NASCAR comes out Swinging
Sometimes in sports and life you have to shake it up a bit. Yesterday NASCAR did just that. While we’ve all seen a decline in track attendance in recent years, which is normally followed by fewer eyes on TV sets, NASCAR continues to take measures to grow the sport.
This week NASCAR announced the race schedule for 2020. If you were expecting the same, you were disappointed. A notoriously conservative organization, NASCAR acted in a very progressive way in their scheduling decision.
Brian France vs Jim France
Under the leadership of Brian France NASCAR found itself stumbling to capture its place in today’s sports world. Looking at the three major companies which own most of the tracks in which NASCAR races, saw their revenues sink during a 10 year period from 2007 to 2017, from $467 million to $215 million.
For years we heard Brian France deny the declining health in the sport. We heard about the impact on social media and TV ratings, the economies impact on attendance and a seemingly endless list of excuses and denials.
A late night DUI arrest of Brian France might very well have changed the fortunes of NASCAR. Jim France is now leading the NASCAR organization and his management style appears to be very different than that which we saw from Brian.
The Schedule
A doubleheader? Can you imagine the ultra-conservative NASCAR organization even thinking about such a thing? No way! This is truly an outside the box decision that doesn’t happen unless the leadership is prepared to take risk.
Pocono has had two very successful weekends in NASCAR for years. The races are usually well attended and the camping areas are always filled. The decision to hold Cup Series races on Saturday and Sunday of the same weekend is a huge shift in direction and a bit of a risk.
Good on Nick Idalsky, Ben May and the management of Pocono for partnering up with NASCAR in an effort to grow the sport. And make no mistake, this is all to help grow the sport.
Risk aside, the buzz around social media about the new schedule is something we haven’t seen/heard in a long time. Love the idea or hate the idea, everybody has an opinion. That’s good for the sport.
Homestead no More
We are creatures of habit. It’s become a custom to head to Miami to blow out the candles of that racing season. No official announcement on where the season’s finale will be held in 2021 but we now know that we’ll blow out the candles in Phoenix to close out the 2020.
Will Phoenix be the permanent season ending host? Will NASCAR rotate the season finale among other tracks? Stay tuned.
Love it or hate it, NASCAR continues to make changes to stem the decline we’ve seen in the sport. I can’t wait!
Heroes: NASCAR, Nick Idalsky, Ben May and the staff at Pocono, Phoenix Raceway
Zeros: Homestead/Miami, Pocono parking attendants,
