Forum: Northern California Sprint Car (go)
Moderators: StuDeedooo

Just reading the new Open Wheel... uh Sprint Car and Midget I mean.. anyway, Donny Schatz is interviewed and brings up some questions about the TV deal.... I know that a TV contract is vital to the continuation of WoO racing as we know it, no TV no sponsors, no sponsors no cars, no cars we're just watching dirt dry. I personally think the LIVE shows are the way to go. I know it costs more, I know the show's length is unpredictable, I know editing out a red flag for a fuel stop keeps some of us from losing focus on whats going on. But I dont wan't to watch a race if I know how it ends, and i have tried several times but it just loses the drama and excitement. I hope that the ESPN2 races that are shown the day after they are run will be different, but with technology as it is we already know within minutes of the checkered flag what happened. So my question, and i post it here on the NorCal site because I know everyone here is a true Sprint car fan, is what do you think is better for the sport... A tape delayed race shown Sunday morning on SPEED or ESPN2, or a live Sprint car race?

I agree with you that live is better, but most of us are off racing somewhere during most of the WoO races and couldn't watch the live ones. A tape delayed show on Sunday is way better than no show at all. For those of us who won't be at Knoxville, live telecasts from the Nationals again would be awesome.

Are we having fun yet?

I'm afraid I have to disagree regarding wanting live WoO races on TV. The sprint car format does not lend itself to live presentation in a fixed 1hr. time window. There are too many time delaying variables before you get to the start of the Feature and then too many yellow and red flag situations during the race to hold the casual viewers attention. The networks either continually go to commercials, and how many repeats of those can a viewer stand before he changes channels, or they fill the air with BS which is also of limited interest to the casual viewer. Then they can run out of time and either have to extend the show, which the networks hate, or cut the show without having a proper finish.

Don't forget, the TV races are NOT for sprint car fans to make up for not going to the track. They are for the general TV audience to give the sport and the sponsors more exposure. So if you can't get any pleasure out of seeing the racing, just because you may know the eventual winner, well that's your problem.

Tape delayed is the way to go and I, personally, applaude Dirt and the networks for working that out. That way all the delays can be edited out and a compact show of known length can be presented in its scheduled time slot. Works for NHRA and works for WoO.

My $0.02 worth.

^ SkyRaider Ultralight -> ELSA

I'm with Chicofan

Brian 

"TURN AROUND; MATE !"

I could not imagine how a live broadcast would work out, heck we are fighting to get races in before curfew half the time here, it took close to an hour to run a thirty lap A main in Petaluma.

I think most fans will watch knowing who won, when ever I watch a race, even one I attended, I always see things that I missed, I'm just happy to see Sprint Car Racing on TV again, and hopefully we will get some new fans that will go out and attend some races and some sponsors willing to put some money into the sport.

S.

Both would be great but we are usually at the races on Friday and Saturday nights so we would miss those live broadcasts. I'm always willing to watch a race even if I knew who won. I still have the slick 50 tapes that someday I'll watch again.

I don't disagree with the tape delayed broadcasts, there is just a different feel. It's like they're shoving everything down your throat to get it in in under an hour. I will say that the production quality is WAY WAY WAY up since the move to SPEED TV, no longer resembles something made in a junior college introductory to TV course. EITHER WAY I"M THRILLED THAT SPRINT CARS ARE ON TV!

If it wasn't delayed I woulded be able to watch them anyways; I'm at three tracks just about every week-end during the racing season. Have been in Cali Oregon and Washington this year already at tracks

Brian 

"TURN AROUND; MATE !"

Live shows would be really cool but I don't know if that will happen again, with the exception of the Knoxville Nationals but that was pure drama last year and for those who were there it was sweeet!! The Dude and Brown show was great!! Racing at it's best with it all on the line.

"Just Win Baby" Al Davis Owner of the Oakland Raiders

WELL HIT ME THEN!!!! LOL that was CLASSIC!