Question: Should NASCAR fans be concerned about the ABC (including ESPN) new TV deal for 2007 and beyond after this past weekends IRL IndyCar Series Michigan race ran over time and ABC cut off East Coast fans at 6PM for local news?
First: For people who didn't watch the IRL Michigan race this past weekend, there was a 2.5 hour rain delay and around 6pm East Coast time, the race was set to go green, but ABC said that West Coast would be able to watch the race, but the East Coast fans would be cut off. The entire race was later televised on ESPN2 at 12:15am for East Coast fans and again the next day. Note: This has happened before a couple years or so ago at Pikes Peak when rain came in to play, but that race was in the middle and ABC cut east coast fans off for local news...race won by Gil deFerran in a Penske Indy car.
In my opinion, YES, if ABC does this for an IndyCar race, then they most likely will do this to any sporting event including a high rating NASCAR event. No fan should be cutoff just because there game or race goes into over time.
A couple of things to remember:
One, the networks in 2007 have asked for a later start times for the NASCAR events including the Nextel Cup Series races for better ratings on the West Coast, that flurts with darkness at the racetrack and not much time to get the race in.
Two, Nextel Cup races most likely always go over there time limit, not just for over time, but races take 3 to 4 hours to complete even without delays...cautions breed cautions during a race.
The simple thing is that no NASCAR/Sports fan wants to be cut off, the past couple of years, fans have enjoyed there races being televised live and the networks staying no matter how long the race runs over time, including going until 12:30-1am in some cases. These networks pay enough for these TV packages and already add more than enough commericals during them, now ABC might pull this...hopefully they at least move it to another network, but that cuts of non-cable/dish customers, what's next...
Also, It was reported on Thatsracin.com that NBC has changed the start time of this season's Nextel Cup Series finale in Homestead from the evening for the race to start in the day and end under the lights to 2:30pm and that the race must be completed by 7pm, because it interfears with there Sunday night NFL game...sorry, no racing under the lights and what happens if the race goes past 7pm?
Link: My previous post with comments on the 2007-2014 TV package...
Well thats my take...See Yeah!
