Pocky's Paddock
A NASCAR BLOG BY Bob Pockrass
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LeBron James vs. NASCAR
May
2
RICHMOND, Va. – Congratulations to ESPN for its best Nationwide Series rating since taking over exclusive rights to NASCAR’s No. 2 series with a 2.6 rating for the Talladega telecast on ABC.
That shows ESPN must be doing something right.
But ESPN won’t build on that momentum, thanks to a decision to bump the Nationwide race tonight off ESPN2 in favor of a first-round NBA playoff game between Washington and Cleveland. This is a LeBron James decision all the way in relegating the ESPN-produced live telecast to ESPN Classic and Speed.
Speed does solid work, but many hotels don’t have Speed and a sports bar likely isn’t going to have a television regularly set on ESPN Classic or Speed. Sponsors of Nationwide teams have a right to be angry over this decision. The race sponsor should be angry over this decision. They were told that this race would be on ESPN2, not that it would be on ESPN2 as long as the NBA playoffs didn’t get in the way.
Granted, the ratings for the NBA playoff game likely will be better than what the Nationwide Series could attract Friday night. The Richmond Nationwide race has provided weak ratings with a 1.2 last year on ESPN2 and a 1.1 the year before on Fx. The NBA playoffs have been strong, with the Washington-Cleveland game, starting an hour before the Sprint Cup race on Fox last Sunday, drawing a 3.0 overnight rating on ABC.
But Richmond is typically one of the more exciting races and one of the best Nationwide races of the year. It is good because young drivers used to short-track racing can turn in impressive results and full-time Cup drivers are more than willing to spin each other out since they don’t have points on the line.
It’s too bad that ESPN won’t be able to build on last week’s race. Those who have their DVRs set to ESPN2 for 7:30 tonight are going to miss a good one.
That shows ESPN must be doing something right.
But ESPN won’t build on that momentum, thanks to a decision to bump the Nationwide race tonight off ESPN2 in favor of a first-round NBA playoff game between Washington and Cleveland. This is a LeBron James decision all the way in relegating the ESPN-produced live telecast to ESPN Classic and Speed.
Speed does solid work, but many hotels don’t have Speed and a sports bar likely isn’t going to have a television regularly set on ESPN Classic or Speed. Sponsors of Nationwide teams have a right to be angry over this decision. The race sponsor should be angry over this decision. They were told that this race would be on ESPN2, not that it would be on ESPN2 as long as the NBA playoffs didn’t get in the way.
Granted, the ratings for the NBA playoff game likely will be better than what the Nationwide Series could attract Friday night. The Richmond Nationwide race has provided weak ratings with a 1.2 last year on ESPN2 and a 1.1 the year before on Fx. The NBA playoffs have been strong, with the Washington-Cleveland game, starting an hour before the Sprint Cup race on Fox last Sunday, drawing a 3.0 overnight rating on ABC.
But Richmond is typically one of the more exciting races and one of the best Nationwide races of the year. It is good because young drivers used to short-track racing can turn in impressive results and full-time Cup drivers are more than willing to spin each other out since they don’t have points on the line.
It’s too bad that ESPN won’t be able to build on last week’s race. Those who have their DVRs set to ESPN2 for 7:30 tonight are going to miss a good one.
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Comments
1 response to "LeBron James vs. NASCAR"
Worm Dirt said:
May 9, 2008 at 11:32 PMMcPackrass says... "It is good because.....Cup drivers are more than willing to spin each other out......" Keep buying Red Man moist snuff because in no way is Bob McPackrass a HYPOCRITE.
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