|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Does Formula One have a chance in U.S.?
Posted: Friday March 10, 2000 06:40 PM
Sports Illustrated motor sports writer Mark Bechtel will answer your questions every Friday. Click here to send a question. This week Bechtel is in Atlanta for the Cracker Barrel 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. There's nothing quite as upsetting for a Vanderbilt alum than to be told that his hotel room has been given to a block of University of Tennessee fans (who are, as we speak, presumably painting it orange and adorning its walls with pictures of Heath Shuler's neighbor's basset hound's puppies). But that's the risk you run staying in Atlanta during the SEC basketball tournament. Fortunately, the obliging folks at the hotel hooked me up with some nice alternate digs, so I suppose I shouldn't complain too much, at least until I get stuck in traffic for nine hours on Sunday. This week's bag brought no insults, and more than a few good letters, so here we go:
Formula One, which is returning to the U.S., has some of the most technologically advanced racing machines, some of the best drivers (who turn left and right) and an international following of 10 million-plus. Sure, there is no American driver presence, but are we so xenophobic to assume that if there isn't an American involved it isn't any good? Please provide us with coverage of this major sport. It's coming here to the U.S. and interest will surely increase. I for one would love to see Formula One take off, because then my editors would have no choice but to send me to all corners of the world instead of all corners of the Mid-South. (I grew up there so I can say that.) You actually make a very good point when you say that we, at least as sports fans, are xenophobic. I don't think, however, that jacking up media coverage would make a whole lot of difference. For the most part, the media has to follow the news, not create it. The fact of the matter is that Americans tend to like sports they "invented" -- a term we use loosely, but that nonetheless applies to baseball, football and basketball (which we stole from a Canadian) -- and are good at. Sports like soccer, hockey and skiing, which are wildly popular elsewhere, don't get much love here. A big reason is that when Americans compete against people from other countries in these sports, the results are often grim for the U.S. How often do you hear about the Tour de France when a French dude is winning? NASCAR's popularity here is due in large part to the fact that these are American guys racing American cars. Formula One drivers are as skilled as any in the world, but I really don't see the sport catching on with the masses here any time soon. The U.S. Grand Prix at Indy on Sept. 24 will definitely win some converts, and that's a good first step, but until something happens to give Americans a vested interest in the outcome of a race, I'm guessing Formula One's popularity is, unfortunately, going to remain pretty localized. Of course, none of this should stop you from following it faithfully.
With its new TV package, plus the time limits between rounds and the fines that are levied for "oiling the track," the NHRA is obviously trying to get more TV and media exposure. What else can the organization do to bring the sport to the same media prominence as NASCAR? Do you think that it is possible for race fans to be converted from supporting NASCAR to the NHRA, or is the allegiance too strong? I'm sure the good people at the NHRA wish they knew what they need to do to follow in NASCAR's footsteps. In my opinion (and I'm no PR guru) they should try to ride NASCAR's coattails whenever possible, meaning they should do whatever they can to make themselves seen at NASCAR races, both on TV and at the track. That's where their best potential new fan base is, and there's no reason to think that NASCAR fans can't be won over.
What has happened to Mike Bliss and Team Foyt in NASCAR? They have disappeared since the Daytona 500. Doug, their disappearances always seem to come within a few minutes of the end of qualifying. Bliss took DNQs at the Rock and Vegas.
Click here to send a question to Mark Bechtel.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
