[LM24] Liberty Media and the ACO

[ArnageWRC]

Originally Posted by Michel Vaillant

Le Mans is popular (230 000 persons on the week, on of the main events in the world). But the rest of the season is a little unpopular. Apart Spa and some IMSA races, grandstands are often empty. But, the heads of factory programmes and marketing departments are attentive about the popularity and media exposure of the event.
Last week, the CEO of VW Herbert Diess said in brief "only F1weighs in Motorsport ". I fear if nearby next years, WEC doesn't take off, lot of branding departments will do the same reasoning in the futur...

This is the big issue for me; and it might not be a popular view, but a sport needs more than one event that draws attention from a wider audience.

Look at the many motorsport forums around Le Mans, pages of comments, look at the crowds in the grandstands....it's impressive.

However, where are they all for Spa, Monza, et al?? Where do they go, and where do they come from?

And I'm still not sure that even Le Mans brings in the mainstream coverage it once did. We'd see hourly reports on 5 Live, newspaper previews/reports, even on main TV news bulletins.

I really do think the ACO need to be far more savvy regards to promotion of the WEC as a whole - but I've been saying that for a while, and I'm not sure it's a lot better. Saying that, it could be worse - it could be the WRC which lives in it's own little bubble.

For the general media, and sports editors, when it comes to motorsport, then it's all about F1 - and I don't know how you change that.

The LMH/ LMdH era looks promising, with all these manufacturers/ top drivers taking part. If that can't bring in more exposure, then nothing will.

[Anyopenroad]

There are people even on this forum who go to Le Mans every year but have never been to Spa, which is a fraction of the price, time and hassle to attend.

I chatted to a guy at Daytona who had only ever missed three races - one when his son was born, one when he was serving in Vietnam and the other when his father died. “I really should go to Le Mans one day…” he said. Another regular I spoke to had never been to Sebring.

I’d love to set up a swap service for them and some of the lovely Le Mans regulars here!

And that’s before I start singing the praises of Nürburgring 24, also easy and cheap to get to. There are also loads of fans there who don’t attend any other events all year.

[Aysedasi]

Pretty much goes for me, to be honest. This is my 35th Le Mans and although I've casually talked about Spa, I've never done it. I've no intention of going to the States for a race, I'm too much of a 'stay at home' type. I do the occasional UK event, but now that Silverstone has been axed from the WEC calendar sadly, I'm content with just getting to Le Mans.

[GT6]

In the old days i always did the three, le mans spa and silverstone but this year and last it was le mans only. However i will do spa next year and am planning to do Sebring in the near future.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Anyopenroad

I’d love to set up a swap service for them and some of the lovely Le Mans regulars here!

I'll happily take you up on this for Spa 24 this year. If you want to show a like-minded camera-wielding forumer the ropes.

[Mike E]

I finally got a ticket for Spa in 2020 but then...

[S griffin]

Better make the trips to the major circuits while you can. Quite a few like Silverstone have dropped off the calendar, no guarantee others are going to stay on there

[Truckosaurus]

I really need to get my act together and get to the N24 one year.

Also making the effort to get back to Spa.