Oscar Meyer outdraws Sonsio at IMS

And presumably Thar weren’t no chili Dogs entered…

 

Although No Fenders Offical’ photographer Carpets’ alerted me to this riveting news. Something sounded corny about wanting to be an Oscar Meyer Wiener…

 

Last year’s inaugural Wienie 500 drew a paltry 85k viewership on Fox sports App. But this year’s second annual Wienie 500 featuring six identical Oscar Meyer Wienermobiles television audience outdrew the Sonsio Grand Prix.

 

The two lap, five mile event held on Carb Day saw 781,000 viewers tune-in on FOX TV, vs. only 656,000 viewers for the Sonsio Grand Prix. FOX’s lowest IndyCar TV audience to date

 

Hmm? Perhaps Indy Cars Month ‘O May’s kickoff classic’s race’s viewership was so paltry since it’s during Mums Day weekend? With somebody I’m calling “The Surgeon”, aka Alex Palou wasn’t even on the podium, finishing a lowly fifth! Arse-sumably His second worst finish this year after Gateway?

 

As perhaps Palou should switch from fried chicken to a hot dog next time He wins a race? Since His mesmerizing win percentage has dropped to only 11 wins in 25 starts following Gateway, Sheesh!

 

And don’t know if its just CoInky-densethat the New York Dog won this year’s Wienie 500 or good omen for those New York Knicks…

 

As the Fans loved the race so much, that FOX aired it again after the Mid-Ohio Indy NXT Race-1.

 

And with All of the lightning around and the three hours delay. Was that Gilligan in the Seattle Dog-mobile? Hope they brought enough wieners for everybody seeking shelter during the storm… 

Will Apple TV take a Bite Out of Formula 1’s Popularity?

And does Liberty Media really Care?

 

By now, unless you’re living underneath a rock. Or hiding in a Hidey Hole to escape premeditated persecution! Then Y’all know that Apple TV has become the exclusive Broadcast rights Holder of Formula 1 in the United States, beginning this year.

 

Apple TV’s acquisition of the U.S. F1 TV rights runs in conjunction with the latest F1 Concorde agreement, i.e.; 2026-2030. With Apple reportedly paying an eye-watering $140-180m, as in millions! For its five seasons contract. Reputedly doubling what ESPN paid for its final three year contract, i.e.; $75-90m between 2023-25.

 

As I have to say the transformation of Formula One’s popularity Stateside has been unbelievable to Mwah! And really, all it took was the Real Housewives of F1 Drive to Survive NefFlix Docu programme?

 

Although surely, and I know that I’ve not only appreciated it, but have come to “expect” it. Airing the races commercial Free was a master stroke!

 

Having lamented Y’all about my Stumblin’, Bumblin’ and most definitely Fumblin’ travails of playing find where the F1 Broadcast is Whack-Ah-Mole’ for more than three decades prior to ESPN re-acquiring the Formula 1 TV rights…

 

Foggy Recollections of Jumping Thru Multiple TV Network Hoops to Watch Motor Racing Stateside Over the Years

 

Making this transformation even more remarkable is how F1 once was virtually unknown Stateside. Unless Yuhs were an Formula 1 Diehard like Mwah…

 

As Chris Rea’s recent death sent me down another Wabbit’ Hole after learning He’d performed twice in New York on Late Night TV.

 

Stumbling into this song, when searching for appearances on Late Night with David Letterman. Presumably sometime mid-summer in 1991. As Letterman & Rea briefly discuss His  attending the Canadian Grand Prix at the end of the video.

 

VIDEO: Looking for the Summer – Live on Letterman

 

As the Canadian GP has typically been held early-mid June. Although there’s been an understandable uproar about moving it to Memorial Day weekend this year! Clashing wit the Indianapolis 500, Seriously?

 

As Liberty media claims this is in effort to reduce its Carbon Footprint of flying back ‘n forth around the globe. Twinning it with the Miami Grand Prix.

 

Only problema with this, is that the Miami Grand Prix is May 3rd, with a three weeks gap until clashing with the Indianapolis 500, Butterfingers! And do you really “reduce” your carbon footprint by flying everybody back ‘n forth? Since I highly doubt the team’s personnel will be staying Stateside for three idle weeks…

 

Rea notes how surprised He was over how easy it was to get into the Canadian Grand Prix that year. To which Letterman quips if you think that was bad, try going to the USGP in Phoenix! Stating how you could simply walk right up, go in and back out in a breeze…

 

As 1991 was the final year of the Iceberg Grand Prix held on Phoenix, Arizona’s Downtown Streets; Year 3 of its slated 5 year contract.

 

For which your Humble No Fenders scribe Tomaso attended, and attendance was pitiful! As I don’t know if even 20,000 attended? Probably more like 10-15,000 Diehards?

 

RETRO: Phoenix’s last Grand Prix - Two-decades ago almost slipped past

 

But back to the present. As Yahoo Sports claims that ESPN barely averaged over 550,000 viewers when reacquiring Formula 1’s TV rights in 2018. And with the advent of Drive to Survive, Commercial Free Broadcasts and Social Media access and content. ESPN recorded a record 1.3 million viewers average last year. With 1.5m tuning into the season finale Abu Dhabi GP on Yas Isle. With the F1 Drivers title being decided…

 

As ESPN averaged over 1m viewers the final four seasons of it long running contract, with Formula 1 now firmly being the second most watched Motorsports Stateside behind NASCAR.

 

In contrast, this year’s NASCAR finale at Phoenix averaged 2.78 million viewers. But with the addition of six races on Amazon Prime, viewership dropped by 14% this season. While NASCAR’s viewership is down overall. Having reported a 4.15 million average for the 2018 Homestead Miami finale, itself being a 32% drop from the 2015 season finale.

 

Reportedly part of Formula 1’s surge in popularity is driven by young women. With females making up 46% of the vaunted 18-29 years old target demographic.

 

Yet how much will F1’s viewership drop this season, and overall? And does Liberty Media really care, having gotten its money out of Apple up front.

 

As surely, the F1 Bubble’s gotta pop sometime, Righto? And what better way to do so, then by forcing your audience to have to pay for Streaming… 

F1 the Movie, debuts today

Which surely will be far better than Driven…

 

Although the Brad Pit F1 movie that’s been promoted over the last year plus? Or at least last year during filming at various Grands Prix, with Silverstone and Las Vegas coming to mind. Which thanks to the Daily Mail’s shock headline last November, we sort of know what happens to one of the cast. As the movie is finally released on the Big screen today, nationwide.

 

Just casually thinking about past Formula 1 movies, naturally the epic Grand Prix starring James Gardner immediately comes to mind. While ‘lil Ronnie Howard’s excellent Rush and the equally great Michael Mann Ferrari movies appear on my internal radar. Along with Ford v Ferrari, albeit that was about Le Mans, but all were great movies…

 

Know that a smattering of current day F1 drivers were on hand in New York city for the Radio City Music Hall film debut June 16th. As believe that Esteban Ocon, Liam Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto were there with their significant “others”. While Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris were flying solo. Along with Red Bull Racing Boss Christian Horner and wife Jerry Hall, and McLaren’s Andrea Stella all being chatted up on the red carpet, according to the Daily Mail.

 

Supposedly the film features Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a Formula 1 driver who raced in the 1990’s before a bad crash sidelines Him. Working as an Taxicab driver, a F1 team owner asks Him to come out of retirement to mentor “Noah” Pearce, an F1 prodigy for His “Apex” (APX) Grand Prix team.

 

Hmm, first Matt Damon plays ‘Ol shel’, nee Carroll Shelby in Ford v Ferrari. And Danny Sullivan, who raced one year in formula 1 was a New York Taxi driver previously…

 

Have purposely tried not paying too much Attenzione to this movie, since on the surface the plot sounds somewhat reminiscent of the worst

Racing film ever. Y’all know, Driven Starring Sylvester Stallone as Joe Tanto in Driven. Which I saw on the Big screen at a regal Beagle cinema how many decades ago?

 

Although I was never a fan of Daze ‘O Blunder’, aka Days of Thunder. Starring Tom Cruise, directed by the late Tony Scott and co-produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

 

Along with Pitt, the film also stars Danson Idris as Joshua “Noah” Pearce. Kerry Condon as Kate McKenna, APX GP Technical Director. Tobias Menzies as Peter Bannin, APX Board Member. Kim Bodnia as Caspar Molinski, team principal. And Javier Barden as Ruben Cervante, team owner, Sonny’s friend and former F1 teammate.

 

The film is directed by Joseph Kosinski, and the screenplay was written by Ehren Kruger, along with Kosinski.

 

Hollywood “mogul” Jerry Bruckheimer, who just so happens to be co-owner of the NHL Seattle Kraken, is one of the film’s producers. While other producers include the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Joseph Kosinski and Brad Pitt. With an estimated budget of $200-300 million.

 

The movie weighs in at 156 minutes (2Hrs, 36mins) and includes all ten Formula 1 teams and drivers from the 2023 F1 season.

 

The musical score was composed by Hans Zimmer, who previously worked with Kosinski on Top gun, Maverick, along with composing the score for Ron Howard’s Rush.

 

Know that Lewis Hamilton was also involved as a consultant on the film, so I think it should be a good film overall. As I didn’t “read” the article about Hamilton being nervous over how His fellow Formula 1 drivers would receive the film, which I think they saw at a private screening in Monaco.

 

Although I didn’t “See” Top gun, Maverick, I know it was All the rage and a certified Box Offic Hit!

 

And as long as the movie stays away from the gimmickry of Joe Tanto piling up four quarters on the exact same spot on His front tyre as the opening sequence! And we just enjoy the movie for its entertainment value, and don’t critique its Hollywood theatrics, then it should be a good ride…