ESPN has many options for viewers – Does NASCAR care?

By: Shirley J. Buttacavoli

If I have learned one thing about NASCAR fans, is that most are also fans of college and pro football. Some of you may have watched the FSU/Miami game as I did last night on ESPN and/or ESPN2. And that’s what prompted me to write this blog.

Thanks to ESPN and ABC’s coverage of IRL (Bud, stop singing), we know they can provide Side-By-Side coverage during commercial breaks. (That is when a national commercial is aired on one screen with a “sponsored” by logo at the top – two commercials for one, and video of the race is also provided beside it – Side-By-Side.)

However, a few months ago it was established that NASCAR (or Brian) did not want to take advantage of this option when ESPN/ABC take over in 2007.

Personally, I thought that was a slap in the face of all NASCAR fans.

Back to the game. . .I was curious why ESPN and ESPN2 were BOTH covering the FSU/Miami game, and then understood all the commercials I had seen while watching the U.S. Nationals concerning what ESPN was calling “Full Circle.”

“Full Circle” aired on ESPN2, which provided eight different screens for fans to watch. There was a screen for each coach, both quarterbacks, two different views of the game, the Sky Cam and then the “normal” or main screen. When a commercial aired, the seven screens around the main remained with what was happening on the field, and the commercial aired on the center or main screen.

WHAT A CONCEPT!

For viewers who prefer not to have so much “stuff” going on, the network provided the “standard” format of watching the game with a full screen on ESPN.

Those of you who did not watch the game last night and/or don’t care about college football, are probably asking: why is this in Turn 3?

The reason is the fact that ESPN obviously knows what viewers of sporting events want to watch. And prior to the “take over” by Fox and NBC, ESPN had already proved the network could provide excellent coverage to NASCAR fans. Jack Arute and Dr. Jerry Punch were my pit road heroes!

While watching “Full Circle” I was thinking what ESPN could do with this format during its NASCAR coverage. Especially with the last race before The Chase coming up.

Instead of the coaches they could focus on the crew chiefs of the 6, 31, 9 - or those on the “bubble” at the time, because we all know that’s going to change on every lap. The leaders could be on one screen and then battles for position on others. Don’t know if Sky Cam would require its own screen during a NASCAR event, but possibly the blimp or helicopter.

The options are limitless!

For those who prefer not to watch that many screens at one time, ESPN could air the standard full screen format, as they did last night, and “The Deuce” could provide “Full Circle.”

Now all of this is a moot point if the France family does not think it is “acceptable.”

If that’s the case, Brian really does NOT want his sport to equal that of the NFL, or any other pro sport for that matter.

Don’t forget, Brian said “no” to Side-By-Side coverage. However, a poll presented on our beloved web site overwhelmingly proved that the fans felt differently..

If ESPN has anything like this in mind for their second term with NASCAR, and I can’t believe they would not, Brian will be given a perfect opportunity to change the way a race can be viewed. The questions is: will he take advantage of it, or not?

Why do I have a feeling I already know that answer.

That’s my opinion, what’s yours?