewers per show. I can't believe it, I thought for sure we were averaging over 1Mil per event. How can these guys sell sponsorships with these type of numbers? Are we still that much of a niche sport after 5 decades? In all fairness, NASCAR is down, but it's down a much smaller percent from a much, much bigger number. I'm curious what IndyCar and other motorsports pull for ratings.
DRO is reporting that NHRA's ESPN2 show is showing a 33% decline in ratings so far in 2009, translating into barely 600,000 viewers per show. I can't believe it, I thought for sure we were averaging over 1Mil per event. How can these guys sell sponsorships with these type of numbers? Are we still that much of a niche sport after 5 decades? In all fairness, NASCAR is down, but it's down a much smaller percent from a much, much bigger number. I'm curious what IndyCar and other motorsports pull for ratings.
Tim5636sc
Nitro Member
High is a 'relative' term Joe. I do not believe the ratings have been above a 1.0 market share but these numbers SERIOUSLY SUCK. Revamping the show wont help much either. SELLING IT THROUGH SOLID ADVERTISING OUTSIDE OF THE NHRA SHOW MIGHT THOUGH.
Tim5636sc
Nitro Member
yup... Bingo... Spot on Nunz!
__
Nitro Member
Bad news but I do think "the agent's" conclusion is flawed. Is it the show that's bad? I thought Paul had done a respectable job, much better than in the past. The coverage of Scott's accident last year stands out in my mind as an excellent piece of broadcasting. Not overdone or overhyped but very tasteful and expressed the real emotion in the wake of the tragic event.
Why are the ratings down? How about this is becoming more and more a driver/personality driven sport? No Tommy Johnson Jr., no Melanie Troxel, no Hillary Will, Rod Fuller, Angelle Sampey, Whit Bazemore, etc., etc., and so on and so forth. People can't watch who they want to watch so they don't watch. :/
Why are the ratings down? How about this is becoming more and more a driver/personality driven sport? No Tommy Johnson Jr., no Melanie Troxel, no Hillary Will, Rod Fuller, Angelle Sampey, Whit Bazemore, etc., etc., and so on and so forth. People can't watch who they want to watch so they don't watch. :/
The Swegian
Nitro Member
Are these results really that surprising? Unless you've ever attended a drag racing event in person, it doesn't matter how great the coverage or the broadcast is, the average person is simply not going to watch drag racing on TV. To the person who knows little or nothing at all about drag racing, chances are if they're channel surfing and come across an NHRA event on TV, they may look at it briefly, say "boring", and move on.
DragFan2
Nitro Member
Quite true. Drag racing just doesn't come across on TV all that well as far as the sound and smells (obviously). Unless you can relate to how difficult it is to race at any level and understand how something that looks so simple is far from it, the average person will look at the repetitiveness of each race and probably come away thinking "boring" as you suggest.
One possible drop in the ratings that no one has mentioned is the fact that with so many people out of work, I bet alot of them have dropped cable or satellite TV to cut costs (guessing) hence no access to ESPN or ESPN2 to watch.
sdwarf36
Nitro Member
Re: NHRA TV Ratings
Heres an idea thats just may be crazy enuff to work. 1 hour show--just semis + finals. On at a set time. 1 or 2 hours prior--a pre race show--talk all you want about the Forces--the human interest stories etc--toward the end of the show do hilights of the 1st + 2nd round. If college volleyball runs long, it can cut into the begining of the pre-show. That way if someone tunes in at 9 pm--its ON. If your hardcore (like all of us) you can start watching at 7--or whenever it may start. If your casual, you can catch just the action. "Oh look-dragracing on at 9."
Whatcha think?
Heres an idea thats just may be crazy enuff to work. 1 hour show--just semis + finals. On at a set time. 1 or 2 hours prior--a pre race show--talk all you want about the Forces--the human interest stories etc--toward the end of the show do hilights of the 1st + 2nd round. If college volleyball runs long, it can cut into the begining of the pre-show. That way if someone tunes in at 9 pm--its ON. If your hardcore (like all of us) you can start watching at 7--or whenever it may start. If your casual, you can catch just the action. "Oh look-dragracing on at 9."
Whatcha think?
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
The TV show does suck. I am a HUGE fan and 3 plus hours is too long. The multitude of replays for every run is not necessary. Every interview is the same. For fans of reasonable knowledge, the shows are tedious. The time slot sucks, it completely marginalizes the east coast for most events. I also agree with an earlier poster, the turnover for personalities is too high. With the exception of 5 or 6 drivers in each class, it is a virtual merry-go-round out there. Plus, every race looks and sounds the same ... they are borderline repeats.
So, how do you fix it? Fire Paul Page and get drag racing people to do the drag racing show. Paul is neither insightful nor entertaining ... and what he doesn't know about drag racing could just about fill the Grand Canyon. There is a reason the IndyCar guys wanted to get rid of him.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, cut the show down to 90 minutes. We will see every run ... just about 100 less replays and redundant interviews. If something unusual or unique happens, then show us some replays and interview the protagonists ... otherwise move the show forward. A shorter show should ensure a better time slot, with the possible exception of West Coast races. Watch the 1 hour shows on ESPN Classic sometime, the show is tight and flows much better. The purses are too small. The champ gets 400K ... YAWN. 50K to win a race ... wake me up when it's over. Can't generate any buzz or headlines with those kinds of purses. Imagine if it paid a million or 2 when Schumacher made "The Run" to knock Kalitta out of a championship and that kind of dough. Then people have a reason we all understand to watch. Since every race looks the same, set apart 4 races every year and call them "Majors". Pay double points and double money to win. (my vote is for Gainesville, ETown, Indy and Pomona 2 ... all have loads of history and are nicely spaced on the calendar).
I think I can explain the decline in the ratings: Tivo/DVR. The show is so bad that it is not appointment TV even though it is usually in a perfect time slot on Sunday nights for me in Vegas. I DVR it ... and zip thru all the commercials and flim flam replays and interviews. Any show that is DVR'd/Tivo'd is not included in the ratings ...
Lastly, who says we have to be on ESPN2? It is obvious they don't give a sh!t about us, and we are paying upwards of 8 million for the privilege. Shop the show around ... we might even be able to get into a no cost/no fee arrangement like IndyCar did with Versus. Just think, that 8 million could go straight to the purse structure.
So, how do you fix it? Fire Paul Page and get drag racing people to do the drag racing show. Paul is neither insightful nor entertaining ... and what he doesn't know about drag racing could just about fill the Grand Canyon. There is a reason the IndyCar guys wanted to get rid of him.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, cut the show down to 90 minutes. We will see every run ... just about 100 less replays and redundant interviews. If something unusual or unique happens, then show us some replays and interview the protagonists ... otherwise move the show forward. A shorter show should ensure a better time slot, with the possible exception of West Coast races. Watch the 1 hour shows on ESPN Classic sometime, the show is tight and flows much better. The purses are too small. The champ gets 400K ... YAWN. 50K to win a race ... wake me up when it's over. Can't generate any buzz or headlines with those kinds of purses. Imagine if it paid a million or 2 when Schumacher made "The Run" to knock Kalitta out of a championship and that kind of dough. Then people have a reason we all understand to watch. Since every race looks the same, set apart 4 races every year and call them "Majors". Pay double points and double money to win. (my vote is for Gainesville, ETown, Indy and Pomona 2 ... all have loads of history and are nicely spaced on the calendar).
I think I can explain the decline in the ratings: Tivo/DVR. The show is so bad that it is not appointment TV even though it is usually in a perfect time slot on Sunday nights for me in Vegas. I DVR it ... and zip thru all the commercials and flim flam replays and interviews. Any show that is DVR'd/Tivo'd is not included in the ratings ...
Lastly, who says we have to be on ESPN2? It is obvious they don't give a sh!t about us, and we are paying upwards of 8 million for the privilege. Shop the show around ... we might even be able to get into a no cost/no fee arrangement like IndyCar did with Versus. Just think, that 8 million could go straight to the purse structure.
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It's a combination of things that are killing the ratings ( the economy sucks, 1000 ft nitro, and the Countdown have turned off lots of fans ).ESPN still does a great job with coverage but it could try some fresh onboard camera placements.The NHRA needs some good old fashion DRAMA .....a "badboy" to give the fans something to talk about between races. Say what you will about Baze but he was great for the sport....everyone was always waiting for him to speak his mind or get in someone's face ! Maybe I could talk A.J.Foyt out of retirement to try a nitro beast ( lose the Depends and Ensure ) ! Badboys are great for ratings !
I like the coverage as far as camera work and such. Watch some of the other drag racing series shows out there and the camera work and placement is far superior here.
I do agree with way too many replays.
And yes as I've said for forever Page is not a good fit in that chair. He means well and has improved but that chair is the lead ambassador for the sport and needs to be better. Put Reif, Kernan or Alan there and you have an instant improvement.
I didn't think about dvr not counting in the ratings. I don't remember the last time I've watched one live.
One thing I have liked it that on the qualifying shows they seem to try to have a theme to them. Sure some hit and some miss and yes to the die hard it may be trivial but I like the attempt and some of those have been really good
I do agree with way too many replays.
And yes as I've said for forever Page is not a good fit in that chair. He means well and has improved but that chair is the lead ambassador for the sport and needs to be better. Put Reif, Kernan or Alan there and you have an instant improvement.
I didn't think about dvr not counting in the ratings. I don't remember the last time I've watched one live.
One thing I have liked it that on the qualifying shows they seem to try to have a theme to them. Sure some hit and some miss and yes to the die hard it may be trivial but I like the attempt and some of those have been really good
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
The article clearly states the ratings are down 33% this year compared to last year for NHRA shows on ESPN2. The article further stated NASCAR's ratings are down "only" 11%.
see h 3 N 0 TOO
Nitro Member
Does anybody actually know a "Nielsen" family ? Or seen anything to gather the data? I have asked all my friends for years and nobody has seen it either..( Cold calls dont count)
mick
Nitro Member
woops - read article yesterday - guess i should have re-read.
