[MattLovell]

I mentioned this in Jaime's post, but I think it got kinda' lost.

The one thing I noticed is that the OT coverage on Speed this year showed the Leg 1 leaders and Overall winners in EVERY class, regardless of what make of car they where driving. Isn't this a Major improvement over last years programs? I know they missed a few of the third place cars, but cummon! at least it's a step in the right direction.

I highly recommend that everyone sends a letter/e-mail to SpeedChannel/SCCA/SubaruUSA/MitsubishiUSA/HyundaiUSA to let them know that you appreciate the coverage and encourage them to keep it up. We are all very quick to point out what we don't like, let's let them know when they are doing a good job as well.

Matthew Lovell

 

[Jon Bogert]

A step in the right direction???

Let's go over the chronology here: SCCA ProRally has been on TV for, what, five or six years now? It used to be shown on ESPN2, at prime time. Then it was on Speedvision, still in prime time. Now it's shown on the NASCAR channel, at 11:30 at night, immediately after a thrilling, fast paced, skillfully produced, big budget WRC highlights show that puts us to shame.

Getting on TV in the first place was a step in the right direction. There hasn't been another step in the right direction since. So what exactly should I put in my letter? :-(

 

[MattLovell]

RE: A step in the right direction???

Ok, I have only been considering what is happening this year as opposed to last year, and taking into account previous experience with Speed*(vision, channel, whatever) coverage of the SCORE events I used to be involved in. THe SCORE team I was with placed 1st in class in 3 successive events and still got no mention on the HOUR long program. Why, we where not driving a Chevy or Ford, and where in a "lower" class. Sound Familiar? When we spoke to the Producer and asked why we where never covered, we got the same answer rallists got, "Because you didn't pay" (those might have actually been his exact words).

I am just proposing that we encourage Speed Channel to continue covering the entire rally, not just the manufactures champoinship. So covering all the classes might have been the only thing they did right (nothing spectacular, just right). Let's give them credit for that.

 

[daphne]

RE: A step in the right direction???

I agree the coverage continues to improve. The announcing is very good (yah Russ!) and the infomercial-like Rally Dirt segment is getting better.

Last year I had a number of email exchanges with Kurt regarding coverage of classes other than Open. I asked if we could at least have mention of the top three in every class. I am happy to see we've moved in that direction.

I will say that showing the SCCA coverage immediately after Rally XS isn't the greatest idea. First, we look pretty slow next to those fancy WRC cars. More importantly, the WRC coverage is bog money; our coverage is not. Putting them next to eachother makes US Rally pale in comparison to the WRC.

Now, where is Ramana so I can tell him to go wash his mouth out with soap after last night's coverage! ;-) (Just kidding Ramana!)

 

[Rich Smith]

I DISAGREE

Matt,

I disagree with your assessment. Jamie's effort was disregarded. Aside from being wrong. It is an insult. They should make it up to her and her sponsors with special coverage for HER at the next opportunity.

Rich Smith

(I will, however, send a letter of complaint asking them to keep that STUPID, LOUD, NOISY HELICOPTER away from the spectator areas when I'm trying to watch and HEAR the cars go by. I hate that thing.) x(

 

[JohnB_SPY8808053]

I think the ProRally coverage has gotten MUCH better over the last few years. This year has probably seen the most improvment since I've been watching. Some of the things that I've noticed include:

Better Announcing
Better Road-Side Shots
More Helicopter Shots
More In-Car Shots
Better Interviews
Better Features
Better presentation of the route & graphics
Better seguays between shots, segments & commercial breaks

Even though it was short, I was particularly impressed with the stage note feature from OT. These improvments really stand out if you watch a tape of last years event right after seeing the coverage from this year.

That said, I do wish they'd shown Jamie at OT but I understand that no matter how hard you try, you will never get everything right all the time. Hopefully they'll make it up to her with an interview or some especially good shots of her car.

Just my .02,

John B.


PS - We may look slow compared to the WRC guys but at least there are a lot of interested people watching.

 

[Bill Barfoot]

RE: I DISAGREE

neither of your complaints can be handled by Speed(whatever it is this week). That is all done by Doug Plumber, at Replica Productions...

 

[Jon Bogert]

Tough one there...

NASCAR channel wants a) money b) something late night viewers will watch so they can sell 2 min commercials for "oldies from the '40s" CDs.

SCCA wants to please the mfrs and sets overall coverage strategy if not shot by shot editing.

Doug is doing the best he can with the meager resources allocated him. No problem there.

Conclusion? I blame the manufacturers whose shortsighted ex-P&G marketing scumbags can't understand that their customers (I drive a Subaru every day, BTW) have intelligence (well, other than me obviously ) and will actually give them MORE credit and be MORE loyal for being good rally sponsors and not demanding that every minute be devoted to their precious drivers. You wanna sell to joe average? Have Martina Dundee bounce around in an Outback. You wanna impress me and sell me a WRX? Support the f'in sport, not just your overdog factory team!

 

[jmullan]

I have requested more audio of the cars. It's rally. I want to hear the frickin' rally cars. Duck the cars when the announcer talks if you must, but for Pete's sake, let us hear the anti-lag!

 

[Bruce]

RE: A step in the right direction???

>
>I will say that showing the SCCA coverage immediately after
>Rally XS isn't the greatest idea. First, we look pretty
>slow next to those fancy WRC cars. More importantly, the
>WRC coverage is bog money; our coverage is not. Putting
>them next to eachother makes US Rally pale in comparison to
>the WRC.

And yet, maybe it's a GOOD place to be. All right, we don't look as fast and flashy as the WRC cars...but the fact that it's nearby might just override that with the folks we're trying to attract to the sport.

I talked to a guy the other day who watched WRC regularly...then suddenly found there was a rally in ATLANTA, MICHIGAN, fergoshsakes...someplace he visits several times a year. He and his new car will be at Lake Superior this year.

Bruce

 

[Mad Mike]

A different breed (of consumer) ...

Sir Malcolm (or some other typically Brit-sounding first name) Somebody-er-other (famous, trust me) once said (sorta), 'Rallyists are an odd breed, prepared to make ridiculous sacrifices just to get out in a car and have a jolly good thrash.'

Self-denigrating forum posters aside (we REALLY gotta help Jon with his self-esteem ), we rallyists really ARE a different breed and that which floats our boat may not be a marketers cup of tea. While the ProRally coverage I've seen the last few seasons (nothing from 2002 yet) are far from journalistic jems they are also far from the tunnelvision we see in those half-hour VacuuSuck-Your-Food episodes infesting some channels at all hours.

Along with a lot of others, I've been disappointed when Plumer missed MY vision of what HIS production should showcase but the simple fact of the matter is he keeps getting his contract renewed so he must be making someone happy for something. And if you think that crew hasn't honed their craft considerably over the years I invite you to watch some the very first episodes that were aired last century.

And don't foreget that Speed's ProRally coverage hits #4 of Mad Mike's Three Pro Rally Rules square on the head - "Any PR is better than no PR."

Halley ...
http://www.realautosport.com

 

[Mad Mike]

RE: A different breed (of consumer) ...

Just read my own crap and it dawned on me that I can die a happy man if I find a way to mix metaphors in a deeply nested parenthetical!

Halley ...
http://www.realautosport.com

 

[daphne]

RE: A step in the right direction???

Well, six of one, half dozen of another! ;-)

My point is that when you put two similar products side by side, it magnifies the differences. The ProRally coverage, on it's own, is pretty good. Next to the WRC coverage, it looks a bit amature.

But yes, a strong lead in does help. The hour of the coverage, though, may work against it. Which reminds me...I really should get Tivo. ;-)

The thing is, those top guys aren't much slower than the WRC cars. Problem is the camera locations used don't always show that. I mean, everyone looks slow going through a tight hairpin and everyone looks fast on a long straight. Long, more open corners make good drivers look brilliant!

Don't get me wrong. We've come a long way since the "Rally Dirt" segment that featured the Hyundai Santa Fe SUV. Given the limited resources, the coverage is excellent. The WRC guys probably spend 4 times our yearly budget PER EVENT! Their coverage is in a different class.

You know...I think my diamond ring looks pretty good. But next to the Hope diamond, it looks like cubic zirconia.