Without wanting to sound like a broken record, it makes no sense to me why anyone would waste their time attempting to follow the Virgin Australia Supercars series at present. Seriously….. I’ve tried, but it just ain’t happening.

Normally, with any sporting code, there is an attempt to keep the existing fanbase happy and to develop and win over new fans to increase the popularity of the series to stave off competitors. Not with this mob!

Take this current weekend. I’m watching the Suzuka 12Hr race live at the moment, on a free YouTube stream from the SRO, GTWorld platform. The top 13 or so cars are on the same lap, after nearly seven hours of ridiculously competitive, close racing, and with another five hours to go, it’s looks like another nail biting classic GT3 enduro is unfolding towards an exciting completion.

Earlier today, I watched the riveting Grand Final game of the Suncorp Super Netball season via the free to air telecast on Channel Nine, here in Australia, with our local North Coast team, the Sunshine Coast Lightning taking out an exciting three point victory (62-59), with a scoreline that see-sawed throughout the entire game, that gave to them back to back premiership wins. This is the highest quality netball competition in the world, with athletes competing from all the top netball playing countries on the planet.

On top of that, the National Rugby League season is drawing to a close, with one more round of games to be played next weekend. This weekends penultimate round had a game on each night (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) and today’s blockbuster, this afternoon, between the St George Dragons and the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Apparently, there was a round of the Virgin Australia Supercars championship, at the new Tailem Bend circuit in South Australia. One of the commentator journalists covering the event was crowing on his Twitter account of a 41000 crowd attendance, over the 3 days of the event. Now… it surely must be stated that, of those 41000 people, most of them would have been there for the majority of the 3 days. With this mob, it is apparently OK to count everyone on multiple occasions. He did however, go on to clarify a crowd of 16000 for Saturday and 17000 for Sunday. To quote him and his highly dodgy figures-“Righto then”.

Would I have watched this event if given the opportunity? Maybe! Maybe not! There was too much quality sport on this weekend to have probably watched it anyway. However, I would have liked to have had the option. As I have said on numerous occasions, this crowd who are in charge, are hellbent on taking Australian motorsport away from their once healthy fanbase. For me, it’s already to late, I can’t be bothered. I do however, feel sorry for the once, quite considerable, quantity of motor-racing fans who passionately followed the sport, here in Australia. As I have stated on many occasions, their fans have moved on. Perhaps….to a certain degree, some may tune in, later on in the year, to attempt to pick up where the series is and perhaps watch some of the endurance races when they re-surface on free to air TV.

This same aforementioned commentator was trying to tell me that the NRL would be probably heading down the same pathway that Supercars have gone, and going with an all payTV telecast platform for their games. Fair dinkum, these clowns are in a state of denial. I suppose, to be fair, they are only pushing the barrow for the organisation that pays their wages. But really guys…..At least try and make your bullshit stories, somewhat believable? I wrote a piece a few weeks ago, about their fairy tale attendance numbers at their previous race at Sydney’s Eastern Creek raceway. It appears they are still trying to pull the wool over their fans eyes. It ain’t working fella’s! If and when this weekends racing does appear at a later date where it can be watched, I can just about guarantee that you could pretty much count the fans who turned up.