By Lou Modestino
NASCAR’s problems of not selling tickets and dropping TV ratings is a situation that just has to be solved. Forget the excuses that all of sports world-wide are suffering with deficits due to a global ailing economy. Just because Brian France was able to get a huge increase over the previous contracts starting in 2015, it does not mean the problems are solved. That increase TV money is what is holding NASCAR together. But for how long? There’s a cliche in the rough and tumble business world. “Don’t tell me what you did for me yesterday. What are you going to do for me today,” say the captains of global industry.
We can’t believe those TV rights contracts don’t contain a performance clause that are tied to increased TV ratings! It’s time for NASCAR’s Brian France to get going. Let’s talk about Brian’s job performance review by the fans. We have seen reports on the social media that Brian is not held in high esteem by the folks who buy the tickets and are not watching the races on TV.
We’ve got some suggestions for his highness Brian France. Get to work on getting Dodge back in the NASCAR fold. Dodge needs to sell there cars and a return presence in NASCAR can help that strategy. While NASCAR is at it, the sanction should also make a pitch to both Honda and Nissan. Those are two other companies that have taken a major piece of the US auto market share from what used to be The Big Three. If Brian had worked hard on these strategies(Dodge, Honda and Nissan), beyond the constant tinkering with format of the Chase to the Nextel Cup, maybe the TV ratings and ticket sales would improved by now.
France also should be kicking butt and taking names of the NASCAR Cup drivers that consider themselves to be prima donnas. Those are the ones who don’t have time to interface with the fans because they claim, “We just don’t have the time.” Our answer to that is-make the time! That’s what made NASCAR great. Remember when drivers like Richard Petty wouldn’t leave the track until he signed all requests for autographs and pictures? That’s exactly what made NASCAR a popular sport and got them to the top of the heap behind the NFL.
At New Hampshire it was great to see Brad Keselowski bust out and post his Ford Nationwide and Sprint Cup cars in victory lane for back-to-back wins on the same weekend. Particularly when he bested Kyle Busch the driver who some fans love and most others hate. New Hampshire’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races have always put on the best show on those two weekends in July and September. The Camping World Trucks in September at New Hampshire should also improve the show because that division is full of drivers with something to prove. The young ones are looking for the next rung up on the NASCAR ladder and the older ones trying to prove that they still have it.
The NASCAR Truck Series has always been much more competitive than the Nationwide and the Cup events. New challenger Kyle Larson’s presence in the Cup Series should improve things provided that he continues to run up front. Also, Dale, Jr. being a contender in The Chase could also kick up with the ticket sales and the TV ratings. Because he’s got a big following of fans. It will be interesting to see how these aspects play out as we get closer to the playoffs in September.