Why no televised WEC?

[Andrew Rast]

Why is the World Endurance Championship, possibly one of the biggest FIA championships, not televised in North America? I can't find anything except 5-minute portions on YouTube. Anyone got any ideas on where to find full races? Thanks -

[chunder]

Because quite simply, its boring and no one wants to watch it!

[Alfa Fan]

Look, you've made it clear you don't like endurance racing, and, for the most part I agree, it is too long and boring. However, I don't feel the need to post these sentiments on every single vaguely related thread, much like you do with your opinions on GT5, etc.

Sure, have opinions, and express them when relevant, but don't keep ramming them down the throats of others. You don't like Le Mans, fine, but millions of other people do. Why this is a problem for you I don't know?

On topic, why it's not shown in the US. Well probably because in general American sport exists within a bubble. Extensive coverage of sporting events within the country, and nearly nothing from outside. Motorsport is one of the few sports that's even reasonably popular in the US and elsewhere. Even then, it's a very different variety to that seen elsewhere.

It's the same reason American motorsport is an extreme niche in Europe, and there isn't much in the way of coverage beyond PPV channels.

[m1fcf]

Possibly because it is a direct competitor to your already popular ALMS series?

Yes, Sebring was a double header, but none of the other events are combined.

Don't forget that RadioLeMans will probably be covering every race, and who needs pictures when you have John Hindhaugh and his team providing the commentary?

[Adam43]

Anyone who wants to know if a driver has actually done something outrageous?

Joking aside the access to RLM is a boon for those who can't make the races as well as those who can. We are lucky here in Europe as they tend to be on pretty much in entirety. Sorry that isn't much use to you Andrew.

[Andrew Rast]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Anyone who wants to know if a driver has actually done something outrageous?

Joking aside the access to RLM is a boon for those who can't make the races as well as those who can. We are lucky here in Europe as they tend to be on pretty much in entirety. Sorry that isn't much use to you Andrew.

Yeah. Well, out of the faintest part of the universe, would anyone be willing to RECORD THE VIDEOS AND POST THEM ON YOUTUBE?!

BTW chunster no one wants to hear your negativity.

[m1fcf]

Originally Posted by Andrew Rast

Yeah. Well, out of the faintest part of the universe, would anyone be willing to RECORD THE VIDEOS AND POST THEM ON YOUTUBE?!

were you not able to catch the Spa race online?

A few links here that might help for the future: http://radiolemans.0157.org/content/wec-spa-streaming (contains links to Audi; FIA; a french channel and a link to the Dailymotion site)

Ones of those options might help you out for the future.

[Peat]

Originally Posted by chunder

Because quite simply, its boring and no one wants to watch it!

You're boring and no one likes you.

[Andrew Rast]

Originally Posted by Peat

You're boring and no one likes you.

I agree. I've seen some of your other posts and you sound like my bitter old grandfather.

Thanks for the link, man.

[chunder]

Haha, does noone understand irony?

Seriously, there is so much compeition for motorsport on the tv, this series doesnt really offer much in the way of anything different and unless it is linked with a sponsor like Michelin who wants to pay for the coverage why should it be on telly?

Endurance racing is difficult to cover unless you do highlights, and as for ALMS, that is on Speed, who also cover a host of motorsport that noone watches much really, AMA Superbike, Corr off road, AMA SUpercross etc etc. All big in varying forms in the US but not here.

THe GT series has come up with a novel way of doing things by haveing it based around manufacurers, and that seems to work for them.

The simple fact is I follow most motorsports yet know very little about WEC, that tells you all you need to know, so enough of the crybaby "stop moaning about our precious championship". If it isn't promoted very well they only have themselves to blame.

And Peat, seriously mate, as if I give a flying

[FstrthnU]

Originally Posted by chunder

Haha, does noone understand irony?

Seriously, there is so much compeition for motorsport on the tv, this series doesnt really offer much in the way of anything different and unless it is linked with a sponsor like Michelin who wants to pay for the coverage why should it be on telly?

Endurance racing is difficult to cover unless you do highlights, and as for ALMS, that is on Speed, who also cover a host of motorsport that noone watches much really, AMA Superbike, Corr off road, AMA SUpercross etc etc. All big in varying forms in the US but not here.

THe GT series has come up with a novel way of doing things by haveing it based around manufacurers, and that seems to work for them.

The simple fact is I follow most motorsports yet know very little about WEC, that tells you all you need to know, so enough of the crybaby "stop moaning about our precious championship". If it isn't promoted very well they only have themselves to blame.

And Peat, seriously mate, as if I give a flying

*ahem* ALMS is live on ESPN3 and shorter races are also live on TV ESPN2. The longer races get next-day highlights on ESPN2. Nothing on SPEED. /OCD ALMS fan

As for actual WEC, none of the races have the prestige that Le Mans does in the US. The main problem is likely the reliance on LMP2 as the core category; people want to check out the fastest prototypes or the GTs, which are in short supply in the WEC.

[chunder]

Precisely, if they are in short supply then there isnt much of a series? GT racing is now assuredly better with Blancpain surely? And there are other series that offer GT racing at a cheaper, more focused level in the UK and Europe and especially Germany.

A prototype series is a very difficult thing to do as has been shown over the years with the demise of WSPC and its various offshoots.

I am sure someone clever could come up with a package that offers better grids and could attract the interest back, but as of now, its a white elephant hence someone like me knowing little about it or caring. And I can watch some drivel believe me

I would direct more fire at the series promoters and the FIA than tv companies, as the issue is with the series, not the tv company.

They will usually only put stuff on if paid to do so or if there is a genuine interest, usually the former.

[nickyf1]

While I enjoy endurance racing, I actually much prefer to listen to it. The races can be fantastic and fascinating, but because it's such a long race, I like to get out and about and do things while the race is on. It's impossible for me to plonk myself infront of a screen for 6 to 12 hours.

That being said, having the coverage online and on Motors is good for watching the start, the finish, or switching it on because you've heard something is happening.

[Peat]

Certainly, if RLM was available over FM (or even LW!) it'd make following a 24hr more bearable.

As it is, i stock my Le Mans bunker with food and booze and power through the night with a couple of mates.

[Paradise City]

To appreciate Endurance racing you need to be, first, a racing fan and intelligent. People with short-attention spans won't get it. If they can broadcast snooker, they can broadcast WEC. All you need are media executives with the imagination to do it, which is probably why it'll never happen.

I suppose with America its a different example. Motors TV over at this side of the Atlantic don't broadcast the Saturday evening NASCAR Nationwide live presumably because they haven't the staff at the witching hour to do it or are aren't willing/have enough to pay staff at strange hours.

[chunder]

Not sure I agree with being a race fan and being intelligent as the ONLY reasons to enjoy endurance racing. Some poeple are obsessed with GT racing and its their only fix. I can watch it yes, but also autograss, hillclimbs, motocross, stock car racing, rallycross etc etc. It does seem to polarize a lot of fans does sportcar racing.

I would suggest that someone who has experienced loads of different motorsport from drag racing to club racing is more likely to make a rational view on what they like!

But anyway the fact remaains that France is the only real centre where endurance racing is popular, both on two and four wheels. Bol, LM 24 hours and the car races. It has spawned teams, riders. And you could say in reality that sports car racing only really exists in prototype form right now BECAUSE of Le Mans, so huge is that race for whatever reason.

That is unsustainable as a championship, you can't have one race governing the whole thing, or maybe you can? It makes Audi happy and Peugeot too, weird but true.

Let's face it sportcar racing hasnt been a big sport tv or fans wise since the Group C days. There have been revivals but they haven't lasted long as people like Audi or Peugeot come in or even Toyota and outspend everyone to win, just as happened in DTM, Group C, WSPC and the Mclaren, Porsche GT1 days.

Someone needs to take the Formula Le Mans approach and move with it somehow maybe?

[bella]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

To appreciate Endurance racing you need to be, first, a racing fan and intelligent. People with short-attention spans won't get it. If they can broadcast snooker, they can broadcast WEC.

this is harsh (and giving undue credit to snooker ) but true in a way. i think being bored of short races helps too. you have to be able to see a big picture that doesn't exist in short races, even in f1 when everyone's on completely different pit strategies. unless i can get behind a couple of cars and follow their progress in particular i find wec and sportscars very difficult to watch.

fwiw i watched live streaming of the wec at spa on the laptop and that was fabulous - it's more watchable in that format than on tv, but i can understand why people might want to watch a hd broadcast on a massive screen. if they charged a negligable amount for a season of wec (say £2 per race) which then gave you in addition a lmp2 feed as well as the on board one... i think i'd pay for that. purely because watching audis go round in circles after a while gets boring. and to be honest, for newbies, gives the whole thing a bad impression. there's so much more going on in the field than tv can provide for i guess.

another vote for radio le mans though. it works really well with the live streaming because more often than not we don't need someone to tell us what we can see. we want a bit of well informed banter and some insight into the potential concequences to listen to whilst it's happening.

[dyewat808]

Originally Posted by bella

this is harsh (and giving undue credit to snooker ) but true in a way. i think being bored of short races helps too. you have to be able to see a big picture that doesn't exist in short races, even in f1 when everyone's on completely different pit strategies. unless i can get behind a couple of cars and follow their progress in particular i find wec and sportscars very difficult to watch.

fwiw i watched live streaming of the wec at spa on the laptop and that was fabulous - it's more watchable in that format than on tv, but i can understand why people might want to watch a hd broadcast on a massive screen. if they charged a negligable amount for a season of wec (say £2 per race) which then gave you in addition a lmp2 feed as well as the on board one... i think i'd pay for that. purely because watching audis go round in circles after a while gets boring. and to be honest, for newbies, gives the whole thing a bad impression. there's so much more going on in the field than tv can provide for i guess.

another vote for radio le mans though. it works really well with the live streaming because more often than not we don't need someone to tell us what we can see. we want a bit of well informed banter and some insight into the potential concequences to listen to whilst it's happening.

Whenever I watch Le Mans I always mute the commentary and just listen to the RLM feed for precisely that reason, you still hear car noises and so forth so it doesn't sound too odd - I get the feeling this is quite a common thing to do as well

(And if something dramatic does happen on track the feeds are pretty much in sync so they cut in to talk about it about the same time as the live commentary)