Are You Watching More NASCAR Video Online?

Lots of the NASCAR TV shows now promote a new feature. Once the program is over on traditional cable TV, it continues with new and exclusive content online.

Sometimes streamed live and sometimes recorded in advance, this trend is slowly moving NASCAR toward broadband Internet use for content that was once seen only on TV.

Sites like Hulu.com and YouTube have revolutionized the way of thinking about TV programming. Many of us already routinely put shows like NASCAR Now and This Week in NASCAR on the DVR or TiVo. We have become familiar with the technology that allows us to view NASCAR content when we want to do so. It's called time shifting.

There have been many articles and stories in the news about this trend that began shortly after broadband access became easily available in the home. The trend has now picked up steam due to the economic conditions that our country is facing.

Click here for an article from last October published online by the Wall Street Journal. The subject is the movement going-on where consumers cancel their cable TV service and simply access the very same video content online. Other than the time of day, which many of us were shifting anyway, there does not seem to be much of a problem.

Dave Despain asks viewers to migrate over to the SPEEDtv.com website to continue more of Wind Tunnel when the show goes off the air on SPEED. This new content is being streamed live online. While he may not understand the technology, Despain's show is a perfect example of this trend.

Steve Byrnes tells TV viewers of This Week in NASCAR to head over to NASCAR.com for additional exclusive content not available on SPEED. Sometimes, the online bonus segment is more fun than the show itself.

Over in the ESPN world, NASCAR content is deeply woven into Internet video. ESPN-owned Jayski.com and the ESPN website both offer a combination of NASCAR Now and SportsCenter content for viewing. ESPN also uses ESPNEWS and other sources to contribute to a content pool that makes NASCAR fans check frequently for updates.

All of this conversation is interesting when it comes to the programming that surrounds the races themselves. The real fun, however, comes when NASCAR's three top series come into view. Currently, none of the racing is available online in live streaming form...officially.

TNT debuted RaceBuddy last season that provided additional camera angles and audio feeds online for that network's six race package. The results were fantastic. Unfortunately, no such online addition exists for the Fox or ABC portions of the season.

NASCAR drives a ton of revenue by selling the TV rights to the Sprint Cup Series. While the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series are also televised live, they both pale in comparison to the money being paid for the Sprint Cup races.

Once a race is over, highlights are posted on YouTube almost immediately by all kinds of amateur editors. Video also appears on all the NASCAR websites, including those of the various TV networks. Once the checkered flag falls, the value of the live race is gone. Content of that event is viral within minutes.

So, that leaves the actual live race as the property fans must "consume" on TV. This year, DirecTV has done away with Hot Pass as we knew it. That was the only other source of actual live racing video available. While some websites have tracking and other information, the only way to see the race is on the official NASCAR TV networks.

The question is, does this approach do more harm than good? Should the video from all four networks covering the sport be streamed live for every single race? We ask in reference to the growing number of consumers who simply will not watch a multi-hour race sitting in front of a TV set.

Making live NASCAR race video available to laptops, PC's and other devices has to be a priority in this new online world order. While those of us old enough to remember a world before cable TV may have one perspective, younger folks raised in a world of iPods and Video-On-Demand look at a four hour race available only on TV and take a pass.

The total number of adults watching TV is shrinking drastically and the NASCAR TV ratings have reflected what the networks already know. Like it or not, technology is allowing much of the original TV content to be made available online for free.

Would you watch a NASCAR race online? Have you made this transition already with other television content? Would the flexibility to view races on laptops and PC's make a change in your viewing habits?

Perhaps the most asked question for the past three years here at TDP is the following. Do you already multi-task during the races with your computer online? Adding the video of the race for many of you might just be another box on your screen. What are your ideas on these types of issues?

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"General Hospital" Sneak Peek With Jeff Burton

Perhaps, it is not exactly like the high-profile appearance by Carl Edwards on Fox's "24" or even Jeff Gordon hosting "Regis and Kelly". But, this Wednesday Jeff Burton gets his opportunity to have a little TV fun outside of the NASCAR world.

Click here for a sneak peek from ESPN the Magazine of Burton's afternoon appearance on the legendary "General Hospital" TV soap opera. It sounds like a lot of fun.

Burton continues to be the unofficial mayor of NASCAR and with good reason. A family man with a supportive wife and a good perspective on life, Burton is a throwback to drivers who enjoyed the sport while trying hard to raise a family and have some fun.

While he has an occasional TV interview, Burton seems content right now to be just a driver and a dad. This season fans have seen the emergence of Hermie Sadler, Ricky Craven and Ray Evernham on high-profile TV assignments. Perhaps, this is in the future for Burton.

Thanks to ESPN for the story link, please feel free to offer your comments on the Burton appearance on GH by clicking the comments button below. This is a family friendly website, please keep that in mind while posting.

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NASCAR Journalists On TV: What A Concept

The off-week brings some unique television programming. Monday afternoon served-up a NASCAR journalist version of the popular NASCAR Now roundtable.

Allen Bestwick again stepped aside as host and Nicole Manske led the panelists in a discussion of a wide variety of topics. Manske has quickly moved her way through the studio host and trackside reporter roles on this TV series and now finds herself hosting the flagship show with high-profile guests.

Nate Ryan from USA Today, ESPN's own Angelique Chengelis and Michael Vega of the Boston Globe know each other quite well from the infield media centers on the circuit and began a good conversation about the sport from the start of the show.

During these off-weeks, the NASCAR Now producers try to keep the journalists in a tight little box when it comes to topics, but it never works. Once again Manske tried to direct traffic, but once conversation begins among journalists it is often inclined to continue for a while.

Unfortunately, just like SportsCenter and the endless array of ESPN studio-based programming, the music blared every time video footage (called B-roll) was added to the show. The high energy highlights-style music and often even the addition of this footage was simply distracting to the good conversation going on between the panelists.

Amid the normal reviews and comments, Chengelis stood-out with her strong comments that often sparked discussion. She called for NASCAR and Goodyear to get together and form an independent tire testing team that can get around the testing ban and focus on solving the problems the tire company is still struggling with this season.

She said some engine problems may be related to teams that have to perform or join those that have fallen by the wayside without sponsors. Ryan advanced the notion that the lack of testing was the key to this year's unexpected engine problems for teams normally known to run well.

Vega was the unknown element and he proved to be a bit unfocused in his comments. Perhaps more used to writing than appearing on TV, Vega spoke in phrases and wandered in his responses between topics. In the TV world, twenty second responses directly to the question being asked is a lesson that is taught over-and-over again.

There is an "old-timers" charity race this weekend in Bristol, TN. Although Darrell Waltrip stepped aside for a Fox Sports function, Harry Gant is racing and joined Manske as a guest by satellite. She handled the entire interview in much the same way that Bestwick excludes the panelists and handles the Monday guests.

Racers are racers, and Gant was clear on the fact that technology had advanced so quickly that he really did not know a lot about the sport at the present moment. Gant agreed that he would be interested in joining a senior tour if one became available. Manske was not at her best in this short interview.

Vega made a great point that NASCAR is still struggling to figure out how to deal with the retired drivers. He backed-up the notion that seeing the legends in cars at select venues would sell tickets for the current series. Chengelis compared the retired NASCAR drivers to the failure of senior tennis. Unable to perform at the level fans are used to seeing and simply not a good idea she stated.

"He will not admit that this was tougher than he thought," said Chengelis about Scott Speed and his Sprint Cup Series struggles. Vega said Speed was talented, but was confronting the reality of the NASCAR grind. During the run of the next three races, there is no doubt the Top 35 story will be repeated many times.

The economy reared its ugly head once again. Chengelis lives in Detroit, MI and was clear in her comments that fans are simply not attending sporting events due to finance issues. Ryan was upset that corporate sponsors were backing out and he pointed to the withdrawal of DuPont's hospitality and Budweiser leaving Kenny Bernstein on the NHRA tour at the end of the season.

Bruton Smith's recent bluster that the final race in Homestead should be moved due to the lack of infrastructure and area interest was discussed. It was Vega who correctly pointed-out that Smith's real agenda was to get both the finale and the Sprint Cup banquet moved to Las Vegas and his track.

With the NASCAR Hall of Fame finishing construction in Charlotte, the only possible move of the end of season function is to the Charlotte Convention Center. That would put the drivers and teams near home without any airfares or hotel bills involved.

Manske closed-out the show with several topics. The panel was split on Kyle or Kurt Busch having the better year. All agreed Casey Mears was overdue and this was a make or break season for him. A little Final Four review ended the festivities and Ryan admitted that he does not watch college hoops.

Every reporter roundtable has been a breath of fresh air and this was no exception. Why Chengelis was on the panel is a good question, as fans see her almost every racing weekend on TV. Ryan and Vega were smart and showed their very different perspectives on the NASCAR topics covered by the show.

Manske is also in a learning curve on this program and sometimes appeared over-matched on the specifics of the sport. As she continues her transition into a full-time ESPN on-air talent, give Manske credit for stepping away from the teleprompter and filling the Bestwick role on this program.

Next week Bestwick returns with Dale Jarrett, Ray Evernham and Andy Petree as his panelists at 5PM Monday on ESPN2.

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