How To Put WSBK Up There With Grand Prix Racing (F1 and MotoGP)loo

Iv always been very intrested in WSBK but never got to follow it live because they seem to always be on F1GP weekends. Al Jazeera Sport have the rights to it in this part of the world, and for the last three years they would always have F1 on live at the same time, as it would take importance. They then would show a repeat of the race at something like 1 in the morning. Also, due to Al Jazeera holding rights, WSBK TV doesnt work in this part of the world. Now, as Bahrain Sports have purchased the rights from FOM and Bernie Ecclestone for F1 Al Jazeera do actully show the races live on one of their 8 channels. The problem now is that WSBK clashes with F1. For example:


Phillip Island
Losail
Valencia=Malaysian Grand Prix
Assen=MotoGP Grand Prix of Japan, Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix
Monza= Grand Prix of Spain
Kyalami
Miller Motorsport
Misano Adriatico=British Grand Prix
Donington Park=Hungarian Grand Prix
Brno
Nurburgring
Imola
Magny Cours=Singapore Grand Prix
Portimao

I understand only six events are clashing with F1, but for me as a fan and im sure many worldwide would simply not like to watch a couple of races a season. Also I could watch Race 1 had it not be for the stupid weekend here (Friday and Saturday). Another thing I wanted to state is that some of you may say ''if you really like bikes forget about F1''. And yes, for me motorbikes do come first and foremost. But iv watched Formula 1 since I was 11 and there is no way I am going to stop now. Even if I dont really like it its a habbit. And if WSBK is truly aspiring to be a top sport which it so badly deserves to be, I think it neads to appeal to the casual crowd. And the casual person would want to watch the Formula 1 or the ''Grand Prix'' more than WSBK. Not because the GP is better but because it has better covarage. And most motorsport fans begin as car motorsport fans, thus follow F1 and only should WSBK consider revising its calander can it, in my opinion, truly go up there in viewing numbers. Back when I was an avid F1 fan and a casual motorbike on looker, I was not able to tell the diffrense from WSBK and MotoGP. Indeed, I thought they where the same... (shame on me!) But fact is most casual people will think the same. I belive that is the case because true- WSBK is the WTCC of motorbikes. But unlike F1 and WTCC there isnt a large amount of OBVIOUS diffrense beetween WSBK and MotoGP. For starters the bikes look the same (for a casual viewer)- only a blind person would say a WTCC car looks the same as an F1 car. But the oppisite is true with bikes. And there is a preformance gap, but the on looker will not noptice. And for sure, me and you, motorsport fans that we are are ready to watch three races in a day. The normal viewer will not. I think WSBK may even be better off competing directly with MotoGP than with F1 (in terms of timings).

Tell me what you think!

Just to further make my point- if you where a casual onlooker who didnt know who Stoner or any MotoGP rider is... would you be able to figure out that this picture of Haga is from a diffrent racing series than the picture of Sete at the bottom?






But the casual onlookercan surely tell the diffrence beetween a F1 car and a WTCC car...

Basicly my question is how can we truely get WSBK up there...

OMG iv bragged on for so long!

Why am I stressing about casual onlookers? Afterall, it is us, the real fans which deserve the best racing. True- but then why dont we go all and watch the BMMF Motorcycle Championship? I hear they have good racing! But hey- the series isnt knwon, it isnt global, and is made out of amature riders. Even as race fans racing is important to us- but we need to see the BEST race and not some random riders which me and you can beat or atleast reakon with. And to get the best series riders and teams would want coverage. That comes with the number of fans. That comes from casual onlookers. Admit it- we where all casual onlookers once upon a time, long long ago...

Wow... you're likin' the typin', eh F-L?

My only comment is would a CASUAL observer be able to tell the difference between an F1 car and an A1GP car?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mick D @ Apr 16 2009, 09:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Wow... you're likin' the typin', eh F-L?

My only comment is would a CASUAL observer be able to tell the difference between an F1 car and an A1GP car?

good point, but A1GP is not a top series... no where near actully. And the VAST majority of casual observers can recognize a McLaren, Ferrari, Toyota, Fiat Yamaha, MotoGP Ducati and WSBK Ducati, due to them being used regulrly in advertisments (here atleast).

You're a moving target -

first, "if you where a casual onlooker who didnt know who Stoner or any MotoGP rider is... would you be able to figure out that this picture of Haga is from a diffrent racing series than the picture of Sete at the bottom?",

but now, "the VAST majority of casual observers can recognize a McLaren, Ferrari, Toyota, Fiat Yamaha, MotoGP Ducati and WSBK Ducati"

If you stick one argument we can have a discussion. BTW top series or not a non-motorsports person would not be able to tell the difference between either of the bikes or cars or the series they race in...

I think Motogp and F1 are careful not to have theirs dates clashing because they will share a lot of fans. As a result of this WSBK is probably going to suffer by occasionally clashing with both of them.

As far as SBK appealing to the casual fan i think it goes both ways. I remember when i was first introduced to bike racing i found superbikes far more capturing because the racing was more exciting and there was two of them in a day. GP was in the doohan days and the smaller bikes seemed to be a bit silly at a glance. As i became more knowledgable i got increasingly interested in GP's and have followed it loyally ever since. On the other hand i am still introducing friends to bike racing now, and they are generally more keen to watch GP than superbike because the spectacle is bigger and the names are more famous. They have no idea about the differences technically or the performance difference between the bikes, but they still know which is the series to watch.

Superbike does plenty for the casual observer, the bikes look like bikes we can buy, the racing is close, their are two races a day and the season even starts first and gets on poeples radars. But the prestiege and spectacle that comes with being the sports championship cannot simply be achieved with rule changes and clever marketting, it's something that would take time. A few people around here speculate that we are seeing that very change take place now, i'm not so sure but i guess we'll know one day.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mick D @ Apr 16 2009, 10:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You're a moving target -

first, "if you where a casual onlooker who didnt know who Stoner or any MotoGP rider is... would you be able to figure out that this picture of Haga is from a diffrent racing series than the picture of Sete at the bottom?",

but now, "the VAST majority of casual observers can recognize a McLaren, Ferrari, Toyota, Fiat Yamaha, MotoGP Ducati and WSBK Ducati"

If you stick one argument we can have a discussion. BTW top series or not a non-motorsports person would not be able to tell the difference between either of the bikes or cars or the series they race in...

Sorry for me being so confusing!

I meant they would recognize the two bikes but wouldnt be know theyre from diffrent series.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (fernando_Loris!!! @ Apr 16 2009, 05:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Sorry for me being so confusing!

I meant they would recognize the two bikes but wouldnt be know theyre from diffrent series.
OK... now I understand! And you're right most wouldn't.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (fernando_Loris!!! @ Apr 16 2009, 08:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Sorry for me being so confusing!

I meant they would recognize the two bikes but wouldnt be know theyre from diffrent series.
What do you think of the V8 supercars? That get so much coverage here in Oz - personally I think they're boring as batshit - but I also think that about any car racing except rallying.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Apr 16 2009, 07:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What do you think of the V8 supercars? That get so much coverage here in Oz - personally I think they're boring as batshit - but I also think that about any car racing except rallying.
Frig... we get V8 SC here too... I got sucked into watching a couple of races... snooooze fest! NASCAR for TROTW (The Rest Of The World)!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Apr 16 2009, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What do you think of the V8 supercars?

I know you aren't asking me, but i've watched a fair bit of this so i thought i'd chime in and say i'm not impressed by it to be honest. I'll watch Bthurst because the track is just breathtaking, but the racing is pretty dull, the cars look silly and obviously all but a few of the dirvers are nobodies to me. Having said that i haven't really been a fan of touring cars for a while and these days DTM is the only series i will make time for.

remember folks,

just say no to F1.

it will rot your brain...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigAl @ Apr 16 2009, 01:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>remember folks,

just say no to F1.

it will rot your brain...



It's got more overtaking that motogp this year, and probably a better title fight than superbike. F1 for the win

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Apr 16 2009, 07:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It's got more overtaking that motogp this year, and probably a better title fight than superbike. F1 for the win
Maybe so but the rules and controversies remind me of the current AMA shituation...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Apr 16 2009, 12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I know you aren't asking me, but i've watched a fair bit of this so i thought i'd chime in and say i'm not impressed by it to be honest. I'll watch Bthurst because the track is just breathtaking, but the racing is pretty dull, the cars look silly and obviously all but a few of the dirvers are nobodies to me. Having said that i haven't really been a fan of touring cars for a while and these days DTM is the only series i will make time for.
Having been a passionate fan of the australian tin tops in my youth particularly when they were series production cars but for a good while when the premier series was for touring cars I have absolutely no interest in the regular races, where the main overtaking move is the punt off the track midcorner, and I am having trouble remaining interested in even the bathurst race, spectacular though the track is as you say.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (michaelm @ Apr 16 2009, 10:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Having been a passionate fan of the australian tin tops in my youth particularly when they were series production cars but for a good while when the premier series was for touring cars I have absolutely no interest in the regular races, where the main overtaking move is the punt off the track midcorner, and I am having trouble remaining interested in even the bathurst race, spectacular though the track is as you say.
Ditto to that - I can remember from early childhood getting up to watch Bathurst (which is a brilliant track) and loving it. The Brock/Moffat duels were always amazing to watch. After I bought my first motorcycle and channel 9 started showing grand prix racing - thank god for Wayne Gardner - my interest gradually declined and is at the point where I haven't watched Bathurst for probably 10 years.
I just wish I had of been around to see the Easter Bathurst bike races. That would have been brilliant.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Apr 16 2009, 01:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It's got more overtaking that motogp this year, and probably a better title fight than superbike. F1 for the win
a long time ago, overtaking in F1 was done on track. then it became the norm to overtake in the pits at 0 mph. now, its becoming standard practice to overtake in the courtroom...

whats next?

F1 has descended into a farce. pinnacle of motorsport my arse!


and a better title fight than WSB (or motogp which is only one race old)? thats your opinion and you are entitled to it, even if it is wrong..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigAl @ Apr 16 2009, 02:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>and a better title fight than WSB (or motogp which is only one race old)? thats your opinion and you are entitled to it, even if it is wrong..



Yea man my bad. I should have said closer/more open.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Apr 16 2009, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What do you think of the V8 supercars? That get so much coverage here in Oz - personally I think they're boring as batshit - but I also think that about any car racing except rallying.

Well I wont wake up at five in the morning to view it. But I do watch the highlights sometimes and it seems intresting! I watched the 2008 Bahrain round live and they would go into some corners four cars side by side! Now considring there size thats crazy! But whenever I went into the forums for V8SC they kept on saying that Bahrain was the only intresting race in the year and as I havnt seen the others I cannot tell you how the series is. And its bound to look intresting in the highlights as they only put the best parts!

Im into every type of racing-but iv just not watched enough of V8SC to judge. But its quite fan friendly! I manged to get into the paddock and meet Jamie Whincup after he won the race by an hour! Just as I was taking a photo with him with my mobile someone called and the picturel got deleted B) ! Oh well... now if theyd let you in the paddock for moto gp with normal tickets

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Apr 16 2009, 01:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It's got more overtaking that motogp this year, and probably a better title fight than superbike. F1 for the win
and more polotics/vandetta's/rampages with Mad Max and Bernie than the Scisilian and Russian mafia's put together!

I wish I can quit watching! But old habbits are old habbits its in my blood

I guess if everyone stops watching then the FIA and FOM might realise that what theyre doing to the sport and turn it around. But like me most are addicts!