[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by kkfan91

just a quick point I've never heard anyone complain about WoO running over 60 times a year

Good point. Even though the article was written back in 2000, I believe what the statement refers to what happened to NA__AR a year or so later. NA__AR didn't increase the events but they did over-expose with 24/7 media coverage, thanks in large part to their media deal.

I think the writer believes that someone at F1/FIA had the foresight to see the possibilities and injected that thought into the piece.

IRT WoO 60+ race schedule; WoO has nowhere the amount of coverage that F1 does. NA__AR had, in the 60's a schedule equal to that of WoO and it continued to grow. Reason: no excessive media coverage. I believe that the old axiom, about there being too much of a good thing is no truer than in modern day sports. Enthusiasm can easily turn to boredom which can just as easily turn to cynicism.

[WestCoast]

That is the reason I never watch "regular season" Baseball or Hockey. To me, Baseball starts in October and Hockey in June.
Now the NFL could benefit from a longer season, but then again I love the stuff.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by kkfan91

just a quick point I've never heard anyone complain about WoO running over 60 times a year

I suspect if even only 3/4 of the races (45 or so) were on TV, it'd be too much for most folks and the die-hards eyes would glass over pretty quickly.

I kinda like the way F1 does it .. a spurt of 3-5 races followed by a "resting period" of up to 3 weeks before resuming for another short burst. Main thing is it doesn't develop in to a "habit". And the true fans know when to start wearing their "colors" again 'cause they actually pay attention to the schedule!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

I suspect if even only 3/4 of the races (45 or so) were on TV, it'd be too much for most folks and the die-hards eyes would glass over pretty quickly.

I kinda like the way F1 does it .. a spurt of 3-5 races followed by a "resting period" of up to 3 weeks before resuming for another short burst. Main thing is it doesn't develop in to a "habit". And the true fans know when to start wearing their "colors" again 'cause they actually pay attention to the schedule!

Can I get an "AMEN!?"

Another nice fact is that F1 races at a venue only once per season, thus making it's races "special."

A lot of negative things can be said about the way F1 is run (a whole lot, as a matter of fact) but F1 is what it is and they haven't tried (or been able to?) super saturate the market and it hasn't overly gimmick-ed up the competition. Plus, the 17-race season makes each race all that much more valuable. Kinda like why diamonds are more valuable than zirconium; there's a finite number of diamonds.

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Can I get an "AMEN!?"

Another nice fact is that F1 races at a venue only once per season, thus making it's races "special."

A lot of negative things can be said about the way F1 is run (a whole lot, as a matter of fact) but F1 is what it is and they haven't tried (or been able to?) super saturate the market and it hasn't overly gimmick-ed up the competition. Plus, the 17-race season makes each race all that much more valuable. Kinda like why diamonds are more valuable than zirconium; there's a finite number of diamonds.

The 16 to 19 races per season is a tradition that goes back a long time.
What's changed is that there's no more non-championship races, whereas in the old days only a handful where championship points races.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

The 16 to 19 races per season is a tradition that goes back a long time.
What's changed is that there's no more non-championship races, whereas in the old days only a handful where championship points races.

Are you telling us that, in days past, people raced for a little money and just for the sake of competition???!!! Unfortunately those days will probably never return but what a concept!

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Are you telling us that, in days past, people raced for a little money and just for the sake of competition???!!! Unfortunately those days will probably never return but what a concept!

Well yeah, the driver's championship was an american import. It added some interest but still kept a lot of races for those who didn't care for points racing.

A lot of times there was no payment, and if it was it was based on (driver) popularity not performance. These abuses are the reson why Ecclestone rose to power and wealth.
He promised the teams money and promised the drivers the safety upgrades they wanted if he would be elected FOCA president and receive a carte blanche.
And in the '70s he did just that, witch is why the sport survived.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

Well yeah, the driver's championship was an american import. It added some interest but still kept a lot of races for those who didn't care for points racing.

A lot of times there was no payment, and if it was it was based on (driver) popularity not performance. These abuses are the reson why Ecclestone rose to power and wealth.
He promised the teams money and promised the drivers the safety upgrades they wanted if he would be elected FOCA president and receive a carte blanche.
And in the '70s he did just that, witch is why the sport survived.

Sounds a lot like what made Bill France Sr. and NA__AR popular with a lot of drivers. I think it's very admirable.

The sad thing is that, in F1 and in other series what ultimately happened just reinforces the old adage, "No good deed goes unpunished." Except, in many ways, this time it was the sport and not the person who fathered the good deed as the one "punished."

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Sounds a lot like what made Bill France Sr. and NA__AR popular with a lot of drivers. I think it's very admirable.

The sad thing is that, in F1 and in other series what ultimately happened just reinforces the old adage, "No good deed goes unpunished." Except, in many ways, this time it was the sport and not the person who fathered the good deed as the one "punished."

I thing the old saying "power tends to corrupt, but absolute power corrupts absolutely" is the truth. I would also add money/wealth next to power for it to be 100% the truth.

But it's also Bernie's vision.

He believes that Europe and America are gonna crash and burn, and that the future is China-India/SE Asia, Brazil, Russia and the golf countries.
The UAE and Singapore are the new Monaco, San Marino and Las Vegas, China is the largest automotive market right now, the Golf countries import most premium/luxury and high performance cars and they now own stakes/shares at Ferrari, McLaren and Daimler/MB.

The sponsors aren't unhappy with the new markets, but with losing the old ones, as they'd rather have both.