Future of motor sports: why the current motor sports sucks?

[foxmulder_ms]

Interesting discussion:

Why dont younglings watch motosports?:

1) Switch to pay TV -13%
2) Dumbed down circuits -10%
3) Weak competition -8%
4) Lack of technological variety -7%

I wholehearted agree with 1, 2 and 4.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXtbEbtoBK4

[Maritimer]

I'd say 4 is the root cause of 3, but that's simply because of how hard its become for teams to find suitable funding to experiment without tossing away huge chunks of budget on ideas that might not pan out.

[NL_Fer]

Youngster don’t really care about cars anymore.

In my youth, the streets were full of heavy modified GTi’s. Extreme lowered VW Golf, Opels with bodykits, Peugeots in full racing trim, etc. Fast and Furious gave us modified Japanese import cars. Or youngsters would drive an old beater with an extreme audiosystem, worth 4 times the car itself.

Nowadays they buy a standard Toyota Aygo or use a car sharing system.

[Just_a_fan]

Youngsters aren't in to cars in the way previous generations were, I think is a big point. Some of that is cost, some environmental issues, some down to being connected with people digitally so visiting isn't necessary. Youngsters don't use TV as their go to single source, single time of watching, outlet - they view on the move on mobile devices. TV is out of date. Youngsters dip in and out of digital media. Having decent free online access would probably be a big draw. Also, kids have bought in to the "celebrity culture" in a big way. Most racing drivers are fairly boring, monotone personalities, with no "celebrity" status. Hamilton is probably the closest to that and even he is miles away from it, thankfully.

Motorsport is so last century, really, and that's its problem. One it will never be able to solve. People have moved on and motorsport is going to be back as a niche thing done by individuals again. Much like it is at lots of club circuits.

The near future is e-sports. Kids are starting to win big money doing that. It's something that they feel they have a chance at, anyone can do it with a reasonable PC/console, and they can do it with friends.

[El Scorchio]

Pay TV thing is a huge factor as well. When I was a kid you could just watch it all on BBC on a Sunday afternoon for free. Lovely. (And it was the only thing on as well) Now you have to not only access Sky Sports, but also break past the competition- all the other sports that are also on Sky, BT and terrestrial channels at the same time. Much more competition too. Notably on Sundays the premier league is now on all afternoon in direct competition during the football season, and all through the summer there’s cricket, rugby, multi sports events, tennis etc. The market is saturated.

[Big Tea]

Pay TV thing is a huge factor as well. When I was a kid you could just watch it all on BBC on a Sunday afternoon for free. Lovely. (And it was the only thing on as well) Now you have to not only access Sky Sports, but also break past the competition- all the other sports that are also on Sky, BT and terrestrial channels at the same time. Much more competition too. Notably on Sundays the premier league is now on all afternoon in direct competition during the football season, and all through the summer there’s cricket, rugby, multi sports events, tennis etc. The market is saturated.

This.

If someone has never been 'into' motor sport they are not going to seek it out, and in particular pay for it.
Imagine if the kids were never given a ball. Would they suddenly at late teens start going to football or watching it on TV? Especially if they had to pay to watch something they had no interest in while Big Bang theory or who the fek is this celebrity knocking now island for free and they will talk t their 'friends' on twitter about.

If people have never been to a F1 event just look at them when they see the cost of tickets. I am not spending as much as a week in a hotel to watch cars go around in a circle while sitting in the rain.

Then ask them again once they have been

[El Scorchio]

That’s another great point! All sport is expensive, but the prices for a Grand Prix are just eye watering- I get why Silverstone have to put them that high, but their hands are largely tied by what they have to pay to F1.

Three of us paid over a thousand pounds between us to sit in a grandstand at Silverstone last year. It would have been 400 between us just for general admission, I think. I do love that in Britain at least, they still manage to sell it out every year, so there is still a devoted following willing to stump up. Huge problem is countries with less motorsport heritage though.

[Cuky]

Youngster don’t really care about cars anymore.

In my youth, the streets were full of heavy modified GTi’s. Extreme lowered VW Golf, Opels with bodykits, Peugeots in full racing trim, etc. Fast and Furious gave us modified Japanese import cars. Or youngsters would drive an old beater with an extreme audiosystem, worth 4 times the car itself.

Nowadays they buy a standard Toyota Aygo or use a car sharing system.

First thing is cost. Cost of living is so much higher, percentage wise, compared to median salary than it was before. I was lucky enough to be able to buy myself a motorcycle (Yamaha R3, brand new) but to do that I had to settle for not so attractive car (2011 Grande Punto).

Second thing is, at least here in EU, that it isn't that simple. I went to my local technical inspection station (they are called like that here, don't know what is the name in other places) to inform myself about some stuff I wanted to put on my bike. For example, I wanted to change turn signals from standard bulbs to LED units as all other lights on my bike are LED. I have found a pair of rear and a pair of front turn signals that are homolagted for exact make, model and year that my bike is and all the documentation is included in packaging, yet it is not enough for those at technical inspection. They won't write it in my vehicle's permit if I don't do a test which I also have to pay for. Even though it was already tested and homologated for my bike in Germany, which is also in EU. I can risk it and just put them on, but I don't want to have trouble outside of my country since I want to travel around.

[NathanOlder]

It may be on pay tv here in the UK, but more people than ever pay for the premier league in the UK. and by doing this, means you get the F1 thrown in with it. So I wouldn't say that's a major factor.

For me, its like others said. Kids aren't in to cars as much anymore. Im 34, and when I was 17, 'the bridge' in Maidstone was huge!! Scubbies, Evo's, Supra's, Skylines and a load of Cossies. Then all the 17-20yr olds with their Xr2i lookalikes ect. Now, its just standard Corsa's and Puntos.

You just don't see modified cars these days. Big shame. I loved cruising in my FD3S

[Just_a_fan]

It may be on pay tv here in the UK, but more people than ever pay for the premier league in the UK. and by doing this, means you get the F1 thrown in with it. So I wouldn't say that's a major factor.

28 million households in the UK, <9 million households have Sky. Of those that pay for Sky, not all will be paying for sports packages so fewer than 9 million households have access to F1. By it being on Pay TV, F1 has massively reduced the possible audience in the UK. That's just straight up obvious from the numbers. Everyone in the UK gets BBC, ITV, C4 etc. whether they pay Sky for it, pay someone else, or just use FTA TV. By F1 not being on one of those channels, it's possible exposure has been massively reduced. There is no arguing with that, I'm afraid.

Now, if someone hasn't seen F1 before, why would they pay for a subscription on the off chance that they might like it? If it was FTA, then there is no risk and people will have a look. Some will like it and stay. Those people are the ones F1 has lost, and will continue to lose year on year, so long as it's behind a pay wall.

[NathanOlder]

It may be on pay tv here in the UK, but more people than ever pay for the premier league in the UK. and by doing this, means you get the F1 thrown in with it. So I wouldn't say that's a major factor.

28 million households in the UK, <9 million households have Sky. Of those that pay for Sky, not all will be paying for sports packages so fewer than 9 million households have access to F1. By it being on Pay TV, F1 has massively reduced the possible audience in the UK. That's just straight up obvious from the numbers. Everyone in the UK gets BBC, ITV, C4 etc. whether they pay Sky for it, pay someone else, or just use FTA TV. By F1 not being on one of those channels, it's possible exposure has been massively reduced. There is no arguing with that, I'm afraid.

Now, if someone hasn't seen F1 before, why would they pay for a subscription on the off chance that they might like it? If it was FTA, then there is no risk and people will have a look. Some will like it and stay. Those people are the ones F1 has lost, and will continue to lose year on year, so long as it's behind a pay wall.

I'm still sticking with it not being a major factor in why the teenagers of today don't watch F1.

1 factor is Kids aren't in to cars today like they used to be. And thinking about that, the reason is probably the same as to why kids aren't in to cars, and why kids aren't in to F1. Technology! In 1989 On a sunday, you could tune in to F1 on tv, or go to the park with your mates.

30 years on, you can tune in to 1000 more channels, or play a games console online with unbelievable games, or sit and play on a smartphone, tablet, laptop.

Kids these days play shooting games, 30yrs ago, shooting games were --- and lasted 1 minute.

Technology advances are the real cause in my opinion.

[Big Tea]

It may be on pay tv here in the UK, but more people than ever pay for the premier league in the UK. and by doing this, means you get the F1 thrown in with it. So I wouldn't say that's a major factor.

28 million households in the UK, <9 million households have Sky. Of those that pay for Sky, not all will be paying for sports packages so fewer than 9 million households have access to F1. By it being on Pay TV, F1 has massively reduced the possible audience in the UK. That's just straight up obvious from the numbers. Everyone in the UK gets BBC, ITV, C4 etc. whether they pay Sky for it, pay someone else, or just use FTA TV. By F1 not being on one of those channels, it's possible exposure has been massively reduced. There is no arguing with that, I'm afraid.

Now, if someone hasn't seen F1 before, why would they pay for a subscription on the off chance that they might like it? If it was FTA, then there is no risk and people will have a look. Some will like it and stay. Those people are the ones F1 has lost, and will continue to lose year on year, so long as it's behind a pay wall.

I'm still sticking with it not being a major factor in why the teenagers of today don't watch F1.

1 factor is Kids aren't in to cars today like they used to be. And thinking about that, the reason is probably the same as to why kids aren't in to cars, and why kids aren't in to F1. Technology! In 1989 On a sunday, you could tune in to F1 on tv, or go to the park with your mates.

30 years on, you can tune in to 1000 more channels, or play a games console online with unbelievable games, or sit and play on a smartphone, tablet, laptop.

Kids these days play shooting games, 30yrs ago, shooting games were --- and lasted 1 minute.

Technology advances are the real cause in my opinion.

I have to ask why Horse racing and sailing are still heavily followed? They are both outdated modes of transport, not to mention running.

There has to be something to get and keep them interested be it heroes or team spirit, both of which you have to be a regular watcher to get 'into'

[Ringleheim]

I was hooked on F1 as a kid in the '80s. The "spectacle" of the sport was a hell of a lot better back then in every aspect. It was much more exotic, dangerous, and exciting.

That probably has something to do with it.

I'm not sure I'd be sold on F1 now if I was a kid in this era.

[NathanOlder]

Yeah the danger was a real aspect. Like kids of the 30's, they all wanted to be Spitfire pilots, since those days they went on to wanting to be Grand Prix drivers. Now they want a PlayStation.

[El Scorchio]

28 million households in the UK, <9 million households have Sky. Of those that pay for Sky, not all will be paying for sports packages so fewer than 9 million households have access to F1. By it being on Pay TV, F1 has massively reduced the possible audience in the UK. That's just straight up obvious from the numbers. Everyone in the UK gets BBC, ITV, C4 etc. whether they pay Sky for it, pay someone else, or just use FTA TV. By F1 not being on one of those channels, it's possible exposure has been massively reduced. There is no arguing with that, I'm afraid.

Now, if someone hasn't seen F1 before, why would they pay for a subscription on the off chance that they might like it? If it was FTA, then there is no risk and people will have a look. Some will like it and stay. Those people are the ones F1 has lost, and will continue to lose year on year, so long as it's behind a pay wall.

I'm still sticking with it not being a major factor in why the teenagers of today don't watch F1.

1 factor is Kids aren't in to cars today like they used to be. And thinking about that, the reason is probably the same as to why kids aren't in to cars, and why kids aren't in to F1. Technology! In 1989 On a sunday, you could tune in to F1 on tv, or go to the park with your mates.

30 years on, you can tune in to 1000 more channels, or play a games console online with unbelievable games, or sit and play on a smartphone, tablet, laptop.

Kids these days play shooting games, 30yrs ago, shooting games were --- and lasted 1 minute.

Technology advances are the real cause in my opinion.

I have to ask why Horse racing and sailing are still heavily followed? They are both outdated modes of transport, not to mention running.

There has to be something to get and keep them interested be it heroes or team spirit, both of which you have to be a regular watcher to get 'into'

Horse racing is obvious- betting. If it wasn’t for betting I’m not sure how appealing horse racing would be to almost anyone apart from a tiny minority. Do that many people watch sailing at all, at least outside of the olympics?

In truth, in England unless The England team are playing, football is the only real consistent interest. The only sport that sells out stadiums week in week out. (I’m excluding one offs and World Championship events here) Cricket sells for internationals and t20 but is usually next to empty for county or one day games. rugby gets a couple of thousand.