Maybe the new “If it crashes and flashes” NHRA/ESPN doctrine is keeping more casual spectators glued to the tube, but I doubt it. I think it’s truly an attempt to titillate, and it takes
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Educating first timers to the NHRA broadcast might be an important issue for some, but dumbing-down the national event show for that lowest common denominator is a mistake. Based upon what I have seen in the Joyce Julius & Associates sponsor reports, we have a core audience of about 650,000 total households who regularly watch the weekend qualifying and eliminations show. There are certainly some new viewers who need some education, but treating the rest of the audience as though they are total newbie’s is a mistake.
Suggestions for NHRA:
There are some tremendously talented writers in the employ of the NHRA, how about offering a free publication to new NHRA members. “NHRA Drag Racing for Dummies” could be the title so that most of the fans that follow NHRA drag racing via ESPN2 could be spared the mundane drivel of a Paul Page who gets his info straight into his ear from stat wizard Lewis Bloom. Despite what I read on some of the drag racing Internet bulletin boards, Paul Page is not getting better. Replace Paul Page before it’s too late.
The ESPN2 show is still way too long. Five and a half hours over a weekend watching repetitive slow motion tire shake, dropping cylinders, broken blower belts, back ups from burnouts on the national event and pre-race show is significantly more time than any but the most dedicated drag fanatic could ever muster. Cut the entire show down to a one-hour qualifying highlight show and a two-hour eliminations show. Don’t worry, the rabid fan can fill in the blanks with DRO’s NHRA coverage, Drag Race Central round-by-round stats and with our National Dragster subscription.
Next, take some of the credit dollars for the time you didn’t use with ESPN/ABC/Disney to buy time on ABC. Now that’s the Next Level! How is it that Champ Car and the IRL can run a show live and NHRA cannot purchase a set time for a concise post produced show to air on Sunday afternoon on ABC? The prestige of being on the ABC Network will get the word out to new fans much quicker than any advertising campaign directed at the casual fan. Hire a lead announcer who isn’t going to ask stupid questions or fill in the few empty spaces with thoughts rattling around in the announcer’s head.
The haphazard method of airing the current show on ESPN2 is killing the audience, no matter what NHRA Vice Presidents say. Cover the race and stop trying to gimmick it up with “Scelzi Sez,” golf cart races, and slow motion of tire shake from the first round loser and super slo-mo of raw fuel spitting from headers.
Give us non-stop action. The show is not live, I must repeat, THE SHOW IS NOT LIVE. Make the audience want to watch a “Must See” NHRA National Event Show. Show us the racing!
