Sep 20, 2010 - More than a few people have told me this year that one reason NASCAR television ratings have declined is because of Twitter.
Twitter is killing the sport, they say.
The reasoning is it's now so easy for fans to follow the races through Twitter that they can do other things on Sundays and still stay informed.
Those who promote this theory say the ratings don't show signs of less interest in NASCAR; there are just other ways to keep track of the sport that aren't reflected in the TV numbers.
I don't totally buy that argument, as the number of NASCAR fans on Twitter (even the top NASCAR-only drivers have fewer than 50,000 followers) wouldn't account for a ratings decline.
Still, it's an intriguing idea: Can you follow a race on Twitter and get the same experience as watching NASCAR on TV?
On Sunday, given 1) It was a big birthday, 2) My family was around and 3) My favorite football team was playing, I decided to try it out for myself.
For the first time all season, I didn't watch the race.
At first, I felt guilty. It was like I was cheating on NASCAR with other interests. What if I miss something???
But then I started checking the tweets on my BlackBerry. And it became clear that the race was remarkably easy to follow on my phone.
My Twitter stream was a flood of information. Journalists like Jenna Fryer, Nate Ryan and Bob Pockrass tweeted race updates mixed with radio chatter and their personal analysis of what was happening. "Official" accounts like NASCAR and the individual public relations representatives for each team tweeted facts about the running order, cautions and pit stops.
For awhile, I really didn't feel like I was missing anything. I relaxed and stopped feeling guilty.
This was easy. Who needed TV?
But it wasn't that simple. As things started to happen in the race and the action picked up, no 140-character tweets could substitute for watching the race myself. I wanted to see what was happening with my own eyes, not through others'.
Yes, Twitter told me Jimmie Johnson just spun out with Kyle Busch; but how? I needed to watch the spin, observe how much damage it caused, evaluate for myself whose fault it was.
And yes, a variety of tweets offered information on the fuel mileage situation (including predictions like "I don't think Stewart can make it!") and told me the race had taken a dramatic turn. But hitting the "refresh" button on my phone over and over again to see the next updates was draining – both for me and the battery.
I wanted to experience what was happening by watching it on TV. When there was action, Twitter turned into a subpar substitute.
Even after watching a DVR'd replay later, I still felt like I was missing out on seeing it live.
Because I'm at the track almost every week, I don't plan on trying this again anytime soon. But the lesson I learned was that while you can get by with missing the first or middle parts of the race, you can't get by with missing the end.
Like an NCAA Tournament basketball game, the end of a NASCAR race is the best part. Even if it's a snoozer up to that point, something crazy can always happen in the final few minutes (and often does).
Part of being a fan is about the community conversation. It's about Did you see that? and This is so wild! and I can't believe that just happened!
So overall, it's not worth the risk to have no idea what everyone else is talking about.
It's understandable if those who love NASCAR flip over to the NFL on Sundays, do their weekend errands or hang out with a friend instead of watching every minute of races that we all know are far too long.
And it's even possible to follow the sport on Twitter and not "miss" anything for most of the race.
But if you're going to try it, you'd better get back in front of a TV for the finish.
18 comments
Comments
My tv is on during the race, but I’m really not paying attention to it unless something happens. And the announcers? Forget about them, never listen to them. I’ve followed the race via twitter only before and it is rough. Because you want to see first hand of what’s happening not someone else’s account for it. Nothing can ever replace seeing it for yourself.
by jr88freak on Sep 20, 2010 10:45 AM EDT reply actions
JMO
Interesting experiment there. If you are a devoted fan of a certain driver, you will want to watch the race to see how his entire day goes. My favorite NFL team was also on TV, but it was an easy choice to watch the race instead. I guess it all depends on where your real passion lies. Nascar first. Everything else second. But people have different priorities.
by factfinder on Sep 20, 2010 10:45 AM EDT reply actions
I watch the race live and have Twitter up at the same time to compliment to TV coverage rather than replace it. Ambrose and JTG’s Twitter pages update how Ambrose feels about the car and what adjustments are being made, and many of the journalists I follow post most of the more interesting scanner comments. Often times I find out about something on Twitter before I do on television, but nothing can replace actually watching the action.
by james_mountain on Sep 20, 2010 10:49 AM EDT reply actions
No TV for me and I needed pictures
I am away this weekend and the room does not have ESPN so no TV for me. I “watched” the race with Pit Command 48 scanner and Radio all via laptop along with Twitter while going back and forth to the pool. Pit COmmand and radi gave me current but Twitter was used for the what did I miss. Went to pool 48 was 7th came back he was 20th. Found out he had damage but without TV I had no concept of the extent so yes Twitter helped fill in the blanks but I needed pictures.
by Newracefan on Sep 20, 2010 10:56 AM EDT reply actions
Ironic
I have casually followed Nascar for the past 20 years and the last 3 years I have actually gone to a race each year. Most years by the time TNT finishs with their coverage I just don’t really have that much vested in the sport to keep watching and gleefully await football season. Since joining Twitter at the beginning of the year and hearing all week long about the drivers, the teams and the racetracks I feel with all of that lead up I am anxiously awaiting the race. With the drivers, tracks and sports bloggers (Jeff) tweeting I have yet to miss a race yet this year. Yesterday when my team was playing at the same time as the race. I stuck with the race since it was exciting from almost moment one.
by YarkerMommy on Sep 20, 2010 10:59 AM EDT reply actions
I totally agree
The info stream through Twitter absolutely builds my anticipation as the races approach.
by gosmoke on Sep 20, 2010 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Twitter is more of a supplement
I “watched” the Bristol night race with Twitter since I was at an event with no TV. It lacked something to say the least. However, without Twitter, I would have been stuck with a simple leader board and no details.
As folks have said, Twitter is awesome for reading interesting scanner comments, exact changes to the car in the pits, and to fill in during commercials. At this point, I wouldn’t voluntarily watch a race without the journalists, teams, etc tweeting away in my phone. However, it doesn’t completely stand alone without the TV broadcast, and to one of the points in the original post, I don’t see it as a legitimate hit to TV ratings.
by gosmoke on Sep 20, 2010 11:13 AM EDT reply actions
Different opinion
I got tired of looking at twitter during the race because you get the same tweet by 30 different people and its annoying clogging up your twitter feed, especially when your looking for tweets from insiders/media from your favorite MLB/NFL team. As long as I can pull up my drivers scanner on nascar.com and watch the broadcast, I don’t need twitter during the race for 20-30 media/PR people to tell me “cautoin Robby Gordon in the wall”
by lukefree on Sep 20, 2010 11:22 AM EDT reply actions
When I can sit down and watch a race live, I have the TV on, listening to the Race Day scanner on the internet, and watching the Twitter feed, all at the same time! The combination of the 3 enhances the race for me. I have been having to work on race day the past couple of weeks, and yes, I follow on Twitter from work, but can only quickly check my feed every 20-30 minutes. There are over 200 new tweets everytime I check, which makes it hard to see what is going on through out the race, but I can tell what is happening as I am checking. I watch the race as soon I get home on my DVR.
by Eric Welander on Sep 20, 2010 11:48 AM EDT reply actions
Like many, I find Twitter is a great suplement to watching. Yeah sometimes you get the same Tweet from a bunch of different people and it practically blows up my phone, but I like the different perspectives each of the media members gives about what is going on. Twitter isn’t what is killing the ratings its the TV coverage.
by Britta Lund on Sep 20, 2010 5:13 PM EDT reply actions
I travel for a living..
Even with web access on my phone, I can’t always “watch” the race, so Twitter can be a life line..
However, if you follow any good chat room, thwy can give you just as much info there…
by Sky inLas Vegas on Sep 20, 2010 6:33 PM EDT reply actions
Even more than Twitter...
Well, first up. I hated your Twitter experiment! You were absent for most of the live chat! kidding! I’ve had to follow the races on Twitter a few times this year. Once was I was at a friend’s wedding (no comment), and a few times when I was out of the country. The out of the country races worked out perfectly because of the differing time zones, and it was my only way to follow the race while I was working. I actually found it really fun. The amount of tweets and the quality of the writers will never make it a replacement, but it works in a pinch.
I would like to say though that sometimes I find myself watching the race without even watching it. I do the SBNation live chat usually, and add that to Twitter and what my friends are saying on Facebook and it becomes a bit much.
by mandysuemccaul on Sep 20, 2010 7:30 PM EDT reply actions
my experience
I’ve used Twitter to follow Friday NASCAR races, usually the regional series races like the East Series race at New Hampshire last Friday.
It had a great finish, with the two late leaders wrecking each other and Ryan Truex surviving a couple of GWC’s to win the race. But man I wished I could’ve actually watched what happened! Keeping track of what’s going on with the race through social media is NOT an adequate replacement for watching racing live, but it certainly nice to have if you can’t be near a TV while it’s on, or if it’s not being shown live at all.
by Robert Turnbull on Sep 20, 2010 7:42 PM EDT reply actions
Nice read Jeff
I did the same thing with twitter while at the NHRA race at Zmax in charlotte and I saw the same tweets and kept saying to myself big deal or oh crap i gotta see that to see how that unfolded. Twitter would work if I had to work or it was a monday race due to rain but if i can be there or in person im gonna do it and use twitter while im there.
by grrrowlguy on Sep 20, 2010 7:48 PM EDT reply actions
Have to have pictures
I was out of town during Bristol weekend & couldn’t watch the races, so I followed w/ TrackPass, Twitter & SBNation chat (of course). I was miserable. Not only was I missing the action at Bristol, I really wanted to see the cars. Granted I don’t listen to the TV broadcasts, but do replay some of the wrecks, and if someone tweets or posts something I find extremely interesting, I’ll raise TV volume to hear broadcast’s view.
by MT Hundley on Sep 20, 2010 8:05 PM EDT reply actions
You picked a wild one to miss Jeff! One of the best races this year by far. When I’m not home for a race I usually watch/listen to it on my phone. The sprint android app is pretty cool (even has “live” video).
by Eric Mitz on Sep 20, 2010 8:07 PM EDT reply actions
Use Twitter for Cup races without TV - Only when it is necessary
Like when I go wine tasting with my sisters. Or my brother-in-law barbeques for us. Or my granddaughters have a function that Grandma gets to attend…..you get the picture. I often use twitter only for Nationwide and Truck races…if it becomes a meeting of the Kyle Busch fan club, I know I can skip it – especially the Truck race with that Toyota salesman in the booth.
Carol Dahlberg
by RVnGrammy on Sep 20, 2010 8:43 PM EDT reply actions
The way I look at it, Twitter is a good tool to use WITH watching the race on TV. It’s like having NASCAR.com trackpass, it just adds to it.
by NASCARfan_Travis on Sep 20, 2010 9:19 PM EDT reply actions
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