2019 NTT IndyCar SeriesOpen Wheel

[Kingofweasles]

https://racer.com/2019/02/28/dreyer-reinbold-confirms-karam-for-indy-500/

And in "Water is Wet" news, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has confirmed that Sage Karam will drive one of their cars at Indy this year.

 

[FutureF1]

Pippa's Back again

https://racer.com/2019/02/27/clauson-marshall-racing-confirms-indy-500-program-with-mann/

Shame it's not Stefan Wilson, but oh well. Looks like Bump day will be a nailbiter

 

[jake2013guy]

UK TV deal finally announced. Would have loved them to go FTA as a middle finger to F1 but this isn't bad.

 

[Silver Arrows]

And on that British TV deal note:



I think being on TSN would be best considering that TSN has NASCAR and F1 already. Of course, twenty bucks says that Indycar goes to Discovery Velocity or whatever, and you can kiss any sort of interest from people that aren't hardcore Indy or motorsports people goodbye. In this stage of the game, when the crop of Canadian talent is as good as it has ever been, that's bad.

EDIT: I guess an update from Marshall Pruett, but:

https://racer.com/2019/03/01/indycar-locks-down-international-tv-deals/

RACER has also confirmed that TV contracts for Canada (which boasts the Toronto street race and native son James Hinchcliffe, one of the series’ most popular drivers), Australia and New Zealand (where defending series champion Scott Dixon and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power draw significant interest), and Spain (compelled by Fernando Alonso at Indy) all will be announced as early as Monday.

 

[jake2013guy]

FINALLY!

 

[JohnBM01]

I can't wait to follow another season of IndyCar Series racing. Surely looking forward to all of the action starting with this weekend's race at St. Petersburg. It is a bit hard to believe how long this race around the streets of St. Petersburg, FL, USA has been around. It is a fine temporary course. I even have St. Petersburg in some of my racing/driving games.

Here's hoping for another fine season of IndyCar Series racing!

 

[Silver Arrows]

https://www.indycar.com/News/2019/03/03-06-INDYCAR-international-broadcasters-2019

Notably, in Canada, through INDYCAR’s partnership with Sportsnet, INDYCAR fans will be able to consume NTT IndyCar Series races and qualifying sessions on SN NOW+, Sportsnet’s direct-to-consumer platform. Additionally, all races except for the season opener (due to a scheduling conflict) will air in Canada on Sportsnet World, a Sportsnet linear television channel, with the Indianapolis 500 and the Honda Indy Toronto also airing on linear television via the Sportsnet 360 and Sportsnet ONE channels, respectively.

lol I ain't paying for that Sportsnet World horse****. It's already bad enough that I had to pay for SN 360.

Context for how **** this TV deal is:

 

[Spacegoat]

Great was really looking forward to the season but all Australia gets is a one hour highlight package.

 

[FutureF1]

Wait... Will us Americans even have to pay to watch qualifying? Or is the NBC gold subscription just for watching practices and other stuff?

 

[Northstar]

Qualifying is on NBCSN along with Gold.

 

[Silver Arrows]

https://norrismcdonald.ca/indycar-to-blame-for-canadian-tv-schmozzle/

The contract between Sportsnet and IndyCar ran out following the 2018 season and would have to be renegotiated. This happened just as there was a change in senior management at Sportsnet and all programming and spending put under review. At or about the same time, IndyCar took its TV marketing “in-house.”

This IndyCar TV marketing department was – apparently – very blasé about a TV deal for Canada – assuming, presumably, that a new arrangement with Sportsnet was a no-brainer. As a result, they didn’t look at alternatives. I know, for instance, that nobody from IndyCar ever approached TSN.

IndyCar then did what it should have done months earlier. It contracted with a Canadian who knows his way around. It took some time, but this guy was finally able to make a deal but it was bare-bones bottom. Even then, Sportsnet would not agree to put the series on TV (except for the Indy 500 and the Honda Indy Toronto), assigning all other races to the online streaming service Sportsnet NOW+, which costs $200 a year plus tax (on top of whatever Rogers customers are paying for cable). They wanted any moneys gained to offset their costs with an eye to breaking even.

And what about Green Savoree Racing Promotions, owners of the Honda Indy Toronto? They need IndyCar on television to help sell tickets to their July event. And James Hinchcliffe? Hinchcliffe is paid by Honda Canada as well as other Canadian companies – Petro-Canada, for instance – and his income, in part, depends on exposure and his ability to represent his sponsors in person and on television.

what an absolute gong show. How the hell do you not approach TSN - who, should be mentioned, control F1 and NASCAR rights in Canada, and ask if they are interested? Indycar has really pissed off a lot of Canadian fans. Considering Indycar is the one motorsport still popular in the country, it's a dangerous game to play.

 

[Northstar]

O'Ward will be with Carlin for 12 races.

https://racer.com/2019/03/07/carlin-confirms-oward-for-12-races/

 

[jake2013guy]

 

[FutureF1]

Wtf was that session

 

[jamman39]

Rookies looked good today. Rosenquist didn't surprise me, I rated him highly in his F3 days. Herta was really good, it's a shame he got booted from the fast 6

 

[Dotini]

Rookies looked good today. Rosenquist didn't surprise me, I rated him highly in his F3 days. Herta was really good, it's a shame he got booted from the fast 6

Two Penske Chevs on the front row, chased by a horde of Honda - sounds like a good race brewing.

 

[Dotini]

Disturbing opening stint has two Honda engine blowups! On the plus side, Rookie Felix Rosenqvist is surely the best Ganassi signing since Franchitti.

 

[Northstar]

As always, the technical difficulties don't affect the commercials.

 

[Tornado]

Damn it. Sato was having a good race.

 

[jamman39]

Shame to see Marcus Ericcson went out. Couldn't see what happened due to technical difficulties

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Do we have to have so many commercial breaks in the races?

Watching for the first time on sky sports, enjoying the race from what I've been able to see in between the 2000 commercial breaks, broadcast blackout and them cutting away to statler and Waldorf by turn 1

 

[jamman39]

Do we have to have so many commercial breaks in the races?

Watching for the first time on sky sports, enjoying the race from what I've been able to see in between the 2000 commercial breaks, broadcast blackout and them cutting away to statler and Waldorf by turn 1

Yeah sorry, SVT. That's pretty much how all American tv is. Especially sports programming. It's obnoxious

 

[Dotini]

Dixon starts his title defense as the meat in a Penske sandwich.
Strong top-ten performances by rookies Rosenqvist, Herta and Ferrucci.

Rosenqvist led 31 laps and pulled off possibly the best pass in the race. Not too shabby!

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Yeah sorry, SVT. That's pretty much how all American tv is. Especially sports programming. It's obnoxious

I've seen some of it when I've visited the U.S. And it's just too in your face.
I hope Sky take over the coverage more with their own style and presenters rather than just taking NBC's coverage.

Is Fox any better?

 

[Northstar]

Is Fox any better?

As sad as it is, NBC is the best of the big 4 (ABC/ESPN, CBS, Fox & NBC) when it comes to covering racing.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

As sad as it is, NBC is the best of the big 4 (ABC/ESPN, CBS, Fox & NBC) when it comes to covering racing.

This is depressing. I guess I've just been spoilt by Sky's coverage

 

[jamman39]

Idk if it's an option for overseas viewers but NBC sells an indycar pass for $80 that includes commercial free races and quali.

The price is too steep for me, personally

 

[jamman39]

Dixon starts his title defense as the meat in a Penske sandwich.
Strong top-ten performances by rookies Rosenqvist, Herta and Ferrucci.

Rosenqvist led 31 laps and pulled off possibly the best pass in the race. Not too shabby!

Really thrilled for Rosenqvist and Herta, was rooting against Ferrucci.

I've only ever watched a handful of Indy races but is it safe to say this top 4 is pretty similar to a Merc/Ferrari top 4 in F1?

 

[Dotini]

I've only ever watched a handful of Indy races but is it safe to say this top 4 is pretty similar to a Merc/Ferrari top 4 in F1?

Yes, close but not entirely. The Andretti team is very strong and winning team, as is Schmidt Peterson, Vasser, etc. Due to the spec chassis and engines, clever small teams will sneak in wins, but seldom if ever dominate.

 

[AnthonyD1993]

This is depressing. I guess I've just been spoilt by Sky's coverage

Virtually everything here except for soccer gets treated like American football, baseball, and basketball with taking commercial breaks at liberty. Every motorsport here gets that treatment even worse because none of them have breaks in the action apart from the cautions that come out. The only motorsport that doesn't get commercial breaked to hell in the US is F1 because of both the backlash ESPN from last year's Australian Grand Prix and because a company decided to sponsor the broadcast commercial free. If not for the other two, I'm pretty damn sure ESPN would have continued to throw in commercials while leeching off of Sky's feed.