Brian France, NASCAR chairman, wasn't pleased, to say the least, with TV broadcaster ABC's decision to bump the final laps of the Phoenix race to ABC-owned ESPN2 in the U.S. so the network could air an episode of "America's Funniest Home Videos".
"We didn't like it, that was not what we had anticipated but we have talked to them repeatedly in the last couple days," France said. "There were lots of circumstances that we have to consider. They have their own issues they had to manage around. Unfortunately we got the short end of that."
The race had a rating of 4.6 in the 7-7:30 p.m. spot before the broadcast was moved.
photo:Robert Laberge/Getty Images for NASCAR
"We didn't like it, that was not what we had anticipated but we have talked to them repeatedly in the last couple days," France said. "There were lots of circumstances that we have to consider. They have their own issues they had to manage around. Unfortunately we got the short end of that."
The race had a rating of 4.6 in the 7-7:30 p.m. spot before the broadcast was moved.
photo:Robert Laberge/Getty Images for NASCAR