Racing in the LA Coliseum to open the season. A concert by Cube in the middle of it. Guess it will be Olympics for me.
What is NASCAR thinking?
- Thread starter Upstatebill
- Start date
Since it is a non-points "exhibition" event, I thought it was fine. I could do without the Pitbull and Ice Cube "concerts" - it kind of makes NASCAR look like they are trying too hard for the LA market - but I thought the racing was entertaining. I do think they should tread carefully going "all in" for the LA market, however. That seems like a fickle place for sports. If you can pick up some viewers there, great, but don't sacrifice your loyal audience to pick up a new one.
As you know they missed that memo a long time ago when they started yanking races from Rockingham and Martinsville and replacing them with Chicago and Las Vegas.
NASCAR is never going to be what it once was 20-30 years ago. It was fun to watch in the 80s up until about the 2000s. Then with the changes in the racing schedule, the formation of teams and the amount of money put into these cars make it less about racing and more like a choreographed sports entertainment event….like WWE.
Their fanbase is dying out. Literally. They are desperate to make other people appreciate the sport so they are doing everything necessary.
Clearly they knew that by keeping it a “Southern” sport they would have died out naturally anyway. Just know that if you ever have an argument that is based on “back in my day” - it’s probably a losing argument.
Clearly they knew that by keeping it a “Southern” sport they would have died out naturally anyway. Just know that if you ever have an argument that is based on “back in my day” - it’s probably a losing argument.
They needed to lengthen the season if they wanted to expand the sport and not deemphasize it where its roots were. Some of their rules and format changes didn't help it, either.
The state of North Carolina has allocated $18 million for the refurbishment (water, sewer, electricity, roads, etc.) of North Wilkesboro Speedway. I don’t know what kind of racing they plan to do there. Have watched many Cup races there in the 70s and 80s. Great track back then - great races.
NASCAR is desperate. Hauling dirt in to Bristol, the Rogel, LA Coliseum …. Bruton Smith and NASCAR got greedy in the 90s when they were making plenty of money. Then they killed the goose that laid the golden egg. Few care. After the novelty wears off in a year or two from a new expensive track wherever, all you see is empty seats. I feel sure the next market they try will be overseas somewhere. Will be hard to compete with Formula 1, Indy car, Kart, etc. in Europe. Maybe they’ll try SA or Asia or Africa or the Anartica.
NASCAR is desperate. Hauling dirt in to Bristol, the Rogel, LA Coliseum …. Bruton Smith and NASCAR got greedy in the 90s when they were making plenty of money. Then they killed the goose that laid the golden egg. Few care. After the novelty wears off in a year or two from a new expensive track wherever, all you see is empty seats. I feel sure the next market they try will be overseas somewhere. Will be hard to compete with Formula 1, Indy car, Kart, etc. in Europe. Maybe they’ll try SA or Asia or Africa or the Anartica.
TravisP2001
Member
Pitbull makes sense because he is part owner of the #1 and #99 teams. He is at a lot of NASCAR races now. The Ice Cube thing was just weird.
And college football is well on its way to the same situation. The quest for the almighty dollar.
Im not a NASCAR fan but it would be great to seeing a competing organization revitalize these old tracks and give the true race fans an alternative
I watched the entire thing and do most races. Although, I do typically record it first and then fast forward through the endless commercials.
This and the all star races are just exhibitions and thought they did a good job with it. I like the idea of moving those two around to different type of venues.
To do what they did with the Coliseum in under 3 months was amazing and a feat in itself!
This and the all star races are just exhibitions and thought they did a good job with it. I like the idea of moving those two around to different type of venues.
To do what they did with the Coliseum in under 3 months was amazing and a feat in itself!
Not long enough. Take Christmas week off and race the rest of the year.
NASCAR is facing a problem that a lot of groups/organizations have faced - how to excite younger people.
Healthy percentages of young people have shifted their focus from sports/car racing, etc to online gaming and they aren't interested in attending sporting events, especially if they can watch a little bit of the event on tv or their computer.
I know with my own kids, they much prefer to watch a 1 minute video recap of an event than attend an event. They aren't really sports fans but I can usually get them to watch a 1 minute video if I tell them I want them to see it.
I don't see any of them attending sporting events in the future such a as college game or pro game unless I ask them to go with me and bribe them - and even then it's a struggle.
Healthy percentages of young people have shifted their focus from sports/car racing, etc to online gaming and they aren't interested in attending sporting events, especially if they can watch a little bit of the event on tv or their computer.
I know with my own kids, they much prefer to watch a 1 minute video recap of an event than attend an event. They aren't really sports fans but I can usually get them to watch a 1 minute video if I tell them I want them to see it.
I don't see any of them attending sporting events in the future such a as college game or pro game unless I ask them to go with me and bribe them - and even then it's a struggle.
It will be interesting to see if NASCAR utilizes N. Wilkesboro or Rockingham (receiving money as well) after updates and improvements are made.
I certainly see why Atlanta (boring after the questionable redesign) and Wilkesboro (behind in upkeep) lost races. But Rockingham and Darlington were a different story.
They realized their mistake quickly with Darlington. The Rock should still have a race. One of the best tracks period.
Rockingham attendance was tanking for whatever reason. They did have good races but the crowds started staying away and the only reason I could think of is it was a bitch to get out of their after the race. 2 lane roads leading to Hamlet at a dead stop. We found a way to cut off about 30 mins when we found a path thru the woods my buddys car would just fit it lol.
It was tough to get out of there. We’d sit in the parking lot and play poker for a couple of hours after the race and let it clear. Seems like every time I went to The Rock, Kyle Petty won. Figure that - he didn’t win many. Though I was at the World 600 in ‘87 when he lapped the field in the Woods Bros. Xerex #21. Sat in row 4 going into turn 1 in 95 degree heat with the track heat and all that rubber coming up over us. Came out of there filthy.
Well, Daytona is in the south. Still some fans there. Do you think if they race again at the Coliseum, the place will fill up, or after the novelty wears off, there will be empty seats like a lot of places?
Online gaming. Instead of participating in an active sport (body movement) do they sit at a computer or game table? Is this why America is fat? No offense to anyone - just a question.
I think so but just one more time. From everything I read everyone had a great time and a lot more wished they had attended. After that they need to move it.
I agree the sport would struggle as fans like me die off and they have to keep working in new fan bases. However, when they took Darlington away the existing fan base started to turn away. I know because as a season ticket holder for those races a lot of life long fans turned away. I don't think NASCAR can survive without southerners in the stands, but I know they have hard decisions to make.
I agree. My two favorite tracks, Darlington and Rockingham.
TravisP2001
Member
I realize that. I just did not think he was a fit for a NASCAR even without any direct ties to NASCAR like Pitbull has.
TravisP2001
Member
You are correct about Rockingham. While I went to many races there and loved that place, it was a nightmare after the races going home with nothing but 2 lane roads.
BTW, they have opened Rockingham back up for some things. I saw a youtube video on it the other day.
TravisP2001
Member
I was listening to Jr's podcast, The Dale Jr. Download, yesterday and he brought up a good point about his thoughts on why the attention to the clash had dwindled over the years. NASCAR opened it up to too many competitors. Back when it first started you had to win a pole the previous season to get in. They kept adding new ways to get in and eventually everyone got in the race. He said the running joke was all you needed was a valid driver's license to get in.
If they want to appeal to a younger fanbase, they are gonna have to shorten races imo. Maybe they could end these intermissions as a result. Those two changes are a bone thrown to the purists and a bone thrown to new fans. Personally I find these 'segments' annoying. And long races have become boring. It's just doesnt seem tv friendly anymore and its certainly not as fan friendly at the track compared to what it used to be.
Kinda funny that pre-race coverage, driver interviews and such is numerous and constant but it doesnt appear to have helped the sport one bit. Maybe they ought to back off of that as well. Most of the time I get the feeling the drama is forced anyway.
Kinda funny that pre-race coverage, driver interviews and such is numerous and constant but it doesnt appear to have helped the sport one bit. Maybe they ought to back off of that as well. Most of the time I get the feeling the drama is forced anyway.
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