Don't Shoot the Messenger...

But, uhhhh...I don't think that's what RJ and Mitch were looking for when it comes to ratings....

This past weekends first live TORC race on ABC garnered only a 0.4 TV rating...the lowest of any sporting event on network TV. The 0.4 rating is actually DOWN 43% from the 0.7 rating TORC got with a taped event on ABC back in June.

In June the TORC broadcast outdrew an LPGA event and a WNBA event on the same weekend as was running opposite the final round of The Memorial PGA golf tournament.

This time TORC's live Crandon broadcast was up against the third round of the Deutsche Bank PGA tournament and the U.S. Open tennis tournament. Only one sports program over the weekend had as few viewers as TORC's broadcast and that would be the taped United States Olympic Committe's Hall of Fame program—What?!?!

While being viewed in 458,000 homes is nothing to sneeze at for an off-road broadcast, remember that some 800,000+ watched the less significant, early season, taped, June event.

Given that TORC's broadcast was going up against similar, if not weaker, broadcast competition this time the decline in ratings has to be dissapointing—especially for big names like Robby Gordon who took time off from his NASCAR program and toasted his engine at the event. He likley made up for the poor finish at the TORC event with his decent finish at Atlanta and the added TV time he got because he ran double duty but these results won't have drivers from the LOORRS series jumping over one another and demanding to run in TORC events...

Reasons for the poor showing?? Labor Day weekend and many off-road enthusiasts are out camping, wheeling, riding their dirt bikes, playing at Glamis, prepping for Primm?? I'm not sure but something kept some 350,000 households that watched the TORC event in June from watching it again in September...

And before anyone gets on me for just writing this because "I want TORC to fail..." please remember that I praised TORC two months ago when they grabbed their 0.7 share and 800K household audience in their first ABC broadcast saying that it was remarkable that they had even come close to CORR's old 1-1.1 ratings in their very first show...

"College Football Countdown" 9/5 ABC 3:00-3:30pm 1.1/-

NCAA Football: (regional) 9/5 ABC 3:30-7:00pm 3.4/9

NCAA Football: Alabama-Virginia Tech—9/5 ABC 8:00pm-12:00am 4.2/9

U.S. Open: Men's, Women's Third Round—9/5 CBS 11:00am-6:00pm 1.6/4
MLB: (regional)—9/5 Fox 4:00-7:00pm n/a
USOC Hall of Fame Show (taped)—9/5 NBC 2:00-3:30pm 0.4/-
NCAA Football: Nevada-Notre Dame—9/5 NBC 3:30-7:00pm 1.3/3
Traxxas Torc Truck Series (taped)—9/6 ABC 4:00-5:00pm 0.4/-
U.S. Open: Men's, Women's Fourth Round—9/6 CBS 11:00am-6:00pm 2.1/6
Golden League Track & Field (taped)—9/6 NBC 2:00-3:00pm 0.9/2
PGA Tour: Deutsche Bank Championship: Third Round—9/6 NBC 3:00-6:00pm 1.9/5
U.S. Open: Men's, Women's Fourth Round—9/7 CBS 11:00am-12:00pm 1.7/4
U.S. Open: Men's, Women's Fourth Round—9/7 CBS 12:30-6:45pm 2.3/5
PGA Tour: Deutsche Bank Championship:Final Round—9/7 NBC 2:00-6:00pm 2.4/6