Mexico City race in trouble?
I have been heavily involved directly with this race since 2003 and I have never seen the promoter work so close with Champ Car like they have done lately. We have had lots of good meetings the last couple of weeks and we have reached several agreements that will reflect positively in the event. For example, we have reached an agreement with TV Azteca for the last two races that most probably could be extended for next year. I had dinner last night with Federico Alaman from OCESA and top Executives from Azteca and they were excited about the kind of agreement they reached with Champ Car, so they will put everything within their reach to promote this race. Also it is important to say that Champ Car is working in conjunction with OCESA to put a heavy media campaign that includes newspaper ads, billboards, bus stops, radio and TV ads, promotional activities, etc. Last week Simon Pagenaud was here in Mexico for two days doing several interviews and appearances. This week we had Lauren Gardner doing an exclusive photo session with Maxim magazine (to be included in the November issue) as well as a media tour with the major media outlets in the country (including three TV appearances). Next week we will have several activities with Mario Dominguez and David Martinez and the week before Australia we are planning to have another driver’s visit. Yes, Telmex has said they are not sponsoring the race, but they also announced they are not sponsoring A1 neither, so the reason is NOT Champ Car, it is only that they are changing their strategy. On the other hand Tecate is sponsoring and promoting heavily the race. Mazda Mexico will be sponsoring Mario and Bridgestone, Mc Donald’s, Sherwin Williams, Banamex along with Mazda are supporting the race as well.
We had put together a complete PR/marketing/promotional plan that will include drivers’ visits, Face of Champ Car, the mobile marketing unit, press releases, press conferences, advertising campaigns, interviews, street parades, etc. that will make things come around.
The bottom line is that not because you heard/read something in esmas.com this means that that’s the actual situation down here. Estadio newspaper, Excelsior newspaper, Record newspaper, La Jornada newspaper, TV Azteca, Imagen Radio, Cadena 3, etc… they all have said/wrote good and positive things about the race. Jose Escamilla Joublanc, Hispanic PR Manager, CCWS
09/27/07 The future of the Champ Car World Series is at risk in Mexico City due to the lack of sponsor and fan support, reported Televisa Deportes via its internet outlet Esmas.com yesterday.
Champ Car will finish its season with El Gran Premio de Mexico on November 11th, but the race might not come back to Mexico City in 2008 because Telmex, its major sponsor, will withdraw its economic support after this year's season finale.
"They (Telmex) have changed their strategy this year. We still have the support of many other sponsors to make this event happen" ensured Federico Aleman, OCESA sports director (Mexico City race promoter).
"We want to keep it (the Gran Premio) for many years, but it does not depend solely on our company, it depends on many other things, such as the sponsors" he added.
In a press conference Wednesday with the Mexican media, where both Mexican drivers Mario Dominguez and David Martinez were on hand, along with series president Steve Johnson, and OCESA sports director Aleman, Johnson did not want to make any comment about the Champ Car World Series return to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in 2008, which has been hosting the Gran Premio since 2002.
With that said Telmex appears to have stepped up their sponsorship effort and we hear that Telmex will partially back Mario Dominguez the remainder of this year and all of next year, so if they did pull their sponsorship from the race they may have moved it over to back Dominguez. Kevin Kalkhoven was recently down in Mexico to salvage the race and as we understand it, he has. Banamex is still the presenting sponsor, but we don't see any signs that Roshfrans is still involved. Mazda has started promoting the race. Tickets go on sale next week for Banamex VISA card holders followed two weeks later by sales to the general public. Hector Serrano reporting from Mexico
09/18/07 Mexico City sports newspaper "The Record" had an interview with Federico Alaman today, who is the person responsible at OCESA/CIE for the sports events promotion and organization activities. He says in the interview that things are looking bad for Champ Car in Mexico and the November 11th race will have its worst attendance in history. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez will open only 5 grandstands for the event – the ones in front of pit lane, the miniscule one at the Peraltada and the one above the pits. With this plus general admission they hope to get 50,000 fans per day, which of course won't happen on Friday for sure. He blames the lack of a full-time Mexican driver in the series and the fact the races are not broadcast on TV in Mexico. This event has gone from being the largest Champ Car ever had, with over 200,000 on race day alone, to now a former shadow of itself.
We predicted Champ Car's demise in Mexico years ago when 1) There was no full-time Mexican driver in the series, 2) no live TV in Mexico, and 3) When NASCAR was allowed in. First the Monterrey race got axed and the way the Mexico City one is going Champ Car may soon find itself out of business in Mexico altogether due to sheer neglect.