Couldn't agree more, TV execs still seem to think that motor racing only consists of F1 and BTCC.

cheers dude, be good get some more thoughts want to send off our members thoughts as well

That makes for some interesting reading but what is more important is looking at the numbers behind the words.

Moto GP and F1 are worldwide championships and are presented as the pinnacle of the 2 and 4 wheeled motorsport world respectively. The number of nationalities represented within them is far reaching, from Brazil to India, the USA to Czech Republic and Japan to Italy and this is backed up by the viewer figures and money tied up with sponsorship.

It is the numbers that will ultimately dictate whether or not something is a success because numbers make the world go round. Adverts are placed on commercial television, those adverts have targets for viewership. The higher the number of viewers, the higher the advertisment cost and the more revenue the channel has to put back into programming.

For example, 3 rounds of the British GT championship were/are on the same weekends as F1 races this year. Of those 3 F1 rounds, 2 are highlights on the BBC and 1 is full race coverage. Considering that the 2 series will have an amount of common viewership; F1 will more than likely take viewing priority, especially on a service such as Sky that is being paid for, thereby reducing the viewer numbers for potential British GT coverage.

It would be interesting to see a viewer numbers breakdown of the full ITV4 BTCC program, I wonder how many come and go for certain series and what the constant baseline is who watch the entire program. Those numbers could help to either make or break the case for another series having its own programming.

However, rather than placing all the owness on the fans, the series' orgainisers also have to look at what they can do too.

Look at how ALMS, along with other championships like FIA GT3, FIA GT1, Blancpain Endurance Series and other annual events such as the Nurburgring 24hrs have all made themselves accessible by offering a streaming service for those who want to watch live. What this undoubtably does is provide those all important viewership numbers that help to attract sponsors, teams and the programming money from highlights packages to keep the series going.

As much as I would love to see good quality motorsport on TV every weekend, the reality is that in order for that to happen it needs to be matched with marketing sense from the business side of things.

At the end of the day, those who want to watch racing will actively seek it out in whatever way possible.

Long post I know

I just wish that those who watch Realicrap programming would simply quit watching TV, taking their "numbers" with them.

Hey Defcon,

Lets not forget when Grandstand was on BBC 1 Motorsports had a huge following rally cross, trials, even some of the Le Mans starts were broadcasted in the 80's and 90's.

I think it is right a license fee owners to have some motorsports on the BBC other than F1 or motogp.

Even a free view channel nothing to do with the BBC could work as well.

Football has to much coverage and there is not enough coverage for minority sports including motorsport outside F1.

Even F1 coverage is greatly reduced this year of course, but yes I completely agree there's potential for a dedicated channel.

I saw something on the news the other night saying that they're starting to allow regional TV channels to be set up now as well (kind of like how we all get different regional news on BBC following the main news at 6:30). If they're making it easier to set up smaller channels, it could help get something like a freeview motorsport channel going.......or TORA TV.

CQR Aero wrote:.......or TORA TV.

sounds good to me, and the britcar