Champ Car, CBS Reach Deal

[Dov]

From Reuters.com:

[Brian W Keske]

'Sources say', and 'CBS declined comment' mean this is not confirmed....yet.

[Dov]

I consider Reuters to be a very reputable news agency so i'm sure that the 'sources' are reliable. But you know me Brian, i'm one of those Champ Car fans who likes to look at the issues through rose coloured glasses. ;P

[mountainstar]

I would be nice if all the races on CBS to help with continuity. The last race in 2003 got a 1.1 on CBS.

[jjspierx]

Either way, even a few races on CBS has got to be better than a full season of races on Spike.

[luke]

I take it Spike isn't all that great although they have WWE!

[Dov]

From the 2004 schedule which seven races would YOU choose to air on CBS?

Here's the seven races that I would choose:

(1) Long Beach
(2) Milwaukee Mile
(3) Cleveland
(4) Road America
(5) Montreal
(6) Laguna Seca
(7) LVMS

I would also consider Toronto and Mexico City.

[codename_47]

Originally posted by luke
I take it Spike isn't all that great although they have WWE!

That sentance would've been perfect without the "although"

Still, I hope with CBS comes CBS quality direction of races, no offence to beetleguse or whoever it is (they have made some cool on-boards after all), but I think that could be done better with network/SPEED (if that comes to fruit too) equipment and personell!

[jjspierx]

yeah, I just don't think its very professional looking on spike. Its kind of cheesey the whole presentation of it(outside of the announcing). Plus no matter how good it is, it still won't get very much coverage on Spike cause of the nature of cable television, its not as accessible. At least with Speed, its a RACING channel, so people who are into racing will be watching it, and Speed is a fast growing network with lots of viewers.

[enemy-ace]

Companies always decline comment when it's not an official announcement. I wouldn't be too quick to try and throw cold water on this one. Good news as far as I am concerned. I hope Champ Car doesn't renew with TSN in Canada. Otherwise they'll be blacking out the SPEED coverage which would be an absolute travesty.

[Snrub]

Thanks for posting that Dov. Interesting details, the article says it'll cost $10M for 7 races, but that Ford would likely cover most of the cost. Assuming that's the case, that's cool of Ford.

I can't understand why the ratings on Spike are so poor, not to mention the Speed ratings compared to CBS.

[jjspierx]

Because EVERYONE who has a television set whether they have cable or Satelite or just regular television can watch CBS races unless they live out in the country where they get no signal, in which case they probably have satelite or cable and they get CBS as part of the standard package anyway. With Speed, most people have to get a special cable or satelite package to even get it. I know here in Oregon, we have to pay more with DirecTV to get speed, and if we chose to get Comcast Cable, we'd have to pay extra as well to get speed, its not part of the base package. Plus on Sunday's, people are usually flipping through the low number network channels(2,6,8,12,49) to watch football games or whatever sport is on. When they are flipping through the stations during commericials, and they see a Champcar race, that is a bonus and helps attracts different viewers. People don't usually accidentally go up to channel #607 or whatever to get Speed Channel unless they know a race is on that they want to watch, in which case that person probably would be watchingit on Spike or CBS or wherever it is airing.

[Flatspot]

I suspect that CBS would decline comment on any story that includes business deal specifics as this one does. Eventually they will do a press release that simply states that they have "reached a deal". In fact it would not surprise me if the contract had specific language restricting comment on the monetary aspects of the deal.

I hope they go live instead of tape delay.

I still don't understand why some refuse to absorb anything said positive about the series.hrug:

[Snrub]

From a pure "how many people get the channel" perspective one would expect Speed ratings to be perhaps half of CBS. (hense my confusion) I suspect the low channel number idea may be at least part of the issue.

[macdaddy]

Great theory about channel-surfing, jj. I'd have never thought of that in a million years, and yet it's so obvious!

Time-buy or not, it's network TV and that's what next year's sponsors want to see. Nobody can throw a bucket of cold water on this one - this is great news that is likely to cause a snowball effect.

McDonalds, CBS, Vegas...

Cheers to Tres Hombres!

[Omega99]

Originally posted by enemy-ace
I hope Champ Car doesn't renew with TSN in Canada. Otherwise they'll be blacking out the SPEED coverage which would be an absolute travesty.

I don't get SPEED, so if they don't renew with TSN I won't be able to watch champ car next year, which would be an absolute travesty...

TSN is a part of basic cable. Nearly everyone in Canada gets TSN, and that's the advantage. But if Global stepped up, you would watch the Canadian ratings shoot through the roof.

[codename_47]

Originally posted by Snrub
Thanks for posting that Dov. Interesting details, the article says it'll cost $10M for 7 races, but that Ford would likely cover most of the cost. Assuming that's the case, that's cool of Ford.

Certainly a refreshing change, not only from the Doom and Gloom about Champcar, but the recent doom and gloom surrounding Ford as well!

Seems they're committed to some sports, at least!

[Snrub]

Originally posted by macdaddy
Time-buy or not, it's network TV and that's what next year's sponsors want to see. Nobody can throw a bucket of cold water on this one - this is great news that is likely to cause a snowball effect.

Time-buy is okay as long as it doesn't cost CC money. We know CC will make *some* money from advertising, but if Ford picks up 1/3-1/2 the cost then it's only a marginal loss or perhaps they'll even break even. That's pretty cool.

I agree with the snowballing thing. The important thing is that serious matters like TV are being settled EARLY so that sponsors, etc. know what they're getting if they decide to come on board. If the series has the fundimentals in place then sponsors are bound to come on board. What blows me away is how series like Grand Am has cars with good sponsorship, but the car of the reigning CC champ doesn't. It says that potential sponsors are very shy of risk. For next year, a sponsor has the choice of 2M live fans and 7 races on CBS, ~10 on speed and pay $X for CC or something like Grand Am. (I realize that CC costs more than a series like Grand Am, but presumable sponsors in CC done not have to pony up for the standard costs to get their names plastered in big lettering on a CC).

the recent doom and gloom surrounding Ford

If anything the "doom and gloom" for Ford in European racing is good news for CC because they've decided to concentrate on American racing. I think there's a real chance Ford may up the sponsorship of CC to really get their name out there, ensuring that every fan is hit over the head with "these beasts are from Ford!" Think of what they spend on things like the Ford GT. That's nothing compared to a CC and what it could potentially do for Ford.

[Dov]

If Ford has this much power then they may very well decide what the future (2006) engine specs will be instead of OWRS. hrug:

[codename_47]

Originally posted by Snrub
If anything the "doom and gloom" for Ford in European racing is good news for CC because they've decided to concentrate on American racing. I think there's a real chance Ford may up the sponsorship of CC to really get their name out there, ensuring that every fan is hit over the head with "these beasts are from Ford!" Think of what they spend on things like the Ford GT. That's nothing compared to a CC and what it could potentially do for Ford.

I see your point.....

Being European and living 5 minutes away from the Jaguar plant there is nothing but doom and gloom here....but that's just Ford UK.....didn't really consider things might be sunnier elsewhere!

:Originally posted by Dov
If Ford has this much power then they may very well decide what the future (2006) engine specs will be instead of OWRS.

Ford like Turbos, don't they??! :beer

[macdaddy]

That's okay with me Dov, just so long as the series continues to operate (and grow) until it gets its legs back under it!

To Ford, I propose a toast.

[Dov]

Originally posted by codename_47
Ford like Turbos, don't they??! :beer

I know 100% that Ford likes the V8's and I think they like the turbos, but how much they like them is anyone's guess. Do they have any interest in switching to a V8 NA? hrug:

[Dov]

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what Ford has done for the CCWS and I prefer the V8 Turbos, however, I don't want them or any other manufacturer to run the series.

[indycool]

The races that are likely to be on CBS will likely be, IMO, in the summertime.

Remember history. Long Beach is the same weekend as Masters golf coverage on CBS. Moving Laguna from October to June in 2002 to put it on CBS darn near/maybe killed that race. Whichever races have summer dates that don't conflict with CBS' golf and other coverage will get the summer dates.

As far as returning to SPEED, it's been pointed out elsewhere that SPEED can put races on satellite radio, also, which is an advantage. The disadvantage is that SPEED ratings were even lower than SPIKE's are right now.

[macdaddy]

We may get "Speed on Demand" again, and that would be cool.