March 24 -25 Media Event at Indianapolis

[JohnSSC]

As Indycool has reported here, this year's "kickoff" media event will not be at Long Beach, but at Indianapolis.

Why?

I realize that is where HQ is, but for a Series that has tried (beyond reason) to disassociate itself from the IRL and The 500 they are choosing to have their kickoff at the one place in the world that is directly associated with the "other" Series.

Comments?

[Kicking-back]

It's a very foolish move from a PR point of view.

Unless they're announcing they're joining the IRL

[Snrub]

It probably cost a fair bit of money to have everyone go to LB and do their thing, perhaps they didn't find any real benfits to jusitfy the costs?

[luke]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

It's a very foolish move from a PR point of view.

Unless they're announcing they're joining the IRL

In a poll, about a year a go, it stated which was the most popular racing series in Indiana.
Champ Car won, then it was NASCAR then F1, then the IRL. I think.
I think it was a local news paper that carried it out, it appeared in Autosport, a while back, maybe this time last year.

As my point above, most of the teams are still based in Indianapolis, and as the poll points out Champ Car is still popular in the city, IMHO It's not very foolish.

[enemy-ace]

I can't see how it can be regarded as foolish either. The teams for the majority are there already, plus the local media is motorsports savy as well and probably interested.
No need to burn money you don't have.

[JohnSSC]

Word Association Time!

Query: "Indianapolis."

Response: "500."

I beg to differ. If CC is trying to differentiate itself from the IRL, why have the media cookout in TG's backyard?

If there was a time to spend a little moolah in order to make a splash/attract attention at one of the few remaining venues CC has with some tradition behind it that time would be now. How much $$ could they possibly be saving to do it this way vs the option of having the rollout in California, the PR capital of the world?

Savy media types would prefer (appreciate) the opportunity to sally forth to Long Beach in March for a Sunny Shindig.

[Snrub]

Well they did it for some reason. Perhaps this year showing up to LB and saying, "...so yeah none of our cars have sponsorship and we have no idea who's going to be sitting in half the cars," wasn't what they were looking for. With all the bankruptcy stuff last year, perhaps it made more sense but now they don't have to worry about people wonding if there will be a LBGP.

Anyway, I feel a poll coming on. Your choices are:
1. KK and GF are retarded.
2. There was a reason such as those outlined above, two excellent ones by luke.

Let's all vote for #1.

On a more serious note, perhaps it would have been a better choice to go to San Jose to try to promote a fledgling race. Typically they send a car and driver with PR staff to new areas (we've read about Edmonton recently), creating a bigger buzz in San Jose would probably offset the potential negatives that must have resulted in the decision not to go to LB.

[Tenoch]

I feel that the three amigos are playing noy only to the Champ Car savy local media, but also to do the the local fans, who when it comes down to it are some of most knowaledgeble (spelling) of both the american and international open wheel scene you can find in this country.

[The Snout]

CCWS is a business based in Indy, their teams are closer at hand there. It's easier for all. I don't see why they should feel like they can't have a BBQ and invite some friends and media around in their own backyard. And unless they are holding this media day at IMS, I don't see any problem being confused with the IRL.

[Jordi]

It's the so-called Racing Capital of the World, innit?

Basically the majority of teams are at Indy, it makes sense to just wheel out the cars than fly them somewhere else.

[mac]

And location doesn't really matter. Any media coverage they get will be along the lines of:

"The CCWS was launched last week in Indianapolis. The Three Amigos said ....."

It is an incidental fact and in terms of media coverage, I don't think it will matter much.

It is for the media - not the punters.

[Flatspot]

Personally, I think that this is one of the smartest moves CC could make. As many have said, ChampCar is in Indy, much of the media who cares is in Indy, plus many smaller media outlets based in Indy who may not send someone somewhere else to cover it, will.

Moreover it sends a distinct message to sponsors, team owners, drivers, venues etc. that Champ Car is here, alive and kicking. The business model is so radically different than their circle burning cousins that there is no need to turn tail and hide.

A proper message I think.

[GP Racer]

Along with the announcement of CC's Indy kickoff, comes this curious statement:

"There's a rule that some people have interpreted to mean is there to keep our teams from running at Indy but it’s not true," said Cotman. "It's a testing rule and we have it to prevent somebody in the IRL from leasing one of our cars to test a driver on a road course because then that Champ Car team would gain information."

"But are we going to stop our people from running Indy? No. Should we? No, I don't believe so. Are we helping the IRL? Probably but if there's a sponsor who might run Champ Car if they get to compete at Indy, that's good."

Could these two announcments coming so close to each other, reflect a softening of the hard feelings between CC and the IRL, or at least CC and the Indy 500? Or am I reaching?

[macdaddy]

You're reaching.

[Snips1]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

As Indycool has reported here, this year's "kickoff" media event will not be at Long Beach, but at Indianapolis.

Why?

I realize that is where HQ is, but for a Series that has tried (beyond reason) to disassociate itself from the IRL and The 500 they are choosing to have their kickoff at the one place in the world that is directly associated with the "other" Series.

Comments?

What had you expected???

No seriously maybe because it's cheaper than going to LB???

[JohnSSC]

There have been numerous comments about the "cost." If the event were being held in January or even February I would agree that it is senseless to have the kickoff anywhere but HQ.

But with only three weeks separating the event and the race it does not seem that sending a PR crew and a car to display (the car would be sent by truck, not flown as some have suggested) would be outrageous. After the event, the car could be stored with the rest of the equipment for the race or used for display/promotion purposes.

Again, if saving a few dollars on airfare and hotel bills is going to make that big of a difference, then this series is in worse shape than I thought. Further, with as much air travel as they do they likely have the frequent flyer miles (seriously) to not even have to pay that.

Welcome to the Forum Snips1!

[enemy-ace]

If the event is going to be anything like last years, it will be more than just one car and a PR crew. What would be the point of just sending one car to California, that would be a little underwhelming.
I can only assume that a number of the teams would want to be represented and trucking them all to California and back is a waste of money. What could they possibly gain by going there a few weeks early that they couldn't achieve in Indy? The LB event already is well promoted. This would be more of a series promotion as opposed to an event promotion.
Once they do go to LB a few weeks later there will be plenty of promo time available as well. Why oversaturate the same market?

[JohnSSC]

How could anyone support the market for CC being "oversaturated?"

Plus, from that date to the date of first practice is two weeks. The pay to play Teams likely will not be testing during that period but the higher priced guys may be doing some testing at Infineon so the equipment will already be on the way there in some cases.

[enemy-ace]

The oversaturation was in reference to the LB locale. As I said before, LB is already well promoted. It really doesn't need the extra promotion. The series does, which can be achieved from Indy. With electronic and print media the message of CC can be conveyed just as well from Indy.

[Flatspot]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

Again, if saving a few dollars on airfare and hotel bills is going to make that big of a difference, then this series is in worse shape than I thought.

Or it is being managed far better than in the past.

I have to fall back on where ChampCar will get the best coverage regardless of transportation costs. The automotive media (as far as open wheel racing in the US is concerned) seems to be more highly concentrated in Indy. The kick off should be about the series not a single event. Bigger bang for the buck with a more long term effect on the season in Indy I think. I don't beleive the Southern California papers will have any less coverage of ChampCar (or any more) if the event were centered around the Long Beach GP. Who's to say they won't send a PR truck west anyway?

[racefanatic]

Originally Posted by luke

In a poll, about a year a go, it stated which was the most popular racing series in Indiana.
Champ Car won, then it was NASCAR then F1, then the IRL. I think.
I think it was a local news paper that carried it out, it appeared in Autosport, a while back, maybe this time last year.

As a Champ Car fan and a resident of Indianapolis, I would love to believe that Champ Car is the most popular series here...

but I remember someone starting a thread on this forum with the link to the Indy Star website (where that poll was) saying "vote for Champ Car!" I'm sure we were the main reason Champ Car ended up being #1.

[Liz]

I was in line at the International Car Show waiting to get Ron Fellows' autograph for my grandson (who was with me), and whenever Tony George's name came up, immediately someone would say "That (*&&^ stole Paul Tracy's Indy win!"

I think if anybody wants to make a peace gesture to CCWS from That Other Series, paying Tracy to run and this time letting him win would be a nice place to start.

Furthermore, I think that if TG needs our cars to make up the field, we ought to make him pay for the privilege.

[camcartfan]

Having the CC premiere in Long Beach would be similar to F1 having a premiere in Bahrain. Or NASCAR having a premiere at California Speedway. Logistically and economically it is not feasable. I don't see a problem here.