[Pashtet]

Looks pretty good. Let's ditch Valencia for this circuit, thank you!

[Justlovemy]

I agree with you regarding Valencia but the New Jersey layout doesn't look that good. I also don't think we'll ever see a New Jersey GP. Sooner or later F1 is going to get the point that the US simply isn't interested in F1. Sure there are plenty of F1 fans in the US but it's a 'cult' sport. Like American football in Australia there simply aren't enough fans to generate enough corporate interest to generate the funding required to pay Bernie his filthy lucre.

[neictscek]

Like American football in Australia there simply aren't enough fans to generate enough corporate interest to generate the funding required to pay Bernie his filthy lucre.

I think the issue is the fans at traditional F1 venues as well as USA now have to compete against government subsidies for F1 tracks in places like Bahrain and Russia. American fans had no problem filling the huge Indianapolis stadium, but it was still not enough for Bernie.

[JJoon077]

I'm not holding my breath that the NJ GP will actually happen

[DoctorIrokezov]

I think the issue is the fans at traditional F1 venues as well as USA now have to compete against government subsidies for F1 tracks in places like Bahrain and Russia. American fans had no problem filling the huge Indianapolis stadium, but it was still not enough for Bernie.

Absolutely right! Do Americans love F1? Yes. Are we going to let Bernie put a gun to our heads and extort an outrageous amount of money for us? Hell no! I see this race as a one and done kind of deal. I doubt the contract will be honored for the duration of 10 years.

[KRbGA0Bg]

The Grand Prix of New Joisy? That's absoid. (sorry - I just love the New Jersy accent - reminds me of the Bugs Bunny show....

[Yinekol]

I agree with you regarding Valencia but the New Jersey layout doesn't look that good. I also don't think we'll ever see a New Jersey GP. Sooner or later F1 is going to get the point that the US simply isn't interested in F1. Sure there are plenty of F1 fans in the US but it's a 'cult' sport. Like American football in Australia there simply aren't enough fans to generate enough corporate interest to generate the funding required to pay Bernie his filthy lucre.

I thought that already happened like years ago.

[LSg44PDu]

the US simply isn't interested in F1.

Yep - they've done this arse about face. First shove a decent American in an F1 race seat, then bring the 'series' to a decent track that'll show the cars at their racing best.

[zzarratusstra]

The Grand Prix of New Joisy? That's absoid. (sorry - I just love the New Jersy accent - reminds me of the Bugs Bunny show....

Spring has sprung, the grass has riz.......

[st01en_lox]

Bernie

This is an interesting story by Gordon Kirby on Bernie's misreading of the US F1 scene.

There are 330 m Americans and a least some of them are interested, Watkins Glen attracted 85,000 fans in the 70s with practically no facilities at all. A permanent circuit on either coast could be successful in the long term, but probably not NJ. Prudence would suggest 1 USGP for now, not 2.

[Scukonaher]

Absolutely right! Do Americans love F1? Yes. Are we going to let Bernie put a gun to our heads and extort an outrageous amount of money for us? Hell no! I see this race as a one and done kind of deal. I doubt the contract will be honored for the duration of 10 years.

I've heard that the ticket prices for the Austin race are unbelievable.

Having said that IIRC Bernie was so desperate to get into the American market that Indy paid less than other tracks in places like China for their race but surely his biggest problem is TV access. No mainstream American TV channel will want to carry F1 at the prices Bernie wants especially since NASCAR and Indy rights are so much cheaper, but Bernie can't afford to cut a bargain basement deal because other TV companies around the world would complain.

[BenWired306]

Bernie

This is an interesting story by Gordon Kirby on Bernie's misreading of the US F1 scene.

There are 330 m Americans and a least some of them are interested, Watkins Glen attracted 85,000 fans in the 70s with practically no facilities at all. A permanent circuit on either coast could be successful in the long term, but probably not NJ. Prudence would suggest 1 USGP for now, not 2.

Can you name one international sport that is really big in America? I cannot think of any, maybe olympics? It just a fact of life that Americans want to have their own sports and it's really difficult for any international sport to challenge that.

One thing that may help F1 grow in the States is the ever-increasing Hispanic population. Many of them know what F1 is and have heard about Sennas and Piquets etc.

[KimLinbert]

Can you name one international sport that is really big in America?.

What's your definition of 'really big'?
I believe tennis and golf are as big in the US as anywhere else.
Hockey is big too, in some parts of the country.

[Opening-auto]

What's your definition of 'really big'?
I believe tennis and golf are as big in the US as anywhere else.
Hockey is big too, in some parts of the country.

You're right about golf, I was just referring to the big four American sports baseball, American football, basketball and hockey, none of which have a similar standing outside the States.

BTW I don't know if hockey can be considered an international sport since it's the biggest sport in only two countries of the world; Finland and Canada. ( Ok maybe the Czech Republic)

[Finkevannon]

TWO US circuits on the calendar? I don't think that will work but we will see.

[duceswild]

BTW I don't know if hockey can be considered an international sport since it's the biggest sport in only two countries of the world; Finland and Canada. ( Ok maybe the Czech Republic)

There is an outfit called IIHF which run a World Championship each spring plus the Olympic tournament, currently Russia is champ.

Your point is taken re world sports, Americans tend to concentrate on the ones developed stateside and exported to parts of the world,baseball, basketball and certainly American football. World football (soccer) is as distant as ever from becoming a mass media US sport.

As is F1 racing. But not to despair, even 1% of the populace makes for 3 m potential viewers. In its heyday 60s and 70s F1 was then only a niche sport, but still produced 2 American World Champions. It could have been 3 had Dan Gurney pursued a relentless goal of becoming WC in 1966.

F1 can never rival NASCAR now, it ceded too many years advantage by flitting from Phoenix, Las Vegas, Dallas etc. It still could be a sport with a cult following, not mass media but still important. NASCAR has come up with a brilliant marketing strategy, selling racing plus RV camping, tailgate parties, BBQ, country-rock music, easy accessibility to cars, drivers, family fun and more.
Bernie's strategy if you can call it that, has been the antithesis of this. it seems doubtful he even wishes to appeal to that socio-economic strata; his goal is to see F1 races in an urban setting like Montreal or NJ.

If F1 is ever to gain a foothold in US again, It will be at a permanent designated track, not an urban street circuit IMO.

[VodsNittats]

What's your definition of 'really big'?
I believe tennis and golf are as big in the US as anywhere else.
Hockey is big too, in some parts of the country.

He said international sport, not canuck footy.

Just joking , I like hockey myself, unfortunately, I have to drive to Dallas to see NHL hockey, Houston only has an AHL team.

I would not call hockey an international sport, if it is, then baseball is an international sport, they have pro leagues in Venezuela, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Panama, and I would not call it big, they have grea, attendance in Chicago (even better than the Canadian cities), Philly and Detroit, but the TV ratings are still crappy in the country, maybe more crappy than before, Versus games averaged 350,000 viewers on 2011, on 2011, SPEED was averaging a little more than 600,000 viewers for their live races, that doesn't count all the fans that DVR the races because they don't want to wake up early in the morning,way more than hockey, Mexican soccer averages 900,000 viewers in the US, and they pretty much show all the ir games, and I just googled the Mexican National team and they usually get close to 4 million people in the US.

After googling that, I would like to know if after 2 podiums for Sergio Perez the F1 races improve in the US because of he Mexican fans, I would also like to see how many Mexican fans are buying F1 tickets for Austin, but I doubt an AMerican driver could improve F1 in the US that much if it has the results Scott Speed had.

They love

[deermealec]

BTW I don't know if hockey can be considered an international sport

Hockey is certainly an international sport - the International Hockey Federation has 116 member countries, the sport has been played at almost every Olympics since 1908, and Olympic medals have been won by 20 different nations from 6 continents.

Or was Firstgear referring to ice hockey?

[Khcyhshq]

Hockey is certainly an international sport - the International Hockey Federation has 116 member countries, the sport has been played at almost every Olympics since 1908, and Olympic medals have been won by 20 different nations from 6 continents.

Or was Firstgear referring to ice hockey?

Yes, I was referring to "Ice Hockey"

But when you say "Hockey" what are you referring to?

Field Hockey
Indoor Hockey - Field Hockey Indoors
Mini Hockey - Field Hockey with a minimum of 5 players on each team including Goalkeeper.
Ice hockey
Inline hockey (Single Bladed Weels)
Roller Hockey (Quad Wheels)
Street hockey - (played the same as ice hockey with the same gear (excluding inline skates) but usually on a street or other paved area [not recommended to play in traffic])
Unicycle Hockey
UniHoc - Played with plastic sticks (both sides flat) and plastic hollow ball as an introduction to hockey also known as FloorBall or Floor Hockey
Bandy - in some ways field hockey on ice
PowerHockey - a form of hockey played in electric wheelchairs for disabled people
Underwater Hockey
Shinty - Scottish from of hockey played in the highlands
Hurling or Camogie - there are some resembalance to Hockey

[Quaganoca]

Event attendance figures are secondary.
It’s the television audience that Bernie is after. This, along with the contract agreements to host the events, is from where the majority of F1 revenues are generated. Revenues from ticket sales are tiny in comparison, especially since the event host receives much of these.
A venue such as China is a good example. Ticket sales are paltry but the FOM still receives millions in revenues due to a world-wide television audience.
A US GP will attract a huge television audience, especially since the event broadcast is ideally timed for both the American and European audiences, the latter of which will view it more-or-less evening prime time.

Speed TV (Fox) typically had full broadcast rights to the previous US GP the events.