Hmmmmm. Interesting whiffs of something lately. First, there's this not-real-kind splashyness on Versus.com referring to her Daytona Nationwide race:
Which provoked this from @danicaracing, the official twitter stream of danicaracing.com.
Then finally this quote from Danistar herself as reported by Curty Cavin today:
As for the TV package, Patrick said IndyCar needs to be on ESPN to succeed. "The one advantage NASCAR has," (Danica)said, "(is ESPN) is like a speed junkie's CNN." (Read the article here.)
Junior high school crowd: "ooooooooo." I wouldn't provoke the meal ticket, VERSUS. Danica is the one driver who is completely free to say whatever she likes about whatever she wants. And she's shown little inhibition for doing just that.
Wait a second ... a BLOOD FEUD may get us some ratings. Let's run some numbers on this. It may be a good thing ...
I would have to disagree with Danica on this one. I'm thinking that the "speed junkie's CNN" might be some other channel, not ESPN. Maybe...Speed Channel?
At least, my TV spends a lot more time on Speed than ESPN. Maybe I'm an outlier, though.
Posted by: The Speedgeek | February 26, 2010 at 11:19 AM
ABC/ESPN is an IndyCar junkie's USA Today...Sure, it contains IndyCar, but you feel kind of insulted in that it is aimed at the intelligence of a seven year-old.
Posted by: will-isitmayyet.com | February 26, 2010 at 11:25 AM
I don't think you're an outlier Speedgeek but clearly Fox and ESPN are the largest, most widely available networks showing motorsport so I can't fault her for taking her shot there. Funny because when I read her comments on Curt's post, I thought the same thing about Speed as you did.
Either way, I like this because no matter how much money Comcast was willing to lose buy paying for NHL and IndyCar just so ESPN or Speed or whomever doesn't have them, I believe it was the wrong move for IndyCar point blank from a strategic pov. They were sold a bill of goods at the end of the day and it's hurting any attempts to gain followers. (not that IndyCar hasn't shot itself in the foot just as much)
Posted by: twitter.com/duey23 | February 26, 2010 at 11:29 AM
A catfight between Danica and Lindy? Quick, someone get the jello!
Posted by: Joel | February 26, 2010 at 12:19 PM
Well, lets see shall we, why exactly does the princess want to have IndyCar on ESPN? I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with the fact that the network is promoting her as though she's God's Sister, does it? According to ESPN, God didn't create the world in seven days, she did.
Yet another self-serving comment which shows where her beliefs are. I cannot wait for her to be gone from IndyCar permanently!
Posted by: Edward | February 26, 2010 at 01:49 PM
I was thinking the exact same thing as you, Edward. You beat me to the post!
Versus doesn't salivate over her, ABC/ESPN does. They fill their whole shows with DanicaDanicaDanica. Of COURSE she prefers them!
Posted by: Sue | February 26, 2010 at 05:58 PM
I think one issue is all of us know N-word is bigger than IRL intellectually, but Danica just got to experience the order of magnitude difference first-hand. I suspect she is now trying to figure out what the difference is, especially if she likes Indy car better. One thing holding back the IRL is Versus, no matter how superior their broadcasts are (and they are far superior).
Posted by: Kinestex | February 26, 2010 at 06:12 PM
Hang on a second ... which one does Danica's SPONSOR prefer? Answer: the one that better reaches the sport nut. You fill in the blank on that one.
Posted by: pressdog | February 26, 2010 at 07:11 PM
Anybody who says ANYTHING even remotely controversial is fine by me. Whether you agree w/ her or not, at least she's not just mindlessly spewing vanilla PR-speak. (I think Voltaire said that. Or something.)
Posted by: Roy Hobbson | February 27, 2010 at 09:39 AM
You hit it Roy, good things or bad things, as long as they are talking about you. It's all publicity and it can't hurt.
Any chance that the IRL can catch a ratings bump from the Princess's foray into NASCAR? Repeat, it can't hurt.
Posted by: GeorgeK | February 27, 2010 at 04:36 PM
The IRL's ratings most likely won't spike because of her N----- debut.....considering she wrecked in two races and was lapped in another. The moment she hit the wall in Vegas is the moment the interest level returned to pre-NASCAR levels.
Keep an eye on the media in the next two weeks and watch the number of Danica stories plummet....even when she returns to LindyCar.
Posted by: Nathan | February 28, 2010 at 07:08 AM