I’ve been watching in anticipation the last few days as the showdown between the Formula One Teams Association and the FIA (Max Mosley) played out. Today we learned FIA President Max Mosley would give in to the teams’ demands to not impose the spending cap and he also agreed not to stand for re-election to the FIA. Surprise, surprise.
I got to thinking about what would happen if teams in NASCAR banded to together and attempted to stage a similar coup. The conclusion I came to was that this could not and would not ever happen.
Beyond the cars, the most pivotal part of a race is the race track. In the United States the only tracks really capable of accommodating NASCAR events are owned, for the most part by two companies: Speedway Motorsports Inc. majority owned by and controlled by Bruton Smith and International Speedway Corporation majority owned by and controlled by the France family. The France family of course owns and operates NASCAR.
Should NASCAR teams break away Bruton Smith’s SMI is certainly an option but ISC is not. What this means is the break away series loses the marquee Daytona 500 and only has eight tracks to race at. I doubt the Mattiolis would turn their back on the France family, so Pocono is probably out. There are a few other tracks that could add to the hypothetical break away series, but that is assuming they aren’t already with NASCAR in some capacity.
With F1 this isn’t the case. Because this is not just a regional sport there are tons of tracks that don’t currently host F1 events that would be capable of hosting them.
Another issue with NASCAR is the lack of control wielded by the teams. In F1 the teams are king, especially with the fans. Ferrari fans are Ferrari fans. Renault fans are Renault fans. The driver is often secondary. In NASCAR just the opposite is true. The teams are very much secondary to the personalities. If you want proof of this look to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s departure from DEI.
All it took for Max Mosley to back down was eight teams (mind you eight very large teams) threatening to start a breakaway series.
Another thing working in NASCAR’s favor is their lock on TV contracts. In the United States we only have a handful of networks capable of producing and carrying large sporting events like a race. ESPN/ABC, Speed, Fox and NBC/TNT are all out of the question. Maybe the break away series could go on Versus?
Around the world there are countless companies and stations capable and likely very willing to produce and broadcast F1 races. There are a world of possibilities.
Lastly I don’t see any NASCAR team owners capable of funding another series. Sure they’re all wealthy guys, but none can afford what these F1 owners can. It is widely believed Ferrari spends/has spent in the past upwards of $500 million on their F1 program. That is insane and well more than the entire worth of most of NASCAR’s owners. Obviously large auto manufacturers can afford to fund this sort of thing, but a former Ford engineer, a football coach and a couple of auto dealers likely would have a much harder time. I guess what I’m saying is this sort of thing isn’t worth their time or money and they would have to know that.
In the end the FIA and F1 are just very different from NASCAR. The FIA is a consortium (though F1 is not), NASCAR is a privately owned and held company. The teams are allowed to organize in F1 and in the FIA, and in NASCAR the teams throughout the history of the sport have been strongly encouraged not to organize. Where F1 has a global presence and global opportunity, NASCAR is confined to just the United States and continental North America.
For better or worse NASCAR is the king of American auto racing. This is their game and we’re all just playing it. So don’t expect Roush, Childress, Hendrick and Gibbs to band together and threaten NASCAR anytime soon.
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on Jun 25th, 2009 at 2:51 am
Journo, you can say that again…( you have such a way with words )
“….and in NASCAR the teams throughout the history of the sport have been strongly encouraged not to organize….”
maybe an understatement? ; )
PS
I wonder what, exactly, the $500 million Ferrari pays for?
on Jun 25th, 2009 at 8:15 am
The current state of NASCAR makes it highly unlikely for any kind of split to happen — I definitely agree on that point.
Things would have to dramatically change in the sport to make certain players so disgusted that they’d want to break away. I don’t think it’s impossible, though. But breaking away from the Daytona 500 would be a lot like CART without the Indy 500. That didn’t work out too well.
There would be plenty of decent short tracks to fill the void and I think fans would go with the series that has the teams, drivers, and product that they prefer.
Never say never, of course.
on Jun 25th, 2009 at 8:16 am
Journo-well said chap! I have but only three things to add for our Insider contingent.
1. If you ever get the chance to attend an F1 race (anywhere), please do not pass up the opportunity. And if you do, please spend up close time w/ the cars and watch the teams at work. The attention to detail is incredible.
2. As one of your readers mentioned last week having witnessed a race at either Monza (Italia) or Imola, the fans (especially the Tifosi of Scuderia Ferrari contingent) are not much different than NASCAR fans. Albeit passionate and die hard for the team first and foremost.
3. To those that despise Brian France, just be glad you are not dealing with Max Mosely. Go FOTA!
on Jun 25th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
The odds are against it happening most of the players are smart business people and would not take a chance like that. With that being said if I were to start a new stock car series I would go to I$C and try to negotiate with this publicly traded company and ask for a race date at each of the facilities I thought would do well for me like Daytona, Talladega at times other than the events that they have now are held if they said no I would try to rent the facility if they said no I would ask why if they would not tell me I would take them to court for monopolistic tactics and this one I think they would lose because they are affecting my business and a return on investment to their share holders which I am one now I currently own I$C stock to protect and stifle competion against their own privately owned series Na$car. The lawyers would kill them on this one. Na$car has alot more rights being a private company like saying when and where they want to race but they can’t interfere in another companies right to do business.
on Jun 25th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Kudos to you for paying attention to what is going on in F1. You are correct Kemosabe, it couldn’t happen in NASCAR…the same way.
NASCAR/ISC is a classic duopoly, the regulator and promoter wrapped in one. Having SMI around is convenient. The European Commission made the FIA split the two responsibilities between different organization. If the Kentucky Speedway lawsuit had gotten traction, it might have forced a similar outcome vis-a-vis the France family companies.
There is no question in my mind people like John Henry and George Gillett invested in NASCAR teams in the hope of a franchise, somewhere down the road. That would be the only collective leverage over the Frances, and they know it.
on Jun 25th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I forgot to mention, the $500 million Ferrari figure is per year.
Also, remember, in F1 there is another element absent in NASCAR: the Commercial Rights Holder. Imagine the France family, representing NASCAR, signed a 100 yr contract with an outside company, for a one time fee, for that company to sell tv, merchandising, and advertising rights for all NASCAR Cup events. And the teams, collectively, shared 50% of those revenues.
Then that company turned around and sold itself to a Wall Street oufit for over $2 billion, without the teams sharing in that pot of gold, or any requirement on the Wall Street outfit to reinvest any $$$ in NASCAR related properties (teams, tracks etc).
Ouch
on Jun 25th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
It has seemed to me all along since Mad Max began his battle that he was more interested in punishing the big teams for calling for his resignation last year than in what was good for the sport.
on Jun 25th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
IF CONDITIONS were right all it would take, would be SMI TRACKS and a few other non-ICS tracks such as Iowa, Rockingham, Dover, etc., maybe even a road course. The TOP 6-8 teams WITH their drivers, fresh new rules package, series sponsor. Really think Pocono would pull in a crowd with 20-25 of na$crap’s drivers not in the race? HA! TV? CBS, HBO sports, other cable networks. DONE RIGHT, a cable network COULD GROW a series, as espn did in the 80’s with cupraces. Too bad Bruton Smith is in his 80’s, he would have been a guy to pull it off. With the direction na$crap’s spec car series is heading, it’s popularity will continue to tank, could long term economic conditions cause a PERFECT STORM in the future for the afore mentioned, you never know, possibily yes. There’s 2 things NA$CRAP fears most, opening their books (law suits = Mayfield), and competion. If a STRONG new series emerged, na$crap’s house of smoke and mirrors would be exposed, parts of which already are.
on Jun 25th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Neon: I agree with you about seeing an F1 race in person. It was really an experience (btw that was me who went to Imola).
You’ll never bitch about NASCAR ticket prices again — I think I spent +$300 for a decent seat view-wise but the facility was definitely something else.
The whole day was hilarious from the “vendors” to the actual seats (like small tractor seats — you’re screwed if you weigh more than 110 pounds) to the almost non-existant bathrooms (3 euros to use, thank you) to the fight that broke out over a sausage between an Italian dude and a German dude.
The racing was really good and Ferrari won in the land of Ferrari. You can imagine the crowd!
Ahhhh…memories.
on Jun 25th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
By looking at these posts everyone seems to think that the race tracks have to be with Na$car or the rival series there is no reason that a track like Dover or Pocono or even Daytona or Charlotte has to be with one or the other they can run races from both series .
on Jun 25th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
For all of those (me included) that would like to wish away spec COT, came somewhat close to reality when the Trac Car series (w/ Cale Yarborough on board) had some steam in the late 90’s into early 2000’s.
Folks, these were not spec Fusions, Impala, Chargers and Camrys. They were to be Vipers, Mustangs, Vettes maybe others that “are” actually fuel injected, rear wheel drive fire breathing cool as hell Trans Am type tube frame race cars.
I don’t quite remember, but I think TV and tracks and maybe a bit of NASCAR strong arm could have grounded the movement.
It had the making of some neat stuff!