The Conundrum of American F1 Fans 18/03/2008 Please, Mister, Can We Have Our Ball Back?Sidepodcast are running a F1 Fantasy League at the moment and, in a recent post, they published some statistics on the countries of origin of the entrants. From the very pretty graph supplied, one glaring fact springs immediately to the eye: the USA has the most participants by a considerable margin.Alright, one can quibble about some entrants giving their nationality as English or Scottish rather than UK but, even if all their numbers are added together, the States are only three people behind. If we then add the Canadians, who are third in the list, it is quite clear that North America has a crushing majority over the European heartland of F1. According to Bernie Ecclestone, who has said that the sport does not need the USA, that should not be possible.In order to shake Bernie from his misconceptions, it is necessary to delve deeper into the anomaly of the Sidepodcast figures. There is no doubt that the Stateside F1 fans are in a minority amongst their countrymen, so why should so many of them be moved to take part in a fantasy league based on the sport? The answer lies in the very fact of their minority status.In previous discussions on this blog, it has become clear that US F1 fans are forced to be more dedicated to the sport than the millions of European supporters. Surrounded by a sea of NASCAR fans and followers of such American sports as football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey, F1 fans have developed a siege mentality to defend their special interest. Those who have survived the temptations of other sports and the occasionally farcical displays put on at their home GP have proved their devotion and defended it by acquiring extensive knowledge of the sport. It is safe to say, therefore, that the vast majority of US F1 supporters are enthusiasts rather than casual fans.Suddenly the Sidepodcast stats make sense. I would be prepared to bet that the US entrants represent a much higher percentage of the country's fanbase than do the figures for the UK. Fantasy leagues attract the real fans, those who cannot get enough of their chosen sport and need more outlets for their passion. In the UK, the entrants come from the enthusiast section of the fanbase and the casual fans (who probably number more than the dedicated fans) do not bother with a fantasy league. In the US, almost all the fans are enthusiasts and so are more likely to enter such a competition.This does not mean that there are more enthusiasts in the States than in the UK. British fans are supplied with a wealth of routes to fantasy leagues, through newspapers, magazines and websites; Sidepodcast will have swept in only a proportion of them. In America, however, access to F1-related matters is much more limited; the enthusiast has to venture abroad to feed his habit. And that means the internet - Sidepodcast, being one of the leading F1 sites, will attract a higher percentage of US devotees purely because Statesiders have fewer options than their European counterparts.So is Bernie right to despise the American fanbase? In the short term, maybe, and the F1 media supremo seems interested only in the shortest way to a quick buck these days. He will always go for those countries that can pay the most and promise to increase the number of casual fans watching the TV broadcasts. When criticizing the American GP, Bernie is really saying that it does not make enough money for him to bother with. And it is more difficult to build a casual fanbase in the States than in any other country - they are already over-supplied with a myriad other sports on their televisions.And yet this is incredibly short-sighted. Sooner or later, F1 is going to run out of countries that will pay obscene amounts of money for the right to stage a GP and, when that happens, the potential for adding casual viewers will be severely restricted. The sport will have to fall back on its dedicated followers, therefore, and it may find that it has alienated them forever in the meantime. That is no skin off Bernie's nose - he will have retired long before that happens. But it should matter to those of us who really care about the future of F1.The Sidepodcast stats show that F1 has already succeeded in building a core of dedicated F1 followers in the States. They may be a tiny percentage of the population but still represent a sizable following in comparison to the fanbase in European countries. Bernie must know how difficult it is to build viewership in the States but he should be forced to see that the hardest work has already been done - there is a following in the the US and it is already large enough to justify at least one USGP. He has given Spain two this year and yet the American fanbase must be many times larger than the Spanish, especially when the Canadians are taken into account.If Bernie retains even a drop of love for the sport, he should be sitting down with Tony George (who has remained keen on a USGP at Indy, incredibly enough) and working towards the return of F1 to the States next year. That will demonstrate much more foresight and wisdom than talking to some Russian gangsters about a mythical GP in St Petersburg.
Clive
Scott Good point. There is no such thing as a casual F1 fan in the US, because there is NO coverage. My hometown paper had a sentence about qualifying, and nothing about the race.If us fans in the US want info, we have to find it on our own (on sites like this!).And yes, I'm one of the Americans in the Sidepodcast fantasy league! Date Added: 18/03/2008
John F You already know my position on a USGP so I will tell you why this number means more then just a statistic. As you said F1 has to compete with alot of other sports. I personally am a dedicated F1 fan, but I was once a dedicated CART fan. Until the disaster. I am also a very big (American) Football fan. I live for Sundays either the race or the game. I am also a huge Baseball fan. Most Europeans look at Baseball as boring. I go from the most exciting to the most boring of sports. American Fantasy League baseball is huge in the US. However this was the first fantasy league that I ever participated in. I am also sure that most Europeans like their football. There is enough room for we Americans to accept and participate in F1. Why we may do so is the fact that the only coverage we get is from your posts like yours and others,like sidepodcast. Because we follow the sport on the internet we tend to become more dedicated. I never read stories of my Philadelphia Eagles (american football) on the internet I get that coverage in my local paper. I have a feeling that the Canadien coverage is just a small amount more. So they click to the internet for coverage. It is the way that F1 is covered on the net that is unique. It feels like we are a clique. We know how all the commentator show they feel. We learn and feed off each other posts. In the US if you look at comments, say for instance NASCAR, there is so much venom. I am a dedicated fan of BMW but that does not mean that I hate Ferrari or their drivers. But if I did and posted it I would be put in my place. We are genuinely concerned not to say any too hurtful. I mean we may stuff about Bernie and Max (and mean it) but it is not threatening. This is because we know that it would not be tolerated. Americans like that we can be nice once in while. We are so dedicated because of the way we follow the sport is different from the way we follow any other sport. Date Added: 18/03/2008
Clive Scott, you prove my point. If only Bernie would wake up and smell the coffee! But I suppose he's getting old and his nose ain't what it used to be - it's not even that good at smelling the money anymore, by all accounts (well, CVC's accounts anyway).Good luck in the league, by the way! Date Added: 18/03/2008
Clive A different sport for different people, John. And American F1 fans are a very special bunch that I am proud to be getting to know. Maybe Tony George should forget about Indycars/Champ Cars and start a breakaway F1 in the States instead... Date Added: 18/03/2008
John F Great idea Clive!! Date Added: 18/03/2008
john f Great idea Clive!! Date Added: 18/03/2008
Clive Actually, it may be what is needed. Tony George is left with a merged series of openwheel races that were both losing out to NASCAR and had to rely heavily on the popularity of a few hallowed venues to keep going. If he were to persuade a few GP2 teams (who are as good as barred from entering F1 now that the customer car issue has been handled so badly) to join with the best of the remaining CART teams in building cars to a similar formula to F1's, he might be able to build a homegrown competing series that doesn't need the interference of Max and Bernie. Then the US public would be treated to F1 racing as it should be (the Oz GP as an example) and they might find it's not as bad as they thought. Date Added: 18/03/2008
John F Maybe someone should find Tony George's email and send him this.. If I had it I would send it!! Date Added: 18/03/2008
Clive Not my place to do it, John - I am a mere resident and would not dare tell Tony how to run his business. ;) Date Added: 18/03/2008
Scott Clive, thanks for the well-wishes! I'm not doing too bad, yet...To be honest, I am not a long-time F1 fan. I started going to the local short-track a few years ago, then started watching NASCAR, then finally signed up for satellite TV late 2006, in time to get SpeedTV for the start of last season. And what a season!I like the global stage, the technology (not limited to 50s era engines), the competition (no cookie-cutter cars), the varying locations and tracks (no 1.5 or 2 mile tri-ovals).John--I think you're right too, about the clique. Being an F1 fan in the US is sorta 'underground'--it belongs to me, and it's ok if others don't understand or appreciate it. Date Added: 18/03/2008
David John F: “I have a feeling that the Canadien coverage is just a small amount more.” While I can’t speak to the Canadian coverage generally, B.C. enjoys live coverage from two cable channels: TSN & Speed. No, unfortunately they tend to synchronize their commercial breaks more often than not.So, if you can live with our real estate prices ... Date Added: 18/03/2008
Clive You are proof that F1 is still capable of adding to its fanbase in the States, Scott. There will always be those who want something different from the common run of things and are prepared to put in the time and effort to know their chosen interest thoroughly. It is natural that this should lead to a fanbase that is well informed and aware of its specialness in comparison to the followers of other sports. Bernie and the promoters of F1 should be using this fact to extend the fanbase, rather than continually insulting it with silly remarks about F1 not needing the US. Without the USA, F1 cannot claim to be a world championship sport. Date Added: 18/03/2008
Arnet I second that, David! May have to sell the house to afford the satellite coverage. Luckily TSN broadcasts IT-V's feed during the race so we get Brundle and gang. All Bernie needs to do is pick the right venue in America. Indy worked better than some, but I think something in San Fransisco would be pretty exciting, if the can find an area flat enough. Or Laguna Seca. Date Added: 18/03/2008
Kathryn S A couple of thoughts on US F1 fans...when people find out I'm an F1 fan, most are very surprised as I would not be your typical "gearhead"...and I always follow up with an "I don't do NASCAR" clarification. It often leads to curiosity about what F1 really is and how it's different. It often piques a bit of interest...and then people want to see clips of the races before they'll consider watching. Thanks, Bernie. It's also kind of tough to find a primer on F1--perhaps F1-Pitlane could fill that void with a basic newbie page. I also think the teams could do a whole lot more of some very basic, low cost promotion. Why, oh why, did every Mercedes dealership in the US not have a banner proclaiming "Winner of the US Grand Prix powered by Mercedes"?...and how come BMW didn't have sequential stills of Kubica's crash in Canada (heaven forbid that Bernie should allow them to use video) followed with a voice over..."Robert Kubica, BMW F1 driver walked out of the hospital the next day with a sprained ankle. The technology that protected him was designed by BMW engineers...who work to provide that same technology to BMW road cars." OK, I can understand why Honda didn't want their participation to be known last year and Toyota has a perennial problem with that. But it's the old chicken and egg syndrome...we can't advertise the USGP as no one knows about it...but don't you think Mercedes and BMW would have gotten some interest going even if people didn't know about F1?And, finally (can you tell I get wound up about this), the USGP was an absolute bargain for F1 fans...and that's what turns a casual fan to hard core. I had been a casual fan for quite some time...and when we got two free tickets as a consequence of my husband and son having attended the 2005 fiasco the whole family went in 2006. My daughter and I spent part of the trip out to Indy quizzing each other on teams, drivers and livery colors--and struggled mightily to keep everyone from getting muddled. It was an average race at best, but a very exciting experience. I started watching the races from start to finish after that...and after the exhilarating 2006 Hungarian GP I was totally hooked. When we showed up for Saturday morning practice last year at Indy, my husband switched seats to sit next to me as I knew all the teams and drivers and way more about the sport than most of the people around...all because I had a chance to attend a race. Another point of interest, too, is the number of Europeans attending as it was cheaper for them to fly, stay, eat and pay for race tickets in the US than to see their home race (plus all that great shopping at the malls)...and that could only be better as the dollar weakens.Apparently the news is encouraging for 2009...we can only hope. Date Added: 18/03/2008
Clive That business of the affordability of the USGP is what really sticks in Bernie's craw. He wanted Tony to increase ticket prices so that he (Bernie) could be paid more; Tony knew that the only way to increase the American fanbase was to keep ticket prices low. The result was deadlock and no USGP in 2008. Yet another triumph for Bernie's short term view and a body blow to F1's hopes for the future.You make a very good point about promotion by the manufacturers, Kathryn. They have been putting pressure on Bernie for the return of the USGP since it is such an important market for them - let's hope that next time (if there is one) they make proper use of such an excellent opportunity to increase their own and F1's visibility in the States.As regards a primer on F1, Alianora la Canta has written a good one as a series of posts on her blog, La Canta Magnifico. Start with the Introduction and follow the rest of the story through the links she provides. I will certainly discuss with John the possibility of creating a very simple Intro to F1 for F1-Pitlane, however - thanks for the idea.And so to Canada and real estate prices in B.C. Let's face it, you get all sorts of interesting information in this blog - always quite fancied the idea of living near Vancouver but now I'm not so sure! It's another argument for having two USGPs anyway, one in the east and one in the west to attract the B.C. fans while a fanbase is built up in California or Washington/Oregon. Date Added: 18/03/2008
Alianora La Canta Clive, thanks for recommending my Guide To F1 For Rookies. Hope Kathryn S enjoys it.One of the most striking things about this entry and its comments is how important the dedicated fan is to Formula 1's continued existence. We do pay for it (indirectly), after all! Chasing after new viewers is fine, but removing the things that made it attractive to the more dedicated supporter will cause F1's fortunes to fluctuate between temporary success and major failure, with survival dependent on short-term reactivism. Granted that there is no such thing as permanent success, but having a deep and broad core of dedicated supporters gives a sport a solid base from which to work. This is what the powers-that-be have forgotten.It also highlights part of the reason why F1 has always struggled to get a foothold in the USA. Previous explanations have concentrated on the huge speed differentials (the "Americans only do big numbers" argument) or the huge mess F1 has made of previous races there. However, poor marketing would explain a lot too. Somehow, I'd have thought that the Americans would have received more advertising than they had - how they could have missed Kathryn S's suggestions baffles me, even after I've read the odd book on "market segmentation".Bernie's stance on YouTube is reminiscent of the record companies' stance on MP3 - first they ignored it, then they lost money on it, then they slapped lawsuits on those promoting MP3s, then they lost piles more money, then they finally, tentatively, put up inferior solutions. Only then do they consider gradually improving them to something people would want to use. Oh, and it's more work for them because they waited so long before taking a sensible approach to the new information era. Expect the FOM to take the same path. ITV is now allowed to show very limited (in terms of time of availability length and flexibility) coverage of race weekends, which hints that the worst may be over.Dollar-chasing has looked stupid for a long time. Even more so now that past dollar-chasing is revealed to be so costly to the one who wanted the dollars... As for the lack of a primer, I'd've thought Speed TV, some of the teams or even the circuit could and should have stepped up to the role. If I can do one in my spare time, then surely they could have done a better one between them... Date Added: 19/03/2008
Clive All true, Alianora - you have such a depth of understanding of F1 and the problems confronting it that the FIA itself should be reading your blog. It is always a pleasure to link to any of your posts.SpeedTV do some excellent technical articles (courtesy of Steve Matchett) on their website but directs itself at the established fans, rather than the newbies. I would suggest that the FIA produce a primer of the sort required but then I remember that they tend to have a problem with Information Technology.Ah well, Max eventually heard us on the traction control thing - perhaps if we keep plugging away, he might learn a few more tricks too... Date Added: 19/03/2008
Keith I do think Europeans tend to underestimate the appetite for F1 in the US. But I also think American fans are more au fait with modern media - blogs, podcasts and all the rest of it. Certainly I get roughly as many comments overnight (in the UK) as I do in daytime, and many of those come from American fans.And from talking to them I know they care about their Grand Prix and they're disappointed it's gone. If F1 doesn't get its act together and go back there son then in a few years' time it might (hopefully) have a revitalised Indy Racing championship to contend with. Date Added: 19/03/2008
Steven Roy I am amazed that the car companies are not using the F1 association in their publicity. What is the point in them whingeing about Bernie killing the race for a few million dollars if they are not using their involvement to sell their product?I hadn't made the connection to the record companies but in some ways it works very well. One outcome of it that Alianora didn't mention is that so many musicians are now publishing their own work and completely bypassing the record companies. Before the record companies could offer them recording facilities, production facilities and publicity. Now their is no need for record / CD manufacture. Recording facilities can be hired cheaply and getting information to serious music fans can be done by anyone. The only weapon left to the people who had a complete monopoly a few years ago is that they can sign new artists up to contracts that give them immediate money and that they can finance top producers etc to work with an artist. They have effectively lost all control of a market they dominated.Of course the FIA will not lose control of F1 to the same degree but the longer they wait before they engage the new media the harder and more expensive it will be for them. In common with all monopolies they are slow moving and resistant to change. Somehow F1 needs to free itself from the FIA and get serious about promotion and engagement. Bernie can't go on for ever and he needs to be replaced with someone with a much more modern outlook. He is well past his sell by date and so is his sidekick Max. Date Added: 19/03/2008
Clive Agreed completely, Keith. It is frustrating to watch F1 squander all the hard work of building support over the last few years, merely because Bernie wanted a little more money than Tony would offer. With the disappearance of Champ Cars into Indycars, F1 is now back at square one, having to re-establish itself in the face of potentially strong resistance from American open wheel racing.You are right, too, about Americans being much more computer and internet savvy than Europeans. This is another factor to be aware of in considering the Sidepodcast stats and it goes some way to explaining the preponderance of US F1 fans on the net. The figures remain as a lesson for Bernie, however - the fanbase is there and should be recognized with a USGP. Date Added: 19/03/2008
Clive It really is time that Max and Bernie stepped down and let younger heads have a go, isn't it, Steven? Of course, the problem then is who will take their place. The suggestion that Jean Todt resigned as CEO of Ferrari purely so that he would be available for Max's job fills me with dread. Please let it not be so... Date Added: 19/03/2008
David North American interest in F1 - and vise-versa - will not change significantly till we actually become involved in the series. While we remain spectators in someone else’s sport, that’s pretty well how we’ll continue to be treated.Countries tend to support ‘their’ teams and/or drivers and we have neither one.Toro Rosso is purportedly for sale. There is also a one team grid vacancy. Anyone have Rodger Penske’s phone number? Date Added: 19/03/2008
Clive Good point, David - and the US hasn't had team and driver involvement in F1 since the seventies. The occasional driver has been tried but that has merely shown that the other ingredient needed to galvanize American interest is success.You may well have put your finger on the factor that will have more effect than anything else, however - the presence in F1 of an American team. I don't think Roger Penske would be interested in a return at this stage but there is this ray of hope buried in an article on Grand Prix dot com today:"Kevin Kalkhoven says he will run cars under the new banner of KV Racing Technology, once again in partnership with former driver Jimmy Vasser, but it remains to be seen whether Kalkhoven will continue for long and we have heard suggestions that he is more interested now in looking for a way into Formula 1 racing."Interesting, n'est-ce pas? Date Added: 19/03/2008
Steven Roy Marco Andretti has tested for Honda and now that Brawn has them headed in the right direction it may make sense for Marco to make the move for 2009 or 2010. An Andrettin in F1 would be to big an opportunity for Bernie to ignore. Date Added: 19/03/2008
Kathryn S Thanks for the recommendation, Clive, and thanks for the great background info, Alianora...even though I am a relative newbie, myself, I was looking for a good suggestion for people who know nothing so I can send them there...I'll add your blog, for sure. I have devoted a lot of time to educating myself and mostly have gaps with historical info and more esoteric stuff (esoteric being defined as stuff I don't know, stuff I don't understand, and stuff I'm not interested in). Brickyard.com used to have a great graphic loaded "what's the difference between Indy Car and F1" that was helpful as most Americans know about Indy Cars. I cannot even imagine why they pulled that down.On the presumption that Americans, in general, are more savvy with the computer stuff--I may be a bit wrong on the numbers, but the US is something like 14th in broadband access penetration with Japan having broadband at 5 times the speed and 1/3rd the price. What I think is true, though, is that US F1 fans, specifically, are more likely to be internet savvy than their European counterparts. Here we can't just turn on the TV or read the paper or pick up a magazine to get our info...the internet is our lifeline. Americans who don't have access and know how to use it will see their interest shrivel due to their inability to follow the sport. Europeans can follow the sport without the internet. Date Added: 19/03/2008
Clive There may be a bit more wait-and-see this time, Steven, in view of Michael Andretti's failure to make an impact on F1. It will be great if Marco can succeed, however. Date Added: 19/03/2008
Clive Looking back, Kathryn, I don't know how I managed to live without the internet. Perhaps it's just as well it wasn't invented when I was young - I'd still be in there, exploring! Date Added: 19/03/2008
chunter Just wanted to add a late two cents because liking F1 has a familiar taste to me: I am also an American that likes the round kind of football.Unless dictated by your ethnicity, the US Soccer fan is an iconoclastic sort that also has to be more enthusiast than casual fan, though, like F1, the fanbase is growing all the time.The difference, though, is in the sport itself: it makes no sense to play meaningful European and South American football matches in the USA, nor should any attempt be made to replicate that effect. Not to stray from the topic too much, but I like MLS, although I know it's nothing like the leagues of England or Spain, or Argentina, or even Mexico. It won't be and can't be like that, but it doesn't have to be like that either. It's just our nearest tainted approximation to a wonderful thing.ChampCar was like that, compared to F1. Nothing brilliant, but something you can learn to like and something you can watch and say, "That's mine." I suppose I'll have to lend some sort of support to Indy now though I have grown to hate the way oval races watch in the past decade. (I used to love the Indy 500.)Ecclestone's statement of "F1 doesn't need the US" is more about money than anything else. As the US dollar devalues, the statement lends itself more truth.Like in football, the US' failure to impact world motorsport is not taken seriously enough for flag waving "greatest country in the world" hypocrites to make sense.While I'm making more comparisons, the "rug leagues" and the grassroots soccer leagues that led to USL and inspired investors to create MLS are proof that there is no need to worry if Tony George messes everything up, throws away F1, IRL, ChampCar, and the whole lot, because it is possible for a grassroots effort to bring a feasible racing formula to the US, even if it never gets media coverage. Date Added: 20/03/2008
Clive In talking to many Americans about this, Chunter, it has become clear to me that this is where any extensive impact of a sport has to be made - at grass roots level. Open wheel racing is very sparsely catered for in the lower formulae and so few young drivers are arriving from this source. Most of them wander off into NASCAR because of the few opportunities of getting into IRL/Champ Cars.So Bernie's F1 is only a part of the problem from an American perspective. But, if F1 were to make a major effort with two or even three GPs in the States, interest would be stimulated and a grass roots basis established quite naturally. Date Added: 20/03/2008
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