Monday, January 14, 2008
NASCAR: Runnin' out o' gas?
An article which appeared in yesterday's Tennessean says some of NASCAR's shine has worn off:
"[S]eason-long TV ratings for the Sunday cup races, the most important in the sport, dropped 18 percent in 2007 from their record-high year of 2005, according to the Fox network, which shares the 10-month season of NASCAR broadcasts with ABC/ESPN and TNT.
"'It is in a lull, and clearly the sexiness of the sport from a marketer's standpoint is not as great as it has been,' said Brian Evans, director of client relations for Atlanta-based Verve Sponsorship Group, which matches corporate sponsors with racing teams.
"Those close to NASCAR acknowledge the problems, but say it wouldn't be an easy fix.
"'I think it might be in a little more than a lull,' said Darrell Waltrip, a three-time Winston Cup champion and current NASCAR analyst for Fox television who lives in Franklin."
Gee, a "sport" that basically involves guys driving fast and turning left isn't drawin' folks in like it used to? What a freakin' shock ...
"[S]eason-long TV ratings for the Sunday cup races, the most important in the sport, dropped 18 percent in 2007 from their record-high year of 2005, according to the Fox network, which shares the 10-month season of NASCAR broadcasts with ABC/ESPN and TNT.
"'It is in a lull, and clearly the sexiness of the sport from a marketer's standpoint is not as great as it has been,' said Brian Evans, director of client relations for Atlanta-based Verve Sponsorship Group, which matches corporate sponsors with racing teams.
"Those close to NASCAR acknowledge the problems, but say it wouldn't be an easy fix.
"'I think it might be in a little more than a lull,' said Darrell Waltrip, a three-time Winston Cup champion and current NASCAR analyst for Fox television who lives in Franklin."
Gee, a "sport" that basically involves guys driving fast and turning left isn't drawin' folks in like it used to? What a freakin' shock ...
# posted by Joltin' Django @ Monday, January 14, 2008 
