30 replies to this topic

[Locai]

ESPN has cancelled RPM2Night after 7 years.

http://espn.go.com/r...18/1462603.html

The show catered mostly to the NASCAR crowd, but they did run stories quite often on the IRL, CART, ALMS, and F1.

Most of all, I'm going to miss the reports from Robin Miller on open wheel racing.

[KenC]

Originally posted by Locai
ESPN has cancelled RPM2Night after 7 years.

http://espn.go.com/r...18/1462603.html

The show catered mostly to the NASCAR crowd, but they did run stories quite often on the IRL, CART, ALMS, and F1.

Most of all, I'm going to miss the reports from Robin Miller on open wheel racing.

It used to be interesting, but the last host, John Kernan, was just awful. I imagine the loss of NASCAR on-track highlights, basically killed the show.

[mika911]

John Kernan has hosted the weeknight RPM 2 Night since 1996 (when it began).

I enjoyed the show, I'd record it and fast forward to find the important parts (which was not too often).

[ForzaF1]

I quit regularly watching the show sometime ago. It was mostly NASCAR and similar oval racing, and any coverage of F1, CART etc was very brief and rarely contained anything that I hadn't already read online.

More recently they were banned from all NASCAR events and were reduced to showing still pictures of the race and interviewing drivers on their way out of the facility. Amazingly this did nothing to dampen the show's sycophantic approach to NASCAR. Yes I know NASCAR is popular, but jeeze the rest of us would appreciate coverage of non-circular forms of motorsports, and they had an opportunity to appeal to that demographic and tell NASCAR where to shove their still pictures. They could have developed a loyal following from those of us left out in the cold by NASCAR's domination of the US airwaves.

I happened across the weekend edition of the show last week (which BTW will continue and will be hosted by John Kernan) and they had about 15 seconds of very bad coverage of WRC, maybe 30 seconds of CART and the rest was all NASCAR and other roundy-round stuff. They might as well just stop the pretence and go all NASCAR which would be amusing given the 0% co-operation they get from NASCAR.

[KenC]

Originally posted by mika911
John Kernan has hosted the weeknight RPM 2 Night since 1996 (when it began).

I enjoyed the show, I'd record it and fast forward to find the important parts (which was not too often).

I don't think so. Remember Kenny Mayne? Rece Davis?

[EddieJF1]

I like Motorsport Mundial much better. RPM2Night should have dumped all NASCAR coverage and heavily promoted CART, F1, WRC, sports cars, etc. They would have been better off and might have even helped to grow the series presence in the US.

[random]

Originally posted by KenC
I don't think so. Remember Kenny Mayne? Rece Davis?

Perhaps they hosted the weekend version, but Kernan was the original host of the weekday RPM 2 nite. And he's been the only host of the weekday RPM for all 7 years of it's existance.

I think he does a fine job, but it was certainly Nascar's ridiculous practice of prohibiting media coverage of their events killed the show. I can't believe Nascar has gone to the lengths of forbiding all video clips of of their events, and even banning press passes to major media outlets and forbiding interviews within the tracks... ESPN has been forced to interview all the drivers at the local airport. sounds like something F1 would do...

[Newtsche]

The lack of NASCAR video make RPM2Night pretty worthless. The show has always been one of the worst shills for the irl and with limited NASCAR stuff, the irl coverage became overbearing. Like most racing series, the news coverage is subject to the whims of the powers-that-be, fans and facts be damned. From the sleaziest used car lot and back alley garages to the highest levels of motor sports, automobiles seem to breed, foster and reward the most ethically challenged.

[Lee Roy]

Originally posted by random

Perhaps they hosted the weekend version, but Kernan was the original host of the weekday RPM 2 nite. And he's been the only host of the weekday RPM for all 7 years of it's existance.

I think he does a fine job, but it was certainly Nascar's ridiculous practice of prohibiting media coverage of their events killed the show. I can't believe Nascar has gone to the lengths of forbiding all video clips of of their events, and even banning press passes to major media outlets and forbiding interviews within the tracks... ESPN has been forced to interview all the drivers at the local airport. sounds like something F1 would do...

Kenny Mayne and Reece Davis hosted the weekend version of RPM2Night for a few years. John Kernan always hosted the weekday show, since the show's inception in 1996.

The reason that NASCAR banned RPM2Night from the tracks and didn't allow them to use video of the races was due to the fact that FOX has a similar 1/2 hour daily show called "Totally NASCAR" that competes directly with RPM2Night. It is shown nightly on SpeedTV. FOX and NBC pay NASCAR over $400 million a year for the rights to show NASCAR races, who do you think NASCAR is going to give prefernce to???? And the "Totally NASCAR" show on FOX doesn't hold a candle to RPM2Night as far a qulaity goes. NASCAR did agree to let ESPN cover the race with their Sports Center show, but not a "magazine" show like RPM2Night.

Without good NASCAR coverage, the weekday RPM2Night was doomed. CART, the IRL, NHRA and other racing series do not have the popularity to support a weekly racing program. CART doesn't even have the popularity to support itself with respect to TV, it has to actually pay CBS to have its races shown. With the exception of the Indy 500 (which has lower TV ratings than half of the NASCAR races shown this year) the IRL doesn't even get the ratings that CART does. How are racing series that hardly anyone watches, or even knows about, going to support a daily racing show?

NASCAR was the engine that fueled RPM2Night's creation in 1996, and other racing series were the beneficiary of this. They've been freeloading off of NASCAR's success for years now, and the NASCAR sugar daddy that allowed a daily RPM2Night to exist is now gone.

But don't feel too bad for ABC/ESPN. After FOX and NBC won the contract to show NASCAR Winston Cup racing, they asked to use/buy racing coverage from ABC/ESPN to advertise for their shows for the upcoming year, and ABC/ESPN refused to let them have any video footage. Ya reaps what ya sow.

[vapaokie]

Originally posted by Lee Roy
NASCAR was the engine that fueled RPM2Night's creation in 1996, and other racing series were the beneficiary of this. They've been freeloading off of NASCAR's success for years now, and the NASCAR sugar daddy that allowed a daily RPM2Night to exist is now gone.

And ESPN was the major engine that grew the NASCAR out of a backwoods Southeastern niche sport into the major league sport that it is now. It was disgusting what they did to ESPN in eliminating video and interview accesss to the drivers. If the drivers were fine with it, I don't think they would have been traipsing off to the "back forty" of the track properties to give interviews. No other sport has eliminated video footage to any broadcast network for news/sports shows. They forgot PT Barnum's dictum in this regard- "all publicity is good publicity, as long as they spell my name right." It was particularly asinine to see video footage on CNNSI when it was on, Headline News, and even Sportscenter; but not RPM2nite. Particularly, when every other racing series had full video. I will miss RPM2nite (particularly liked Open Wheel Wednesday for the dirt sprint car coverage), I don't have time to watch the entirely NASCAR racing news shows on FOX, and I rarely know when Speed's version of RPM2nite is on. So, I'm left with the internet for my racing news fix, which is lacking video on the main sites. Not that it can't be found, but takes too much time and effort for a daily fix.

[random]

Originally posted by Lee Roy
NASCAR was the engine that fueled RPM2Night's creation in 1996, and other racing series were the beneficiary of this. They've been freeloading off of NASCAR's success for years now, and the NASCAR sugar daddy that allowed a daily RPM2Night to exist is now gone.

Free media coverage is always a benefit and Nascar has been extremely short sighted in prohibiting media coverage. ESPN has spent millions of dollars producing a show revolving around their series, and Nascar is stupid enough to see it taken off the air.

Although Nascar does allow ESPN's SportsCenter to show "time limited" clips of the races, they do not permit any interviews of drivers in the pits or at a race venue. ESPN and other media outlets have been prohibited from any video at the tracks, thus we have these "interview at the airports".

Nascar's popularity will certainly peak (and wane) sometime, and when that time comes, they'll be begging for media coverage. Now, they're just burning bridges and throwing free coverage away. And when Nascar has a bit of a tumble, it's just this sort of arrogant attitude that will be well remembered by the media.

[KenC]

Originally posted by random

Perhaps they hosted the weekend version, but Kernan was the original host of the weekday RPM 2 nite. And he's been the only host of the weekday RPM for all 7 years of it's existance.

Apparently I wasn't paying attention! Or maybe I was only watching on weekends. For me, John was annoying with his fawning over the drivers. Just too much aww-shucksism.

[KenC]

Originally posted by Lee Roy
FOX and NBC pay NASCAR over $400 million a year for the rights to show NASCAR races, who do you think NASCAR is going to give prefernce to????

I thought the tv contract was for $240million last year, and that $400million was the average over the life of the deal.

Originally posted by Lee Roy
NASCAR was the engine that fueled RPM2Night's creation in 1996, and other racing series were the beneficiary of this. They've been freeloading off of NASCAR's success for years now, and the NASCAR sugar daddy that allowed a daily RPM2Night to exist is now gone.

As vapaokie notes, ESPN was the engine that fueled the NASCAR-craze.

Originally posted by Lee Roy
But don't feel too bad for ABC/ESPN.

Of course not, didn't Fox and NBC write off a couple hundred million last year on their motorsports contracts? I'm sure ABC/ESPN are happy it wasn't them.

[John B]

Go to

http://rpm.espn.go.com/rpm/index

and click on "Big Brawls" video. No F1, but an amusing clip of Tracy colliding with Franchitti and Barry Green really giving him the business over the radio

[KenC]

Originally posted by random

ESPN has been forced to interview all the drivers at the local airport. sounds like something F1 would do...

Didn't a couple Indianapolis tv stations boycott USGP coverage, as Bernie wanted to get paid for newsclips?

[Slyder]

man, this is just bad news. I loved the show, now what's going to replace it??!!!

[ForzaF1]

Nascar's popularity will certainly peak (and wane) sometime...

Maybe it already has, apparently they did not sell all the seats for the final race the other weekend, which decided their championship. Maybe they are over saturated and over hyped (I certainly think so but then I do not find their form of entertainment particularly interesting). I also wonder if their emphasis on "the show" damages interest in the series championship. They put on a big spectacle every weekend but at the expense of technical competition, all the cars are essentially equal and run on tracks that don't seem to seperate the truly good drivers from the mediocre. Add in a point ssystem that rewards consitency rather than excellence and you get a championship that is almost as inconsequential to the casual fan as 95% of the on-track passes in a typical NASCAR race.

The Frances' efforts to stifle other forms of motorsports in the US by well be due to a realization on their part that while their sport is at the moment popular, it is mostly flashy specatcle without much substance. Sooner or later the casual fan is going to wake up to this and either want something more meaningful or move on to another fad.

[Lee Roy]

Originally posted by vapaokie


And ESPN was the major engine that grew the NASCAR out of a backwoods Southeastern niche sport into the major league sport that it is now. It was disgusting what they did to ESPN in eliminating video and interview accesss to the drivers. If the drivers were fine with it, I don't think they would have been traipsing off to the "back forty" of the track properties to give interviews. No other sport has eliminated video footage to any broadcast network for news/sports shows.

Although ESPN was A vehicle that NASCAR used to show it's races, it certainly wasn't the only one. NASCAR races were also shown for years on the Nashville Network, ABC, the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), CBS and, if I'm not mistaken, FOX. To claim that ESPN was THE "engine" that grew NASCAR, is to ignore the efforts of several other networks. ESPN showed NASCAR qualifying and also the RPM2Night, but they only did this after the NASCAR broadcasts were getting some pretty big ratings and make if financially viable to do so.

They forgot PT Barnum's dictum in this regard- "all publicity is good publicity, as long as they spell my name right."

NASCAR has grown beyond that. They no longer have to clambor for any attention they can get.

I don't have time to watch the entirely NASCAR racing news shows on FOX, and I rarely know when Speed's version of RPM2nite is on.

You aren't missing anything, I don't bother to watch it either. It is really bad, especially after 7 years of watching a first class show like RPM2Night.

[Lee Roy]

Originally posted by KenC

Of course not, didn't Fox and NBC write off a couple hundred million last year on their motorsports contracts? I'm sure ABC/ESPN are happy it wasn't them.

Don't know if it was all that much, but overall, TV networks wrote off about a billion dollars on losses for NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA. Not bad company to be keeping.

Things might be better this year. Have been reading where NASCAR tv ratings were up around 13% this year.

[vapaokie]

Originally posted by Lee Roy
Although ESPN was A vehicle that NASCAR used to show it's races, it certainly wasn't the only one. NASCAR races were also shown for years on the Nashville Network, ABC, the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), CBS and, if I'm not mistaken, FOX. To claim that ESPN was THE "engine" that grew NASCAR, is to ignore the efforts of several other networks. ESPN showed NASCAR qualifying and also the RPM2Night, but they only did this after the NASCAR broadcasts were getting some pretty big ratings and make if financially viable to do so.

But the broadcasts, except for CBS and the Daytona 500, were primarily ESPN til ~1988-1990. In the early 80's, when it was hard to find even an MRN radio broadcast (even in Virginia); ESPN was the only game for live NASCAR except for the 500. The other networks didn't come in until they saw the success that ESPN was having with broadcasting the races.

[Pikachu Racing]

It's shame. I'm going to miss the show. I watch the show almost everyday because its a small dose of racing weekday whether its news or highlights. Now I must wait for the weekend to get news and highlights.

[kozmo]

I will miss:
F1 and CART coverage limited as it was..
Robin Miller


I will not miss:
John Kernan
Kenny Wallace
Dr. Jerry Punch (I lost what little respect I had for him in the aftermath of Earnhardt death. he was nothing but a shill for NASCAR and always whitewashed their pitiful safety programs.)
OverHyped IRL reporting



aloha.
dg

[KenC]

Originally posted by Lee Roy

Although ESPN was A vehicle that NASCAR used to show it's races, it certainly wasn't the only one. NASCAR races were also shown for years on the Nashville Network, ABC, the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), CBS and, if I'm not mistaken, FOX. To claim that ESPN was THE "engine" that grew NASCAR, is to ignore the efforts of several other networks. ESPN showed NASCAR qualifying and also the RPM2Night, but they only did this after the NASCAR broadcasts were getting some pretty big ratings and make if financially viable to do so.

As vapaokie has noted, ESPN was virtually the only game in town, and due to exposure on ESPN, made it all possible for TNN, TBS, CBS and others. I'm sure if you asked the Frances' they'd tell you the same.

[biercemountain]

As a casual observer, it always appeared to me that ESPN made a "strategic" decision to withdraw from covering auto racing in favor of other, more mainstream sports.

For years they were the only game in town for CART, F1 and the ever present NASCAR. That all seemed to change in 98 or 99 when they began having to compete with other broadcasters for the rights to motorsports events, F1 especially. I remember being worried on the eve of the Australian GP as to who would actually be broadcasting it and fearing that I'd have to add yet another channel to my already bloated cable channel listing just to watch my favorite sport. From what I understand, Bernie had alot to do with this particular situation, waiting as he did till the eleventh hour (literally) to sign a US broadcasting deal.

Perhaps some of the more "in the know" board members will know if ESPN actually "turned it's back" on motorsports coverage, or whether it was simply wrested from them by someone with deeper pockets.

Anyone.....anyone.....Bueler....?

[KenC]

Originally posted by Lee Roy


Don't know if it was all that much, but overall, TV networks wrote off about a billion dollars on losses for NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA. Not bad company to be keeping.

Things might be better this year. Have been reading where NASCAR tv ratings were up around 13% this year.

Keeping company with "billion dollars on losses", is good company?!? And, I did a quick search and from last year on motorsportstv.com:

Fox Takes Massive Writeoff for Sports Losses; $297 Million NASCAR Bite
The heavy losses on major TV ports have caused a major financial hit at News Corp., parent company of Fox Sports. The company posted a $606 million second quarter loss after writing down the value of its broadcast sports contracts amid an industry wide advertising slump. 
 
The downturn in the advertising market forced the company to write down the value of broadcast rights with the National Football League, NASCAR, and Major League Baseball by $909 million. The write-down means that in order for the company to break even on these contracts, the company has to lower its revenue expectations for these broadcasts by $909 million over the next four years, the company said. Fox expects a $297 million shortfall the NASCAR contract, for which it paid $1.6 to 1.9 billion over eight years. 

Of course, that was only for Fox. I didn't have time to see what NBC did.

[Lee Roy]

NBC will be okay. Here's a little something I found on www.motorsportstv.com


NBC's NASCAR Winston Cup finale from Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday delivered a final 5.2 national rating and 11 share, NASCAR's best rating ever against pro football, according to Nielsen Media Research. The 5.2 rating propelled the NBC and TNT 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup season average to a 13 percent increase over 2001 and an explosive 59 percent increase over 2000, the year prior to the current television rights deal.

The 19 NASCAR Winston Cup telecasts on NBC and TNT over the second half of the 2002 season averaged an impressive 4.3 national rating/10 share, up 13 percent over last year's 3.8/10, and a 59 percent increase over the 2.7/8 for the 2000 season. (All season averages exclude the Daytona 500 and the primetime Pepsi 400 - the two races which alternate between NBC and Fox each year).

"When this season began, we had hoped to simply maintain the terrific ratings and new viewers from last year," said, Ken Schanzer, President, NBC Sports. "That NASCAR continues its remarkable growth is both a wonderful surprise and a reaffirmation of the attraction of this great product. This performance also is a vivid demonstration that the race for the championship is a compelling broadcast series." (NBC Sports Press Release)



The 5.2 rating meant that the Winston Cup finale was the 6th highest-rated sports program of the week on over-the-air TV, representing 5,593,000 households. It was beat only by the NFL and college football on ABC. (11/22)

Did you catch that part about the TV ratings being 59% increased over 2000, when ABC/ESPN was still a major player?

Here's a little something else, too.

For the eight NASCAR on NBC pre-race shows that ran from the start of the NFL season through Nov. 17th, NBC's "Discover Card Countdown to Green" averaged a 2.6/7, making it the second highest rated Sunday "pre-game" show, outperforming CBS' "NFL Today" (2.5/7). Fox's "NFL Sunday" averaged a 3.5/10. Additionally, NBC's NASCAR pre-race show outperformed CBS' "NFL Today" five of the seven times when the two programs aired head-to-head.



The pre-race show from Miami logged a 3.0/8 on Sunday, making it the second-most watched "pre-game" show of the day. During the head-to-head competition, NBC's noon - 1 p.m. ET program was second only to the 3.6/9 for Fox's "NFL Sunday." CBS' "NFL Today" finished with a 2.7/7. (NBC Sports Press Release) (11/22)

Oh, and sorry you don't think that being in the same category with the NFL and Major League Baseball is good company. It's nice when a company thinks your presence on their network is worth more than the money that they can actually generate. There are other measures to consider. FOX essentially held cable companies hostage by putting several races on it's Fx Cable Channel. My cable company had just upgraded, and did not include Fx, until FOX was going to show races on that channel. They quickly added Fx. How much do you think that was worth to FOX?

[KenC]

Originally posted by Lee Roy
NBC will be okay. Here's a little something I found on www.motorsportstv.com

Did you catch that part about the TV ratings being 59% increased over 2000, when ABC/ESPN was still a major player?

Here's a little something else, too.

Oh, and sorry you don't think that being in the same category with the NFL and Major League Baseball is good company. It's nice when a company thinks your presence on their network is worth more than the money that they can actually generate. There are other measures to consider. FOX essentially held cable companies hostage by putting several races on it's Fx Cable Channel. My cable company had just upgraded, and did not include Fx, until FOX was going to show races on that channel. They quickly added Fx. How much do you think that was worth to FOX?

I never said that NASCAR was dying or anything like that.

As far as the 59% increase over 2000, what did you expect? That's an apples to oranges comparison, or have you forgotten that many more of the races back in 2000 weren't on broadcast tv, but on cable, where the ratings are clearly going to be lower.

Certainly being lumped in as a major sport is good, but why would losing money be the type of company you'd want to keep?

And, it's far nicer when the money a network can generate is a win-win for both network and series.

[Lee Roy]

Originally posted by KenC


As far as the 59% increase over 2000, what did you expect? That's an apples to oranges comparison, or have you forgotten that many more of the races back in 2000 weren't on broadcast tv, but on cable, where the ratings are clearly going to be lower.

Not sure exactly the numbers, but I don't think there were all that many more of broadcast TV this year than in 2000. Quite a few races on TBS this fall. But even if there are more races on broadcast TV, then that is also a sign on growth, don't you think? The increase in viewers is the increase in viewers, that's pretty much the bottom line for advertisers.

I guess I'll have to look into it, but off to Florida in the morning for Thanksgiving. Hope you have a nice holiday.

[Scoots]

Originally posted by vapaokie
No other sport has eliminated video footage to any broadcast network for news/sports shows.

Uh, professional boxing did years ago, MLB, NBA, and NFL have strict cumulative limits on how much video can be used by any outlet.

[vapaokie]

I'll give you boxing, but I have yet to see a news or sports report with only still shots of baseball, basketball, football, or hockey. That's the difference, no one else completely cuts off a news organization of all video footage the way NASCAR did to RPM2nite.

[Scoots]

The didn't cut off a news organization (ESPN) they limited video to SportCenter to avoid direct competition, just like boxing limited video to pay-per-view to avoid direct competition.