ludwig - 30 November 2008 10:38 PM

I fear the collapse of NASCRAP will now be the death of SPEED. Lots of things I would change, but still our best resource for many series...

I doubt that NASCAR will collapse. It's just correcting.

Why is this WRC area even on the discussion boards? Does someone actually believe this somehow allows SPEED to pretend to give a crap about motorsports?

Man, do I hate SPEED apologists...

ejhonda - 03 December 2008 09:06 PM

...
Man, do I hate SPEED apologists...

Yeah, it's a shame when reality rears its ugly head...

The reality is there are WRC fans who are looking for legit coverage, not downloading Torrent feeds and crap like that. You can't honestly believe that some of SPEED's current programming is a better fit than WRC, which is actually motorsports-based and has a direct relationship to speed, can you?

The reality is SPEED is a for-profit business. If they could make money showing WRC or BSB or Australian Pursuit Boats or any of the hundreds of niche sports out there, they would certainly do it.

But, based on their previous history showing many of these sports, they don’t attract enough actual viewers to make them a worthwhile advertising buy. Without advertising, there is no show.

Of course, it doesn’t help that the HMFIC in charge of WRC upped the price broadcasters pay well beyond even the break-even point for SPEED.

Passion involves you and I in the sports we love. Unfortunately, our passion doesn’t pay the bills.

They should cut the bald headed idiot from pinks salary, then cut the stupid reruns of their pointless shows at 2am and play the races then...DVR FTW!!

TCSoff - 07 December 2008 07:44 PM

They should cut the bald headed idiot from pinks salary, then cut the stupid reruns of their pointless shows at 2am and play the races then...DVR FTW!!

Pinks and it's offspring are about the most profitable programming they have. And Rich OWNS they show, so you don't really have a salary to cut.

^When the most expensive investment in the whole show is all the advertising time on SPEED, often just filling voids left due to lack of paid advertisements, finding a penny in the parking lot nets a profit for the show.

"And Rich OWNS they show, so you don't really have a salary to cut."

And, because he "owns" the show, you think he's not paying himself? You "own" your business... you take no money from it?
I wonder then, how every producer I work with in the entertainment business, does very well, finacially. There IS a salary to cut, because they have a set income, just like everyone else on staff. That's how you come up with a budget. Any extra money a producer pulls in, as profit, is usually put back into the production, to make it better, or, pay increases, bonuses, Christmas party... Sheesh.

With all the mfgs high-tailing it out of WRC, 2009 coverage may well be a moot point.