# RC racing on TV



## RcCzarOfOld (Nov 7, 2005)

I think the one thing that this hobby/sport needs here in the U.S. is exposure on a national scale on something like Speed TV or ESPN. 

Think about it... What's the main reason the full scale race drivers can potentially make so much money? Outside sponsorship due to national exposure. In other countries, aren't the top RC racers like super stars? That's because they have national exposure on television. There are thousands of people out there watching NASCAR, SCCA, Le Mans and other forms of auto racing saying, "I wish I could drive a race car..." Hardly any of them know about RC racing. There is just no exposure at all outside of a few publications and the internet here in the states. The only thing you ever see at all is advertisements for the "toy" cars made by tyco, Nikko and Radio Shack. There are many ways the sport could benefit from television coverage. Increased revenue for the manufacturers, larger paychecks for the top drivers and most importantly, growth of the sport. The LHS won't have so much of a struggle to stay in business, tracks will last more than a couple years... When people find out that their dreams of driving a race car can actually happen, if only on a smaller scale and for tens of thousands of dollars less than a real car without the risk of injury or death... This sport would explode.

I say we make an effort as a community to get the ball rolling by posting on the Speed TV forums, http://insider.speedtv.com/viewtopic.php?t=116485 and submitting some feedback about the sport to the producers http://www.speedtv.com/feedback/ Add links to some of the large events and about the products that we use. It'll only take about a minute to send an email and we all post on multiple forums on a daily basis anyway. This could be a very good thing if we all get involved.

Tony


----------



## PD2 (Feb 27, 2003)

*It's kind of out there......*

http://outdoorchannel.com/index2.cfm?ss=249&site=1

Inside RC on the Outdoor Channel has a weekly airing of all things R/C. They have had every thing from RC Pro Series to the different airplane shows all over the US. Only catch is that you have to have the Outdoor Channel in your cable or dish package.

If you have not seen an episode, check it out. Definitely give RC some exposure. Is it mainstream, no, but just last weekend (this past Saturday) on NASCAR on Fox, they were talking about how many drivers drove or still drive RC cars. Heck, Tony Stewart owns an R/C manufacturer. So there is some exposure there, you just have to look really good for it.

PD2:thumbsup:


----------



## RcCzarOfOld (Nov 7, 2005)

But the type of TV exposure we need isn't the type where you have to "look really good for it". Even if one of the manufacturers put up a 30 second spot during a NASCAR race, imagine the HUGE new crowd of people that would have just found out about RC racing. They'd all jump online and google "rc racing" or go to their LHS with a ton of questions. It would be a massive boost in sales of RTR's for whomever made the commercial.

Tony


----------



## PD2 (Feb 27, 2003)

RcCzarOfOld said:


> But the type of TV exposure we need isn't the type where you have to "look really good for it". Even if one of the manufacturers put up a 30 second spot during a NASCAR race, imagine the HUGE new crowd of people that would have just found out about RC racing. They'd all jump online and google "rc racing" or go to their LHS with a ton of questions. It would be a massive boost in sales of RTR's for whomever made the commercial.
> 
> Tony


Eh, possibly would boost sales of RTR's, but what has boosted more sales of RTR's is local hobby shop tracks and club tracks advertising and offering Novice Class Races with their normal race programs as well as RC 101 classes where newb's and interested people can come in and learn more about RC and the racing side.

RTR's will always sell - especially around holidays and birthdays too. 

R/C's biggest advertisement is you and me - word of mouth and getting other's involved in the hobby that we love should be as contagious as spreading a cold or the flu! But again, its gotta start with those that love the hobby and want to see it grow.

PD2:thumbsup:


----------

