Why isn't F1 popular in the States

I'd like to see more 'famous' drivers in ALMS or Petite LeMans, but don't you think whenever a 'factory' (I know, you said European teams, not factory teams) gets involved that they price the privateers to the back of the grid - or out altogether nowadays ?
How do you explain to your sponsor(s) that you do indeed have a legitimate shot at beating 3 factory Audis ?

IS F1 the only series that is all about 'exposure', and winning is secondary ?

 

This makes sense. It could be that when these once-young and impressionable teens hit their 20's and 30's and drive Mercedes', BMW's, and Lexus', (or Porsches for show), their interest in performancecars and performance is a thing of the past. I am generalizing, but here in the states I see this to be true.

 

True, but most people that I know who LOVE F1 have never seen it in person.

 

And most people I know that love (insert favorite pro sports team name) have never been to a game involving said team.
And I know a ton of folks that love Notre Dame football, USC football, Duke basketball, Kansas basketball, etc. that likewise have never been to a game involving said team.

 

To me this is so bizzare... how could you ever love anything and not have attended, or tried it? ... anyone who loves F-1 and has never been to a race.... is missing out... today its not as special as it was in the days of v-12's flat 12's DFV, BRM etc... the noise was so special... even today there is NOTHING that compairs to a grid leaving the start line at full revs!

Seeing a F-1 car scream by inthe pouring rain... rooster tails sky high... nothing else like it... you have to experience it once ( at a minimum!) Tv does not do it justice

 

Yes, once the really big Professional european teams get involved the cost goes sky hi... it is a real problem...

F-1 is now complete show business... just like hollywood.. and since its owned by huge banks they must show a profit..... so its all about money...if there happens to be some real racing... great, but that is probbably 4th or 5th in order of importance.

 

You're kidding, right? MJ - although a global star - plays a 'relatively obscure' sport that although extremely popular in the states, gets scant coverage throughout great swathes of the rest of the world. For example, NBA is not screened on any major network in Europe with any regularity, and I've in fact never seen basketball on the TV here in the UK save for on obscure satellite channels in the middle of the night.

Alternatively, F1 is viewed by over 600 million viewers per race, which is why it is the world's most televised sport - save for the Olympics and World Cup. This is not conjecture, but statistically proven from TVRs and viewing incidence reporting.

I think you got the truly global sport and basketball mixed around - but then I haven't consulted Borat yet!

 

Some of the races in F1 are guaranteed to be boring but it is a result of narrow racetracks and aero factors that prevent the chasing car to get real close to pass.

And yet despite it all there is fantastic passing in F1 - I looked at the clips submitted and yes they are nice passes but if you have been watching the races in the last two years you would have seen lots of amazing passes in F1 as well:
- Michael on Jenson at Imola 2005
- Michael on Kimi at Brazil 2006
- Fernando on Michael at Japan 2006
- Fernando on Michael at Hungary 2006
- Michael on Fernando at China 2006
- Montoya on Fernando at Silverstone 2005.

There are definitely more examples. No one said it was possible to pass on the outside of 130R but it did happen. You see what I mean.

As for your point that the sports cars are more traceable to the road cars than F1 cars - I agree with you. However, in some cases there is very little common between the road car and the race car - e.g. Cadillac CTS-V road and race cars. So the link is pretty tenuous.

Anyway I like watching different forms of racing for various reasons -the skill of the drivers and phenomenal performance of F1, the pushing and shoving in BTCC, the car control in WRC, the variety in ALMS. There is lots of great stuff out there.

 

Who the hell is MJ?

 

Michael Jordan

 

Does F1 'sell out' every venue (except for the USA) ???

If they do, then they don't have a problem.

But if it's like Indy racing was in the late-70's with grandstands 75% empty, then they do have a problem.

 

Actually, the USGP has one of the highest attendances on the circuit. It just looks empty due to a bunch of grandstands that aren't used for that event due to bad sight lines

 

IMHO, the way for F1 to gain ground in the USA is through marketing throughout the year...not just a few weeks before the USGP. There needs to be TV, magazine and newspaer ads in media other than just the type us car guys watch and read. A good start would be for Scott Speed's sponsers to use him in the off season to hawk their products. There are a lot of other F1 team sponsers that sell their products in the USA, yet do not use their F1 teams or drivers in their marketing here. If MSchumacher or maybe BernieE were on TV several times a day hawking Viagra or whatever, more people would tune in to a F1 race...BMW and Merecedes both sell more cars in the USA than any other single market, yet they never use their F1 team or drivers in any ads, except the ones that run in car magazines...Michelin and Bridgestone are the same way...and how about RedBull?...they have two F1 teams and sell a lot of product in the USA, yet their entire ad campaignis about it giving you wings...why not use its F1 cars and drivers... I guess they all figure it is a waste of time to attempt to sell their wares through an F1 connection...in Europe and Asia, F1 is used to sell everything from tires to coffee...

 

Flavio would probably be a better choice there.

 

'sophisticated' events, whether fine arts, science or
advanced motor racing, usually only attract 1-2% of the U.S. crowd.

Like it or not, most of the US population is/has been
dumbed-down to a lowest common denominator existance.
Want a real life example? Check the % voter turnout in
this coming Tuesday's elections.

I was down at the local Olive Garden the other day, sitting
in the bar, tawking it up with the 20-something staff, asked
if any of 'em were gonna vote on Tuesday...got looks
of "what's that", comments of 'who cares', 'I only vote in
Prez elections', etc...just what the Repubs want, btw.

Only reason the US works is cuz it has the most flexible
biz & political system, not because the average grunt
on the street is participating.

As far as Bubba-racin', I just don't get it - who cares about
turning left?? Sometimes, I'll watch a bit of the road
races, but those are far/few between.

 

And, who the hell is Michael Jordan?

 

Who cares about turning left ?

The same people that can't afford a Mercedes, BMW or Ferrari, don't know what a Renault is, and won't buy a japanese car.

As far as voting goes, I have never missed an election - ANY election - in 30 years, but I can certainly see why most (younger) folks take an apathetic view towards it, it makes me sick, but all you can do is vote, which I do, but nothing ever seems to change. ('They" don't raise taxes, so they raise valuations, 'they' don't raise taxes, so they invent new ones, 'they' don't raise taxes, but they raise mil levys....)

There is absolutely NOT any one reason F1 isn't popular here, there are probably closer to about 20 or 30, but they all work together. Soccer STILL isn't a popular sport here unless you play it, Cricket isn't popular here, there are all kinds of things not popular here, that's just the way it is, we are a different country.

 

The MS of basketball.

 

Reminds me of a blurb I heard years ago:

'The Dems raise your taxes, and the Repubs eliminate your
deductions...'

 

The heavily corporatized NEKCAR culture dominates everything. I think the mediocrity of NEKCAR is directly related to pro wrastlin', monster truck drivin' and buying everything you have from Wal-Mart. Weak.

 

I lived overseas for a long time..... I just could not watch soccer.... There is very little strategy - to me it was soooooo boring. I tried to get into it. I understand why soccer isn't popular here...

Formula 1 on the other hand should be huge.... I would want to blame it on the time of day etc. that it is on but it can be replayed etc... I don't understand F1 it isn't more popular - it is so cool! Maybe f1 isn't doing a good enough job of promoting here. Hw oftern do you see it? Never!

Do you guys know that NASCAR is the fastest growing sport in America? Driving around in a circle all day long. I don't get it.... More F1 please!

 

Sweet!

 

The only way for F1 to become more popular in the United States is to stop comparing it to any other form of racing, especially NASCAR. It is not better than NASCAR, nor is NASCAR better than F1. They are both very different with their own nuances. If you bash NASCAR, then you truly know nothing about the sport. If you bash F1 as being boring, then you truly know nothing about the sport. If US fans would understand and appreciate the differences of these two forms of racing, there would be converts both ways.

I enjoy both, they deliver a different kind of visual excitement for me. For me, a standing start at an F1 race is no more exciting than to watch than 43 cars coming by you inches apart at 170 MPH. The situations are so very different. But I probably could not get my racing fix if I did not have both to watch. If I had only one, college football would look more interesting.

I do not watch F1 for side by side racing, or for the occasional on track pass. I watch it because of the international flavor, the high technical aspect of the cars, and to support my team. To quote Flavio, F1 has nothing to do with future technology of street vehicles, F1 is pure entertainment. I do not watch NASCAR for high technology, although most of you would be surprised how technical the sport has become. I watch NASCAR to see side by side racing, drafting, the likelyhood of not knowing who wins until the very last lap. And they have really funny TV commercials. It too is pure entertainment.

Instead of wasting energy bashing one or the other, along with international sports GT racing, I have learned to enjoy their differences. I highly recommend giving both a chance.

 

I agee...I like all forms of racing...in fact, when we're at horse shows cruising around on our goft cart I often try to get goft cart races going...I've even raced riding lawn mowers...my motto...will move-will race...