Quote:
Originally Posted by KA
I'm really playing devil's advocate a bit here, but taking Pach233's hypothetical schedule, with Audi, Toyota and Porsche basically opting to avoid each other outside ofthe WEC races by each running in a separate regional series, does this actually strengthen the regional series?
Is it any easier to grow the brand for the ALMS if it's basically a series of Audi demonstration runs with Cytosport and Dyson fighting over 3rd place a couple of laps down?
Worse, suppose two- or all - of the manufacturers opt for the same regional series- that series might well benefit, but the others are left right back where they are now....
Potentially even worse, by trying to dictate that each manufacturer basically fights on two fronts by mandating that they run a full regional series season, plus the WEC-counting rounds of the other series, maybe you drive that manufacturer into deciding to spend their motorsport budget somewhere else entirely....?
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A single manufacturer in the ALMS/ELMS is preferable to none, just look back at the Audi R8's. The fan base, press and sponsorship money will all grow, only with at least one manufacturer in the top class. Without them, you basically have white label cars at the front, which aren't of any interest to anyone but us anoraks.
As far as costs are concerned, it is always going to be about costs vs. perceived value. At the moment the value of competing in the ELMS is next to nothing (if they allowed P1 manufacturers), and the ALMS has eroded, and will continue to get worse. The LM brand needs greater exposure, so this is a bit of a chicken vs. the egg thing. If the manufacturers work with the LM brand, they can help build it to the point where not only does it provide good ROI to them, but will attract others, which will further increase the exposure of the brand. Of course if the manufacturer is only interested in their own short-term benefit, at the expense of the LM brand..... They have to start thinking about long-term, not pandering to short-term interests... how did that work out with Peugeot this year?
Quote:
Originally Posted by lms
The tv deal is still awesome. imho, the ALMS situation has nothing to do with how the wec is run, its simply a lack of interest in this kind of racing in NA .
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The TV deal is mostly terrible, from a sponsors perspective.
The ALMS absolutely is tied to ILMC and now WEC. The way they have been run is as competitors to each other, eliminating the possibility of manufacturers being involved in the regional series... to date.