[openwheelKT]

Thought this would be found interesting on this board:

http://www.indystar.com/viewart/2013...orsports-panel

[mr nobody]

Interesting idea. One thing (I think most of us will agree on) is getting any and all open wheel racing on a nationally carried channel. My personal opinion here: NBCSN is our best bet. ESPN would rather carry cheerleading competitions and poker or some documentary. Speed is dead and Fox only think that racing is what NASCAR is. To grow this sport it has to be in front of faces. Many people aren't diehards yet like us who travel around to different tracks. Some barely even know 2 tracks in Indiana that don't have Indianapolis in their name. Fans have to be started at some time from somewhere. TV is the best way to get the names, tracks and organizations out there. It costs a lot of money, I won't argue that. But if you have someone who can market stuff, the sponsors will be happy to line up. Multiple sponsors with one main sponsor is the best bet. That way little things can get covered (Remember the CARQUEST cage cams) and the main show or series of shows can carry a corporate name.

I hope this panel looks at and gets a channel interested in carrying some races.

[hoosierhillbilly]

The problem with NBC is they got the ESPN/ABC portion of the NASCAR tv deal. They inherited indycars from versus. . Makes u wonder where IndyCar will land e in the future

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[Vukie]

Pit Pass: Absence of USAC on TV limits exposure for area short-track up-and-comers
http://www.indystar.com/article/2013...rack-up-comers

[Mud Packer]

First of all I am glad to see some open wheel presence on the panel. Congratulations Tom & Tim. Your background in open wheel racing will help others understand the needs of the auto racers of Indiana & the midwest. And Tim, I am sure that you will be an asset to providing a voice for the short track racing folks.

But with that being said, I don't think that the primary objective for this panel is to negotiate with TV networks to get short track racing on the tube. I believe that their biggest responsibility is to further promote the state of Indiana to get more motorsports companies to invest in moving here or broadening their footprint that they might already have. I am sure that someone will correct me if that isn't the case.

I also believe that it will be solely up to IndyCar and USAC to find the TV time that would prove very helpful in getting this form of racing out to the general public. Both of these series have much work to do in order for the mainstream of America to not only find them on TV but to embrace them with the numbers needed to be successful in keeping them on the network. Most of the sports networks aren't willing to gamble on racing as they have found other offerings that sponsors are willing to pay top bucks for.