What the hell is wrong with SPEED?

NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR,

Bllleaaaagh (throws up in hat)

History channel has more going on now that F1 is over. Teach me the ways Swamp People!

Seriously, what's wrong with them? Nascar fans can't make up 98% of all SPEED viewers.

It's called business. Nascar pulls in the audience, SPEED--owned by FOX, uses those number to show to their advertisers. They, in turn buy time with money. Money pays the overhead, payroll.....

And this weekend a championship, maybe the first different guy in 4 years, so the higher coverage and interest= more advertisers and money.

And, it was almost renamed The Nascar Channel when FOX bought it........be thankfully they didn't drop F1. That was on the chopping block. It's not cheap. Byt, you see, the demographics of the people who watch it attract a certain audience that certain advertisers like, so it wasn't cancelled.

WRC, on the other hand, attracted a miniscule audience, few aadvertisers, and, gone!

I posted on their board a while ago that I would cancel cable if they didn't stop with all the B.S. They deleted my post.

I canceled cable and refuse to buy from their big sponsors. Sorry Barry Mcguiere(sp?).

If they had dropped F1, ALMS and Grand Am, I'd have basic cable now.

OTOH, there is talk--and from them--of an online only channel, Speed2, that will carry DTM, WRC, Austrailia Super Touring Cars, and locally-produced programming.

Don't forget, it cost A LOT of money to produce original programming. Not to mention the satellite time....

A network is not cheap. Remember how Ted Turner was laughed at with CNN as a bad investment?

And once the network is up and running, you have to feed it as if it were a starved rabid dog coming at you. It isn't easy.

Remember the Bud Linderman-hosted programs from the 70s, that became "juniors'" whatever by repackaging? With the change of host, the ratings went up. Same content, just a couple minutes of Jr. during the program.

Why are people still complaining about the Speed channel? Didn't their conversion to mostly NASCAR happen years ago?

I disagree with this comment.

Come January; Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson, Barrett-Jackson.

Then NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR, NASCAR

stuart in mn wrote: Why are people still complaining about the Speed channel? Didn't their conversion to mostly NASCAR happen years ago?

yup

haven't had cable in 3-4 years.

Once football season starts, that's all you hear. Everything has a season, NASCRAP is starting. Prior to this, you could see WRC, some drag racing, the occasional Moto-X event, but soccer Moms and Roundy-Rounder Moms bring cash. Look at the sponsors, Tide? C'mon.

Dan

OhhShift wrote: Seriously, what's wrong with them?

They got bought by FOX.

OhhShift wrote: Nascar fans can't make up 98% of all SPEED viewers.

Well, they didn't..but that's what FOX wants. The corporate overlords don't care about serving an audience, they just want the biggest billboard they can build.

I work in cable TV (I'm not the guy that runs the co-ax to yer house.. ), and I've been seeing this process first-hand since my once-innovative, flexible company merged with a conglomerate. IMO, in the next 5-10yrs., it's going to make cable TV die just like commercial FM radio did. Everybody playing the same nonsense, trying to gain the attention of the mass market morons that actually buy something just because the ad was on the TV. Audiences will shrink by about 2/3rds, and the corporations will try to grab a 90% share of what's left, ignoring (once again) that the previous way of doing business (different channels for people's different interests-and total all viewers across all networks) might have not been so bad after all.

Notice TBS put Conan O'Brien on against "Family Guy" (highest rated show) on Adult Swim. Remember who owns both networks. Perhaps the executives are hoping there's a helluva lot more TiVOs out there than there used to be?

Say, does anyone else remember watching Sprint cars on (x)day Night Thunder on TNN?

That was some roundy-round stuff i could get behind...

I heard that they are going to show all the F1 races from this year during a certain holiday. That would be cool. It was even cooler when they would show the Runoffs all day on Christmas, but for some reason, someone at Speed thought it would be a better idea to show Monster Trucks all Christmas last year... Rather watch Ralphie shoot his eye out 24 times than Monster Trucks....

I have SPEED still, but only because it is part of the programming package. Only shows I had dedicated to recording, FF through the commercials, are V8 supercars and Two knuckleheads in a garage, only for the BMW swap.

The rest of the program lineup is garbage. I mean they show 30min infomercials at 4-6am. You have to be kidding me.

Brian

I miss SpeedVision. Getting ready in the mornings to Car and Track, finishing the day with Lost Drive In. I haven't watched in so long I don't even know if they still show the Runoffs.

i was watching World of Outlaws racing on Speed earlier today- it was on for something like 4 hours straight. first was the sprint cars, then the modifieds. for the last 6 months, i think the total time dedicated to F1 was probably pretty close to the total time dedicated to NASCAR.

i even remember one episode of Wind Tunnel where Dave Despain didn't even mention NASCAR at all, despite something really controversial happening in the race just a couple of hours earlier. honestly, that guy should be the programming director for the whole channel. he likes the truly oddball racing stuff- where else on tv will someone dedicate 5 minutes of air time to talk about motorcycle flat track racing or top Fuel speed boats?

NASCAR is their big money maker- this is the USA, after all- but i honestly think Monster Jam is their second most important thing- followed by motocross when that is in season. every 5 year old kid everywhere will kick and scream at dad if he doesn't stop on the channel with Grave Digger or some dude on a dirt bike flying thru the air... which is probably why they show long marathons of Monster Jam or motocross on holidays.

i've seen a fairly good amount of ALMS (or Rolex or whatever endurance series they show on Speed), as well as the Aussie V8 Supercars and a few oddball things thrown in for good measure- just last weekend, i watched snowmobile racing and even the cool modified swamp buggies in the 'Sippie Hole that they used to show on TNN back in the early 90's.

one good show that i do like on Speed is called NASCAR Performance. even if you don't like NASCAR or think the cars are stupid or whatever, the things they talk about on that show about how the cars are built, maintained, and raced is pretty damn fascinating. it is hosted by 2 current and 2 former Cup series crew chiefs. it reminds me of a show that was on TNN 20 years ago called "Inside Winston Cup Racing" in a lot of ways.

phaze1todd wrote: I miss SpeedVision. Getting ready in the mornings to Car and Track, finishing the day with Lost Drive In. I haven't watched in so long I don't even know if they still show the Runoffs.

They don't. 2009/2010 coverage on SpeedcastTV.

I was about to suggest you watch the 2009 Runoffs since you missed the 2010 races live..but Speedcast has just archived the `10 races!

http://speedcasttv.com/speedcast/#/races/201

Peter Shodowen vs. Jim Dentici in GTL..

I dropped the digital cable (and Speed) two F1 seasons ago. I started downloading the BBC version of the races, better quality and no commercials. Though I miss Matchett and Hobbs, the BBC guys are really good with a full hour before the race and did I mention no commercials?

+2 for Dave Despain's content. Esp the drag boats and Pikes Peak interviews and footage. Now if they could bring back the offshore racing series here and overseas: Lamborghini, Ferrari petrol engines, Mann diesels, 3and4-speed gear boxes, 90+mph speeds, and Volvo-powered and designed boats that are built to survive a roll and continue racing.

Two points, too, for Lucas Oil Studios. They're the guys who produced the drag boat racing, tractor pulling competitions, "sippy hole" racing (forgot the name of the series), amongst others.

I like diversity.

And where is Alan de Cadenai (sp) who hosted a great series on the history of Jaguar, Ferrari, Lamborghini, triumph, MG, Lotus. etc...and on some specific car models, too. Well done because he drives them! And not slowly.

Lets get this straight right now: there is nothing wrong with Monster Jam. Nothing.

Strange- I was just watching some randome qualifying event on the Nascar- I mean Speed channel...... yesterday? It was Dirt oval and sprint cars, Steve Kinser and all them characters. Those boys have NOOOOOO fear.

And Monster Jam rules.

SpeedTV is OK by me.

While I don't care for the NASCAR-and-BS-centric programming, there is enough F1, ALMS and other broadcasts that make it more worthwhile than other cable channels. And, other cable channels now offer the racing that was once part of Speed's line-up.

As a road racing fan (in particular) Speed still has some relevant value. Some people can complain about the lack of alternate racing, but those people aren't exploring the options available on the web - and the web is a wondrous place for race fans.

...and yet people gripe about Top Gear USA.

I like "Hot Rod TV" on Speed--it's a damn good show. That said, I don't watch much else there.

I still watch Powerblock, but HD Theater is where I get most of my automotive mojo satisfied (Wheeler Dealers [if it ever comes back], Chasing Classic Cars, rally and even Cafe Racer [and I'm not into motorcycles])

So yeah--SPEED is pretty much a non-issue for me.

+1 on HD Theater. If you haven't got it, it's worth a look. I also caught a spec Miata race on Versus. Lots of in-car, but production quality was not the best. Still, it was great to see on TV.