Why the WoO on ESPN2 is the Biggest Story of the Season/ Open Wheelers on Letterman
Why the WoO on ESPN2 is the Biggest Story of the Season
We will see a lot of big stories emerge this season in the world of grass roots Open Wheel racing but I would argue that last week’s announcement is the biggest story of the 2006 season, at least off the track.
Friday afternoon, the World of Outlaws Sprint Series announced a multi-year partnership with ESPN that will see eight WoO races in 2007 air tape delayed about 12 hours on the second highest rated cable sports station in the United States, ESPN2. The announcement of the “World of Outlaws Summer of Money” on ESPN2 brings a huge shift in the broadcast path of the World of Outlaws and also shows that the series is moving back into mainstream America.
Quick History Lesson
It wasn’t too long ago the WoO ruled the cable airwaves on The Nashville Network. Races were broadcast live to a national audience.
Then CBS Cable made some changes to their network and the Outlaws moved to a tape-delayed format on SPEED. Eventually for reasons that I won’t get into in this article, that went away and the World of Outlaws Sprint Series was off TV all together. DIRT Motorsports then purchased the series from owner Ted Johnson and found a home for the series on upstart cable network, The Outdoor Channel. The Outlaws were given a prime spot on Wednesday nights and fans went out of their way to make sure their cable or satellite provider carried The Outdoor Channel. The network, which also features programming for outdoors enthusiasts, was a plus for teams that searched for sponsors who fit The Outdoor Channel audience, like Terry McCarl’s team. Most importantly, The Outdoor Channel put the WoO back on TV and in the public’s view.
ESPN’s World Wide Reach
Any racing sanctioning body would probably give up its first born to get the exposure that ESPN and ESPN2 offer. With the addition of NASCAR to ESPN and ESPN2 in 2007, the networks were looking to expand their motorsports lineup. “World of Outlaws Summer of Money” rounds out a packed motorsports block on ESPN2 in 2007. The Sunday motorsports programming will begin at 11 a.m. Eastern with a NASCAR news program. (ESPN has yet to announce a name for the program.) The network will then air an NHRA news/ highlights program from Noon to 12:30pm. The NHRA is already in the middle of a successful relationship with the network. The “World of Outlaws Summer of Money” will then air 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern beginning June 17 and continuing through August 5. Much like the IRL, the WoO has a partner in ESPN that is truly excited about the broadcasts and wants to see them succeed. A strong World of Outlaws could make for stronger broadcast ratings in the Sunday motorsports block. The motorsports block will also expose NASCAR and NHRA fans who may not be familiar with sprint car racing to the sport. In addition to the 90 million households that have access to ESPN2, the broadcasts will also be distributed internationally by ESPN so fans in Australia and New Zealand will have a chance to watch their favorite WoO drivers on television.
The Benefits of ESPN2
The announcement strengthens the World of Outlaws Sprint Series. It brings the series back as a household name. The drivers and teams in the World of Outlaws should also benefit from the critical additional exposure. Securing a sponsorship is probably one of the most difficult things to do in racing today. Getting a mom and pop shop behind you is one thing but getting larger companies is almost impossible without TV. Outside of the over the air broadcast outlets, ESPN and ESPN2 draw the largest audiences of any network out there. Just getting on their network equals instant fans and more exposure than any other outlet. Higher ratings on a more visible network should make it easier for the sanctioning body, promoters who host the events and teams to attract sponsors. Having a great timeslot and higher ratings should allow teams easier access to marketing folks when making presentations.
The Series, Teams and Tracks Will Have to Step Up
While having the WoO on a major network brings positives, it will also require work for the participants. Just like when TNN came to town in the glory days, the tracks that will host the television programs will have to make sure the lighting is up to the broadcast standards for the television crew.
Tracks like Knoxville years ago upgraded their lighting systems to meet the television standards.
If a track or promoter has to make an investment in upgrades in lighting, it may pay off with larger crowds since TV events will probably be known as some of the biggest stops on the circuit.
That is the effect TNN had on car counts and fans in the glory days. The teams will also have to step up and remember that their actions will be more closely watched.
Drivers will have to watch what they say and make intelligent comments for their sponsors, team and series to come off in a good light. I am not saying we need to see cookie cutter NASCAR responses; folks just have to remember that the camera is on.
Why Live TV Doesn’t Work
Now I know that some of you are sitting at home wondering why can’t ESPN2 broadcast the races live like the good ole TNN days. Live TV for WoO races doesn’t work because it is tough to gauge when a WoO “A” main will roll off and you need to have some certainty for TV. Sometimes the “A” main will start after 10 p.m. Eastern, which is the “witching hour” when a lot of viewers tune out and go to bed. The NHRA also has a similar problem with live TV because of oil downs and other delays. The NHRA worked with ESPN2 to come up with their solution of same day taped coverage. The World of Outlaws and ESPN followed the success of the NHRA program and six of the eight Saturday night races will be televised the following day allowing the television crew to edit out the downtime to show the excitement just hours after the event concluded.
New Broadcast Team
While the World of Outlaws has not yet announced who will produce the program, we have learned that it will be a different production company than the one currently handling the production of the World of Outlaws on The Outdoor Channel. One thing is sure, fans will see things in the broadcasts on ESPN2 that they have never seen before in a WoO broadcast.
The Multimedia Future of the World of Outlaws
With the addition of the sports giant ESPN to the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, one may think that they would be satisfied. That is not the case. The World of Outlaws is currently working on additional media platforms for distribution of the series. We may see changes in their website as well other avenues for audio but right now, no official announcements have been made.
The “World of Outlaws Summer of Money” on ESPN 2 includes:
Event Date (Air Date) — Venue
June 16 (June 17) — Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway
June 23 (June 24) — Dodge City (Kan.) Raceway Park
June 30 (July 1) — Red River Valley Speedway, West Fargo, N.D.
July 6 (July 8) — Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Ill.
July 14 (July 15) — Kings Royal, Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, Ohio
July 17 (July 22) — Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup, Lernerville
Speedway, Sarver, Pa.
July 28 (July 29) — K-C Raceway, Chillicothe, Ohio
Aug. 4 (Aug. 5) — The Raceway at PowerCom Park, Beaver Dam, Wis.
All broadcasts air from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. (ET) Sundays on ESPN2.
Sam Hornish Jr. and Open Wheelers on Letterman
This must be Open Wheel week on Late Night with David Letterman on CBS.
Last night Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon appeared with all of the drivers in the chase to give out the Top Ten List “Things never said before by a NASCAR driver.”
Tuesday night, Leterman had 2006 IndyCar Series Champion Sam Hornish Jr.
David Letterman who co-owns teams in the IndyCar Series with Bobby Rahal grilled Hornish on several issues including how winning the Indy 500 has boosted his popularity.
He also shared photos of his teams visit to the White House after winning the Indy 500.
The Ohio native said that the President really wanted to meet with the whole team and spent more than his allotted time with Team Penske.
Hornish said that more people are recognizing him on the street and that means more people are watching IRL races. Letterman asked if Hornish was nervous about the race at Chicagoland. Hornish stated that he was more nervous sitting here talking to Letterman that he was on the track. Sam Hornish added that he would like to try a little stock car racing but is concentrating on repeating in the IndyCar Series in 2007.
Letterman jokes that Sam would get board driving a stock car compared to an Indy Car.
In Other IRL News
The full IRL 2007 schedule could be out by the end of September.
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of World Wide Pants, CBS, CBS Cable, TNN, SPEED, Diamond P Productions, The World of Outlaws and R.E. Technologies.
We will see a lot of big stories emerge this season in the world of grass roots Open Wheel racing but I would argue that last week’s announcement is the biggest story of the 2006 season, at least off the track.
Friday afternoon, the World of Outlaws Sprint Series announced a multi-year partnership with ESPN that will see eight WoO races in 2007 air tape delayed about 12 hours on the second highest rated cable sports station in the United States, ESPN2. The announcement of the “World of Outlaws Summer of Money” on ESPN2 brings a huge shift in the broadcast path of the World of Outlaws and also shows that the series is moving back into mainstream America.
Quick History Lesson
It wasn’t too long ago the WoO ruled the cable airwaves on The Nashville Network. Races were broadcast live to a national audience.
Then CBS Cable made some changes to their network and the Outlaws moved to a tape-delayed format on SPEED. Eventually for reasons that I won’t get into in this article, that went away and the World of Outlaws Sprint Series was off TV all together. DIRT Motorsports then purchased the series from owner Ted Johnson and found a home for the series on upstart cable network, The Outdoor Channel. The Outlaws were given a prime spot on Wednesday nights and fans went out of their way to make sure their cable or satellite provider carried The Outdoor Channel. The network, which also features programming for outdoors enthusiasts, was a plus for teams that searched for sponsors who fit The Outdoor Channel audience, like Terry McCarl’s team. Most importantly, The Outdoor Channel put the WoO back on TV and in the public’s view.
ESPN’s World Wide Reach
Any racing sanctioning body would probably give up its first born to get the exposure that ESPN and ESPN2 offer. With the addition of NASCAR to ESPN and ESPN2 in 2007, the networks were looking to expand their motorsports lineup. “World of Outlaws Summer of Money” rounds out a packed motorsports block on ESPN2 in 2007. The Sunday motorsports programming will begin at 11 a.m. Eastern with a NASCAR news program. (ESPN has yet to announce a name for the program.) The network will then air an NHRA news/ highlights program from Noon to 12:30pm. The NHRA is already in the middle of a successful relationship with the network. The “World of Outlaws Summer of Money” will then air 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern beginning June 17 and continuing through August 5. Much like the IRL, the WoO has a partner in ESPN that is truly excited about the broadcasts and wants to see them succeed. A strong World of Outlaws could make for stronger broadcast ratings in the Sunday motorsports block. The motorsports block will also expose NASCAR and NHRA fans who may not be familiar with sprint car racing to the sport. In addition to the 90 million households that have access to ESPN2, the broadcasts will also be distributed internationally by ESPN so fans in Australia and New Zealand will have a chance to watch their favorite WoO drivers on television.
The Benefits of ESPN2
The announcement strengthens the World of Outlaws Sprint Series. It brings the series back as a household name. The drivers and teams in the World of Outlaws should also benefit from the critical additional exposure. Securing a sponsorship is probably one of the most difficult things to do in racing today. Getting a mom and pop shop behind you is one thing but getting larger companies is almost impossible without TV. Outside of the over the air broadcast outlets, ESPN and ESPN2 draw the largest audiences of any network out there. Just getting on their network equals instant fans and more exposure than any other outlet. Higher ratings on a more visible network should make it easier for the sanctioning body, promoters who host the events and teams to attract sponsors. Having a great timeslot and higher ratings should allow teams easier access to marketing folks when making presentations.
The Series, Teams and Tracks Will Have to Step Up
While having the WoO on a major network brings positives, it will also require work for the participants. Just like when TNN came to town in the glory days, the tracks that will host the television programs will have to make sure the lighting is up to the broadcast standards for the television crew.
Tracks like Knoxville years ago upgraded their lighting systems to meet the television standards.
If a track or promoter has to make an investment in upgrades in lighting, it may pay off with larger crowds since TV events will probably be known as some of the biggest stops on the circuit.
That is the effect TNN had on car counts and fans in the glory days. The teams will also have to step up and remember that their actions will be more closely watched.
Drivers will have to watch what they say and make intelligent comments for their sponsors, team and series to come off in a good light. I am not saying we need to see cookie cutter NASCAR responses; folks just have to remember that the camera is on.
Why Live TV Doesn’t Work
Now I know that some of you are sitting at home wondering why can’t ESPN2 broadcast the races live like the good ole TNN days. Live TV for WoO races doesn’t work because it is tough to gauge when a WoO “A” main will roll off and you need to have some certainty for TV. Sometimes the “A” main will start after 10 p.m. Eastern, which is the “witching hour” when a lot of viewers tune out and go to bed. The NHRA also has a similar problem with live TV because of oil downs and other delays. The NHRA worked with ESPN2 to come up with their solution of same day taped coverage. The World of Outlaws and ESPN followed the success of the NHRA program and six of the eight Saturday night races will be televised the following day allowing the television crew to edit out the downtime to show the excitement just hours after the event concluded.
New Broadcast Team
While the World of Outlaws has not yet announced who will produce the program, we have learned that it will be a different production company than the one currently handling the production of the World of Outlaws on The Outdoor Channel. One thing is sure, fans will see things in the broadcasts on ESPN2 that they have never seen before in a WoO broadcast.
The Multimedia Future of the World of Outlaws
With the addition of the sports giant ESPN to the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, one may think that they would be satisfied. That is not the case. The World of Outlaws is currently working on additional media platforms for distribution of the series. We may see changes in their website as well other avenues for audio but right now, no official announcements have been made.
The “World of Outlaws Summer of Money” on ESPN 2 includes:
Event Date (Air Date) — Venue
June 16 (June 17) — Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway
June 23 (June 24) — Dodge City (Kan.) Raceway Park
June 30 (July 1) — Red River Valley Speedway, West Fargo, N.D.
July 6 (July 8) — Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Ill.
July 14 (July 15) — Kings Royal, Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, Ohio
July 17 (July 22) — Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup, Lernerville
Speedway, Sarver, Pa.
July 28 (July 29) — K-C Raceway, Chillicothe, Ohio
Aug. 4 (Aug. 5) — The Raceway at PowerCom Park, Beaver Dam, Wis.
All broadcasts air from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. (ET) Sundays on ESPN2.
Sam Hornish Jr. and Open Wheelers on Letterman
This must be Open Wheel week on Late Night with David Letterman on CBS.
Last night Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon appeared with all of the drivers in the chase to give out the Top Ten List “Things never said before by a NASCAR driver.”
Tuesday night, Leterman had 2006 IndyCar Series Champion Sam Hornish Jr.
David Letterman who co-owns teams in the IndyCar Series with Bobby Rahal grilled Hornish on several issues including how winning the Indy 500 has boosted his popularity.
He also shared photos of his teams visit to the White House after winning the Indy 500.
The Ohio native said that the President really wanted to meet with the whole team and spent more than his allotted time with Team Penske.
Hornish said that more people are recognizing him on the street and that means more people are watching IRL races. Letterman asked if Hornish was nervous about the race at Chicagoland. Hornish stated that he was more nervous sitting here talking to Letterman that he was on the track. Sam Hornish added that he would like to try a little stock car racing but is concentrating on repeating in the IndyCar Series in 2007.
Letterman jokes that Sam would get board driving a stock car compared to an Indy Car.
In Other IRL News
The full IRL 2007 schedule could be out by the end of September.
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of World Wide Pants, CBS, CBS Cable, TNN, SPEED, Diamond P Productions, The World of Outlaws and R.E. Technologies.
posted by Blake Johnson at 2:52 PM
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