[vincesanity82]

SportsBusinessDaily reports that ABC's broadcast of last Sunday's Subway 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Martinsville Speedway earned a final Nielsen Media Research rating of 3.7--down from 4.1 when NBC aired the race last year.


Yeah ... failing to air the race in the second largest market in the country will have that effect.

When your race broadcast gets preempted for local coverage and the network hasn't ensured that local affiliate has a backup plan or backup station to move the breaking news coverage, you get fewer eyeballs watching the race.

On the other hand, the Craftsman Truck Series Martinsville race enjoyed an 18% increase in viewership on The Speed Channel--you might be familiar with the network where more than one of their commentators actually know a thing or two about NASCAR.

Get a clue, NASCAR! It's time to kick ESPN/ABC to the curb and partner with Fox and Fox-owned Speed TV for the entire season.

Martinsville Ratings Drop on ESPN on ABC - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

[Quality88]

meh...........

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

SportsBusinessDaily reports that ABC's broadcast of last Sunday's Subway 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Martinsville Speedway earned a final Nielsen Media Research rating of 3.7--down from 4.1 when NBC aired the race last year.


Yeah ... failing to air the race in the second largest market in the country will have that effect.

When your race broadcast gets preempted for local coverage and the network hasn't ensured that local affiliate has a backup plan or backup station to move the breaking news coverage, you get fewer eyeballs watching the race.

On the other hand, the Craftsman Truck Series Martinsville race enjoyed an 18% increase in viewership on The Speed Channel--you might be familiar with the network where more than one of their commentators actually know a thing or two about NASCAR.

Get a clue, NASCAR! It's time to kick ESPN/ABC to the curb and partner with Fox and Fox-owned Speed TV for the entire season.
Martinsville Ratings Drop on ESPN on ABC - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

What is the big surprise? Racing which has all the intrinsic excitement of a quilting bee? A contrived playoff system which is only slightly less complicated than doing your income taxes on the long form?
A Sponsor Welfare System (The Chosen Rule) which has no one except those unfortunate few who have been in a catatonic coma for the past four years?
The races are going head-to-head with NFL football and baseball playoff games?

"Kick Disney/ABC/ESPN/ESPN Jr to the curb and partner with FOX for the entire season???!!!" That spells Doofus and Larry Mac for each and every race??!! Wouldst thou really wish that on the audience? Do you really dislike us THAT much?

[PenelopePitStop]

Not this again!?

When the ratings go down, is it the networks? Not to me. I watch every race (for the most part) regardless of the network. I admit to channel surfing, but you can bet the farm that I will tune in to every race if I have access to a television. I don't have a Nielsen box, so I don't count. Do you?

Nobody, nobody, can convince me that the ratings are down due to network coverage. That's petty (no pun intended). I think some may use this as an excuse as to why such a popular sport is waning. Hello! It's not the network! NASCAR has done this to itself!

People who are only interested in who wins the Cup can stop watching. It'll be Gordon or Johnson. People who just love to see good racing, like me, will continue to watch to the very end of the season. No anticipation. I just enjoy racing. Hope some of my favorite drivers do well no matter what their standings are in or out of The Chase.

[wardfan]

Is the neilson rating down because they didn't show the race on the west coast because of the fires? Don't you think keeping people informed about the fires was JUST A LITTLE MORE IMPORTANT!!

[3fanforever]

ESPN/ABC's coverage is an abysmal failure in my opinion. But as bad as ESPN/ABC's coverage is, I can't say they're the only reason why ratings are down. While they might contribute to that, I think the ratings are down because of NASCAR and because there is no drama left in the chase at this point. Allot of people I know have given up on this year. They're watching football games, or they're spending Sundays with their families, or they're working on their cars, or whatever. And that has nothing to do with the coverage. They're just waiting for next year to get started. So just wait and see. I think the ratings for the 2008 Daytona 500 are gonna be through the roof.

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by wardfan

Is the neilson rating down because they didn't show the race on the west coast because of the fires? Don't you think keeping people informed about the fires was JUST A LITTLE MORE IMPORTANT!!

Absolutely! And your point brings us right back to reality. I was horrified to hear that the fires were "set" in three different places. I don't want to hijack this thread, but my thoughts are with those who have been affected by this tragedy.

[SpaceCadet]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

you?

Nobody, nobody, can convince me that the ratings are down due to network coverage. That's petty (no pun intended).

I guess I'm one of the petty ones then. My main reason for not tuning in to any given race is because of my frustration over the crappy coverage. It is so bad that at times it's difficult to even follow what is going on. They go to commercial and when they come back the caution is out. Why is the caution out? Gee, I don't know because no one is telling you why. Five minutes later somebody tells you what the problem was. It's too frustrating. A perfect example is the huge hoopla the commentator's made about Gordon running out of gas a few races ago. I don't even remember which race. Everyone heard the announcer's constant building up of the problem but no one heard Letarte tell him he had plenty of gas. They put a spin on things to make it seem more exciting than it really is if it's a boring race. That's not accurate reporting. I DVR the races and fast forward them through the bs. I don't watch them live any more because of the lousy coverage.

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by 3fanforever

ESPN/ABC's coverage is an abysmal failure in my opinion. But as bad as ESPN/ABC's coverage is, I can't say they're the only reason why ratings are down. While they might contribute to that, I think the ratings are down because of NASCAR and because there is no drama left in the chase at this point. Allot of people I know have given up on this year. They're watching football games, or they're spending Sundays with their families, or they're working on their cars, or whatever. And that has nothing to do with the coverage. They're just waiting for next year to get started. So just wait and see. I think the ratings for the 2008 Daytona 500 are gonna be through the roof.

I agree, but also let's face it, CTS is better in several ways vs. the cup.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

but also let's face it, CTS is better in several ways vs. the cup.

Yes it is. The truck race yesterday at Atlanta was great.

[jks812]

I can't say ratings are down just because it's on ESPN/ABC. Although I personally don't watch as much of them since that's where they're at, the coverage just sucks. They'll show the leader running around by himself and we miss the racing back in the pack. We'll miss reasons why a caution is out sometimes until they're ready to go back green. They'll interview a guy who finished 25th but not one that finishes 3rd.
Yesterday's Busch race ending really sucked. Reutimann won his 1st race and they went off the air before he even got to Victory lane. Crap like that is why I don't like watching ESPN.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

I agree, but also let's face it, CTS is better in several ways vs. the cup.

I agree 100%. The trucks are way better to watch than cup. Not only is the coverage better, but the racing is alot better.

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by SpaceCadet

I DVR the races and fast forward them through the bs. I don't watch them live any more because of the lousy coverage.

Now THAT'S a really interesting point, Space. I wonder how many people DVR (or whatever) the races and how that impacts the ratings ... now I'm curious!

I have to admit that I'm not all up in this TV recording technology. By the time I got a TV with a built in VCR, everything was on DVD. I'm just not into the technology. I don't even have a CD player! TiVo? What the hell is that? I don't even use Pay-Per-View!

I guess I feel that I watch TV more than I should as it is. The first thing I do when I get up is turn on the TV, then pour a cup of coffee.

But I will tell you this: I would absolutely fast forward through the races, regardless of the network, if I had the opportunity!

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Now THAT'S a really interesting point, Space. I wonder how many people DVR (or whatever) the races and how that impacts the ratings ... now I'm curious!

I have to admit that I'm not all up in this TV recording technology. By the time I got a TV with a built in VCR, everything was on DVD. I'm just not into the technology. I don't even have a CD player! TiVo? What the hell is that? I don't even use Pay-Per-View!

I guess I feel that I watch TV more than I should as it is. The first thing I do when I get up is turn on the TV, then pour a cup of coffee.

But I will tell you this: I would absolutely fast forward through the races, regardless of the network, if I had the opportunity!

hmmm .. does that mean you also read only the first paragraph or so of each chapter then skim the rest?

TiVo is a brand of DVR, actually the first one with commercial success .. kinda like the "Kleenex" of DVRs.

I believe if you have a DVR and you're one of the "Nielson" families, you're supposed to include your recordings into your reporting whether you watched it live or not.

WOW!!! TV before coffee .. you are an addict.
I, on the other hand, pour my coffee before I sit down at the PC in the morning... if I did it the other way, I'd probably forget to get the coffee

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

hmmm .. does that mean you also read only the first paragraph or so of each chapter then skim the rest?

I don't read. In fact, I hate to read, always have. My mind wanders too much. If I'm not captivated two pages in, forget it!

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

TiVo is a brand of DVR, actually the first one with commercial success .. kinda like the "Kleenex" of DVRs.

Not interested.

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

I believe if you have a DVR and you're one of the "Nielson" families, you're supposed to include your recordings into your reporting whether you watched it live or not.

"Nielson", "Shmielson"! Again, I know no one, no one, or anyone who knows anyone who has a Nielson box. I think I'll contact Nielson to find out how I can become a member of the "family". I think Nielson is a marketing phantom!

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

WOW!!! TV before coffee .. you are an addict. I, on the other hand, pour my coffee before I sit down at the PC in the morning... if I did it the other way, I'd probably forget to get the coffee

We all have our vices, don't we? Thankfully, mine are legal! Wait a minute?! This Forum has added to my list of vices!










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