Timeout to say Congratulations!

The Butler Bulldogs defeated Syracuse tonight, 63-59, to advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.

Butler is a fine school in a great community. I spent some time there, taking graduate business courses that prepared me well for the full-time MBA program at Georgetown. Please don't mention the Hoyas' effort in this year's NCAA Tourney.

Long-time IMS announcer and late friend of Roggespierre's family Jim Phillipe was a long-time teacher in the drama and radio departments at Butler. Erstwhile IndyCar competitor Ed Carpenter is a Butler alumnus.

Congratulations, Bulldogs!

We shall recommence discussion of the IndyCar Series tomorrow morning.

Roggespierre

IndyCar: The Task at Hand

It is impossible to overstate the importance of the advisory board that will select a new IndyCar chassis and/or concept to IRL Chief Executive Randy Bernard. A primer that outlines the group's mission was provided this week by Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star.

I suggest that you read Cavin's article carefully before you continue reading the analysis here.

The following quote from Bernard's chosen board leader, Retired Air Force General William Looney, is cause for some measure of concern.

"(Bernard) wants to make decisions in an open process with criteria that
comes up with the right answer for everybody, not just one particular interest
group."

I commend Bernard for providing an open process. However, the devil, as they say, is in the details. That is where market success and market failure are determined.

It seems that Looney is describing a political process. In my view, that would be a mistake. Selecting a new chassis is a marketing activity. Ultimately, the "right answer for everybody" is the most cost effective solution that enables IndyCar to attract the greatest possible number of paying spectators and television viewers, as well as corporate dollars that tend to be driven by fan participation.

Therefore, the process of selecting a new chassis should not be about balancing and appeasing established constituencies, but rather it must be about growing the sport in a highly competitive marketplace. That requires establishing and delivering a defined set of core benefits to IndyCar's end users - fans.

I shall have more to say about this matter in the near future.

Roggespierre

Bernard Selects a Real Leader

New IndyCar czar Randy Bernard obviously sought and found an experienced leader to head the advisory panel that will recommend the next generation of specs for the IZOD IndyCar Series.

According to the Indianapolis Star, the job will go to Retired Air Force General William R. Looney III. This is a man who has achieved much. I am therefore encouraged by his appointment. Congratulations, Mr. Bernard!

I trust that the general will effectively keep factional interests at bay throughout the selection process. That is, after all, much of the battle.

General Looney - here's hoping that you deem significant cost reduction and control to be Jobs 1A and 1B. Drivers are for driving, not financing!

The Citizens solute you and wish you well.

Roggespierre

IndyCar Baguettes Bachelart a Financier

Behold, the next "star" of the IZOD IndyCar Series! He is Bertrand Baguette, and according to Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star, he has signed-on for 15 races in 2010 with Eric Bachelart's Conquest Rent-a-Ride Racing.

This rates as the most exciting thing to hit the IndyCar scene since Montagny-mania!

Randy Bernard, this is a symptom of the problems that you have inherited. You are not envied here, sir.

Bertrand Baguette might be a fine racer. However, he does nothing to increase consumer appeal of IndyCar racing in the United States, where it must compete with myriad sports entertainment operations for ticket buyers, television ratings, and corporate sponsorship dollars.

I have no doubt that this move is very good for Conquest Rent-a-Ride Racing team owner Eric Bachelart, who must be very pleased to have signed a financier, er, driver from his native Belgium.

I shall say it again. That which is good for IndyCar is not necessarily good for its suppliers of racing teams, and vice verse. An economist would call this a misalignment of incentives.

I call it yet another step toward complete anonymity and irrelevance for a once great institution, the Indianapolis 500.

Please help, Mr. Bernard!

Roggespierre

The Irony of IndyCar

I recently was referred to this article by Anthony Schoettle of the Indianapolis Business Journal. It is filled with delicious irony.

Derek Daly and Paul Tracy have championed an international, road racing direction for IndyCar racing for many years. Now, because Daly's son and Tracy himself are unable to land IRL rides, they are angry.

Derek and Paul will find no sympathy here. I have argued for some time that businesses can not have everything that they want. In this case, that means that the IRL can not have multiple road and street races, high-tech, high-cost equipment, and a solid base of American drivers.

I have explained in some detail here, here, here, here, here and here.

Graham Rahal lost his ride because McDonald's no longer has to fund NHL in order to procure salad dressing. He will not get another funded ride because the series is not designed to appeal to an American audience. Paul Tracy and Derek Daly's kid are no different.

Just ask the IMS ticket marketing chief, who quit this week.

This is a problem that will not be solved by a new car, delta wing or no delta wing.

Again, the problem is that IndyCar can not have everything that it wants.

Gentlemen, it is time to grow up.

Roggespierre