What's your take on this Robert Ballou rant?

nathans1012 · 5/4/22, 3:11 PM

Charles Nungester · 5/4/22, 3:45 PM

Going to eat some

before adding my two cents, But I see two sides to this and will explain later

Also add it was a reply on twitter to someone else and Robert maintains his views are his own.

flagboy55 · 5/4/22, 3:53 PM

I’m not sure why I feel the need to qualify my statement but I will anyway. I’m a huge Robert Ballou fan. He’s absolutely one of my favorite racers. In fact I happen to be wearing one of his tee shirts right now. I love his outspoken remarks and the fact that he says what’s on his mind regardless of who he might offend. That said I don’t always agree with him and I don’t think he’s right all the time either. I don’t think there’s an easy answer to this question about streaming revenue. I did a little research on it and it is hard to get anyone to reveal facts about the money and where it goes so I gave up figuring it will eventually come out. My opinion is it does more to promote the sport than it does to keep people away. Especially this past weekend at The Action Track. There was no competition from other races to stream Sunday night. My speculation is they did good numbers as far as viewership is concerned and probably some that watched the Big Car’s for the first time. What I think might be also tricky is that USAC as a series is signed on with Floracing. They probably get the biggest part of streaming revenue and the track gets what’s left. Now I don’t know any of this for sure, it’s just how I think it might work. I’m absolutely positive Robert knows more about it than I do, but I don’t know if he knows everything that goes into the equation. So to answer your question Nate. I love hearing Robert speak up and it doesn’t bother me in the least. But very few of us know all the details of streaming revenue and streaming benefits. I do know this, I’m looking forward to more of his comments even if he calls me an idiot

nathans1012 · 5/4/22, 4:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagboy55

I’m not sure why I feel the need to qualify my statement but I will anyway. I’m a huge Robert Ballou fan. He’s absolutely one of my favorite racers. In fact I happen to be wearing one of his tee shirts right now. I love his outspoken remarks and the fact that he says what’s on his mind regardless of who he might offend. That said I don’t always agree with him and I don’t think he’s right all the time either. I don’t think there’s an easy answer to this question about streaming revenue. I did a little research on it and it is hard to get anyone to reveal facts about the money and where it goes so I gave up figuring it will eventually come out. My opinion is it does more to promote the sport than it does to keep people away. Especially this past weekend at The Action Track. There was no competition from other races to stream Sunday night. My speculation is they did good numbers as far as viewership is concerned and probably some that watched the Big Car’s for the first time. What I think might be also tricky is that USAC as a series is signed on with Floracing. They probably get the biggest part of streaming revenue and the track gets what’s left. Now I don’t know any of this for sure, it’s just how I think it might work. I’m absolutely positive Robert knows more about it than I do, but I don’t know if he knows everything that goes into the equation. So to answer your question Nate. I love hearing Robert speak up and it doesn’t bother me in the least. But very few of us know all the details of streaming revenue and streaming benefits. I do know this, I’m looking forward to more of his comments even if he calls me an idiot

Agree. I love when people speak their mind reguardless if I agree with it or not. It shows their not some puppet and can speak for them selves. Just Like I agreed with the former president on most things. Not everyone liked what he had to say. Robert is outspoken and I like that. Seems like he cares more about racing than most others.

sw1911 · 5/4/22, 5:25 PM

FLO is not the determining factor on whether I go to the track or not. It is nice to have but it does not match a live race experience.

Will Shunk · 5/4/22, 6:07 PM

As many have stated, there is much more that goes into this discussion than any of us know. On FLO I stream the PA and CA sprint tracks I have wondered about but will probably never visit. I stream FLO for the Chet, Blake, Loudpedal, etc. video features that give me more of an inside look at dirt racing. I always stream the mid week racing, whatever it is (wish it was all sprint cars). I am more in tuned to the entire sport now than I have been since the loss of a weekly NSSN paper. Bottom line for me is FLO broadened my horizons, peaked my interests in things I had had little knowledge, exposed the many great tracks, series, and racing car classes, BUT only cold, wet, rainy conditions will keep me from attending a racing event in my geographical area (nothing has changed this decision making since 1967). Until proven otherwise, FLO and streaming appears to me to be a plus financially to our corner of the sport and exposure wise the answer to many prayers since the demise of the ESPN Thunder Series. I wish Robert all the best at the Big E this weekend!

BrentTFunk · 5/4/22, 6:29 PM

I think with all the hard work that Robert has put in at Terre Haute, it may have changed his perspective of how little promoters actually make. I thought the crowd was ok at Terre Haute Sunday, but a Silver Crown race is a pretty big nut to crack purse wise. I am sure concession sales are the only thing to get them close to even. Why I don't get uptight about things like coolers.

DaleDuBois · 5/4/22, 6:53 PM

I'm sure that USAC puts some money in their coffers from FLO, just like they put money in their coffers for making only one brand of tire legal for those who race. This is nothing new and this has been going on for years, it's the way the World operates. Most everything going on is decided with kickbacks, like if you use my product, I'll give you some of the cost back. Remember the Green stamps of years ago. I don't think this has much effect on who shows up to watch a race as most people think this is normal.

Duane Hancock · 5/4/22, 7:01 PM

The $$ tracks get from the live streaming for that night is very minimum

DiehardRaceFan · 5/4/22, 8:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sw1911

FLO is not the determining factor on whether I go to the track or not. It is nice to have but it does not match a live race experience.

100% this. As good of a job Flo does (and others in the streaming game) of working to make things great, they still cannot re-create the sights, sounds, smells, and feeling you get sitting in the stands taking it all in. If at all possible, I go. I will use broadcasts if I am at a track to catch something I miss or to see if I saw what I thought I saw or so I do not miss anything on a concession run or something of that nature.

A well-run facility and show will always be superior to streaming. 100% of the time. That is not a knock on streaming. That is the truth of a near 30 year race fan of pretty much anything that goes fast.