(2011 PREDICTIONS) Drifting

[Formula D]

Yeah that's true but that's not really what I meant. I should have stated no one really knows what the TV show it self will look like for 2011. Will it be longer? Will it cover more then the top 8 driver of the round? Your competitor has manged a way to get a 1 hour show filled with qualifying highlights, full top16 with OMT runs, and non sponsor related misc filler. The live stream FD has is cool, but its not a full scale production. I truly question if the smaller individual team sponsors are happy with the exposure they are getting with the 30 minute show and the Internet live feed.

(sigh) Ok Blaze

[my 1 88 u]

(sigh) Ok Blaze

It's not just his opinion. My friends and I get together many of Sundays to watch a DVR of both Speed's D1GP and Versus Formula D back to back and come to some of the same conclutions. We love Formula D, go to Drift Atlanta every year and just want to see a better product from the broadcast.

[J-Rod]

I hope J-Rod does his homework on the car weight and tire sizes. I'd love for him to announce it as they run.

Once the Official Tech Day happens, vehicles are registered in their respective weight/tire category I'd love to see them as well.
Given the beauty of Drifting is "run what ya brung"...

BTW That spirit has not gone away, it WILL still exist it allows for a competitive and creative build as opposed to a steroid juiced, rubber burning, lightweight freak of nature...
It's not so apparent now that this could happen but I give credit to the builder, fabricators and engineers in our sport that will push the envelope and create that vehicle to just be the Armagedon car YET a GOOD DRIVER will ALWAYS be a good driver regardless of car!

Theres my 2 cents on this new rule but I have a wallet full of comments I just choose to chime in once in a blue moon (meaning when I drink a Blue Moon beer)....

[Formula D]

It's not just his opinion. My friends and I get together many of Sundays to watch a DVR of both Speed's D1GP and Versus Formula D back to back and come to some of the same conclutions. We love Formula D, go to Drift Atlanta every year and just want to see a better product from the broadcast.

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with him or you. I just always feel like his posts are not in interest in learning about why we do what we do, but rather an opportunity to say something extreme. But to the actual question:

- Our show will continue to be a 30 minute shows for 13 consecutive weeks.
- Weekly broadcast and consistency and ending before SEMA is what sponsors and teams prefer.
- We could go back to 7, 1 hour shows for each event like we did on ESPN and Speed but that was actually not preferred because sponsors and team like to have the shows air in consecutive weeks and end before SEMA. To do that we would start airing the show in September and that is too late in the year for everyone.
- 13 consecutive weeks is the best way to get close to a quarter of the year filled with drifting and cover the main parts of the event.
- The rest of the show is covered by the live stream and it has probably been one of the single most successful things we have done and literally with very little budget. 1M unique IP's is actually more people than what most cable programs including our competitors gets. It rivals TV ratings in general. The show will be much more like our TV show next year with better production since we will actually be able to properly fund it. This year teams got this without having to do anything. Same with 3D and the other media growth areas that we have done. Basically teams get more for the same. We continue to provide more and more each year consistently year over year.
- With the TV show teams get coverage based on success and presence The TV show is to showcase the best of the sport. This is standard in any sport TV coverage. It pushes teams to be more successful, more visible. That being said I have detailed reports for each team, each sponsor and each brand of the actual value of their exposure in the TV show. This reporting shows even the smallest team has very large quantifiable measurements that they can show their sponsors. We use a service called Joyce Julius so people can see an unbiased objective view on their exposure in the TV show

[Justin Banner]

BTW That spirit has not gone away, it WILL still exist it allows for a competitive and creative build as opposed to a steroid juiced, rubber burning, lightweight freak of nature...
It's not so apparent now that this could happen but I give credit to the builder, fabricators and engineers in our sport that will push the envelope and create that vehicle to just be the Armagedon car YET a GOOD DRIVER will ALWAYS be a good driver regardless of car!

Which is what I tried to convey in my first article. This is never going to change, the cream will always rise.

Theres my 2 cents on this new rule but I have a wallet full of comments I just choose to chime in once in a blue moon (meaning when I drink a Blue Moon beer)....

Speaking of which, I need to find a way to bring you some Dominion Oak Barrel Stout at the Atlanta round. OMG is it good (if you're into Vanilla)!

[Bebop]

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with him or you. I just always feel like his posts are not in interest in learning about why we do what we do, but rather an opportunity to say something extreme.

I post to speak my mind about the sport of drifting. Not to impress or belittle anyone's views or actions. If you feel my post are extreme I really don't know if I should say thank you or sorry. Again they are not intended to disrespect or flatter your company. I say this on numerous occasions I'm just a fan who has the opportunities to work in the industry. So I see my views as somewhere in the middle.

I'm happy you guys are boosting the production of the live stream, I enjoyed this years presentation. But from what I have seen on the screen and heard in the pits I stand by my opinion of it not being 100% smaller sponsor friendly. When I say smaller, I mean the sponsors of the individual teams not the ones that support the and or series.

With the TV show teams get coverage based on success and presence The TV show is to showcase the best of the sport. This is standard in any sport TV coverage. It pushes teams to be more successful, more visible.

As both someone who has grown up around motor sports and also enjoys watching them I don't not agree with that. I look at television as a opportunity to tell a detailed story about the event or present the event in the rawest, livest, and most intellectual way possible. That doesn't equate to only 1/4 of the grid and a fraction of the sponsors.

Again I wish you guys luck on the live stream rather I agree with it or not.

My opinion on the tire rule is again in the middle. The equal opportunity, socialist in me loves it. The hardcore action packed adrenaline junky fan in me questions it. Either way this rule combined with FD's existing philosophy of the sport of drifting will either define the series or leaves it in a position to answer more questions.

[driftstream]

I'm happy you guys are boosting the production of the live stream, I enjoyed this years presentation. But from what I have seen on the screen and heard in the pits I stand by my opinion of it not being 100% smaller sponsor friendly. When I say smaller, I mean the sponsors of the individual teams not the ones that support the and or series.

Hey Blaze..A couple of quick points regarding your post above.. If you noticed the progression of the production as the season went on we incorporated a halftime based show that focused on smaller teams and independent drivers. We had Matt Field / Wild Bill / Aasbo / Pat M / Dean Kearney / Cyrus / Dennis M. and Nikolay K.

Also we stream the entire event (10 + hours) from practice to finals.. we also post up all qualifying runs as well as eliminations to our youtube channel listed here. The stream in my opinion is the best way for new and smaller teams to get great coverage based on there performance.
http://www.youtube.com/user/driftstream2010#p/u


As far as 2011 goes we are super stoked about really turning up the level of production and take it to the next level.

[Slapshotnerd]

Quick Question for FD about the weight thresholds - Will the cars be weighed between rounds? Let's say a car shows up to Long Beach as a full chassis, then gets a ton of Carbon Fiber work done before Atlanta... what are the requirements for a car to declare their new weight and the appropriate "tire class" they are in??

From the wording of the rule, it sounds like they will only be required to weigh in at the first event, and they are classified for the rest of the year (sans spot-checks), which could potentially lead to some "gaming" of the system.

[Bebop]

Hey Blaze..A couple of quick points regarding your post above.. If you noticed the progression of the production as the season went on we incorporated a halftime based show that focused on smaller teams and independent drivers. We had Matt Field / Wild Bill / Aasbo / Pat M / Dean Kearney / Cyrus / Dennis M. and Nikolay K.

Also we stream the entire event (10 + hours) from practice to finals.. we also post up all qualifying runs as well as eliminations to our youtube channel listed here. The stream in my opinion is the best way for new and smaller teams to get great coverage based on there performance.
http://www.youtube.com/user/driftstream2010#p/u


As far as 2011 goes we are super stoked about really turning up the level of production and take it to the next level.

I agree with you, the stream is good exposure for the lower rank teams. The guys who cant make round of 32 or barely make it. The ones who consistently make it but don't have the right machine to get out of the round of 32. Its a very good opportunity and and marketing tool for these low budget/lower rank drivers.

But the guys I'm really worried about is the mid tear competitors. The ones who get into the top 16, they still lack in TV presents. Some of these teams have some high profile sponsors backing them who can easily take their money somewhere else.....AWAY from drifting all together. Remember, I come from the video option/espn2 era of the sport. I'm used to being happy for a guy who got top 16 because it meant automatic TV time.

The 10 hours of footage is kind of what I was saying in the other thread. Cool we got all 10+ hours of footage archived, but what is done with it? As a fan I fine it quite boring and it really puts how slow and tedious the sport is into perspective. Its one thing to be there live, but its another then to watch it on a grainy computer screen. But that has nothing to do with you guys, it something that FD needs to figure in hopes one day the sport can be presented live on TV or the internetz.

Please do not get me wrong driftstream, you guys have my support (not like you need it). I'm very impressed on how far the production has come over the past 2 years. And I will continue to watch it seeing I cant get to every round. I just don't think its the proper way to get exposure for 75 percent of the series competitors by the sanctioning body it self.

[Justin Banner]

And, not to be a lap hound, but this is what "New Media" is all about. I mean, we are starting to get TVs that stream the internet directly to it. You can watch your show anytime you want with pay and free "on-demand" services from your laptop. While it will take more time, watching television won't be what we recognize it today and will probably go by the wayside like print media is starting to go and having to broadcast from a FCC frequency (and the very expensive license) will no longer be needed. Formula D just happens to be on the cutting edge of it.

[Bebop]

Hello, my name Formula D. I got a cutting edge live stream,and a show we keep around to give props to our buddies and just for the sake of saying we have a show! By the way, we are also coming out with a MAGAZINE!



LOL, I'm just having fun with it now

Not being serious

[brad_manka]

Quick Question for FD about the weight thresholds - Will the cars be weighed between rounds? Let's say a car shows up to Long Beach as a full chassis, then gets a ton of Carbon Fiber work done before Atlanta... what are the requirements for a car to declare their new weight and the appropriate "tire class" they are in??

From the wording of the rule, it sounds like they will only be required to weigh in at the first event, and they are classified for the rest of the year (sans spot-checks), which could potentially lead to some "gaming" of the system.

Weight Compliance
All cars must be weighed in a ready to drive state. Formula Drift will include this weighing at a mandatory pre-event inspection before the first event. Cars will be weighed WITHOUT driver, complete with all required bodywork and safety equipment installed. Cars may only be weighed and registered upon passing their annual safety and technical inspection.
A car can only be weighed and registered before the official start of a Formula Drift event. Cars may be weighed before any event, only during the regular technical inspection hours provided. The vehicle may not change weight classes at any time during an event. It is required of each competitor to inform the Formula Drift Technical Manager in writing of any modification(s) to their vehicle that alters the weight of the vehicle by more than 10 lbs. Formula Drift will be impounding all podium finishers immediately after end of competition and they will be checked for weight and tire size compliance. There will also be random compliance checks at any time during the Formula Drift events, at Formula Drift's discretion. Formula Drift reserves the right to weigh cars at any time before, during or after an event.

[Slapshotnerd]

Weight Compliance
All cars must be weighed in a ready to drive state. Formula Drift will include this weighing at a mandatory pre-event inspection before the first event. Cars will be weighed WITHOUT driver, complete with all required bodywork and safety equipment installed. Cars may only be weighed and registered upon passing their annual safety and technical inspection.
A car can only be weighed and registered before the official start of a Formula Drift event. Cars may be weighed before any event, only during the regular technical inspection hours provided. The vehicle may not change weight classes at any time during an event. It is required of each competitor to inform the Formula Drift Technical Manager in writing of any modification(s) to their vehicle that alters the weight of the vehicle by more than 10 lbs. Formula Drift will be impounding all podium finishers immediately after end of competition and they will be checked for weight and tire size compliance. There will also be random compliance checks at any time during the Formula Drift events, at Formula Drift's discretion. Formula Drift reserves the right to weigh cars at any time before, during or after an event.

This verbiage clears up a lot of the questions I had.

Thanks Brad!!

[my 1 88 u]

The live stream is a godsend but if there is a way to edit the runs and post each up immediately after they are done it would be even more perfect. Sometimes I'm busy and can't wait through the lulls in action and don't want to wait until after the event to search through a 3 hour video to find the runs I missed.

Just dreaming

[Bebop]

Alot of things to regulate

FD might need to hire a couple more people.