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I have read of a ‘buzz’ in the motorcycle race fan world regarding SPEED’s coverage of last week’s Superbike and Supersport race viewership. A SPEED sales rep cut the data (albeit truthful, but intended to deliver a specific message) so that the race ratings outscored ESPN’s Track & Field as well as ESPN2’s IRL coverage. This was sent to potential advertisers to try and garner new accounts. Well my friends, while what he presented was true, it was not the whole picture. Here is the letter that people are buzzing about (snagged from RoadRacingWorld):

Subject: AMA Road Racing from PPIR Dominates SPEED Channel’s Viewership, Sunday May 22

SPEED Channel’s record setting year for motorcycle racing ratings continued with Sunday’s broadcasts from PPIR.

The AMA Supersport broadcast from 5-6p:
** Highest rated AMA Supersport broadcast of the year among M18-34 (.79), M18-49 (.62), and M25-54 (.48)
** Highest rated SPEED Channel program Sunday, May 22 among M18-34 and M18-49; out-delivering live coverage of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix, live coverage of the ARCA Stock Car Race from Toledo, and Wind Tunnel Live w. special guest co-host Tony Stewart.

** Tied for the highest rated Road Racing broadcast of 2005 among M18-49 (tied w. 5/15 MotoGP Championship from France)

The AMA Superbike broadcast from 6-7p:
** Highest rated AMA Superbike broadcast of the year among M18-34 (.78), M18-49 (.56), and M25-54 (.51)
** Highest rated SPEED Channel program Sunday, May 22 among M25-54; out-delivering live coverage of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix, live coverage of the ARCA Stock Car Race from Toledo, and Wind Tunnel Live w. special guest co-host Tony Stewart.

The combined two hour block from 5-7p:
** Out-delivers both ESPN and espn 2 (same time period) in M18-34 Rtg:
SPEED - .79
ESPN - .36 (Track and Field & Sports Center)
espn2 - .12 (Indy 500 Qualifying)

** Out-delivers both ESPN and espn 2 (same time period) in M18-49 Rtg:
SPEED - .59
ESPN - .53 (Track and Field & SportsCenter)
espn2 - .30 (Indy 500 Qualifying)

** Out-delivers espn 2 (same time period) in M25-54 Rtg:
SPEED - .50
espn2 - .49 (Indy 500 Qualifying)

SPEED Channel’s coverage of AMA Road Racing continues on Sunday, June 5th from Road America.

And here was the follow-up piece if information that SPEED kicked out after the fact that word had spread:

Actual relative numbers for total viewership follow:

SPEED AMA = .25 (161,000 households)
ESPN2 Indy = .49 (437,000 households)
ESPN track & field = .62 (558,000 households)

They simply chose a demograph that fit there desired result and worked it. Did they lie? Nope. But they did leave out enough of the whole picture to require some clarity. Translation = Busted!

Think of this the next time you want to tear your bra off and run down the street because a study claims that an $80 helmet is the safest