2002 CART TV ratings by
the numbers
by Mark Cipolloni
December 29, 2002
Below is a summary of CART's 2002 TV
ratings. Note the difference in households between the network
TV broadcasts and the SPEED broadcasts. The network broadcast
numbers are 4 to 5 times larger than SPEED, and that is significant.
However, as the chart notes, when you
factor in the qualifying, pre-race show, and CART Friday night, the
SPEED numbers improve to around 50% of the network broadcast numbers.
We have, on numerous occasions stated that
CART needs to move as many of its races that it can to network TV.
While SPEED TV does an excellent job with its race broadcasts, it
simply is not pulling the TV ratings necessary for CART to survive and
prosper.
The best scenario for CART would be for
all its races to be broadcast on network TV, and leave SPEED for
qualifying, pre-race show, race rebroadcasts CART Friday Night,
specials, support series broadcasts, and the year-end banquet.
The SPEED folks of course won't be happy hearing me say they should
lose their CART race broadcasts, but if CART does not survive, then
they won't have anything to broadcast, and that is very important for
SPEED to understand.
It should be noted that SPEED's numbers
are getting better each year, but can CART survive long enough with
those sort of numbers to be around when SPEED finally makes it big
time?
Of course CART has a binding contract with
SPEED that states somewhere around 50% of its races should be on
SPEED, but CART is not like NASCAR where it has the luxury to wait for
SPEED to reach a critical mass of households.
Wouldn't it be nice if SPEED said to CART,
"we understand your predicament, so in the interim we will allow more
races to be shifted to network TV, if you work with us in other ways
so we can grow our viewership. Let's make this a win-win for
everyone. Instead of 50%, we will allow 75% of the races to be
on network TV, but in return, give us SPEED TV signage space on each
car so we can get our name out there" (note, I use this as just an
example of what could be done. Certainly there are other
possibilities for CART to give something back to SPEED).
It also should be noted that in the 2nd
chart below, LA remains CART's largest TV market, but New York is #2
and underscores the need for CART to be racing in NY City.
Philadelphia comes in at #3 and is also a candidate for consideration.
It should be noted that NYand Philadelphia would be even higher if
CART already held races in those markets.
Final 2002 CART TV
Numbers
Date
Venue
Network
Race Only HH's
Event total HH's
Rating
3/10/02
Monterrey, Mex.
Speed
264,000
1,056,000
0.5
4/14/02
Long Beach
Fox
1,042,000
1,636,000
1
4/27/02
Japan
Speed
213,000
651,000
0.4
6/2/02
Milwaukee
CBS
1,260,000
1,745,000
1.2
6/9/02
Laguna Seca
Speed
284,000
927,000
0.5
6/16/02
Portland
CBS
875,000
1,146,000
0.8
6/30/02
Chicago
CBS
1,191,000
1,377,000
1.1
7/7/02
Toronto
CBS
987,000
1,417,000
0.9
7/14/02
Cleveland
CBS
1,186,000
1,571,000
1.1
7/28/02
Vancouver
Speed
203,000
763,000
0.4
8/11/02
Mid Ohio
CBS
936,000
1,668,000
0.9
8/18/02
Road America
Speed
157,000
818,000
0.3
8/25/02
Montreal
Speed
273,000
1,011,000
0.5
9/3/02
Denver
Speed
155,000
582,000
0.3
9/14/02
England
Speed
179,000
634,000
0.3
10/6/02
Miami
CBS
1,449,000
1,871,000
1.4
10/27/02
Australia
Speed
118,000
694,000
0.2
11/3/02
California
Speed
164,000
556,000
0.3
11/17/02
Mexico City
Speed
177,000
578,000
0.3
CART Fri. Night Final
Speed
40,000
Thanksgiving Marathon
Speed
492,000
Total:
11,113,000
21,233,000
Total Per Event Avg:
584,895
1,011,095
0.7
Top 25 CART Network
Broadcast Markets by Average Households
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