"If you want to get coverage, pass somebody!"

[DexterMorgan]

I dont understand what is so hard about Fox covering more cars during the race? In a 4.5 hour broadcast, is it so hard to show at least half the feild during a race? Poole says PASS SOMEBODY. Okay so if that the criteria for getting some mentions on TV, how come Joey Logano got more air time then these guys.

Micheal Waltrip St: 43rd Fin: 15th
David Reuitteman St: 42nd Fin: 14th
David Stremme St: 38th Fin: 13th

How about Travis Kvapil in a part time team, 37th to 18th. Denny Hamlin got mentioned ONCE and he finished 6th. Its on paper, these guys passed a LOT of somebodys. Passing somebody doesnt get you squat with Fox. They cover the top 5 or 6 drivers and thats it.

I agree with the one caller in the first hour today. In a race that 18 times out of 18, is a crappy race, why cant the network show some more variety of people and drivers? Its a 4.5 hour broadcast for crying out loud. Its boring to see the same cars, the same people, the same drivers in the same positions lap after lap after lap.

What do you guys think?

 

[flap_jackson]

Fox's coverage has really jumped the shark this year. I mean, they always had terrible coverage, but Digger just put me over the edge. The only problem is that ESPN is too nice in their coverage...

But did anybody hear them mention The 'Dinger at all during the race? I mean, what happened to the guy?:scratch:

 

[riskybzns]

i think i'm not gonna read that who mess. lol

 

[riskybzns]

Fox's coverage has really jumped the shark this year. I mean, they always had terrible coverage, but Digger just put me over the edge. The only problem is that ESPN is too nice in their coverage...

But did anybody hear them mention The 'Dinger at all during the race? I mean, what happened to the guy?:scratch:

i heard them mention him, once.

dex, i read it and totally agree. why don't you call in and say this instead of posting it. i heard they read one of your post on here sometime last week. don't give someone else a shot to call in and talk about something you took the time and looked up.

that was some good stuff, and i applaud you for handling that post professionally.

 

[DexterMorgan]

I wish I could but I live on the west coast and work an evening job. Waking up before 6am my time to hope to call in just doesnt make sense, nor do I have the motivation for it. Thats why I use this forum to open up discussions and analysis.

If your a host of SNR, I just dont get how you can jusitify a network who mentions Digger 6 times in a race broadcast, but rant about how this isnt charity when it comes to giving guys 10th to 20th some sort of coverage when they start last.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

I'm not endorsing FOX in any way as they are probably my least favorite of the NASCAR television partners. I just don't understand how all, or even most, of the cars could possibly be covered other than the occasional through the field portion. You probably have more of a chance of that happening on a track like Auto Club or Michigan than any others on the circuit seeing as there isn't much action there. It's one thing when you're at the race and you get a chance to see a battle develop, deep in the field. You then have the opportunity to watch guys battle lap after lap. If that were to happen, there would be other people upset because nothing was being shown of the cars at the front of the field. Maybe more split screens are needed, like when everyone is pitting. Have a single camera, high at the track, along with a couple of spotters for the camera operator to keep an eye on potential battles at the track. Split screen into the network feed and that single camera following the action to make you feel like you're at the track. That the best part of going to the race, being able to see whatever you want, when you want. You can flame away if you'd like but that's my two cents.

 

[Sirius01_8]

The thing that I noticed is how the Fox boys were so blatantly rooting for Jeff Gordon to win the race. Granted he had a good car but Matt Kenseth outran and the pitcrew outperformed the 24, but all I heard was how Jeff Gordon lost the race not how Matt won it.

 

[SubmarineMike]

Dexter why don't you email poole with your comments about how they mentione digger a million times and not drivers that passed people

 

[riskybzns]

mike, poole and the others read the threads here

 

[mghtx]

I thought it was funny.....

I had just got home from work and turned the race on during a rain delay caution and the fox guys were really talking up Las Vegas. How it was such a great race and fun to go to, etc. etc.

To be talking like that during the Cali race....I thought was funny. Like they were saying..."ok folks...we know this place isn't that great for racing...just hang on until next week...THEN you'll see some racing."

 

[davidpoole]

Dexter, nobody hates Digger more than I do. I am choosing not to rant about it this year because that gives it attention and that feeds the monster. Digger is a waste of air time. No doubt. But Fox, ESPN, TNT or anybody isn't there to show every driver or serve every sponsor. You cover the race. A guy who comes from 43rd because he changed engines and never gets above 15th isn't making news. They talked about Reutimann having brake problems. They showed Stremme a bunch of times. But if they get into contention to win then they're going to be a big story and get covered. You just have the whole idea of what TV does wrong. You cover the race. You don't provide advertising time for teams and sponsors. That's not the job.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

I thought it was funny.....

I had just got home from work and turned the race on during a rain delay caution and the fox guys were really talking up Las Vegas. How it was such a great race and fun to go to, etc. etc.

To be talking like that during the Cali race....I thought was funny. Like they were saying..."ok folks...we know this place isn't that great for racing...just hang on until next week...THEN you'll see some racing."

They always promote the next weeks race. It's on their network. When would be a better time to promote it other than a NASCAR race? :scratch:

 

[DexterMorgan]

David you completely misinterpreted my intial post is you think I want the guy in 43rd to be covered, or how David Gilliland whose 3 laps down to get press.

My point it, your adage of "pass somebody" to get coverage is 100% not accurate. David Reuiteman got covered once he had brake problems, 50 laps from the end. So in that 3.5 hour time span when he went from last to the top 15, where was his coverage? Where was his mention? Stremme got 2 mentions, and only because he was right behind Brian Vickers. Brian Vickers is a story Fox completely disregarded once we got halfway, even though he went from last to finish 10th

In 4.5 hours of racing coverage, when for 3.5 hours of that 4.5, there is no real racing going on up front, why cant Fox spend some minutes covering guys who are moving through the feild, or who are making an impact in the top 15, people who are "PASSING SOMEONE". Who is it hurting to do that? Is it hurting the leaders? No, theyre spread out. Theyll get their coverage when it counts. It only helps everybody to balance the coverage and spread some of the screen time. It helps Nascar, the drivers, the teams, the sponsers, and the viewers.

ESPN and TNN perfected it back in the late 90's, there is no reason FOX cant today.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Up front is where the focus really belongs - NASCAR - ThatsRacin.com

Once again, the point is missed 100%. Ive proven, passing people, running in the top 15 doesnt get you a thing. Micheal Waltrip Racing placing 2 cars in the top 15 after starting last isnt a story people care about? Especially since they were all outside the top 35 at this time last year. Isnt Micheal Waltrip in the top 10 popular drivers? Denny Hamlin got 1 mention in the race on Sunday. He finished 6th and is one of nascars top 10 drivers.

Yelling pass somebody, and saying this isnt a charity is all well and good. But its flawed and shortsighted. Once again, who is it hurting to balance the coverage during stretches of the race when its strung out? Nobody. Who is it hurting not to do that? Everybody from 6th on back.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

Up front is where the focus really belongs - NASCAR - ThatsRacin.com

Once again, the point is missed 100%. Ive proven, passing people, running in the top 15 doesnt get you a thing. Micheal Waltrip Racing placing 2 cars in the top 15 after starting last isnt a story people care about? Especially since they were all outside the top 35 at this time last year. Isnt Micheal Waltrip in the top 10 popular drivers? Denny Hamlin got 1 mention in the race on Sunday. He finished 6th and is one of nascars top 10 drivers.

Yelling pass somebody, and saying this isnt a charity is all well and good. But its flawed and shortsighted. Once again, who is it hurting to balance the coverage during stretches of the race when its strung out? Nobody. Who is it hurting not to do that? Everybody from 6th on back.

I agree with you but how are they to do it? Do you mean a through the field segment or what?

 

[DexterMorgan]

I know through the feild wasnt popular with two people. But that is the best way to do it. And if anybody who watched how NBC did it back then, they waited until things up front settled down, when gaps in the top 5 formed. Its a great way to update people on other drivers, it gives variety to the coverage, and it doesnt keep the cameras on the same 4 guys running in the same position lap after lap like they do now.

If anybody opposes this view, please answer this. In a 4.5 hour broadcast of a 500 mile race, when things are spread out as they do very very quickly, why is it such a problem to show some racing on the track? Show some variety, talk about different people, show some racing on the race track when there is none up front.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

I don't have a problem with it. I think it was a good idea. They usually have one pit reporter covering around six pit or so. There's no reason that I can see that they couldn't cover all of the drivers.

 

[davidpoole]

Dexter you haven't proved anything. You have an opinion. I disagree with it. You don't prove opinions.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

I may be his opinion but it is allot of peoples opinions! They don't cover the field anymore. There's nothing wrong with a 'Through the Field' segment or two during the race to give us an update on our drivers. It doesn't have to dominate the race coverage.

 

[SubmarineMike]

David Poole,

Here is my point you say and I quote"If you want coverage, pass somebody" Ok coming from 38th up to lets say 15th is passing a LOT of somebody's. Maybe you meant "if you want coverage, get in the top 10." Fine I can accept that. However that is what you said. That is all I can go by. Dexter's point is valid(I can't believe I just typed that LOL) The folks he mentioned earlier did pass a lot of people and got little to no mention. Make your point clear because based on your quote Dexter proved those folks did pass somebody . a lot of somebodies.