The Economy Really Sucks-Just Ask Some NASCAR Teams

A recent newspaper article discussed the problems some NASCAR Sprint Cup teams are facing attracting sponsors.  With the economy in less than glowing condition, corporations are balking at forking over $25,000,000 to sponsor a Sprint Cup team.  Actually, many companies spend a similar amount on marketing their NASCAR sponsorship, so being involved in major league auto racing takes a big, big checkbook.

 

Each of NASCAR’s “Big Three” series has teams having sponsorship difficulties.  The article mentioned there is a real possibility that some events could face less than full fields.  That does seem to be little far-fetched to me.  If nothing else, NASCAR, the track hosting a Sprint Cup event, or maybe a combination of both would likely step up and provide the wherewithal for enough teams to provide for a full field.  Not having a full field would be an embarrassment to the track, and hardly the image a major league sport would want.

 

NASCAR will be OK in 2009-financially, I mean, the product being OK is open to debate.  I do wonder about what economic difficulties will mean for the “minor leagues” of auto racing, for the “Saturday night” tracks, and for all the drivers who race for a hobby, not to make a living.

 

Would an associate sponsor aka a partial sponsor of a NASCAR Sprint Cup team be willing to continue with a decal on the quarter panel of a Cup car, or would a better and cheaper investment be to fully fund a dirt tour like the World of Outlaws Late Models, or maybe be the title sponsor for some major events.  Even though they are tape delayed, many major dirt track events are now televised, and the right sponsor would be able to make screening more events a reality.  Just an odd thought.

 

I am really more concerned about how our economic downturn will affect local racers.  The Presidential candidates have been arguing about Wall Street vs. Main Street, and racers problems for the coming season mirror the financial problems of businesses.  That Wall Street, or big business, is hurting has the potential to hurt NASCAR.  That business on Main Street in small towns is hurting could be devastating to local racers.

 

I know local racers are not totally funded by anyone.  The best some can hope for is a sponsor to buy a few tires, or maybe a local filling station to fill up the hauler a few times a season.  For grass roots racers, the loss of sponsors that provide even several hundred dollars worth of goods is almost like a huge NASCAR outfit losing a million dollars in sponsorship.  The percentage of overall investment that a loss of $500-$1,000 to a local racer is probably greater than the loss of $1,000,000 to the NASCAR team.  Both sting, one just stings the little guy is all.

 

My fingers and toes are crossed that all of our local racers can find the sponsorship they need to race in 2009, and that 2009 will be a better year than 2008 was for tracks, drivers, and fans.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

 

~ by Ron Meyer on October 22, 2008.