ABC NASCAR Coverage Complaints

November 10th, 2008 | by RacingWin |

Complaints About NASCAR Coverage on ABC

I’ve been getting a ton of comments about ABC cutting away from the race with just over 30 laps to go. Looks like a lot of you missed the end of the race thanks to this stupid decision at ABC. I think that must stand for Anything But Competent.

Both ABC and ESPN are owned by The Walt Disney Company — but even Mickey Mouse could have handled this better. I decided to head over to ABC and launch a formal complaint. Then I thought you might want to do the same.

Here’s where to go if you want to complain directly to ABC: http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html

This page also has a link to send Sports Feedback to ESPN, but I suggest sending your comments directly to ABC as this was an executive decision by ABC.

Here are some of the comments I have received so far:

Cutting the second last race of the season off to put on Funny Video’s is just plain stupid. If NASCAR doesn’t step up and do something to ABC for this. Then I have just one more comment for NASCAR. “LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO “CART” - Gordo3 16

I like Fox. I wish that they would broadcast the whole season. — Linda

ABC leaving the race high and dry with so little laps to go was just unbelievable, especially for the people who don’t have cable. They are very disrespectful to the fans that pay their salary. - Motorsports Photography

I think it was extremely stupid of ABC to switch with just a few laps left. I don’t have ESPN, and I missed the end. — Aubrey

I think ABC did us wrong by not finishing the race on that channel. If it was a football, baseball, golf, hockey they would have finished. We need to get rid of ABC for televising races unless they play the whole race. I really wanted to see the ending of the race. - Claudia

So what does all this say for NASCAR? “It doesn’t say very much,” according to Rick Hendrick.

You can read all the comments on the Phoenix Post Race Thread. I hope ABC gets their act together - or gets out of the business of NASCAR altogether.

  1. 14 Responses to “ABC NASCAR Coverage Complaints”

  2. By Marie Council on Nov 10, 2008 | Reply

    FYI for others who run into this situation: I went to the ABC site to register a complaint about their cutting off the race and they had a list of categories to choose from. I chose SPORTS and it took me to ESPN. Since I wanted to complain to ABC, not ESPN, I chose ABC SPECIALS as the category and was able to direct the complaint to ABC.

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  3. By RacingWin on Nov 10, 2008 | Reply

    Marie, that’s where the complaint belongs. ABC obviously made this decision.

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  4. By Pat on Nov 14, 2008 | Reply

    ABC is stupid - FOX is best! I can’t imagine any station ditching NASCAR for a stupid sitcom, or anything for that matter, unless it was a national emergency. NASCAR is about the only thing I watch on TV anymore, everything else is so depressing. And this week, I’m SOOO excited about Jimmie! I hope everything goes well for him and that he clinches the race and that 3rd championship! Next to Jeff Gordon, Jimmie’s my boy! Love them both - Hendricks is the BEST!

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  5. By Peggy on Nov 14, 2008 | Reply

    That was just “WRONG” of ABC. Like everyone else said..If it was a darn football game they wouldnt have done it. I was lucky enough to get to see the ending cause I have Directv, but for all the ones who dont had to miss the ending and that just sucks!! The last race is on ABC also…will they do the same thing on this race as well?? Nascar….DROP ABC!!

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  6. By Ray on Nov 14, 2008 | Reply

    How could ABC show hours of a race then cut away at the last 39 laps, this has to be one of the dumbest things they have ever done. Of course we could take in the facts of ABC ratings then, duh what else would we expect from a second or third rate company run by Mickey Mouse for sure.

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  7. By Peggy Claywell on Nov 14, 2008 | Reply

    Please drop ABC. It was rediculos how they didn’t show the last of the race. After watching all but a littl bit of the race, that was enough to make any one mad.

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  8. By BYRON on Nov 14, 2008 | Reply

    If I were Nascar, that would be the last race ABC televised for me. This was something your new president (Obama)would do.

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  9. By ROBERTA BALDWIN on Nov 14, 2008 | Reply

    NASCAR IS GOING DOWN HILL FAST AND THE COVERAGE IS GETTING WORST BY THE WEEK— FANS ARE LOSING INTEREST FAST–I WILL GIVE IT ONE MORE YEAR ON MY T V– IF THERE IS NO IMPROVEMENT— THATS IT FOR ME—- THANK YOU

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  10. By Dorothy V. on Nov 15, 2008 | Reply

    I was just fortunate that I do get ESPN although it took a few minutes to find it - since my TV went digital I don’t have anything to tell me where the channels are! It was really stupid to not finish showing the race on ABC - but in Canada that seems to be the way it works.

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  11. By Lana Pence on Nov 15, 2008 | Reply

    Since when did America’s Funniest Videos take priority over Nascar? My cable company carries AFV everyday and sometimes twice. I am wondering who made this boneheaded decision at ABC and what bonehead from NASCAR allowed it to happen. Wake up NASCAR your fan base is dropping like flies. I do have to admit ATV and NASCAR are somewhat similar in that both seem staged a lot of the time.

    I was wondering if ABC can monitor how many are actually watching their programming on any given day…ABC you are going to lose most of your very loyal viewers if you piss off the Nascar crowd. And if you do that, you will be next in line asking for a handout… excuse me, a bailout. AND THAT IS MY OPINION

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  12. By Patricia P on Nov 15, 2008 | Reply

    ABC really messed up cutting the second to the last race in the Chase for funny videos, even to make it worse it was in the last few laps. If we hadn’t got u-verse recently I would have missed the end and would not of been a happy camper. When you air a race you have to expect delays due to weather and other causes. Come on ABC get your act together, you do for football, baseball and basketball.

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  13. By Claudia on Nov 15, 2008 | Reply

    ABC sucked last week about cutting the race to ESPN2, when I clicked on ESPN2 to watch the ending of the race, it was blacked out in the South Hills of Pittsburgh and did not get to see the ending of the race. I won’t be watching the race this weekend on tv, but will follow it on radio because I refuse to watch ABC anymore till they appologies to the NACAR viewers for the dumb move they made last week.

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  14. By Mick on Nov 15, 2008 | Reply

    I’m with Roberta…these guys are trying my patience! If I don’t see any improvement, I’m outa here too. I’ve been a strong fan since the 70’s, but I can’t put up with the frustrations of mismanagement.

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  15. By Steve on Nov 20, 2008 | Reply

    I have so work on Sundays at 4 o’clock Eastern time, yes some of us have work on Sundays, I only get to watch the prerace and the first part of the race. I have to tape the rest on
    VHS and hope that it’s not rain delayed, but I learned to record for the whole tape 6 hours just to make sure. And with 39 laps to go I couldn’t see the end of the race. I don’t get ESPN 2 and wouln’t be able to know or swith the channel while at work.

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