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September 27, 2007
Welcome to NASCAR county
By Bob Henry
What’s become of the NASCAR Nation? Has it slipped to simple state status or, worse, is it now but a territory? A decent-sized county even?
Reason I ask is that I’ve been following the television ratings for NASCAR’s playoff races and, like other racing fans, am a little concerned. The ratings numbers don’t look to me as if they’re trending the right way, for one thing. And, for another, the overall viewer numbers are way low.
There’s no reason to think that Moe’s Garage will be replacing any of the Fortune 500 companies on the hoods and quarter panels of the front-runners anytime soon, and that kind of retro look isn’t what any of us wants to see, whether we’re working in a boardroom, newsroom or back room.
The brainstorming behind The Chase for Whatever Brand the Cup Bears This Season was touted by the big thinkers in Daytona Beach as pure ratings genius when it was announced. Sure, we all expect a lull in the numbers during the dog days of Pocono in midsummer. But it’s playoff time now and the numbers are supposed to be among the best of the season.
Ain’t happening.
Blame it on the darned old National Football League, I guess. It’s early in that season and every team still has a chance. Maybe even the New Orleans Saints. College football, too, might be partly responsible.
I’ve got some buds who are big TV sports fans and they’ll watch pretty much whatever sport/match/game is on. They’ll click around the dial until they hit on something that holds their interest for a little while, then hang with it.
And during that aforementioned stretch of summer when the races aren’t that great but are still much better than some of the baseball games and tennis on cable, they become race fans. At least part-time race fans.
I’m thinking the marketing arm of the France family business must have been counting those guys – and million and millions more just like them – a few years back when they started claiming NASCAR had 75 million devotees. You remember, when “NASCAR dads” replaced “soccer moms” as political buzzwords and objects of the pollsters’ affections.
NASCAR was busily touting itself as the No. 2 spectator sport behind the NFL, a claim that was pretty hard to swallow when you figured there was but one Cup race a week vs. all those pro football games.
And so far this season, the Chase races are getting lapped in the ratings numbers – even if you and I are right there, the remote not firmly in hand but lost somewhere between the cushions, doing our part for the cause.
And the overall viewer numbers? To be kind, there have been between 5 million and 7 million people watching the race on any given Sunday over the course of the lengthy NASCAR season, except for the season-opening Daytona 500.
Those would be good number if we were talking about some of the quainter nations in Europe, where 5 or 6 million people can be a crowd. But that’s not what we’ve come to expect on our side of the pond and it’s certainly well below the 75 million inhabitants of the NASCAR Nation we’ve been told about.
September 27, 2007 in The rest | Permalink
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Posted by: Stratumseind Tijned | Mar 27, 2008 3:53:47 AM
September, Earnhardt put off more fans than he brought in with his full-of-himself attitude and bullying on the speedway.
You're right about NASCAR marketing being bigger than the product, but wrong in some other areas. Gratuitous wrecking, euphemized as "beatin' and bangin'" is not what made the sport because the kind of racing where that takes place - short track racing - is not what made the sport. Superspeedways, where the only legitimate and safe contact is to physically push a car to speed both of you up, are what made the sport.
As for personalities, Richard Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, and Bobby Isaac were not that far removed from the "cookie cutter" drivers of today; the difference is those guys were left alone by PR types.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Nov 15, 2007 3:27:20 PM
Like Jeff Macgregor said in his awesome book "Sunday Money", Nascar's marketing of the hype of Nascar is much bigger than the product itself. Personalities, along with some beatin' and bangin', made the sport. There are no more personalities. Whereas I once admired Dale Earnhardt for his cockiness, swagger, and his ability to capture the inspired attention of everyone in the sport, I now admire Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for his respect of other drivers and his willingness to admit when he makes a mistake. That's great and all, but is that all there is?
Add that to 10 tracks that all look the same and 43 cars that ARE ALL THE SAME and you've just got a very boring, sanitized product that doesn't even lick the heels of the excitement and drama of the NFL
Nascar would do good to lop about 8 races off the schedule and end the season in early October before the NFL all but renders the sport forgotten for millions of sports fans.
Posted by: September is time for the NFL | Oct 9, 2007 11:10:05 PM
No matter how hard it trys NASCAR won't ruin racing. Someone needs the balls to say to the networks and the corporate sponsers, "this is how we do it", not "yes sir,yes sir". Quit trying to sell sizzle, sell steak. Keep all the crap off the screen and lets watch the race. The commercials are out of control, same crap over and over, same with the pit reporters interviews, same questions same answers. Why does it take 6 or 7 seven laps for a debris caution? Let the race take care of it's self. Maybe instead of a 500 mile race we should have ten 50 lap races. I think the chase format stinks. The champion is the driver who wins the most races. A champion that never won a race? Hello?
Posted by: Richard | Oct 5, 2007 3:14:53 PM
Keith, your comments are dead on. Brian has turned his back on those of us who remember real racing(it was harder to find on TV) but that's the only positive result I see is the races are all on now.The "personalities"doing the coverage are another story. They move racing to cookie cutter tracks to try for an audience that dosen't want them and get rid of racing at some of the tracks where the RACING was the best(can you say Darlington Labor Day race or THE ROCK!!)I watch ESPN Classic to remember why I enjoyed stock car racing to begin with. Compare those races,cars,and drivers (and lack of official interference) to today's. It's the blind obvious why ratings are down!
Posted by: Wayne | Oct 5, 2007 1:20:47 PM
What NASCAR has taken away from us is good racing, a good rules package, and a worthwhile combination of participants and venues. Jacques Villeneuve is not worth provision of the time of day; Dario Franchitti's okay but not worth watching in stock cars; Juan Montoya is insufferable.
And the racing - where has the COT done what it was advertised for instead of the opposite?
And the venues - why is this sport in Fontana instead of Hanford, an actual racing demographic? Why is it in Chicago instead of Kentucky? Why are tracks fighting each other instead of working together?
And the sport's leadership - where is NASCAR working to shore up its demographics? Why is the sport advertising to the pinkhat morons? Why is the sport not instituting revenue sharing with raceteams as IRL is now doing?
Where are drivers like Ted Christopher and Brad Leighton, drivers who built up local fanbases? Where are the exciting races - the lead changes, the sidedrafting, the nose-to-nose war for the win? Where are the multiple numbers of different teams winning races?
Posted by: Mike Daly | Oct 4, 2007 4:53:51 PM
I remember my first race was with my Dad in probably 77 or 78; it was the World 600 at Charlotte (it will never be Lowes Motor Speedway to me). From the first moment I smelled the racing fuel exhaust and the hot tire rubber, I was hooked. Fast forward 30 years...
135.00 for a ticket in the front straightaway at Charlotte; single-file racing at Bristol (yes, it is a boring race now ... quit denying it); Darlington moved to God knows when; North Wilksboro gone; $50K fines for swearing and thrown race helmets; and the final insult - the postseason "chase".
Me and Dad went to our last race together about 6 years ago (ironically the "Coke" 600 at Charlotte)... it was expensive, it was boring, and even with Humpy's fantastic/patriotic staged Army assault on the front straightaway we both decided that this would be the last time we came for the 600.
Things change, I know that is the one constant in life; however, I don't recognize NA$CAR any more. I will still go to a race if someone gives me a ticket (except Bristol, it is too much of a snooze-fest now to justify fighting 150K people going up and down those damn hills).
I still go to Charlotte for the car-shows in April and September - its nice to walk through the gate thats right at the entrance for turn 3; every time I step onto the banking I think about Fireball Roberts, the pass in the grass (no, I'm not an Earnhardt fan), Dick Trickle's wing tips and cigarettes, and the smell of days long gone ... and my Dad cheering for David Pearson and the Woods Brothers (when they were still in Patrick County).
Somehow NA$CAR has taken something that still stirs my emotions like few things can and turned me completely against it... I fear that what made this sport great to those of us with dirt under our nails and sweat on our faces will never return. And thats what makes this all so sad.
Posted by: Bert Jackson | Oct 3, 2007 6:28:14 PM
Jr and Danica in the same racing series - I can see the dollar signs in Brian France's eyes now.
Posted by: Corvette Racer | Oct 3, 2007 12:04:49 PM
Exile, with all the hoopla we have seen with JV, JPM, etc, can you just *imagine* what the circus would be like if Danica came to NASCAR?
Holy Jeebus.
Posted by: FedEx Guy | Oct 2, 2007 5:45:08 PM
4. is the IRL going to take over from
Busch as the developmental league?
that's an interesting question from several angles.
Posted by: exile | Oct 2, 2007 12:33:04 AM
ok...NASCAR hating....here goes:
1. they're CUP cars, not stock cars.
2. Winston/NEXTEL/Sprint/what's next?
3. can we please have a National Anthem
singer who sings it the way it was
written (tempo/lyrics/etc.)?
yes, i know they have to stretch
or compress for the "flyover".
4. is the IRL going to take over from
Busch as the developmental league?
5. heard this on the radio....
"music is the way to sell lots of
other stuff"...talking about i-Pod
and internet access to new music.
So? NASCAR uses racing to sell lots
of other stuff for sponsors, and they
like it. mo money mo money.
Posted by: john of sparta | Oct 1, 2007 9:44:02 PM
it's always fun to read about and watch NHRA drag racing.
R.I.P. Wally Parks.
if a big name drag racer doesn't go fast enough to race on sunday, he sits out.
last week John Force's race car broke apart at 320mph.
john and the back half ended up on its side with john having a broken knee, severely dislocated wrist, deep gash on the other knee and several finger tips ground off on the track surface.
three days later he is quoted saying... "the only thing i can think of is how i'm gonna get my doctor to ok me going racing in a week and a half."
kinda sounds like the good ol' days in nascar.
Posted by: exile | Oct 1, 2007 8:52:27 PM
"I despise when people say they don't watch races because "Dale died." He wasn't reason to watch the races; the competition was reason to watch, the other racers were reason to watch."
-- i'm not saying you are wrong mike.
i wonder if the nba said, "ok, so what if michael jordan in retiring again... we have other stars, like... kobe."
"He is a very smart man, was a good crew chief and I think deserves a little more respect."
-- I agree that larry mac is smart. is he like george bush... he only talks like that in front of a camera?
"It has to be embarrassing to him to read these complaints and probably makes it worse. Now he can't even 'be natural', he has to watch every thing he says."
-- i almost got a tear in my eye (j/k). anyway, i feel so sad for a man who probably started with little and ended up a multi-millionaire. and he gets to do what he loves, every day.
"Reminds me of last year when Crown Royal declined renewing the IROC sponsorship..."
-- ya gotta wonder if nascar is goin' broke or something.
every time a team finds or brings a new sponsor to cup, nascar steals them and turns them into a race sponsor or "nascar's favorite (insert product field here)"
so it's good to see crown royal become a car sponsor, and pepsi stop being the favorite soft drink of the pepsi 400 and become a team sponsor.
Posted by: exile | Oct 1, 2007 8:32:00 PM
Drew, we see where IROC is this year......
Posted by: 9fanatic
And we also see a paralell situation with the Busch Series - only rumors so far that Coors might take that one over, but who knows?
Reminds me of last year when Crown Royal declined renewing the IROC sponsorship - lots of rumors, but nothing ever came together. I know NASCAR said they would self sponsor it if it came to that, which is an option IROC did not have.
Posted by: FedEx Guy | Oct 1, 2007 6:43:35 PM
Bob....Thanks for the topic!
The die-hard NASCAR fans have left the building and have joined Elvis in the parking lot. There are some great observations and comments in response to your topic. Most of these bloggers know and care about racing. TV race fans don't watch racing to see an endless number of statistics and technical details about how race cars are built...this is a NASCAR and TV network ploy to develop knowledgeable race fans. Forget it....we already exist and what we don't already know won't be missed. We simply want to see racing and nothing else. We have to deal with high-tech solutions in the work place. Racing is supposed to be something we watch for pure enjoyment. Most tv viewers have already found another channel. The real ratings are probably a disaster...and will continue downhill until the 2007 season comes to an end. It will be downhill after the next running of the Daytona opener. Playoffs and
Chases don't always gain fans. This year's
Fed-Ex golf playoff is a joke...almost like the one NASCAR has put together. Wake up
NASCAR...read the blogger comments, you might learn something that will keep racing alive.
Posted by: Jim | Oct 1, 2007 3:46:36 PM
Corvette Racer, point taken.
Drew, I'm not sure Mickey, Tony, and Kyle are worth watching - they come off as buffoons or worse. Now if Mickey plays drums I might be interested.
Bob H., it is not a good idea to let these F1/CART guys run NASCAR because they bring nothing to the table as far as improving the sport. They may work well with engineers, and given the sport's technological advancement that has become paramount instead of seat-of-pants abililty, but the fact it has become paramount means the sport is not about racing, it's about engineering for the sake of engineering. And the F1/CART guys are guys the fanbase can't identify with. We saw in open wheels how the popularity disappeared when they stopped hiring American short trackers for big rides; they're making the same mistake with NASCAR now.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Oct 1, 2007 12:02:02 PM
This year I've watched less races than any year before - several earlier in the season because of a young child, but now, mostly because I can't stand watching espn/abc - I was excited for the racing to come back to espn, until about 7 minutes into the Indy broadcast (estimated - i might not have been excited quite that long). I get more information from watching Inside Nextel Cup (which I haven't missed) than espn - even THE FINAL RESULTS!
Posted by: Steve | Oct 1, 2007 12:07:03 AM
Drew, we see where IROC is this year......
Posted by: 9fanatic | Sep 30, 2007 6:19:52 PM
Yeah, he's a killer all right. I'm gonna try and get him to carry my bag one of these days off. ;-)
And, boy, are we ever gonna play one hilly course.
Posted by: Bob H. | Sep 29, 2007 7:25:50 PM
Keith...you kill me man...lol
Posted by: Kurt Smith | Sep 29, 2007 1:06:58 PM
As a twenty year devoted race fan, suffice it to say, "it's gotten boring". Cookie cutter race tracks. Bland "TV friendly" drivers. IROC inspired vanilla COT. If not for Jr, Kyle, Tony, & Mickey - zero personality. Cup races, sadely, have become a three hour commercial interupted every fifteen minutes or so by by something slightly more interesting...a sponser commercial.
Posted by: Drew E | Sep 29, 2007 9:32:03 AM
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