|
I think Champ Car will never see 2009 unless several things happen:
1. Committed ownership. KK seems to retain his interest; we'll see if the civil trial has changed him or his finances in any way. It's hard to understand the level of GF's interest, as he hasn't been to a race in most of 2007, and the possible split with Tracy seems real enough. Does he only wish to retain (and fund) a one car team, not the whole series? We don't know. PG? He's not going to fund a series. And everything we can see says that the series requires a great deal of financial propping up -- the total package is nowhere near making a profit.
2. A strategic, long-range plan, Is this an American road racing series, American festivals with a little racing tossed in, F1 lite, a competitor to A1GP, a competitor to the new world series planned for late 2008 (also using chassis built by Panoz). About all we know is that the Pacific Rim Strategy is dead.
3. After 2, a stable schedule, both for tracks and dates.
4. A well-thought out TV plan, aimed at increasing interest in the series. The present production is aimed at those who are already committed fans. There are producers and directors who understand how to package a race so that is has an appeal (or at least is understandable) to the non-fan. This is necessary for sponsorship too. (See building up "stars" below.)
Without 1 and 2 there will be little or no real sponsorship, not that there's any of consequence now. KK may be wlling and able to underwrite the expenses of the series itself, but teams have to be run as businesses -- it's obvious that there aren't enough "sportsmen" willing to fund teams for no return. These teams have substantial expenses for cars, parts, transportation, crew, buildings, insurance, taxes, etc.
If this is going to be a North America series, you have to build up some names people outside the small circle of hard-core fans will recognize. (NASCAR understood this model better than anyone.) The IRL's masterstroke of 2007 was Helio willing "Dancing with the Stars" -- that got the Indy 500 and IRL exposure to millions of people who knew nothing about it. Few will go to a race, even fewer will become real fans, but it will slightly increase TV viewers. Every little bit and all that.
There's more, of course, and I wish I had time to sketch out thoughts on a plan for survival. I just hope the series owners and Steve Johnson have that time and interest.
(Or, as I believe John SSC once suggested, a new motto: "CCWS: Drivers whose checks cleared, at Tracks whose checks did the same.")
Sad.
Fz.
|