IndyCar was at Newton, Iowa last weekend. Coverage on Peacock was improved. Let’s look at why this was the case.
Normally, Peacock coverage is of practice and qualifying, The full race is on NBC. That was true of the Iowa race. There were several notable changes in the approach to Iowa. An emphasis was placed on Hy-Vee’s sponsorship of the race. Hy-Vee is a midwestern grocery chain that seems to be making an effort to go national by offering Internet orders and national delivery service. They are using IndyCar sponsorship to highlight their mission. Consequently Peacock provided view of new grandstands, provided by Hy-Vee. Peacock also showed James Hinchcliffe going to store that Hy-Vee set up at the racetrack to supply campers with food, drink, snacks and necessities. Store employees, Hy-Vee volunteers, were interviewed. It was a great segment because it showed what goes into a race, besides the race. By the end of the very brief segment, shown during a yellow flag for scheduled track maintenance, viewers had a better understanding of:
the Iowa track,
its offerings of grandstand and camping,
Hy-Vee’s sponsorship of the race, and
a general understanding of the Iowa race.
Viewers are more likely to be engaged with a racetrack because of this kind of coverage, which has been lacking at other venues.
Leigh Diffey was missing from IndyCar coverage this weekend. He was called to cover other NBC sporting events. Kevin Lee most ably stepped in to cover the lead broadcasting spot. Kevin wore the broadcast sports coat well. His discussions of the race with Townsend Bell, James Hinchcliffe and others flowed smoothly. Peacock needs to consider making this broadcast team permanent. Indycar needs an American voice for an American race. Sure, Indycar has an international driver lineup. However it’s only race outside the U.S. this season was in Toronto. Long gone from the lineup are the races in Japan, Brazil, Australia or Mexico. Diffey’s Australian accent is a distraction that needs to be put to bed.
What could make Peacock Coverage Even Better?
Peacock coverage of IndyCar is choppy at best. Most broadcasts start seconds before a practice session starts, Little introduction or context for the venue is provided. Cars are shown pulling out of pit row and launching onto the racetrack. Narrative follows who’s fastest. Simple, streamlined and totally inadequate.
Race fans know there’s a lot more to show. Each racetrack has its own vibe, something that makes it a worthy destination. There are a number of ways to show that special vibe. Sorely missing is a paddock webcam. Peacock is missing out on showing race activities by not having a 12 hour a day open cam pointing into the paddock. This would show teams, drivers, fans moving around. People watching is a huge part of racing. A paddock web cam would help out. Surely Peacock has the bandwidth to show a day long webcam. No narration is needed. The video speaks for itself.
There are unofficial happenings at any race. One of the best is the “unofficial parade” before and after any practice or race. Before cars can race, the pits must be filled with crews, equipment, family, friends, owners and drivers. All of these must assemble and move into the pit area, making a parade of racing royalty. It starts an hour before the beginning of track activity. Narration is unneeded. At Gasoline Alley, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, fans gather to watch the procession, call to their favorite drivers, and see the spectacle of IndyCar unfold before them. Mechanics on carts with tires, Nose cones and wings on racks being moved to the pits by more mechanics, Honda and Chevy engine consultants toting laptops to track their assigned teams engine performance. Owners like Michael, Chip, Ed making their way with sponsors, family and friends lucky enough to get into the pits with the team. Drivers, wives, children, girlfriends, family make their way in. Some drivers zip around on scooters. It is controlled chaos, horns honking, whistles blown by yellow shirts. It is spectacular in itself, before anyone fires up an engine. Peacock needs to document this.
Conclusion
NBC’S Peacock Network stepped up its coverage at Newton, Iowa. Focusing on the locality and better broadcast personnel were improvements. There are plenty of opportunities to improve coverage. Digging into the venues, improving the mix of announcers and emphasizing more of the many IndyCar stories will be vital to better broadcasts. Let’s see what they do with the NASCAR and IndyCar doubleheader.
Leave a Reply