Why the heck aren't the Reno Air Races on TV?

Jay Honeck said:
That's just crazy talk. Reno makes NASCAR look like old women pushing shopping carts around the day room. With the proper marketing, the air races could be a huge hit with speed nuts.

That said, frankly, I'm glad they're exclusive and hard to see. I've been twice, and it's a wonderful way to spend a week. TV would probably wreck them the way NASCAR has been destroyed.
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I don't know Jay. There are a few thousand Reno fans and a few MILLION NASCAR fans...I can do the math. They tried Red Bull and were not making money hence part of the reason for no more Red Bull. It may come back - it may not. I loved it. Saw them do a demo in Panama few years ago and it was so damn exciting!
Most the world, and the kind of Sunday TV watchers we have in this country, could care less about exciting aircraft. This is part of the GA problem. Like I said, we're the few.....:dunno:
 
Goofy said:
I don't know Jay. There are a few thousand Reno fans and a few MILLION NASCAR fans...I can do the math. They tried Red Bull and were not making money hence part of the reason for no more Red Bull. It may come back - it may not. I loved it. Saw them do a demo in Panama few years ago and it was so damn exciting!
Most the world, and the kind of Sunday TV watchers we have in this country, could care less about exciting aircraft. This is part of the GA problem. Like I said, we're the few.....:dunno:
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Redbull missed the marketing angle by trying to recoupe their investment and charged too much for the spectators at all the venues.. That alone put a bad taste in the masses mouths.... And consider they spend about 400 million.. per car... per year...to sponsor their Formula 1 team...:eek::yikes:
 
N801BH said:
Redbull missed the marketing angle by trying to recoupe their investment and charged too much for the spectators at all the venues.. That alone put a bad taste in the masses mouths.... And consider they spend about 400 million.. per car... per year...to sponsor their Formula 1 team...:eek::yikes:
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Yup, lotta money in sugared, caffeinated water..... :yikes:
 
Goofy said:
I don't know Jay. There are a few thousand Reno fans and a few MILLION NASCAR fans...I can do the math. They tried Red Bull and were not making money hence part of the reason for no more Red Bull. It may come back - it may not. I loved it. Saw them do a demo in Panama few years ago and it was so damn exciting!
Most the world, and the kind of Sunday TV watchers we have in this country, could care less about exciting aircraft. This is part of the GA problem. Like I said, we're the few.....:dunno:
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Well, it's looking more likely now that it will be back. They've just begun training in Slovenia!
http://redbullairracefan.wordpress.com/2013/06/09/red-bull-air-race-training-begins-in-slovenia/
 
And now they are both back on TV Reno Air Races this Sunday on NBCSN 12 pm pt



Greg
 
Think it's because folks can't relate and it doesn't feel attainable.

Anyone can race their friend in their own car, anyone can buy a somewhat performance car and join the SCCA or get into demo derby.

Anyone can get into catfishing

Most folks don't view becoming a pilot as something easy, and a quick google search of the costs and commitments required to even get half way to a simple PPL, plus the BS FAA hoops and endless rules, that will take the wind out of most folks sails, and we haven't even gotten to a PPL or god forbid aircraft ownership yet, AND we are light years from even talking about joining the racing circuit in your own glasair or cassutt.

They don't see the people in those races as a "that could be me".
 
James331 said:
Think it's because folks can't relate and it doesn't feel attainable.

Anyone can race their friend in their own car, anyone can buy a somewhat performance car and join the SCCA or get into demo derby.

Anyone can get into catfishing

Most folks don't view becoming a pilot as something easy, and a quick google search of the costs and commitments required to even get half way to a simple PPL, plus the BS FAA hoops and endless rules, that will take the wind out of most folks sails, and we haven't even gotten to a PPL or god forbid aircraft ownership yet, AND we are light years from even talking about joining the racing circuit in you own glasair or similar.

They don't see the people in those races as a "that could be me".
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You're about two years behind on this thread.
 
Ahh, well I'll point the finger at Gregg, he's the topic necromancer here ;)
 
Just letting people know it is on TV thats all.

Greg
 
James331 said:
Think it's because folks can't relate and it doesn't feel attainable.

Anyone can race their friend in their own car, anyone can buy a somewhat performance car and join the SCCA or get into demo derby.

Anyone can get into catfishing

Most folks don't view becoming a pilot as something easy, and a quick google search of the costs and commitments required to even get half way to a simple PPL, plus the BS FAA hoops and endless rules, that will take the wind out of most folks sails, and we haven't even gotten to a PPL or god forbid aircraft ownership yet, AND we are light years from even talking about joining the racing circuit in your own glasair or cassutt.

They don't see the people in those races as a "that could be me".
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One of our local flying club members races his Harmon Rocket in the Sport Class at Reno. We get a pretty good contingent from our area into Section 3 every year.
 
Reading the whole thread before commenting seems to be a lost art :)
 
I don't watch any kind sports on TV... or live for that matter because it's something I could conceivably do with a group of friends. If I was that into it, I'd just organize a game. Watching other people play is boring.

Guess I'm just not content to be a spectator. Not that I play much sportsball, but you get the idea.
 
I just watched some of Reno. I can't say I think it plays well on TV, there are only a few airplanes on course at any given time, and they're pretty well spread out. I think the Red Bull event, even though there's only one airplane on course at a time, comes across better on the small screen.
 
FormerHangie said:
I just watched some of Reno. I can't say I think it plays well on TV, there are only a few airplanes on course at any given time, and they're pretty well spread out. I think the Red Bull event, even though there's only one airplane on course at a time, comes across better on the small screen.
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The tough part to me is that no one has truly been able to reproduce the live sound of a Merlin at 120+ inches...if I went blind tomorrow I could still enjoy Reno.
 
Omalley1537 said:
The tough part to me is that no one has truly been able to reproduce the live sound of a Merlin at 120+ inches...if I went blind tomorrow I could still enjoy Reno.
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AMEN!!

Also love the sound of September Fury and Rare Bear at full tilt and the growl of precious metal.


Greg
 
Greg V. said:
No problem!!! The jet gold final was awesome.
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Yeah last lap, last pylon, pretty amazing for that old bird. Still like the old warbirds though. Old Hoot Gibson still doing it! Enjoyed the show, thanks again for the heads up. :D
 
Saw them on a cable channel yesterday while we were having Easter dinner. Not sure of the channel. They had good graphics and showed only portions of the racing. The commentators seemed knowledgeable.
 
Not sure what to make of the show. I watched with some family who know zero about aviation. The commentators did a decent job explaining things on a basic level, which is always nice. (I'm also a Formula One fan - another hard-to-explain sport.) Very disappointed about zero mention of T-6, Formula One, and Biplane until the last 20 seconds. A couple of nice pilot features and overall, I'd say well-done for trying to appeal to a mass audience.

I sympathize and agree it's a very, very difficult event to video, edit, and present - especially to a largely non-aviation audience. I hope it was a huge success for NBCSN and they'll do more!
 
The Reno races were on "Wide World of Sports"for years.
The interest in the races dwindled when the same planes won year, after year, after year.
 
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