[vincesanity82]

NASCAR's once-promising negotiations with Subway to title sponsor its No. 2 series have hit the skids, sources say, and the sanctioning body has spent the last few weeks revisiting many of the brands that initially turned down the sponsorship. KFC, Dunkin' Donuts and Allstate, each of which had been contenders for the sponsorship earlier in the process, are among the companies NASCAR has approached in the last few weeks as its tries to replace Anheuser-Busch. A-B sponsored the Busch Series for 25 years before deciding to make this its final season. Subway, which was considered the front-runner 30 to 60 days ago, remains in talks with NASCAR, but industry insiders no longer characterize America's largest restaurant chain as the favorite. As NASCAR seeks a new title sponsor, industry insiders say the price is dropping. NASCAR was asking $30 million a year when it began the sales process in the first quarter of the year, but that figure has dropped by nearly half. -- Sports Business Journal

SportsBusinessJournal.com

[bob101]

Maybe NASCAR has finally bled the turnip dry so to speak......eventually it was bound to happen.

NASCAR has been oversold. I love NASCAR, but it's on 24/7 on TV now...how long can it continue that pace and still continue to charge more each year for ads/sponsorship?

In a typical week now we have a truck race on TV (2 hours+), a Busch race (3 hours), a cup race (4 hours), qualifying for both cup and Busch (2-3 hours), trackside live at the racetrack (4-6 hours for the week total), Inside Nextel Cup on Mondays (1 hour), Nascar Now on ESPN (1 hour). That doesn't include radio time. That's over 20 hours of broadcast devoted to NASCAR in a week, big weeks like Daytona double that.

Can NASCAR sustain that?

[3fanforever]

I don't think so bob101. Over saturation in anything eventually turns people away, and NASCAR is doing just that. Giving Fontana a second race is a perfect example. That was just plain stupid. The more important question though, is will this setback with Subway wake NASCAR up to the bigger problem they have...their future if they continue on the path they're on?
I doubt it.

[King43STP]

Is it any wonder that sponsorship is getting hard to find for Cup Light.

[Racer Duck]

I think AT&T is waiting for it to drop to 5 big ones....

[jks812]

I wish AT&T would sponsor it. Although whoever sponsor's it, it'll be like they're sponsoring cup series without it's huge price tag.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by bob101

Maybe NASCAR has finally bled the turnip dry so to speak......eventually it was bound to happen.

NASCAR has been oversold. I love NASCAR, but it's on 24/7 on TV now...how long can it continue that pace and still continue to charge more each year for ads/sponsorship?

In a typical week now we have a truck race on TV (2 hours+), a Busch race (3 hours), a cup race (4 hours), qualifying for both cup and Busch (2-3 hours), trackside live at the racetrack (4-6 hours for the week total), Inside Nextel Cup on Mondays (1 hour), Nascar Now on ESPN (1 hour). That doesn't include radio time. That's over 20 hours of broadcast devoted to NASCAR in a week, big weeks like Daytona double that.

Can NASCAR sustain that?

Robert, I've read this, re-read it and re-read it again. I can't find a single statement I disagree with.

May I use your post as a place to ask a question?

Don't answer this right away; give it some SERIOUS thought first...

To those of you who have followed NASCAR for over twenty-five year...

Did you ENJOY NASCAR more, or less, before NASCAR became so popular nationwide, before the sponsors and the owners became so powerful, before the drivers had attained "Rock Star" status, back before the media had less hype and no blanket coverage of the racing, the drivers, and the in depth analysis? The days back when there was a degree of "Mystery" about the sport?

This might be a hard concept to accept but, personally, I liked NASCAR a whole lot better before it became NA$CAR.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Robert, I've read this, re-read it and re-read it again. I can't find a single statement I disagree with.

May I use your post as a place to ask a question?

Don't answer this right away; give it some SERIOUS thought first...

To those of you who have followed NASCAR for over twenty-five year...

Did you ENJOY NASCAR more, or less, before NASCAR became so popular nationwide, before the sponsors and the owners became so powerful, before the drivers had attained "Rock Star" status, back before the media had less hype and no blanket coverage of the racing, the drivers, and the in depth analysis? The days back when there was a degree of "Mystery" about the sport?

This might be a hard concept to accept but, personally, I liked NASCAR a whole lot better before it became NA$CAR.

ditto.....

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Robert, I've read this, re-read it and re-read it again. I can't find a single statement I disagree with.

May I use your post as a place to ask a question?

Don't answer this right away; give it some SERIOUS thought first...

To those of you who have followed NASCAR for over twenty-five year...

Did you ENJOY NASCAR more, or less, before NASCAR became so popular nationwide, before the sponsors and the owners became so powerful, before the drivers had attained "Rock Star" status, back before the media had less hype and no blanket coverage of the racing, the drivers, and the in depth analysis? The days back when there was a degree of "Mystery" about the sport?

This might be a hard concept to accept but, personally, I liked NASCAR a whole lot better before it became NA$CAR.

I liked it so much better back then. To bad it'll never be that way again.

[Bob Tanner]

I've only gotten two hits on my question, and it's too early to proclaim a "trend." However I have always suspicioned that, by far, the biggest danger NASCAR faces might well be its own success? I might be correct.

[3fanforever]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

This might be a hard concept to accept but, personally, I liked NASCAR a whole lot better before it became NA$CAR.

It's not a hard concept for me to accept at all. I feel the same way. As much as I try to remain optimistic and enthusiastic about today's NASCAR, it's getting harder each year to stay that way. I guess because of all the great memories I have from the past.

[oncea3fan]

I can ony say 20 years, but back then the racing was much better has drivers raced harder and beat on each other, today thier affraid of getting fined or knocking in the fender and losing the handling .
also I find that today, every week the is some kind of controvery. back in the day that stuff only came up 2-3 time a years and it was big news.
I'd say it's the last 10-12 years where nascar has been in a nose dive headed for destruction(over control).

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

To those of you who have followed NASCAR for over twenty-five year...

Did you ENJOY NASCAR more, or less, before NASCAR became so popular nationwide, before the sponsors and the owners became so powerful, before the drivers had attained "Rock Star" status, back before the media had less hype and no blanket coverage of the racing, the drivers, and the in depth analysis? The days back when there was a degree of "Mystery" about the sport?

This might be a hard concept to accept but, personally, I liked NASCAR a whole lot better before it became NA$CAR.

I think I can honestly admit that I've liked both eras but maybe the early days the most. The early days because it was more about racing and winning than today. The drivers were far more accessible than today.. The only one downside I can even think of was that if you enjoyed racing 25 plus years ago then you were among that crowd of folks who's truck cost more than their house !!!

Today is good also. The races have a lot more information available to us. I don't care a ton for Tim Brewer but that new segment is great for NASCAR dummies like myself. In some ways the media (whom I hate) have given us a better product. I guess I hate some of the ones who give it to us. At the same time the media has enabled the sport to self destruct when they jump all over mouths like Tony. They already know he will say something stupid ... they just hope to be there. For me the COT has changed the concept of racing. Now it is up to the driver more. I do dislike the fact that NA$CAR is now a business and the product has become less important than the bottom line numbers. The chase, a product of France , has allowed the idea of a championship to change. No other sport I know of has its playoffs during the regular season with all teams somewhat participating.

If I had to make one choice I'd go with the NASCAR of old versus the NA$CAR of today. I would also guess that 25 years from now this present period will be viewed as the very best days of NASCAR.

[OrionBen]

I followed NASCAR since Tony Stewart joined from IRL.

So I cannot really say about NASCAR vs NA$CAR.

But I can relate to F1, and what I am mostly affraid is that NASCAR is going like F1.

F1 driver are Prima Donna, there is no more place for local product and the more I see NASCAR and the more I see itgoing the F1 way.

Here are a couple of example to help my point.

Competition on the track is now second to $$$$ earned

I am canadian, so Yeah for Carpentier, Fellows, Villeneuve. But with all those Stock Car foreigner joining or interested to join once their F1 career is over. This might improve the quality of the driving, but teams will look outside North America to buy the best talent to drive their car

Teams like Hendrick spending more by the minute. Trying to buy championship and playing with the rules like a Ferrari or McLaren

Also abandon of Grassroot circuit for money pit like F1: San Marino, Belgium, 2nd race in Germany to Bahrein, Qatar, Asia,... and we are seeing this in NASCAR Martinsville, Rockingham,... to "greener pasture" of California , Texas, Vegas

If think continue, and I don't see why NA$CAR would like to change it, we will have a NA$CAR that is a copy of F1 in less than F1 year, and Drivers like Kenny Wallace, Kyle Petty, ... will be replace by Businessmen driver like a Jacques VIlleneuve

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Robert, I've read this, re-read it and re-read it again. I can't find a single statement I disagree with.

May I use your post as a place to ask a question?

Don't answer this right away; give it some SERIOUS thought first...

To those of you who have followed NASCAR for over twenty-five year...

Did you ENJOY NASCAR more, or less, before NASCAR became so popular nationwide, before the sponsors and the owners became so powerful, before the drivers had attained "Rock Star" status, back before the media had less hype and no blanket coverage of the racing, the drivers, and the in depth analysis? The days back when there was a degree of "Mystery" about the sport?

This might be a hard concept to accept but, personally, I liked NASCAR a whole lot better before it became NA$CAR.

I've said before I've onlybeen watchin since the 80's(yeah that can clue you in on my age for those that don't know how young I am),but even back in the 80's NASCAR was better than NA$CAR.