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VS On Air Talent
Assuming VS needs to find their own talent (and not share with ABC / ESPN) who would you hire? Before you shout out Paul Page and Jon B. remember they are ESPN broadcasters so the likely hood is slim.
Will we see Lauren B (Up To Speed) have an expanded role...maybe a pit reporter or host of the 1 weekly show? Can't be any worse than ms can't get a sentance out without stumbling over the words Pedigo.
Will we see Lauren B (Up To Speed) have an expanded role...maybe a pit reporter or host of the 1 weekly show? Can't be any worse than ms can't get a sentance out without stumbling over the words Pedigo.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by xorpheous on -
I heard Paul Page during the X Games, and ...ugh. I have fond memories of his voice calling IndyCar races, but he just doesn't have it any longer. I thought Eddie Cheever did a decent job as analyst for the 500, but it was a bad pairing with Scott Goodyear. As for the play-by-play, I'd like to see Bob Jenkins, but I know he's with ESPN as well. I'm not familiar with Versus current on-air talent, so I don't know whom they might draw on in-house. I'm in the same dilema with the in-the-pits person. I'd love to see a former race engineer or mechanic get the job.
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Permalink Reply by joey kowailw on -
anyone but the current muppets please! some one with a bit of charisma and someone that don't say danica patrick every 15 words.
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Permalink Reply by Gilbert K. Arnold on -
I'm hoping Vs has some good people in mind. I do think that someone with a decent technical background is one of the pit reporters and/or color commentators is needed. I think before we all go jumping off the deep end, and proclaiming this is a bad move by the IRL, we should wait till they actually announce their schedule and introduce the on air talent. Who knows we may be pleasantly surprised
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Permalink Reply by xorpheous on
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I'm very confident that the broadcast quality at VS will be far better than at ESPN. That's not my complaint. It doesn't matter how good the show is, though, if you can't watch it. That's the situation a lot of people are in. Doing an informal pole on the Downforce fan club site is showing about 1:5 people left in the cold. That's a 20% drop in viewership of hard-core fans. This is what concerns me, not their broadcast efforts. I'm sure that, for those of us lucky enough to watch, will be great.
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Permalink Reply by Wilsonfan on -
If I hear Paul Page's name one more time as a broadcaster, I'm throwing up--the guy couldn't get names correct, read scripts--his time is past. Forget the name.
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Permalink Reply by Wilsonfan on
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Oh, I forgot, I'm a big Jack Arute fan and I know he wants to be in the booth and get off pit road. I hope they make him an offer. And Davey Hamilton makes a great broadcaster.
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Permalink Reply by Jim Huntington on -
Since my only real exposure is through Indycar.com video stream, except for the ABC/ESPN broadcasts, I like Hamilton. He lends experience of having been there recently and has a pretty fair attitude toward all the drivers. Arute and Brien seem decent and professional to me as well. Arute has a bushel of enthusaism.
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Permalink Reply by Wilsonfan on
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Jim, you have no idea how much enthusiasm Jack Arute has--and his passion for open wheel racing is genuine. Didn't ask Robin anything about your Danica--he was pretty vocal regarding Kanan breaking the bank at AGR and the lying that was done. Take care.
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Permalink Reply by Iowa Guy on -
I could not agree more with you on the fact that people have limited access to Versus. This is my biggest concern about this move. If ratings for some ICS races have been slipping on ESPN/ABC, then how is this going to improve on Versus, when I think a lot of people have never even heard of it -- let alone have no ability to get it. A lot of people do not have it on their systems, especially if they're on cable. Someone on a different site pointed out that maybe if this ICS deal goes really well, it could help launch Versus into a more "mainstream" spot on people's systems. Let's hope so.
I'm going to try to be positive about the whole deal, but this part of it does have me concerned.
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Permalink Reply by Iowa Guy on
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My first post on this site! I've been reading responses to this, as this whole new deal with Versus is really a big thing with a lot of potential, both good and bad. I only hope that Verus relizes what a big thing they have here, and do it right. A lot of that will hinge on who they select for on-air talent.
I have to agree with a lot of the suggestions here -- especially regarding Jack Arute. Jack has long been a favorite of mine. He's been in the pits forever, since the early days of ESPN. Maybe it's time to move him up to the booth. Jon Beekhuis is great as well as a pit reporter. And yes, I also think Davey Hamilton is excellent on the IMS Network broadcasts on the ICS website. I like to listen to those during practice and qualifying because I can learn so much. I also think Cheever has good potential if placed with the right people. He just needs to learn to speak up a little more. He was a little too quiet at Indy.
Whoever Versus ends up going with, I hope they are seasoned race reporters, and not people they move over from other sports they already cover. Race fans won't put up with that.
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Permalink Reply by Brendon on -
I have to call Comcast this week to see what I can do to get VS. The on air personalities should be carefully planned and selected. The race could be good but if you have to hear people talk for over an hour that have no idea what they are talking about, the audience gets bored, not to mention MISINFORMED.... Did anyone count how many times Rusty refered to stock cars or how many times he said Daytona 500 during and Indy 500 broadcast.
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