http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96787
He is right. The United States is a black hole of nothing for F1. The fans that are here, just as supportive as the fans in any other country, are simply not enough to support a race and I don't see the massive marketing push that F1 would need in order to break through the NASCAR brainwashing that SpeedTV has worked so hard to create, to the detriment of every other form of motorsport. Austin is dead. Jersey might last 2 events, if it gets off the ground at all. I'd love to have a GP in the USA. I just don't see it being financially viable for either a venue, or the series.
i've been a f1 fan since '61. i've learned to accept whatever bone they toss us. if you add up what it costs to attend a race here it's about 30% less than most european races.
Its not a question of fans. Hell, Indy had 200 thousand people show up for Race day... however it takes investment and the payoff is zilch - for any promoter. Bernie wants all his money up front as well... so he is nutz for making that statement... but it is true, there is nothing for promoters left. F-1 was extreemly - is extreemly popular - Speed has great numbers for the F-1 races, so people are interested. the thing is F-1 has to compete here where as in other countries its on its own... no competition. I completely stand by my statement that if they put $10 Million into promoting the race - late night tv, Oprah, morning shows etc... and did a couple specials - brought to you by Mercedes, etc... F-1 would gain more popularity with the main stream folks... it would also make more people want to attend / watch and generate more $$$ Hamilton & Nicole Sherzinger... saga... get the Black Eye Peas involved etc... make it more hollywood... it would sell... but it will take a while and the return is just not there, because bernie will want it all.
I find it weird why F1 and football (soccer as they call it over there) are so hard to be penetrated into the US.
NASCAR/American Football/Baseball/Hockey/Basketball - Take your pick as to why. There are alot of other competing sports to deal with in the market that are heavily supported. The US has a plethora of activities to enjoy. It is amazing. F1 has lots of fans there. I saw them in Montreal and Indy. There are even more and more for the sports listed above. Plus the country is so large its hard to get all of these fans in 1 place to make impact. 5 hours in a car in the US and you are still in the same state in many cases!
In the US, the aforementioned sports have 24/7 hype machines. Hard for F1 to compete when it's up against established stick & ball sports (and whatever NASCAR is) when they're buying up hundreds of hours of air time. Having an F1 based weekly show isn't an altogether bad idea but it has to be done right and not air at 2:00AM a-la Speed's "F1 Debrief". BHW
its all about marketing and advertising, unfortunately with most F1 races not being run during prime advertising times (due to the time difference) its hard to get advertisers interested.
With all due respect, nonsense! [IMO of course!] I find this belief that the rest of the world sits around waiting for Bernie-vision to come on the TV because there's "no competition" somewhat amusing....... *Everywhere* has soccer - Even MLS here in the States out-drew the NHL this season for example. Then there's plenty of other sports to watch - Cricket is huge in the old colonies and many countries have their own superstars in many different sports. There's *lots* of competition. But, more folk choose to watch F1 over the course of a year than anything outside the every 4th year World Cup & Olympics - It's those eyeballs the sponsors etc want and a race in the US is pretty much the same (apart from a messed up time ) as a race in Mumbai [Who are building a track too apparently.....] Cheers, Ian
guessing georgraphy has a lot to do with F1 currently with no races within CONUS, TV is the only way to participate... one or two "local" races a year are not going to get fans fired up for the series. Most of Europe is to F1 like NASCAR is to the US where fans have access to races, supplemented by TV for the distant venues. It is the fans ability to participate or its' easy availabilty to associate with F1 that retains interest and attendance in Europe. Currently the US has nothing. The infighting at Indianapolis has screwed up the US open wheel racing except at the grass roots level. The tradition and history of the US open wheel racing is in the toilet especially for the fans, which goes to fan interest and ultimately bleeds over to F1. NASCAR has been working for 50 years to get where it is. Ultimately the US F1 promoters have only to blame themselves. There were venues that could be built on with existing fan base, instead promotors out promoted themselves out of F1.
In the US, racefans grow up with local short tracks many are dirt whether running open wheel, karts or doorslammers and although nationwide there may be a large number of spectators, they will never all adopt the 'other' form of racing. Here when you buy the 1/4 midget car for your kid, it's with an eye on NASCAR or maybe WofO. There are another group who run Vintage on road courses, you see the same names and faces at most venues, maybe 10,000 participants(?),same with SCCA club, you can win everything going but not get a paying gig from that route. Until the sanctioning bodies get off their egos and put together a combined real ladder for talent, the US will struggle to have a US American driver who might get to F1. Only then will the public maybe to take a greater interest in the big picture, and at that compare it with what they already have, NASCAR (or maybe Indycar). Kids are in Little League basketball, football, hockey and yes even football (soccer) in elementary schools then all through High School, always with an eye on that college grant or pro career. All done within a short drive from home, scouts at every level. Why bust your a$$ for the moon when you can go drive roundy round and be a household(ish) name?
Getting an event just seems to be a question of where Bernie can find a sucker to build a venue and pay his fees. When he can find one in the US he'll come. When that sucker goes broke, he'll find another one. Why should he care where?
Bernie can go pound sand. First off, protestations to the contrary, apparently the locals embracing F1 is really of no concern to him. Korea, for example, was not a place dying to host an F1 race. As for Americans wanting to see profits before getting into bed with Bernie. Wow, they must be insane for taking such a position. Out of curiosity, how many cities that have held F1 have turned a profit? It seems almost every venue is begging to renegotiate their contract after taking a major fleecing. As for television. Americans expect the production to be a little better than betamax quality. F1 is the only sport where it is hard to tell if you are watching a live race or a race from 1986. For the premier racing series in the world, you would think the production would be better than a karting race on the speed channel. I am a diehard F1 fan and been so for years and this is utter B.S.
While I do not disagree with any of the posters on this thread....it is mildly amusing that we have posted nearly exactly the same responses to the subject many times before, right here on FChat>Racing>F1. And these same issues have always been.....the same issues. I do think something big will change when the dwarf-ish man goes away.....and/but it may or may not be any better....
Let me clarify - no competition in other forms of racing. Ofcourse Europe has DTM and Touring cars, but they are not as well promoted... F-1 is THE racing sport in those countries. in the USA - NASCAR, Indy, ALMS, Grand Am, lots to chose from. In India... not sure of any racing outside the F-1 race.
Its all down to money. FIA / Bernie will only alow one host country TV crew in, otherwise you are stuck with FIA produced version. Speed is fed in, and they nominate their presenter form approved FIA list... I think today, Speed only gets one credential for their man on the ground... pretty sad! Again if you wanted to pay Millions for yearly access with an FIA media pass... lets take a collection cause no sponosor is going to pay for that!
OK, clarification accepted and understood..... However, I still disagree somewhat - If you're a "racing fan" there's lots of series to follow - FF is always good value and they're racing in multiple locations every weekend. F3, various marque specific series etc etc - OK, they're not F1 but there are "lots to choose from". Cheers, Ian
+1 Actually, I'm pretty sure that's not true! IIRC, the *only* races covered by the locals are the UK (traditionally the BBC) and Japan (Fuji TV?) - Outside of those two, guess what - Bernie-vision is the only feed there is..... Cheers, Ian
I get that, but the actual race itself is produced by F1 and they don't allow anyone else to film it AFAIK. And F1 does a crappy job. The video quality is low rent compared to NASCAR, Le Mans. Heck, those Miata spec series on Speed look better!
Bernie is a fawking ****** bag and a US F1 race was doomed from it's inception.Oh did I mention that Bernie is a scum sucking bottom feeder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why not tell us how you really feel! All joking aside, and you may not like his business practices, but he, more or less single handedly; - Turned F1 from a bunch of Garagistes plus Ferrari into the most watched sport on the planet. - Has made hundreds of people pretty darn wealthy. - Doesn't give a damn what you think! He's certainly not desperate to have you in his kitchen where you may not like the heat - There's plenty more folks lining up outside - The three most current are Argentina, Russia and Mumbai for example. Don't blame Bernie for the (almost) failure of a US GP is I guess my point. Cheers, Ian
I like you photo and name, i will NEVER forget Mr.G.Villeneuve, and always remember May the 8th., every year.
last Bernie interview I saw re US F1 race... he essentially said "pay me / bring money and you will have a date " in reference to original contract running out. He is willing for a US date Why pay Bernie while there is no track, with all the issues with the track, it would be more stupid to send money to Bernie at this time.
Bernie is total f_____g d b. And where do you get this idea that F1 is the "... most watched sport on the planet?" You were joking, I presume?
