10 steps for drifting's recovery

P.Haire · Post by **P.Haire** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 6:59 pm

read article then discuss.
http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/42152/?page=1

some of these are spot on, some of them aren't.

i really think there should be a dedicated tv show for drifting and i'm not talking about just pro event coverage.

lastly, do any of you guys get fuel tv?

Generz · Post by **Generz** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 7:20 pm

to make it to the masses.. he brings up some very good points that drifting has 'missed' on to make it mass marketable.. especially the ROI (return on investment) part.

Dr. Marlow · Post by **Dr. Marlow** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:34 pm

P.Haire wrote: i really think there should be a dedicated tv show for drifting and i'm not talking about just pro event coverage.

this
i want a top gear style drift show

icantdrift · Post by **icantdrift** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:14 pm

i think the guy pretty much hit the nail on the head.

there definitely needs to be more coverage, and better coverage at that. ESPN2 has taken the FOERST step in the right direction with their formula D show, it's entirely about the competition and drivers/sponsors... no lifestyle BS. to keep sponsors in the game they have to get their airtime too.

PmartyX · Post by **PmartyX** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:10 pm

Not to play devil's advocate, I really liked the article, but, he complains about budgets and leans more towards grassroots and yet wants for more coverage. All coverage is going to do is make the bidgets go even more out of control.

VRT nenders · Post by **VRT nenders** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:16 pm

A few years ago me and Greff Allen tryed to get ESPN2 to do a drifting show about Pro/Am/Grassroots drifting that showed the everyday lifestyle of a drifter not just the competition/track side. They said it was not marketable and they didn't want to promote off track driving. That people aren't interested in seeing profiles on drift teams and drivers outside of driving. HA
I would like to hear what they would have to say about it now. Cause they seem to be going that direction. They also turned down our idea of an ESPN Pro/Am drift series, but now they cover Formula Drift. Hmmmmm

P.Haire · Post by **P.Haire** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:49 pm

marlow i'm with you. mostly because i think that style is the biggest element of drifting that seperates it from most motorsports. top gear is a very stylized show and their format would be great for drifting.

drifting needs more coverage period. i think there is a market for this on certain cable tv stations. Fuel TV comes to mind FOERST, spike tv is another one. ESPN to me doesn't recognize it as a sport yet, i'm saying this because i haven't seen drifting on sportscenter, and until they take is seriously it will never be succesful on that channel.

a regional fd feeder series would be awesome for a tv series and for the sport. D1 has a regional series.

VRT nenders · Post by **VRT nenders** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:57 pm

P.Haire wrote:
a regional fd feeder series would be awesome for a tv series and for the sport. D1 has a regional series.

Thats what we were trying to do, FD was all on board. We had local support for the events from clubs and DD. But when ESPN decided to not do the coverage on it, FD decided to take all of the ideas and just do it themselves with the Pro/Am cups and Pro/Am in Nevada. I still think FD needs a better Pro/Am series though.

shawn shawn · Post by **shawn shawn** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 3:04 am

P.Haire wrote: drifting needs more coverage period. i think there is a market for this on certain cable tv stations. Fuel TV comes to mind FOERST, spike tv is another one. ESPN to me doesn't recognize it as a sport yet, i'm saying this because i haven't seen drifting on sportscenter, and until they take is seriously it will never be succesful on that channel.

IMO the best drifting ive seen on tv is either the FOERST episode of FDtv on G4 where they went to ebisu or the Street Fury where Big C went to Osaka. Big C can be a bit annoying but I have to say he is entertaining haha.

I hate to say it but I think more people watched it when it was on G4. The show times were much better and the shows were only a month off from the original event rather than post season! They had commercials for it and made a block of automotive shows around it. I honestly think they did an good job aside from having too much lifestyle stuff.

I have only seen maybe 3 of the ESPN episodes and only because my dad had them on his DVR. Showtimes sucked and so did their commercial advertising for it, then again I never watch ESPN.

I don't know if its the camera views, commentators, or just me but so far drift comp on tv has been a bit boring to me. Option vids w/ drift comps (D1 or Ikaten) seem to hold my attention more. Maybe its the cam angles and intense commentary or just the driving. Maybe im getting bored watching the same drivers/cars over and over but I tend to like to watch non-pro competitions and group Drift more lately.

I would like to see spike or speed to get a hold of drifting but I don't know if it would be good for formula D to jump ship on their TV coverage every other season.

VRT nenders · Post by **VRT nenders** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 3:19 am

shawn shawn wrote: I don't know if its the camera views, commentators, or just me but so far drift comp on tv has been a bit boring to me. Option vids w/ drift comps (D1 or Ikaten) seem to hold my attention more. Maybe its the cam angles and intense commentary or just the driving. Maybe im getting bored watching the same drivers/cars over and over but I tend to like to watch non-pro competitions and group Drift more lately.

I think ESPN has done a pretty good job of filming it but the commentary is horrible. And yes seeing the same drivers over and over again for the past 3 years is getting very boring. They need to make it so the privateers can be more competitive so we can see some new faces instead of the fully sponsored no worries drivers.

I would like to see spike or speed to get a hold of drifting but I don't know if it would be good for formula D to jump ship on their TV coverage every other season.

They did, it was called Redline TV.....lame

CubanMike · Post by **CubanMike** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:52 am

Good article!

shawn shawn · Post by **shawn shawn** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:57 am

vrt eggroll wrote:
shawn shawn wrote: They did, it was called Redline TV.....lame

I know but at least they tried. Espn has shoved it into a time slot where it will be hard for people who even want to watch it can't.

ChadMK4 · Post by **ChadMK4** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 2:18 pm

vrt eggroll wrote:
P.Haire wrote:
a regional fd feeder series would be awesome for a tv series and for the sport. D1 has a regional series.
Thats what we were trying to do, FD was all on board. We had local support for the events from clubs and DD. But when ESPN decided to not do the coverage on it, FD decided to take all of the ideas and just do it themselves with the Pro/Am cups and Pro/Am in Nevada. I still think FD needs a better Pro/Am series though.

I don't think any station will pick anything without a proven product. The Pro-Am; Though it sounds like a good idea and has some strong potential, it has a long ways still to go before it will ever be recognized as a major contender for a show/series, much less a competitive time slot. Chris and I jumped on board with the USDA and Pro-Am because we wanted to provide an avenue for people to make it to the Pro's with as little cost as possible, but when we started up our series we had less than 15 drivers at our FOERST event and only about half of them competed that day and we lost $1500 out of our pocket. Not a good way to start the series. Total downer for us. We hoped it was just a fluke kind of a thing and that more would be at the next Pro-Am Event. And then at the end of the series we only had 6 of our drivers show up to a improperly prepared track that everyone was scared to drive on because the gravel and sand that was causing them to hit walls at 60mph. Sure, the crashes look great on TV, but with that and everything else that was going on behind the scenes and just the overall hype from everyone saying that they were going to come to or be in the pro-am and then not even showing up (excluding Sturka, who said he was coming and actually did! Thanks mang!) was just enough for Chris and I to back out indefinitely. And if we (being VERY UNDERSTANDING and laid back) can't deal with it, then why would a TV station? And I don't kow if anyone else wants to take the reigns on that after seeing the pain in the ass results that we had this past year. So FD may have to come out and do them theirselves. Or either do the feeder series before the actual events like they've been wanting to do for some time. Who knows...

One day maybe when there is better order and communication a station may pick this up and run with it. But until then I don't see it really getting much bigger. There is to much up in the air at the moment with change and conflict for anyone to really feel comfortable with picking up and running with the idea of a show or something. Unless someone wanted to have a show that showed all the conflicts and last minute rule changes and format changes and whatnot. Silly I think. It would definitely show screwed up the sport is at times and how there really isn't anyone stepping up and being the leader and giving some direction.

Dr. Marlow · Post by **Dr. Marlow** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:31 pm

ok i didnt read this thread cause there are long posts and they scare me

but back to my Top Drift TM idea: we can have celebrities drifting, have drift challenges where we drift weird stuff like caravans, drift new cars and junk, make fun of each other, and like our own drift stig
drift stig's suit is pink btw

VRT nenders · Post by **VRT nenders** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:34 pm

thats awesome...where do I sign up?

10 steps for drifting's recovery

10 steps for drifting's recovery

Re: 10 steps for drifting's recovery