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Steve Waid: Fewer teams, fewer employees, fewer fans for 2009
By Steve Waid
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
COMMENTARY
The 2009 season may be, perhaps, the most daunting in NASCAR’s history.
The difficult economy might make it so. We have heard all about it, of course. We know about the struggles of Wall Street, the collapse or controversial mergers of banks, the deep drop in real estate, the suffering of retail outlets, the virtual bankruptcy of major American auto manufacturers and the rising unemployment rate.
We’ve heard the word “bailout” from the federal government a lot lately, and let’s face it: We don’t know, now, if that will make any difference. We can only hope it does.
With their efforts to save money and increase their revenue in any way possible, many major corporations have decided that it’s not the time to pump millions of dollars into NASCAR’s teams as sponsors.
We’ve seen evidence of that already.
Sponsorship dollars that were once plentiful for NASCAR’s teams have dwindled significantly. For the 2009 season the money has been hard to find.
Some of the more established organizations in NASCAR do not have the financial backing they require to compete – and they have said so.
Petty Enterprises and Wood Brothers Racing are two of the oldest, most successful and most respected teams in NASCAR’s history. Yet neither has acquired appropriate sponsorship for 2009.
As hard as it is to believe, the very existence of these two pioneer teams is threatened – although it is more likely they will return as downsized operations.
Other teams have already begun to deal with the harsh economy. We know that many of their employees have been relieved of their jobs, and it’s likely layoffs are not over.
One of the highest number of layoffs occurred at Dale Earnhardt Inc., which recently merged with Chip Ganassi Racing in the hopes both teams could streamline their operations and remain solvent. But the new entity still does not have all the necessary sponsorship.
There are several second-tier teams that do not, as of now, have any financial support, and it’s likely they will not be around in 2009.
Truth is, when next season begins NASCAR is almost certain to have fewer teams in all three of its top circuits.
That’s not all.
NASCAR’s speedways are likely to have fewer attendees at their races. That has already happened in 2008, when sellouts, once the norm, were few. Fans cannot afford to spend the money they once did.
It won’t be different next year. As the economy contracts, people always have the tendency to watch their spending. Necessities come first and then luxuries only when affordable – and a ticket to a major NASCAR race is indeed a luxury.
Can we really expect a fan to pay the costs of tickets, motels, gas and amenities in today’s economy when he or she will be have to consider the personal budget – or even deal with the threat of lost employment?
When it comes to selling tickets, speedways are going to have to get very creative in 2009. Of course, no one has to tell them that.
As an aside to all of this, the attention NASCAR receives from the media – especially daily newspapers – is likely to dwindle.
Layoffs at daily newspapers have been rampant and have included motorpsorts writers.
Do not take all of this as a pronouncement of the doom of NASCAR.
The sanctioning body has been amazingly resilient over the years. It has found a way to exist despite very difficult situations.
It survived nicely when the auto manufacturers pulled out – more than once.
In the early 1970s, NASCAR got past a severe gasoline shortage. People lined up for blocks just to get any fuel that was available.
It was said that NASCAR should cease operations. Why burn gasoline to race when a family couldn’t fuel its station wagon?
NASCAR took measures – it reduced the length of several of its races by 10 percent - and survived.
In the late 1970’s and early ’80s, this country experienced severe inflation that hobbled the economy. People had to restrict their spending because of high prices and interest rates. NASCAR teams had to do likewise.
The sport rebounded when the economy did.
And that will happen again.
But in the meantime, NASCAR will have fewer teams with fewer employees and races attended by fewer fans in 2009.
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Comments
28 responses to "Steve Waid: Fewer teams, fewer employees, fewer fans for 2009". Post a Comment.
terry ruth said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 3:44 PMThere will be fewer fans already because the racing is boring. You have look alike run alike IRL cars running in parades. No competion through innovation. No Petty vs. Pearson screaming off of turn 4....it's will Carl run out of gas or will Jimmy make points....snoozeville.....
terry ruth said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 3:51 PMI added this once...may they didn't like my imput....Nascar is already losing fans. It's boring. Look alike run alike IRL cars on parade....no innovation or competion. No Petty vs. Pearson screaming off turn 4....Nascar went vanilla when they took stock car out of NASCAR....
Ken Matthews said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 3:52 PMYES SIR, you are the man, right-on,
terry ruth said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 4:15 PMSteve Waid...NASCAR Scene...can you guy's wise NASCAR up?? Does anyone listen to us???Do they care??....When the ratings crater and the sponsers good south..the turnstiles stop turning.......it will be to late
Ken Osborne said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 4:16 PMI don't know that a lot of people will care next year. As it stands now, at least half the field are now field fillers with no chance of winning and they are ignored by TV. No wonder sponsors don't want to sponsor the lesser teams. I haven't been to a race since I went to a Bristol night race 3 years ago. It wasn't due to finances, it was due to boredom. I save money by watching it on TV between naps.
Meg said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 4:21 PMI think the NASCAR teams should take a litte trek to Washington DC and has for a bailout. They need to make sure they don't go in those haulers but maybe drive down in a go cart or something...Spread the wealth around.. All teams could use a few million !
Billy said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 4:51 PMWell thanks to Sprint and Nascar, a high dollar sponsor was forced to leave the sport this year (AT&T). While it's too late to get AT&T back on the 31, I'm sure they'd love to sponsor another team if given the opportunity again. Nascar and Sprint need to cancel the ban on AT&T.
Becky Deline said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 5:53 PMHere's a question for Nascar...why should the fans pay the high prices for tickets etc. when they can sleep at home for free? Nascar has no one to blame but themselves for losing fans.
Werner Boehmert said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 5:58 PMback in the day it was run the car until the wheels fall off...now it's save the car for the end...don't balme the new car...blame the new strategy used by the teams...someone tel me how Yates, the Wood Bros. and the other teams made it the full year...will this level the playing field a bit more, when the hi-end teams have to operate on the same money the others did...
Sally Baker said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 6:02 PMIt seems to me that this is the one time when Nascar would miss the Big Three the least. The COT has made manufacturers basically irrelevant. Call it what you want, but the COT is a vehicle designed by Nascar, period. Putting different noses on the cars doesn't make them a Chevy or Dodge or Ford. As long as the teams can get their engines from somewhere (and it's highly probable that nascar wil soon have spec engines to go with their spec cars), does a grill decal really 'make' a COT a different car? Since the cars on the track haven't had anything 'stock' in years, will they really miss the manufacturers?
Tim the Fan said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 6:31 PM$1200 a year for four season tickets to Bristol, plus $1000 for gas from Michigan to Tennessee pulling my fifth wheel. Then $300 to camp anywhere within five miles of the track. Martinsville, less than $800 for four season tickets. I take the car instead of the fifth wheel so #200 round trip for gas, and motel well $390. for three nights. Michigan, now remember that's where I'm from. Tickets, way to expensive. Lodging to expensive so I have to drive 300 miles round trip. Hard drive when it takes six of seven hours to get home because they have horrible traffic directions. I've been a fan attending these races for fourteen years. But this year it's no Michigan races, only the fall Martinsville race, and the last year for Bristol unless they change their ticket policy and divide the year like Martinsville where you can have season tickets to only one race weekend instead of forced to attend the entire years races. Not only has the economy had a bearing on this but so has the track owners greed. Most of them should take lessens from Martinsville where they still stay family oriented and try hard to keep prices affordable.
Dewayne Hatfield said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 6:41 PMI'm a 35 year fan. I've attended hundreds of races. It's been over two years since my last Nascar race. I've changed where I spend my entertainment dollar. The NHRA provides more bang for the buck. If you get rained out, you get a rain check. Nascar has taken their fans for granted. My group of racing friends will be at Alanta, Bristol, and Charlotte. Watching the NHRA. You can get a four day ticket for what one cup ticket costs.
terry ruth said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 7:12 PMNASCAR...are you hearing this???? To expensive.....boring...bad ticket policies....boring....better options for our dollars....oh yeah did I mention .... ...boring??..
Werner Boehmert said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 7:18 PMTim the Fan...we only have tickets for the spring race in Bristol...the guy who gets out tix says it's an option to get the tix for the spring and fall race...isn't it the traks that dictate prices?...this summer i checked prices for a motel in Bristol...$46...same room for the spring Bristol race...$160...
Ronald Schwalbe said:
Dec 3, 2008 at 10:20 PMDewayne you are SOOO right about the NHRA !! REAL HONEST qualifying -go FAST -or go HOME ! REAL speed - 300mph+ ..... REAL racing - NOBODY gets a "push" ala Daytona -Talledega - they do it on their OWN ! EVERYBODY tries to WIN and they DON'T get PUNISHED for achieving and out-thinking the competition ! I was at Norwalk this year for Friday's "wet track" postponement and have my full "rain check" for 2009. NASCAR fan since the 60's - - I now watch the "Brian Show" ONLY on TiVo now - Too busy going to the Drags and local Saturday night track for my racing excitment
bill thompson said:
Dec 4, 2008 at 12:21 AMhey werner, they're blocking comments again
Timberline said:
Dec 4, 2008 at 7:35 AMLet's see. Cup is now like an IROC race. Pretty soon everything on the car will be blueprinted except the decals on the nose. And the next step in an attempt to reach parity will be having retired drivers set up all the cars for a race. And you wonder why my interest in NASCAR is waning?
Robert Porter said:
Dec 4, 2008 at 9:57 AMIt all went to hell when they put a speed limit on pit road. Since then the number of rule changes has been insane. Too many "debris" cautions, speed violations, the "COT", areo push, bad tires, questionable calls, luck dog, .... on and on. Went to 5 races in '08, might go to 2 at most in '09 because I was dumb enough to already renew my tickets at MIS. Used to be I could sell them to anyone if I had extras. Now I'll have to go or eat them.
terry ruth said:
Dec 4, 2008 at 11:18 AMScenedaily...are you passing any of this on???? When we're gone so will NASCAR and Scenedaily......
Eric Ward said:
Dec 4, 2008 at 11:42 AMRace back to the flag, start the races earlier, clean up cautions faster, shorten some of the races.
ROBERT GREGORY said:
Dec 4, 2008 at 12:06 PMTICKET PRICES ARE WAY TO HIGH HOTELS ARE CRAZY EXPENSIVE AND WHEN YOU FINALLY GET THERE THE RACE IS A SNOOOOOZER !!!!!AND THEN FIGHT THE FIGHT TO LEAVE THE ONLY RACE WORTH GOING TO IS RICHMOND AT LEAST THE HAVE THERE ACT TOGETHER WITH THE TRAFFIC AND TICKET PRICES
Richard Storie said:
Dec 4, 2008 at 12:24 PMNot sure if NA$CAR can recover like before. They have kicked the core fans to the curb years ago and I don't think they will come back! I know I won't.
Pat Draper said:
Dec 4, 2008 at 1:55 PMDon't you fans know by now that until Brian France is out of Nascar nothing is going to change for the fans. Why should a billionair care about us lowly fan. His father would never have let all this happen to nascar. Some body should tell Brian to retire now right now before its to late for Nascar.
Pat Draper said:
Dec 4, 2008 at 2:02 PMI was just wondering if Nascar ever reads or is told what we the fans are writing. I sure wish someone would find out and let us know. I'm not writing this for fun nor is anyone else we want our voices heard by Nascar.
Lee Pflug said:
Dec 4, 2008 at 6:47 PMHey Mr. France, Here is another chance for YOU to make some more money. Just start building all the cars, then lease them back to the teams. This will totally make the series the "New" IROC series. Get the point: It's a chance to start over. Don't worry about the old timers coming back,It Ain't Gonna Happen so go after the teeny boppers! Fits perfectly with your greed factors.
keith yocum said:
Dec 4, 2008 at 7:41 PMDon't forget if you have a seat you like they might build a high rise building in front of you like the idiots at Daytona did for the corporate fans to play darts and pool and watch the Daytona 500 on TV.
cb michael said:
Dec 6, 2008 at 1:34 PMWHEN "KING BRIAN" IS GONE MAYBE NASCAR CAN SURVIVE. TILL THEN IT WILL SIMPLY BECOME LESS RELIVENT TO OUR WEEKENDS. TOSS THE RULE BOOK AND RACE TO WIN. RUN WHAT YOU BRING AND PAY THE WINNER. KINDA SOUNDS LIKE THE EARLY DAYS DOESN'T IT? SAY GOOD BYE BRIAN, PLEASE, BEFORE EVERYTHING IS GONE.
Worm Dirt said:
Dec 7, 2008 at 3:26 AMI can't help but wonder.... for all those fans that yearn from the bottom of their hearts for a return to BASICS.....and VALUE..and HONESTY.... and real RACING...that this economic down-turn might ACTUALLY be the UNAVOIDABLE slap in the face WE ALL need!!!! Think about it! How arrogant are WE, or Nascar, to think that the recent CRAZY unprecedented upward growth is SOMEHOW suppose to defy gravity... and illogically keep on climbing UPWARDs to INFINITY?!?!?!?!???????? It's not only irrational.....It's absolutely fundamentally MORONIC!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can't throw a rock up in the air and expect it not to EVENTUALLY fall on your head. I mean.... do you go to the race on Sunday and chug beers in the sun and NOT expect to have a headache the next day???? Probably not. YOu accept the consequences of your actions! It's times like THESE brothers and sisters where the TRUE COLORS are flown WIDE AND HIGH!!!!!! There are people (claiming to be your frineds) lining up to beg the government for hand-outs (translation: a handout from funds STOLEN BY FORCE from YOU and ME!!!!!!) to pay to keep the rock THEY threw up in the air from falling on THEIR heads! It's INSANITY!!!! I say.........LET THE ROCK FALL SQUARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIER SKULLS......IN HOPES......IT WILL KNOCK SOME SENSE BACK INTO THIS COUNTRY~!