September 2nd, 2010 
Journo NASCAR has perception problems – with fans, with the media (especially its own), and with the mainstream. It’s something I’ve written about twice (here and here). After spending what I’m sure was a lot of money on consultants, I think NASCAR finally believes it too – and they’re doing something about it.
This week they announced the reorganization of their communications department. According to Sports Business Journal:
What this means is NASCAR is going to be adding more PR people, what SBJ said could be 20 to the existing department of about 25, and hiring a chief communications officer. Among other things, this will, in theory, allow them to do a better job of shifting and crafting a more positive narrative for the sport. And lets be honest, the narrative has gotten away from them.
Right or wrong, we’re entrenched in a media environment that focuses heavily on the negative. I personally believe this has been the main contributing factor to the malaise among NASCAR fans – as Ed Hinton put it, NASCARmyalgia.
With the amount of negative coverage (and seemingly no coherent communications strategy from NASCAR), fans are just feeling down on the sport. There really isn’t one explanation either. I refer you back to the Ed Hinton article. Pretty much all of the comments on the NASCAR PR story on SceneDaily.com went a little like this: “The product stinks. We don’t need NASCAR to spin things for us.” It sounds good to say, but I’m not sure what there is to improve about the product (no one really articulated that). Maybe make the car look better? Shorten races?
I’m really at a loss for what’s so bad right now. I think a lot of people are. I certainly see issues, but I understand there have and always will be things wrong with NASCAR (just like every other sport). Nothing’s perfect. What I think we can improve on is how we talk about the sport.
For all NASCAR hopes to accomplish with this reorganization I think changing that conversation has got to be one of the top priorities. NASCAR is presenting a good product week in and week out, but if people aren’t seeing it, or interested in it, it really doesn’t matter.
We’ll see in the coming seasons whether this actually makes a difference, but it’s interesting to see how NASCAR is trying to improve things.
Oh, and if you need a job it sounds like NASCAR will soon be hiring…
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Most of us watch our races on TV. It doesn’t matter what really happens at the track if it is not on the screen or in the dialogue on TV. How would we know without going to additional sources on the radio or on the computer? Thus, official NASCAR may be scratching their heads about the disconnect between great racing this year but the negative opinions coming from fans. Hello, NASCAR, if we don’t “see” the race, we are not on the same page.
TV coverage has been better this year, especially ESPN. However, all three broadcast companies have room for improvement. It is so frustrating to see a car limping off the track and have no idea why. It is so frustrating to follow a particular driver and not see his car the whole race or know how he is doing on the track. It is frustrating to hear babbling on TV when one wants information about who, what, when, where and why in This Race.
It is time for NASCAR to hold the broadcast companies “feet to the fire” for more comprehensive coverage. You have a great product, NASCAR, but you are not selling it.
I think the biggest thing is Brian France. He is perceived by alot of folks as sleazy. Every thing he says seems like a spin and not the whole truth. Personally I think he believes he is above the fans and really doesn’t give a s— what we want as long as he keeps gettin his money. And that’s the issue here. His dollar intake is in risk of slipping and he’s gotta protect it.
Sometimes, NASCAR has issues with trying to over-tweak.
Take the Chase. They started with 10 qualifiers, then went into a state of panic when Jeff Gordon and Junior missed the cut, so they expanded the field to 12. Now they are hinting at going to 15 next year? Will a bigger field equal better ratings and at-track attendance?
Probably not.
If they want the fans to respect the Chase, they need to set it and leave it alone for 4 or 5 seasons.
Well said Doug!
I think the problem is that the fans are everyday folks who are having tough times right now for the most part and we see most drivers acting like spoiled babies… and they make millions of bucks! It would be a dream for us to be paid that. This is not reality for us.
Maybe I’m still high from Montreal, but I’m in the “it’s as good as it’s ever been” category. Sure, there are boring races, just like there are boring football games. Sure, Dave Blaney doesn’t get a lot of TV time because he’s 10 laps down or off the track. Sure, there’s a lot of commercials – someone has to pay for all this stuff. You have to accept the fact that TV can only show a limited portion of the race (and the cars). Sure, the chase stinks. You have to accept that being at the track is a different experience from seeing the race on TV – not better or worse, necessarily (the beer’s cheaper at home), but different.
The bottom line is that we see 43 great drivers every week hanging on the edge to entertain us.
(Larry – you’re right about the money, of course.)
Simply put, there’s too much of the same as far as tracks go. There is nothing exciting about watching a race from Chicago, Kansas City or California. Now think about Richmond, Bristol, Talladegga. Those are great race tracks and usually provide great racing.
The more NASCAR keep expanding into big “media markets” with boring tracks the more the product is going to suffer.
Every dictatorship needs a ministry of propaganda and they always embed agents at every level reporting who is saying what and …… etc etc
You nailed the main problem the other day, maybe without meaning to… you were talking about who owns the race tracks, and I think you stated that except for 3 tracks… EVERY track is owned by the France family or that big-glasses-guy “what-his-name”…. and they are NOT public friendly, They haul in a lot of cash and hoard it.
The money being hoarded at the top is causing a lot of problems at the bottom…
No matter what spin NASCAR’S ministry of propaganda puts on it, the problem is a top heavy power structure.
If they would spread the money around, it would solve a lot of issues…but as with all dictatorships it will probably require some sort of utter debacle (“let the S&Ps eat cake”)… then a revoltution…… leading to an implosion of power and then a rebirth.
If the races are good, and the TV coverage captures it, everything else self resolves.
If either one of these is not true, then all manner of other reasons to bash or not watch will enter the equation.
It really is that simple.
Put another way, people invest their time and money to see world class drivers do some world class driving. When peole get short changed, they speak up. And when they speak up, the “oh, and another thing…” will inevitably follow.
There is a reason that a freaking Nationwide event is garnering the highest acclaim of the season, and it has absolutely nothing to do with “how the sport is being talked about”…
While I’m critical NASCAR on certain moves, I’ve never understood the vitriol some people have for the sport. I’m not trying to single anyone out, but I see it in the comments here and on other sites. People who have such a hatred for all things NASCAR, I wonder why they even watch. Much less comment on NASCAR-related sites.
All in all its an awesome sport. The positives greatly outweigh the negatives.
Unfortunately, due to past decisions and actions, NASCAR has a major credibility problem with their fans. We aren’t listening to their PR rantings anymore so good luck with trying to turn the tide with lip service. Been there done that. Give in to what the fans want NASCAR, no chase, no COT, labor day back in Darlington,… you know the list. Make some substantive changes first and then maybe we’ll listen.
I’m with Christopher. I’m amused with the volume of people who go on NASCAR websites to complain about NASCAR. I’m just perplexed by the number of media types that work in the industry and do nothing but complain. It’s almost like they are trying to prove that they aren’t on NASCAR’s payroll. I would take them more seriously if they were ever positive, or even neutral – but the negativity doesn’t do it for me.
I’m fairly new to NASCAR, so I don’t know anything about how is used to be or should be. I do know I’m really enjoying the racing this year and that’s enough for me.
If we did not care we would not comment.
If the truth (opinions) hurts, then dont read.
With that said, I wonder as part of this new program, will NASCAR instruct some of these PR people to start posting on message boards, making comments and complaining about people who make comments which are deemed inappropriate?
Having been a fan for over 30 years, I have several problems with the product.
The cars all look the same. You should be able to distinguish what is a Ford, Chevy, etc. The only possible way to do that now is by a sticker. That is the only difference in the cars, decals and running gears. Everything else is the same. Sprint Cup races are no different from the IROC races several years back: identically prepared cars.
Shorten the damn races. Most people only watch the beginning and the end.
Shorten the season AND the field. 30 races is more than enough and 30 -35 cars is plenty. What is the point of having 10 cars in the field who cannot even keep up or just start and park?
The points system is just plain stupid. It needs to be changed to give more points for wins. The winner should get 100 points and then 50 for second and finish the top ten with 40, 30, 20, 15, 10, 8, 5, 1. The purpose of racing is to win, not finish in the top ten. Reward the drivers that actually race to win. Even consider giving the polesitter 20 points for a pole. Getting points for just starting a race? Despicable.
My last rant is why show up at the track and practice and qualify on Friday, then do Saturday, and race Sunday. Save the teams some money: show up Saturday, practice and qualify, then race Sunday.
Seems to me the France family has rose colored glasses on and cannot seem to see what is plaguing this once great sport.
Darren – None of the problems you are complaining about are new – in fact they’ve been quite present in the 30 years you’ve been a fan. The points system is new, but it doesn’t sound like you have a problem with the Chase – it sounds like you have a problem with the standard portions of the points system. The race lengths haven’t changed over the years, nor has the weekend schedule. And the cars have been mostly indistinguishable with the exception of nose pieces and stickers for the better part of the last 20 years. So my question to you is, do you want change from what you have had for the last 30 years? Or have you always been unhappy with the product?
Journo I cannot believe that you said the cars all looked the same for the better part of 20 years. You must be Carolyn Brewster. Haha just kidding. My problem is that the COT is a boat. A boat that puts out a wake that will not let the next boat pass. I do not like cars that are so aero dependent and I also do not like races being won and lost in the pits. That is what the track is for. Thanks for the continued great site. It is the only Cashcar related site that i look at any more.
Wiltone – Comparing me to Carolyn Brewster – ouch. Thanks for the accolades even though you did take a shot.