#007 Aston Martin Racing Lola B09 60 Aston Martin: Stefan Mucke, Harold Primat, Adrian Fernandez
This will be from the perspective of both a fan and from someone who will be at all of the ALMS races. What I have seen posted on Twitter, Facebook and other internet sites leads me to believe most of you will disagree with what I am about to write: I don’t understand all the complaints. So many fans have decried the lack of same day flag to flag coverage on television. What’s the big deal, everything will streamed live online on ESPN3.com. Get used to it folks, the paradigm has changed. The internet and broadband have taken television to new places, places they won’t be returning from. Big networks are either going to move with the times and adapt or disappear the same way magazines and newspapers have. So much of what we watch on our television here is either streamed through our internet connection or is downloaded and watched the same way. Why wait for Speed to show FIA GT1 races a month after the finale? We streamed them directly from the GT1 World Championship Website. Stop complaining that you don’t want to watch the race on your PC. Why? The picture will probably be better than what you watched on your TV 3 years ago. Also, most of you have newer sets with DVI or HDMI or VGA connection. Buy the proper cable for $10 and hook your PC to the TV. We have a 2001 Mits rear projection set with only RGB inputs and we have had a HTPC hooked to it for 5 years. Your TV is an internet device or it will be soon, what’s that iPad thing in your hands anyway? Its your TV.
Anybody who has not been buried for the last few years knows that racing requires money and that sponsorship money has been harder and harder to come by. Every series has its financial problems. IRL/IndyCar/ChampCar had shot itself in the head so many times that the move to VersusTV (and the subsequent Comcast/DirecTV pissing contest) seemed more like a white flag of surrender rather than a bad marketing strategy. ALMS as a series needs more sponsors, I know the teams would like more. I think the new broadcast package will help with that because it will make quality sportscar endurance racing accessible to a MUCH broader range of people. We forget that we are FANS of ALMS because we know what it is and why we like it (and why they turn right as well). Lots of people out there have no idea what they are missing. Maybe, just maybe, a time delayed shortened burst of Sebring will keep Joe Sixpack’s attention long enough to make an impression. Enough of an impression to bring him back to the next broadcast. Maybe they will buy some Tostitos and Sam Adams. Maybe. Hopefully.
I might be the only person, but I really liked the produced race shorts from last year. It made the race exciting. Well, I know, it was exciting. I was there.
#16 Dyson Racing Team Lola B09 86 Mazda: Chris Dyson, Guy Smith
I just think the condensation of the action along with the interspersed background/pit box stories made for a compelling watch. I don’t think its a permanent solution with the shorts but I do think they are a great deal better than coverage on the O network, or no coverage at all. I will miss Leigh, Calvin, Brian and the rest of the Speed guys if they don’t end up on the new coverage. I don’t know what part Radio Le Mans will play in this, does anyone know?
I think this was the best step ALMS could make. I think that there were other ways that they could have gone, but I think you would have liked them less. If you think I am wrong, tell me I’m wrong. But make sure to tell me why.
See you at Sebring.
Darren
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I don’t hate your take, I don’t even disagree with the thought that this is the wave of the future. I do, however, think that being the first to lose the live broadcast of your events is a tough pill to swallow. I think this was a total case of “life gave us lemons…lets make lemonade!”
What’s wrong with lemonade? Especially when the alternative might be sludge? It costs money to televise racing. Where should the money come from?
I get it. I don’t even have an arguement against that point. I wish that there was a larger sponsor base for ALMS. That seems to be out of the question in this economy.
argument too.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Dean Wette. Dean Wette said: RT @ThePicMan: My take on the 2011 ALMS TV deal http://fb.me/M58Cf7OI [...]
I agree the paradigm is indeed changing. However, what about those of us who cannot get broadband (fortunately I’m able to). My good friend, and 7 time Petit Le Mans attendee is not able to get broadband where he lives. Until wireless technologies improve or the local telco or cable company see’s fit to wire his neighborhood he’s stuck with abbreviated coverage of all of the races.
Brian, the lack of broadband in older neighborhoods and rural areas is certainly an issue that impacts people. One which I suppose I should have considered since I spend a great deal of time on the road and am often hunting broadband in odd places. The argument persists though, that abbreviated TV coverage is still better than no coverage.
Darren: I am willing to stop complaining and concede your points if the races are available on-demand with HD quality I can stream to my TV, in addition to live streaming. Otherwise, the whole package is just a big downgrade for me.
Did you see the ALMSnotes tweet yesterday? “ESPN3 is not exclusive home to #ALMS races. It’s an additional distribution outlet. ALMS.com will have races as well live and on-demand.”
Well, you know as well as I do that they will be available “on demand” Do you think that the Speed ALMS races in 2010 were delivered in HD?