Comments on: V8 Supercars entering their own crucial phase

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:23:36 +0000

I’m with you, still have huge interest in Bathurst (although I haven’t been for a few years) but my interest in the series in general has declined over the last 5 years or so from where I watched every round to just flicking over to see the results. For me it was just never the same once Brocky left I think. Also, while it’s been decades since they had any relevance to the ones in the showroom, these days the cars are basically all identical they just update the bodyshells year to year with no noticeable innovation.

Of course all indicators say that they are going through the roof so who am i to argue?

By: OzeToon

OzeToon — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:58:27 +0000

Very difficult to get too worked up over the v8’s there is little Holden / ford loyalty by the teams – how I miss the good old days of brock Holden v Johnson ford!

By: megatron

megatron — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:28:12 +0000

Probably because of the little media attention the series gets, apart from Bathurst.

By: mahony

mahony — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:08:19 +0000

I love the ‘tin-tops’ and have been watching them since the Group C days, through the disaster that Goup A became and now the V8’s. This “sport” like others goes through cycles, but if my flagging interest is representative, apart from Bathurst I sense the category is becoming a little less relevant to the average sports fan….. It is just a strong sense that I get – nothing more.

By: megatron

megatron — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:31:19 +0000

The Surfers event would still get plenty of interstate tourists even for just the V8s. It’s still a popluar place to go. Look at how much interstate tourists pump into the Adelaide economy over Clipsal.

By: megatron

megatron — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:28:32 +0000

Yep. In terms of crowds and ratings they can compete, but in terms of awareness, media attention and respect they are way behind. Adrian makes the interesting point on primetime ratings. Would be an interesting test for them.

By: James

James — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:07:17 +0000

The V8s will never threaten in the code war because they don’t race often enough and therefore don’t get enough attention from the media on a regular basis. Therefore awareness of the series is low. The calendar next year has a huge two month gap mid season which is like an admission of defeat that it cant compete with the winter sports.

By: megatron

megatron — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:10:49 +0000

It will be interesting to see what sort of crowd they get at Homebush. Eastern creeks
struggled for years to get people.

By: Redb

Redb — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:50:02 +0000

I enjoy a bit of the V8’s but like the Melb Cup in horse racing get right into Bathurst every year.

The TV coverage is excellent, no wonder the ratings are going through the roof. Brilliant.

Redb

By: The Link

The Link — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:41:59 +0000

Adrian, fascinating stats on the Bathurst TV ratings. Since the IMG takeover 15 years ago tyhe V8’s have gone from strength to strength. The V8’s have done well as a sport of the people (part. men), but are now attracting a wider clientele, including families and women. Having gone to Bathurst for the last 20 years, the changes in the last 5-10 years are palpable, less yobbos and yahoos, more of a family friendly atmosphere and professionalism.

By: Hansie

Hansie — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:08:26 +0000

I don’t agree with taxpayer dollars subsidising street races for domestic events. In the case of the Gold Coast Indy race, there was an argument that the race generated publicity in the USA, and subsequently tourist dollars. That is no longer the case if only the V8s run there. I don’t understand why the cash strapped NSW Government is pumping money into the Homebush race, when an international standard permanent circuit, Eastern Creek, is a matter of kilometres up the freeway.