2007 NASCAR TV Contract- Trouble for MLS?

[kebzach]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=Ajp1gSO2W6NkWaRs8mAeVXLov7YF?slug=jb-nascartvdeal101405&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Note the portion of the article which mentions putting CTS races on ESPN2.

[monster]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=Ajp1gSO2W6NkWaRs8mAeVXLov7YF?slug=jb-nascartvdeal101405&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Note the portion of the article which mentions putting CTS races on ESPN2.
Depends on where they put them. CTS runs Saturday nights a lot. If they want Busch and CTS, they will need to stagger them. This could get very interesting, and not in a good way.

If all that stuff goes to ESPN2, what will Speed do?

[geordienation]

If all that stuff goes to ESPN2, what will Speed do?

NASCAR channel, baby. NASCAR channel. :D

[MasterShake29]

Depends on where they put them. CTS runs Saturday nights a lot. If they want Busch and CTS, they will need to stagger them. This could get very interesting, and not in a good way.

If all that stuff goes to ESPN2, what will Speed do?

Speed will still have F1, CART (they used to anyway), a bunch of other series, plus all their NASCAR programming. They'll be ok.

More reason for MLS/SUM to look for alternatives to the Disney empire for their next broadcast deal (which I think they should do anyway, but that's another story).

[wufc]

Speed Channel has gone down the drain. They used to show a wide array of national and international racing circuits, but now all they show are minor league NASCAR races. I'm not bagging on NASCAR, but I expected a little more variety in their programming.

[kebzach]

The problem, of course, is that the variety that speed channel used to show didn't produce any ratings.

[DAGSports]

SPEED could also pick up Nextel Cup at FOX's discretion (all pole qualifying, the races previously on FX). If done, SPEED likely would break the 80 million subscriber barrier very quickly (currently, SPEED reaches about 65-70 million).

And yes, they still have most F-1 races (I think an independent company time-buys a few races on CBS), which I recall gets a few hundred thousand viewers and sells some ads.

MLS will find time on the ESPN networks. No way ESPN wouldn't want the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, which will both take place in reasonably favorably time zones.

[MasterShake29]

MLS will find time on the ESPN networks. No way ESPN wouldn't want the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, which will both take place in reasonably favorably time zones.

Come September 1 each year, they don't find time for MLS now. If you add in the Busch and Truck series, isn't that even more competiton?

[kebzach]

SPEED could also pick up Nextel Cup at FOX's discretion (all pole qualifying, the races previously on FX). If done, SPEED likely would break the 80 million subscriber barrier very quickly (currently, SPEED reaches about 65-70 million).

And yes, they still have most F-1 races (I think an independent company time-buys a few races on CBS), which I recall gets a few hundred thousand viewers and sells some ads.

MLS will find time on the ESPN networks. No way ESPN wouldn't want the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, which will both take place in reasonably favorably time zones.

A lot of the qualifying during the FOX portion of the season is already on Speed. Or so it seemed to me, as I watched probably 2/3 of them this year.

[Gioca]

Doesn't Speed also show MotoGP? Well it doesn't matter to me anyway, I don't get cable. Soccer is available in pubs and that's all I really need anyway, though I'd love to get F1 or MotoGP.

[fireballil]

Doesn't anyone think that this is a perfect opportunity for Fox/FX/FSN to come in and get the contract? They only show a couple of games a year on ABC, usually the All-Star game and the MLS Cup Final. Fox could do that, and put the rest on FX, FSN, or FSC. Then they could get the World Cup from SUM as well. Just a thought.

[DAGSports]

A lot of the qualifying during the FOX portion of the season is already on Speed. Or so it seemed to me, as I watched probably 2/3 of them this year.
Yes, that is new.

But FX still had Busch and Cup races. While that does fit the probable demographics of the channel, I would think that FOX could use the races to make SPEED available on more basic/digital basic tiers than it is on currently.

MLS will find a situation that works. May not seem ideal, but it will probably be the most financially viable deal and that's really all they care about.

I still think 20-25 games on the ESPN networks plus 95% of USNT games is the best situation. I would suspect that a move anywhere else means a ratings drop of 15-25% at minimum, if the NHL's switch to OLN is any indication. ESPN has a lot more recognition... it's the first place probably 99% of sports fans think of for anything other than the NFL.

[dmike]

whoaaa 4 billion for NASCAR????

[monster]

Doesn't anyone think that this is a perfect opportunity for Fox/FX/FSN to come in and get the contract? They only show a couple of games a year on ABC, usually the All-Star game and the MLS Cup Final. Fox could do that, and put the rest on FX, FSN, or FSC. Then they could get the World Cup from SUM as well. Just a thought.
They have to show an interest first, which is something they have never done before. The World Cup is something ESPN will overpay for, especially if one of the next two is in this time zone.

[Kryptonite]

Speed Channel has gone down the drain. They used to show a wide array of national and international racing circuits, but now all they show are minor league NASCAR races. I'm not bagging on NASCAR, but I expected a little more variety in their programming.


...could easily become a typical BigSoccer post:

Fox Soccer Channel has gone down the drain. They used to show a wide array of international soccer matches, but now all they show is MLS and their 10 Premiership matches a week. I'm not bagging on FSC, but I expected a little more variety in their programming. They are Fox SOCCER Channel afterall, and not Fox Premiership Channel.

Not bagging on you, wufc, but that's what came to my mind as I read that post.

[Kryptonite]

Come September 1 each year, they don't find time for MLS now. If you add in the Busch and Truck series, isn't that even more competiton?

On Sunday afternoons?

[fireballil]

They have to show an interest first, which is something they have never done before. The World Cup is something ESPN will overpay for, especially if one of the next two is in this time zone.
What makes anyone think they won't? Especially since soccer is a part of NewsCorp programming elsewhere in the world.

[HSEUPASSION]

Monday Night NASCAR? Heh.

[MasterShake29]

On Sunday afternoons?

Busch and Truck run primarily on Saturdays.

[monster]

What makes anyone think they won't? Especially since soccer is a part of NewsCorp programming elsewhere in the world.
The fact that they had their shot in 2001 and didn't take it. The fact that their soccer channel doesn't even bother to send cameramen or broadcasting teams to games.

Fox's interest may chage, but their past history shows no real interest in investing heavily in soccer broadcasting in the U.S. And even if they do change, I seriously doubt ESPN will give the World Cup without a fight.