[LSC9901]

NASCAR drifting too far from its roots

Posted Thursday, May 24, 2007

PIT STOPS
Mike Finney


Curious spectators who tuned into the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge last Saturday night got a quick and accurate glimpse of the state of this sputtering sport.

An abundance of empty seats, a nearly three-minute long oversung national anthem, Michael Jordan serving as the race's grand marshal (why not get a NASCAR legend to do the honors?) and single-file ho-hum racing throughout the main event.

This is what is quickly transforming what was once known as "America's Hottest Sport," into that hot new reality TV series "Napping with the Cars."

While Brian France, the chairman of NASCAR, continues to tweak seemingly everything that once attracted people to the sport -- the personalities of the drivers, the cars and the tracks -- the sport is losing hard-core fans much quicker than it is attracting new ones.

I'm not saying that everything was perfect back in the 1980s and '90s heyday of NASCAR, but the sport was much truer to itself back then. Its drivers had personalities and could relate to the common fan and the sport was viewed as dangerous.

Back then, NASCAR didn't mind that it raced at low-profile places such as Rockingham, N.C., and North Wilkesboro, N.C., and many of its fans ate at Waffle Houses scattered across the Southeast, drank cheap beer and slept in tents.

It was a burgeoning sport and these were the people who were turning it into a weekly happening.

The funny thing is, NASCAR probably would still be growing today if France had stayed true to the sport's roots.

Instead, NASCAR tried its best to separate itself from its moonshining and tobacco-tinged past and hold hands with anybody who was willing to toss a dollar or two into its hat.

NASCAR wants to stand alongside the NFL, Major League Baseball and the NBA high atop the national sport's landscape.

It probably will never happen.

NASCAR is a niche sport, one that is passed down from generation to generation.

Most people who don't understand the attraction likely never will.

They view stock car racing as the hillbilly cousin of all major American sports.

This is what France fails to realize -- he has access to this lucrative grassroots market and does not need to pander to fans like other professional sports leagues do.

Why does NASCAR insist on making its presence felt all over the United States? When a fan turns on his TV to watch a race, does it really matter where it is taking place? (OK, here come the e-mails from those three NASCAR fans in Idaho).

Race fans still see DuPont, Home Depot, Lowe's and Budweiser splashed all over their TV screens. Who really cares if the race is taking place in Bristol, Tenn., or Seattle, as long as people are tuning in?

France and NASCAR have become overly concerned with "growing the sport" and not actually "improving the product."

It is all growing more than a little old and the sagging attendance figures and TV ratings are beginning to tell the tale -- people have become bored with "Napping with the Cars."

[obrien]

I am glad to see that someone gets it. Why fix whats not broken?

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Curious spectators who tuned into the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge last Saturday night got a quick and accurate glimpse of the state of this sputtering sport.

An abundance of empty seats, a nearly three-minute long oversung national anthem, Michael Jordan serving as the race's grand marshal (why not get a NASCAR legend to do the honors?) and single-file ho-hum racing throughout the main event.

I hope the downfall continues so he will run out of ideas and be forced to listen to the fans that make his sport (something he fails to understand).

This is what is quickly transforming what was once known as "America's Hottest Sport," into that hot new reality TV series "Napping with the Cars."

While Brian France, the chairman of NASCAR, continues to tweak seemingly everything that once attracted people to the sport -- the personalities of the drivers, the cars and the tracks -- the sport is losing hard-core fans much quicker than it is attracting new ones.

I'm not saying that everything was perfect back in the 1980s and '90s heyday of NASCAR, but the sport was much truer to itself back then. Its drivers had personalities and could relate to the common fan and the sport was viewed as dangerous.

Back then, NASCAR didn't mind that it raced at low-profile places such as Rockingham, N.C., and North Wilkesboro, N.C., and many of its fans ate at Waffle Houses scattered across the Southeast, drank cheap beer and slept in tents.

It was a burgeoning sport and these were the people who were turning it into a weekly happening.

The funny thing is, NASCAR probably would still be growing today if France had stayed true to the sport's roots.

Instead, NASCAR tried its best to separate itself from its moonshining and tobacco-tinged past and hold hands with anybody who was willing to toss a dollar or two into its hat.

NASCAR wants to stand alongside the NFL, Major League Baseball and the NBA high atop the national sport's landscape.

It probably will never happen.

NASCAR is a niche sport, one that is passed down from generation to generation.

Most people who don't understand the attraction likely never will.

They view stock car racing as the hillbilly cousin of all major American sports.

This is what France fails to realize -- he has access to this lucrative grassroots market and does not need to pander to fans like other professional sports leagues do.

Why does NASCAR insist on making its presence felt all over the United States? When a fan turns on his TV to watch a race, does it really matter where it is taking place? (OK, here come the e-mails from those three NASCAR fans in Idaho).

Race fans still see DuPont, Home Depot, Lowe's and Budweiser splashed all over their TV screens. Who really cares if the race is taking place in Bristol, Tenn., or Seattle, as long as people are tuning in?

France and NASCAR have become overly concerned with "growing the sport" and not actually "improving the product."

It is all growing more than a little old and the sagging attendance figures and TV ratings are beginning to tell the tale -- people have become bored with "Napping with the Cars."

Here we go again. Brian France just continues to ignore NASCAR fans and look whats happening.

I've come to realize that France = Bush in many ways. He has his own agenda that very few people like, the disapproval is now beginning to show but somehow he still thinks he is right. It will turn out ok in the end, he says. The problem is you have to get to the end. When does this stuff stop. Points system altering, schedule changes and all kinds of other "hip" stuff used to attract fans who don't really want to be a part of this sport, fans that are lured in, and ultimatley let down with non eventful, "boring" races at places they were led to believe were great. I think they're catching on, and at the same time, the grassroots fans are sick of him trying to bump them out. We don't care whether or not we stand alongside the NFL, NBA and whatever else, Brian does. And he has the power to tell us it's best for the sport. Thus the decline in attendance and ratings.

Obviously something isn't right, Mr. France. It's not an issue of why fix it if it aint broke, Obrien, it's now time to fix what is.

[Mike24]

here we go again...

NASCAR drifting away from it's roots is not the reason ratings are dropping. I know alot of people that say "NASCAR is a bunch of hillbilly's driving in circles." But, they haven't even watched a race. I think some people aren't interested anymore like they were in the 90's. We are not in the tobacco-tinged past in the 80's and 90's, we are in 2007. I will agree that NASCAR getting rid of Rockingham and North Wilkesboro was a bad move, but it's not the reason ratings are dropping. The racing isn't the reason the ratings are dropping. France went away from the past to focus on the next decades to come. He's lost the older fans, yes. But the newer fans of this decade is just not interested in NASCAR. But in the long run, NASCAR will be where they were in the 90's, filling the seats and getting high ratings. And why? The newer generation of fans are coming in the sport. They aren't coming as fast as they were in the 90's, but they are coming in at a rate France obviously likes.

[simple simon]

why are the ratings dropping ?

ill give you 2 of the reasons

cable TV is growing at an almost daily basis drawing away viewers

X-Games ....... many kids today are into other sports .... NASCAR isnt just competing with football and baseball anymore

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by BringBackWilkesboro

Here we go again. Brian France just continues to ignore NASCAR fans and look whats happening.

I've come to realize that France = Bush in many ways. .

Damn, Wilks! You could have gone the rest of the decade without pushing THAT "Hot Button!"

I couldn't agree more but I'll see your above and raise you.

NASCAR = Our Federal Imperial Government; It never saw a problem it couldn't make worse through the law of unintended consequences.

A race team's worse nightmare: A NASCAR official showing up at your garage saying, "Hi. I'm from NASCAR and I'm here to help you."

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by simple simon

why are the ratings dropping ?

ill give you 2 of the reasons

cable TV is growing at an almost daily basis drawing away viewers

X-Games ....... many kids today are into other sports .... NASCAR isnt just competing with football and baseball anymore

That's what I was looking for!

The ratings aren't dropping because NASCAR is declining. Back in the 90's NASCAR didn't have much to compete with, and with that style back then, there were alot of viewers. But, these days there is so much other stuff going on that are interesting more people and kids that NASCAR isn't growing like it used to. There are alot of NASCAR fans that don't watch anymore with all of the new stuff on TV now. France is trying to capture this new decade of fans by presenting a new style to the sport. Newer fans will not accept the beer drinking tobbaco smoking style in the 90's, and France sees that. He's trying to capture the newer audience, and soon enough he will.

[Lefty Noob]

Ratings were down in 11 of the first 13 races compared to last year. That's a bit surprising.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Mike24

He's trying to capture the newer audience, and soon enough he will.

He's failing. So obviously one would have to believe he's courting the wrong audience.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Mike24

here we go again...

The racing isn't the reason the ratings are dropping.

The racing is the reason that I don't watch as much as I use to. There are certain tracks they go to that I just don't even waste my time watching. Use to if Nascar was on I was watching. Now they have tracks they go to that I only watch the first 25 laps and then come back at the very end, and don't get upset if I miss the whole thing.
Him changing the championship format, I like. It's nice not knowing half way through the season who will win the championship. I like the fact that every year they have done the new format it has pretty much been determined by the last race.
And he has taken the personalities away from the drivers. They're allowed to say anything, look at what happened to Tony. He's trying to turn them into a bunch of yes sir men, and it seems to be working.

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Ratings were down in 11 of the first 13 races compared to last year. That's a bit surprising.

It really isn't surprising in my opinion. NASCAR is up against alot of the TV shows, baseball, and football on occasions. The newer audience is captured by this stuff, not NASCAR. And the older fans are leaving because they don't like the fact France is trying to capture a newer audience... that has been known for awhile.

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by jks812

The racing is the reason that I don't watch as much as I use to. There are certain tracks they go to that I just don't even waste my time watching. Use to if Nascar was on I was watching. Now they have tracks they go to that I only watch the first 25 laps and then come back at the very end, and don't get upset if I miss the whole thing.
Him changing the championship format, I like. It's nice not knowing half way through the season who will win the championship. I like the fact that every year they have done the new format it has pretty much been determined by the last race.
And he has taken the personalities away from the drivers. They're allowed to say anything, look at what happened to Tony. He's trying to turn them into a bunch of yes sir men, and it seems to be working.

Yeah, there are certain tracks I don't like. California is so boring it's not even funny. But, I will still watch it. I guess I'm that "hardcore" NASCAR fan if they call some of us that.

Tony is just speaking an opinion. When did NASCAR not allow that? I don't like Tony, but I'm glad he speaks what is on his mind. In the long run, it may help the sport in the future.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Mike24

It really isn't surprising in my opinion. NASCAR is up against alot of the TV shows, baseball, and football on occasions. The newer audience is captured by this stuff, not NASCAR. And the older fans are leaving because they don't like the fact France is trying to capture a newer audience... that has been known for awhile.

Well, sitting back and looking at it objectively, I think France needs to change his mission statement. If he's losing the old audience in an attempt to gain a new one, and failing to gain that new one, something obviously isn't working. You know the best way to gain a new audience? Have the kids and grandkids watching along with the moms, dads and grandparents. I'll bet you that's how 99% of us got hooked on our favorite sports.

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

He's failing. So obviously one would have to believe he's courting the wrong audience.

I will agree that he is courting the wrong audience. But France is not a idiot, and soon enough he will find a newer audience that will find the sport entertaining. Sometimes sports has these periods, NASCAR is going through one.

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Well, sitting back and looking at it objectively, I think France needs to change his mission statement. If he's losing the old audience in an attempt to gain a new one, and failing to gain that new one, something obviously isn't working. You know the best way to gain a new audience? Have the kids and grandkids watching along with the moms, dads and grandparents. I'll bet you that's how 99% of us got hooked on our favorite sports.

Agreed. Right now France is not capturing the right fan base. But like I said, France is not an idiot. He will see what he is doing wrong, adjust his plans, and go after a different audience. Soon enough, he will find a audience that finds the sport entertaining. I think if some of the newer fans of sports today would watch a NASCAR race, they would find it entertaining, rather than saying "NASCAR is a hillbilly redneck beer drinking sport, who cares?" When in reality, France is going away from that for a newer fan base. Soon enough, the newer audience will see that. But France may need to adjust something in his plan, because something isn't working in his mission.