Why isn't F1 popular in the States

Google IRL Champ Car split. Too many opinions of who is winning this war. Most think Champ Car. www.crapwagon.com Champ Car dropped the last oval from it's schedule in 2007, the Milwaukee Mile. IRL had two road races last year and is adding four in 2007. Circuit races are not dying in US open wheel racing.

Why is'nt F1 more popular in the US is the question. More popular than when? Speed started broadcasting the races live in 1988. Before that there was no presence except Monaco on Wide World of Sports. The races at Indy have had crowds as big as any in Europe. I think Abe is probably right, it was NIH. In my opinion F1 is more popular than ever in the US. Will it ever be as popular as it is in Europe? Doubtful.

 

Come on, stick around. It can only get better.

 

Will most gladly accept these in lieu...

(PS. just visited in June and saw loads of McD's, Pizza Huts, Burger Kings,etc...all doing a helluva business...europeans must LOVE that HEALTHY food, eh? LOL!)

 

Yes, but there isn't one on every f%$kin corner of every f#$%kin street like in the USA!

And yes, they do love their healthy food, that's why they're not 60% overweight like Americans.

F1 is most popular now in the US, as in Canada. Supply and demand states that even one F1 race in N.A. is enough. Who will win? Montreal or Indy?

 

No, that just shows how far they'll go to find them to get their healthy food fix, eh?
And, damn, the prices those people will pay for a Big Mac or a Whopper is insane! I guess if ya gotta have it, ya gotta have it.

 

FYI Fast food in Europe contains totally different ingredients than in the US. It contains less crap.

 

LMAO!! Should I make the popcorn?

 

No No, popcorn is not good for you! Think European Whoppers!

 

Yeah, er, uh, sure...so McD's, Burger King, Pizza Hut is now considered 'health food' in Europe, eh? Interesting.

 

incredible. Some of the ignorance spouted in recent posts is probably most indicative of why F1 isn't popular in the US. Smug superiority is a hideous trait, whomever spouts it.

 

Is this thread about F1 or food?

If we are talking about food, why PROPER FOOD (as opposed to fast food) is not more popular in the States?

I have never encountered so many obesity cases (some bordering on critical) before I visited the States. Why do people eat so much junk food in the States?

 

Ok, ok...back on track w/F1...(and I apologize for my part in getting off topic here).
I have a serious question regarding this thread. Are the posters equating F1 popularity in the US with public awareness of the sport or what? I mean, and correct me if I am wrong, and with all "smug superiority" aside, isn't the Indy F1 race the most well-attended race on the entire circuit? By what criteria is everyone here judging 'popularity'? TV viewing numbers, regalia sold? As has been previously mentioned several times, it will never be as popular as some of our 'home grown' sports, but does that equate with it not being popular?

 

It's so true.
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Not hardly...I've travelled for over 3 decades now including living in Italy for a couple of years and there are many more attractive women in the USA...its just all the current media attention to to obesity problem seems to warrant showing a lot of fatsos on TV and in print here...Europe is full of fatsos too...

 

Coming from a brit! Just playin around of course.

I wonder if the guys on the NASCAR forum have a thread that says "Why isn't NASCAR popular in Europe?"

Or maybe a thread saying "F1 is doesn't last long enough, too slow, too few cars, too expensive, not very entertaining, and for rich elitist pricks." (You can't deny that Bernie is a rich elitist prick.)

People say they hate watching cars racing a circle when referring to NASCAR, but road courses still involve the cars driving in a circle (albeit slightly convoluted), finishing where they started. Rallying and drag racing have a finish line different from the starting line.

They say that F1 is SOOOO much more technologically advanced than NASCAR. But within the rules set by the governing bodies, NASCAR is every bit as technologically advanced as F1. GM and Ford and Chrysler all put their cars in the wind tunnel to maximize aero efficiency. They develop 6 Liter, 2 valve, pushrod V8 that produce 800 hp at 8500+ rpm for 4 hrs. How can you say that isn't impressive? The FXX V12 has VERY similar numbers.

I need both hands to count the number of dirt or asphalt oval tracks within a hundred miles of my home near Philly, but the closest "road course" is the infield at Pocono Speedway.

The bottom line is that people enjoy what appeals to THEM, as a function or nature or nurture, and they should not be required to enjoy something because it appeals to YOU. Nor should you ridicule them for it.

And what's with some of the USA bashing? Americans only like things that are "dumbed down"? That's quite a statement regarding the nation who brought you computers, the internet, and airplanes, among other things that have changed the way the world works. It made me proud when I saw that media ALL OVER THE WORLD were covering our midterm elections. IndiaTimes, BBC, South Korean News all had midterm elections as front page news. Yet I don't recall hearing who was elected the leader of Switzerland or South Africa. That's how much influence America has on this world (especially for all the "fat" and "dumb" people that live here, just imagine what this country could do if we were all smart and in shape!). I knew that when I placed my vote that it could not only change my district or my state, but it could have an effect on people across the globe. And that's not "smug superiority," that's the truth.

Indeed, America is certainly not perfect and it does have it's problems, but I wouldn't want to live in any other country. Well, maybe New Zealand if they drove on the right side of the road. But that's the only one.

 

Because we are lazy, we don't want to spend the time to shop for 'good' food, we don't want to take the time to prepare good or healthy food, and we sure as hell don't want to spend time in the kitchen and dining room cleaning up after preparing a decent meal, that's why.

 

You left out how many foreign broadcasters come here to cover the Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500 (still), the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, and of course, the World Series.
Come to think of it, do any Universities in europe have collegiate sports ?
It's been awhile since I have seen any pro team here sign an athlete from the University of Helsinki or Warsaw College... (sic)
(this is where someone chimes in and says that all colleges in europe are 100% academically oriented, and in the USA None of the colleges are academically oriented....... come on, don't let me down, guys)


There are a lot of places I'd like to 'live' for a year or two, but there is only one place I can call 'home', and that's right here, in the USA.

 

I doubt that...the recipes are the same world wide although the ingredients may come from local suppliers...

 

I don't think it is being lazy but rather not having enough time...us Americans work much longer hours than our European counterparts...that's how we have been able to stay the greatest economy in the world for over a century now...after work we then try to spend as much time left with our family and recreation and shopping for fresh food ends up way down on the list of priorities...it is getting better though with grocery stores and even fast food joints offering more healthy choices we can eat on the run...

 

It would be nice if we could go one thread discussing the differences between Europe and America without turning it into a general contest of douchbaggery . America has its fair share of fat morons; Europe has its fair share of fat morons.

As for why F1 is not popular in the states, well I’d hazard a guess it’s because there isn’t really an American star or team to support, and the general attitude of F1 to its fans. If, say, Red Bull moved base to the USA and managed to acquire the likes of Jeff Gordon to drive I think the viewing numbers would increase. This combined with a more clear-cut rule system with less political moving and better fan access to the teams, drivers and technology would go a long way.

 

This is a good point - what constitutes 'success'? Bernie's view is that the US market (and popularity therein) is not tremendously important to the success of the F1 brand and organisation (most likey as it's a tough-nut to crack, as many have pointed out).

Popularity and quality are not consistent - how many of the world's best-selling recording artists will be lauded in the way that Mozart or Vivaldi are today? Yet these 'stars' are heralded as major talents. History will be the arbiter - as in all cases.

It's interesting that F1 draws annual viewship numbers into the billions - far in excess of any other sport in the world, yet the Indy 500 is the best attended motorsports event. And Indy's numbers pale into insignificance when you consider how many spectators attend the tour de France every day.

So, this is an argument (discussion?) that will never be resolved, as different viewpoints consider the measurement of success differently, but nonetheless, I've enjoyed contributing to this debate despite some of the less considered statements from some posters.

(PS my 'smug superiority' comment should be read in context: I don't espouse euro over US over Asia over wherever. I've been lucky to visit 5 continents, speak 3 languages and count friends from over 20 countries. I love the US - and have lived there, yet live in Europe. Diversity really is the spice of life, something that many people don't realise if they look no further than the end of their nose).

Ben.

 

Not quite sure if that's the case. Lots of people in South Europe have it in their culture that they ONLY want to eat fresh, non-processed food. From my own experience travelling in the States, it's sometimes very difficult to find fresh food readilly available in shops: fresh fruits and vegetables, meat cut IN FRONT OF YOU (not wrapped in plastic like a Christmas present), fresh bread, etc... For lots of Europeans, cooking and eating is a pleasure, not a chore at all. It's not the quantity that matters, it's the quality you enjoy.

I also think that the explanation of longer working hours in the States is rather unfair. Apart from the French who have legislation limiting them to 35-hour week, most Europeans work officially 45/48 hours per week, and in some sectors up to 60 hours - legally that is.

As for being the greatest economy in the world for over a century...I wouldn't like to start an argument with you just for the sake of it PARKERFE, but it is just not true. The US economy emerged at a world leader just before WWII (not hundred years ago), when it recovered from the 1929 Wall Street Crash. Up to that time, your economy was constantly growing, but it took time before it overtook the level of Great Britain (which included many colonies at the time). The reason why the USA became - and still is - the dominant economy is that none of its industry was destroyed or disturbed (unlike England, Germany, France, Japan, etc...) and that it was able to maintain production during the war whereas everyone else was occupied or bombed to destruction. Plus the availability of minerals, raw materials and energy in your own country. That is is now the greatest economy is not disputed.

 

Not quite sure if that's the case. Lots of people in South Europe have it in their culture that they ONLY want to eat fresh, non-processed food. From my own experience travelling in the States, it's sometimes very difficult to find fresh food readilly available in shops: fresh fruits and vegetables, meat cut IN FRONT OF YOU (not wrapped in plastic like a Christmas present), fresh bread, etc... For lots of Europeans, cooking and eating is a pleasure, not a chore at all. It's not the quantity that matters, it's the quality you enjoy.

I also think that the explanation of longer working hours in the States is rather unfair. Apart from the French who have legislation limiting them to 35-hour week, most Europeans work officially 45/48 hours per week, and in some sectors up to 60 hours - legally that is.

As for being the greatest economy in the world for over a century...I wouldn't like to start an argument with you just for the sake of it PARKERFE, but it is just not true. The US economy emerged at a world leader just before WWII (not hundred years ago), when it recovered from the 1929 Wall Street Crash. Up to that time, your economy was constantly growing, but it took time before it overtook the level of Great Britain (which included many colonies at the time). The reason why the USA became - and still is - the dominant economy is that none of its industry was destroyed or disturbed (unlike England, Germany, France, Japan, etc...) and that it was able to maintain production during the war whereas everyone else was occupied or bombed to destruction. Plus the availability of minerals, raw materials and energy in your own country. That is is now the greatest economy is not disputed.

 

You are incorrect. Ingredients vary from country to country, for instance, they serve kosher meat in Israel, which has different ingredients, and different meat in Inda.

 

You are incorrect. Ingredients vary from country to country, for instance, they serve kosher meat in Israel, which has different ingredients, and also use different meat in India where certain ingredients are outlawed.

However, I love US and Canada, they are the greatest countries in the world. We should all be proud for everything we have accomplished together.