How The NHRA Can Save Itself... (1 Viewer)

[nick name]

A thought for a Divisional event to increase the fans attentance :


Ok ok A plan on how to get Fans in the Stands.
I have found that the Drag Strip Decision makers always advertise their National events well. So Le me assume that they have a packed House at a National event. Now when those fans leave the Drag Strip personnel will give out Free Tickets to those 100,000 people who have been watching the event. The tickets are going to be printed up by a major sponsor for free also.

I think that's a good idea that can actually work both ways, in regards to Divisional races and Nationals.

By far, the largest crowd I saw at an NHRA points race in 2007 was at Topeka. From what I heard, the track's marketing department had worked hard to promote the race and there were a bunch of free or very cheap tickets made available.

As I understood it, the thinking was that the expenses in running the race were already there; that concessions and track merchandise would be sold; and that it might draw people into buying a ticket for the National race.

The crowd there seemed to really enjoy the evening session, and I would bet a significant amount of them will be back. It looked like a win-win to me and I'd trade a $15.00 ticket to get a $40 ticket sale any time. I have no idea how profitable it turned out to be for HRP as some problems caused me be fighting with my reporting software as the weekend progressed.

Plus, the sportman racers got to put on an excellent show in front of a nice sized, appreciative crowd.

 

[turbo ken]

How The NHRA Can Save Itself, quit trying to be like nascar would be a good start!

 

[Toejam]

Bill Sweeney said what I think most fans here think, this sport is as big as we'd like it to be! I think Ticket prices are too high for some people, and a lot of folks quit going on Sundays because the crowds are too big! I think what we'd all like to see is increased corporate involvement, and some higher TV ratings. But would that lead to overcrowding, Higher ticket prices? My Guess is yes, NHRA would charge $100 on Sat-Sun in a second if they could get away with it I bet. Until Driver's and Racer's/Team owners have some imput to which direction this sport takes, the sponsor issues that have surfaced lately will only continue.

 

[Nunz]

I, too, love the way the sport is in certain ways today. However, we are talking about the PROFESSIONAL portion of the sport, and that sector is on a slippery slope. We all love the fuel cars, but the days of 2-3 guys getting together and contributing parts & pieces to go run with the best are long gone. So, if we are to truly have a professional show, we need it to make business sense for owners and sponsors to step up and invest. Like I and many others have posted, some day Evan and Forrest and Shoe, Snake & Connie will stop racing, as nothing lasts forever, and we can't expect those who built the sport in the early days, and a handful of superwealthy gearheads secure the future of Professional drag racing. Hey, I can be happy watching alky & comp cars, I'm a diehard with "the needle in my arm". But I sure would miss the fuel cars, or hate to see 8 car fields. So, while we don't have to be as big as NASCAR, is there something wrong with having the professional portion of the sport be truly able to be profitable to those willing to make the investment? I mean we have people driving the fastest, nastiest cars on the planet, and instead of being able to build net worths, these people typically go broke trying to stay out there.

 

[You!]

O.K., now this has morphed over to divisional races, which do in fact need larger fan counts. There you bring in 4 fuel altereds, 4 Nostalgia fuel funny cars and 4 AA/FDs (that's nostalgia top fuel for the newbies!).

And maybe a wheelstander or two if they're in the area. But under no circumstances should Jet Cars be allowed on the property! All they do is create a skating rink for anything that has to run behind them. Been there, done that.

 

[Jay]

Bill and Kenneth, I'm with you guys.

Jay, why do you want NHRA to grow and how big do you want it?

Big enough so that fuel teams budget would be $12m per car?

Big enough so that fans can't go into the pits any more?

Big enough so that ticket prices double?

Big enough so that every car is a "spec" car, as if they're not now?

Personally, I don't need +100k fans at a race to substantiate my love for the sport.

Grow NHRA to the size of NASCAR, fan & corporate wise, and a lot more sportsmen racers, like me, will be forced to go elsewhere like nostalgia and outlaw associations.

Just because the sport grows doesn't mean that the team budgets would go up...Where did you get that from? I am talking about more fans, better TV, more "BUZZ" ar ound NHRA Drag Racing....What does that have to do with what a team spends on their car..?

 

[Draw 3D]

Jay, my mistake, I thought you were in the marketing business.

Every sport who has had a substantial fan base growth has had an increase in expenditure.

NBA, NFL, MLB, NASCAR, etc. The "heroes", i.e. players/drivers, will demand a larger salary, teams will demand larger investments by corporations & revenue sharing, and eventually, owners of stadiums/tracks, will demand tax payer supported stadiums/tracks.

You don't think NHRA wouldn't follow that "successful" method?

 

[Jay]

Let me just say this...I am STUNNED that so many people in here don't want to grow this sport to make it biiger, more well known, and better for the fan, the racer, and everyone else...I am speechless....WOW!

It makes me think that most of the people that are for NOT growing the sport are of an older generation who just don't like change, be it good or bad, of any kind....Just being honest here...I'm in no way trying to stereotype, either...Am I right?

Because if so, then that would be a very strong piece of evidence of why this sport needs to be marketed strongly to the 18-34 audience, which is where the sponsorship money is anyway....The 18-34 male is the most coveted and highly sought after demographic that there is amongst mainstream companies in America...If the sport is built and tweaked to suit them, then the NHRA would be well on their way to turning this ship around...This isn't my opinion, it is a fact...It has been said over, and over by Madison Avenue...

Now, that being said, what I am shocked the most about is that current so-called "fans" of this sport want to keep it the way it is....Well, it woon't be here much longer if it stays the way it is....Many of these smae people feel that its fine today...well, I asked you this before...."What are you going to do when Even Knoll has had enough? Schumacher, Ken Black, Connie, Lucas, etc....You won't have to wait in line for admission, a beer, or a burger very long, that's for sure...In fact, you will have the entire facility for you and a "few" of your "old school" buddies all to yourselves with MAYBE 8 car fields...But even that won't last...If the sport continues to go nowhere, or start to decline, what company in their right mind would stay atop a sinking ship?

 

[Jay]

Jay, my mistake, I thought you were in the marketing business.

Every sport who has had a substantial fan base growth has had an increase in expenditure.

NBA, NFL, MLB, NASCAR, etc. The "heroes", i.e. players/drivers, will demand a larger salary, teams will demand larger investments by corporations & revenue sharing, and eventually, owners of stadiums/tracks, will demand tax payer supported stadiums/tracks.

You don't think NHRA wouldn't follow that "successful" method?

First of all, if you are going to act like a jackass, I'm not going to waste time talking to you...I am in the marketing business and DO understand this industry...I just have the opinion that you can make it much better than it is, and if it bothers you to stand in line to get in, or pay $7 for a beer, then maybe you would be happier if you go spend your time and money somewhere else...

However, moving on to something intelligent...These sports have all grown to become bigger than drag racing has ever dreamed of...Just in NASCAR you have TV revenue funding a huge part of this, NOT big ticket price increases...In fact, NASCAR ticket prices have increased at about the same pace as NHRA...So have salaries, inflation, and the general costs of living...

As far as stadiums go, I haven't heard of a race track EVER being built with public funds, so if you are going to utilize these facts in this discussion, make sure that they are realavant please...

Thirdly, if teams are commanding bigger sponsor dollars, and getting them, what is wrong with that? Obviously, companies see a lot of value in giving NASCAR teams $15,000,000+ per season or they wouldn't be doing it, right? The value propisition that these companies take advantage of is one that obviously brings them many new customers and maintains the customers that they have....If all of a sudden David Powers found a company that saw value in giving him $4,000,000 for a top fuel program instead of the $2,700,000-$3,000,000 that they give him now, would he be at fault for taking it? No way! God bless him...

A perfect example of companies being willing to pay for major value is John Force! Castrol pays him FAR more money PER CAR, by the way, than any other primary team sponsor pays their team in this sport - PERIOD. Why? Because they get more value for it.

Simple.

 

[Jay]

Jay, my mistake, I thought you were in the marketing business.

Every sport who has had a substantial fan base growth has had an increase in expenditure.

NBA, NFL, MLB, NASCAR, etc. The "heroes", i.e. players/drivers, will demand a larger salary, teams will demand larger investments by corporations & revenue sharing, and eventually, owners of stadiums/tracks, will demand tax payer supported stadiums/tracks.

You don't think NHRA wouldn't follow that "successful" method?

You of all people saying that you wouldn't want to see the sport grow....? I am confused...I just looked at your website and at a quick glance, it seems like you design websites, graphics, and various web applications...Do you market these services to teams? Maybe if the sport grew and there were more teams out here, they would need more of your services, in which you would grow your business...? Or no...you are happy making whatever you are making right now, and you will just keep the clients you have now, and as they fall off you will just not grow anymore, because you want to keep it the way it has been for many years?

Which is it?

 

[Draw 3D]

First, My statement about the marketing business was honest, I don't know who you are or what you do, and after your attack on me, I really don't care.

Second, calling me names doesn't make your statement any more valid.

Third, check-out this LINK about public funding.

Fourth, so then you agree team funding will rise!

And finally, since you say you are in the marketing business, you have a personal interest in wanting NHRA fan base to grow.

And what I do for racers, I do as a love for the sport, not to make a quick buck.

 

[TJ]

Jay I understand your opinion but it is only drag racing...not rocket science...

You cannot compare these teams w/ other leagues of play and most companies will not go for it as currently most companies that support anyone in drag racing is usually a drag racing fan as the return will never be there...

Hey Jay...Since your in the marketing biz what is you web-site address?

 

[spike 06]

The promotion end of your piece is quite valuable in that it encourages new ideas and some change. Remember, that there are a lot of race fans that have not been to a national event in years. Also keep in mind, that a significant percentage of street racing fans such as those that compete in NMCA etc. hardly ever,or never, attend national events either. There are legitimate reasons for this and those same reasons are what has made nhra so out of touch with the fan base. Now what you see at National events, and the fans that watch on tv, are a mix of hero worshiping nascar fans and people that like the atmosphere that nitro racing brings. They only represent a small percentage of drag racing fans however. That is problem #1, how to recapture the people that already like seeing two cars race side by side!

 

[You!]

Sure sounds like your panties are getting all bunched there Jay. Deep breath might be in order.

I have one statement and one question.

First off, the only thing that stock cars and drag cars have in common are four wheels. That's it. Nothing more. So comparing NASCAR to NHRA is fruitless.

My question to Jay is; I'm 46. How old are you?

 

[Jay]

First, My statement about the marketing business was honest, I don't know who you are or what you do, and after your attack on me, I really don't care.

Second, calling me names doesn't make your statement any more valid.

Third, check-out this LINK about public funding.

Fourth, so then you agree team funding will rise!

And finally, since you say you are in the marketing business, you have a personal interest in wanting NHRA fan base to grow.

And what I do for racers, I do as a love for the sport, not to make a quick buck.

Paul, you started the personal attack, I simply responded to it...

Secondly, my statement that if you were going to act like a jackass that I wasn't even going to dignify your response with mine was also true in your example...The point is, if we have different opinions, I think that is terrific. That is what these boards are for....Just be adult about how you talk to people, and they will more often than not, treat you with the same respect.

Third, with respect to team funding, I agree that it can rise, but not just because the TV ratings got better, there was more media coverage, or because there were more fans in the grandstands. I am simply stating that if a team has the ability to show a sponsor more value for more money, why shouldn't the team be able to get it? I guess I am trying to see what negative affect you seem to think that bigger sponsor funding for the teams will have on the sport. I believe it to be quite the opposite, in fact..I think more money will make the cars safer, faster, AND more consistent...To me, tha means bigger shows, more well funded-cars, and resources to create a much bigger fan base. That is a win-win propisition in my book...

With respect to the situation in Charlotte...That would have NEVER happened if the City of Concord didn't decide to stick its nose where it now knows that it didn't belong. You cannot tell a motorsports facility, that is ZONED for motorsports, that it cannot have motorsports. Just like if you owned a McDonalds franchise, and the town that it was in told you that you can't put in a second drive-thru lane on your existing property. THat would be ludicrous, right...? Well, ewssentially, that is what the City Of Concord tried to do...They were wrong for it, and now to try and avoid the inevitable lawsuit that Bruton Smith has EVERY right to bring, and will surely win in an open and shut case, if he brings it, they are trying to make friends with him again by offering the world to him to stay.

They brought that upon themselves, as Bruton Smith never asked, and is still not asking them for anything. Now, if they make him an offer that he can't refuse to keep the track there, and he takes it, then that's great for him and his shareholders. But it for the City of Concord, it would only be to remedy the mistake that THEY made...It is important to note here, that Bruton Smith never said that if they don't offer him this $75,000,000 incentive package that he would move the track. In fact, quite the opposite has happened. He has maintained that no matter what, he feels that he is moving anyway, no matter what the City of Concord offers, and a decision is forth coming...

That example aside, can you give me another where a track was built with public tax dollars?

And with respect to your web business...I understand that you do what you do for the love of the sport, as I do what I do for the same reason...But if all of a sudden, there were an influx of new teams, both pro and sportsman, and the pro teams needed you to build them these wicked, feature-rich interactive websites, and the sportsman racers needed you to build THEM nice websites and graphics packages because the growth of the sport has really allowed THEM now to pick-up $150,000-$250,000 sponsors, wouldn't that be great for your business? The love of the sport is the REASON that you started your business right? Well, wouldn't that also be true as you GREW your business in the same sport, at the same time? Again, I ask you, what is the harm in that?

 

[Jay]

Sure sounds like your panties are getting all bunched there Jay. Deep breath might be in order.

I have one statement and one question.

First off, the only thing that stock cars and drag cars have in common are four wheels. That's it. Nothing more. So comparing NASCAR to NHRA is fruitless.

My question to Jay is; I'm 46. How old are you?

Bill, very funny, but my underwear is certainly not bunched...lol

the NHRA is just as much about fan entertainment and putting on huge events and great broadcasting as any other sport, including NASCAR. The fact is that the NHRA CAN be a major entertainment venue in America if it was promoted as such. There is no question about that...I'm not sure that I agree with you that it was fuitless to compare them. I guess I'd have to know why you think that way to elaborate on it more....I am 34, btw.

 

[PJ]

I understand what people are saying about not wanting to sport to grow, however if you want teams out there, if you still want same day tv then more sponsors are needed and they will not come unless they see this as a growing, profitable endevor.


Not sure if the numbers still hold true but WInston said that they got much more bang for the buck in their nhra sponsorship then they did in nascar. If I recall they said that they gained 2x more customers in nascar compared to nhra but it cost them 4x the money to get them.


you can't grow if you don't invest. I don't remember who said it but the famous line of "you have to spend money to make money"

-I want to be able to go into walmart and buy drag racing towels, my kids want racing sheets for their bed. I don't want to have to go to a race to buy a shirt. I see nascar stuff everywhere, we need to be the same way

- a one stop shop for all racing items online. Most drivers e-stores are lacking and nitromall doesn't carry everyone. My in laws don't know anything about drag racing but they do know that their grandkids love it. They would love to be able to go to one website and buy gifts. Instead they have try to remember who is who and who they drive for and then find their website just for one kid. Then they need to repeat it for the next. A one stop e-store is much needed

-drag racing themed toys for kids, maybe even a cartoon. Market to kids, hook them young and you have fans for life

-eliminate the countdown (big surprise from me right lol)

-exposure. get one of our drivers on dancing with stars or something like that. Hillary was on a game show but it really didn't give her a chance to promote the sport. Why don't I ever see a racing ads on pinks, pimp my ride, nascar or any other car themed shows. How about putting together an ad blitz that shows on non racing times. Maybe epsn during football or on whatever the hot show is right now.

-lower the cost for fuel cars. Going back to 90% is the right direction, lets look at ways to keep the cost a little more controlled even if it means slowing them down A LITTLE. Both fuel classes need to be above 300mph. But if slowing them 10-15mph can make it more affordale not only for the drivers out there now but also for the ones wanting to be, well then thats something that should be explored. Also lower cost mean less money needed from sponsors, with a lower level of funding needed it may open the possibility of sponsoring to more companies.

-Audiocast is great but there are ways to improve it and to even make it a revenue stream. <my own little million dollar idea >

-A small form of profit sharing. Could be sticky I realize but a mentality of group growth and survival should overcome.

-There is a sense that nhra snags sponsors away from teams. While there are occasions when this has happened, there are also time that they have helped teams. There needs to be a bigger sense of all for one and one for all. If nhra holds a race but teams can't afford to get there who does that help. Develope a program to not only bring up new drivers but also to help grow sponsors.
What if they helped start a group for new drivers as well as helping to get regional sponsorships. They could combine a driver in training with a regional sponsor and have them exhibition at a couple of divisional events. The benefits are huge if a divisional event could promote that they had 2 fuelers there. It would increase people coming to those events, give a smaller or regional company some publicity and a taste of racing. That could help entice them to jump in bigger on the national level. Plus it could help be a training ground for up and coming drivers. More people through the gate would make the local tracks happy. The sportsman racers would have more people seeing them and in turn their sponsors.

-part of marketing it to see who are the faces of our sport. Obviously Force, Shoe and the likes but the main 2 people that present the sport to the masses are Mike Dunn and Paul Page. Mike does an awesome job, any first timer can tell he has a love for the sport and a deep knowledge if it. Paul...well he is trying and is improving but he's still nowhere near what we need. Put Dave Rieff, Alan Reinhart or John Kernan into that spot.

-Put people with race experince onto the board of nhra. There is a sense that everyone there is either a suit or hasn't been in a car since the 50's. We don't need all suits or all greaseheads running the show. A good healthy mixture is needed.

Promote the local tracks on the tv coverage and getting people to it. You can't go race on a nascar track (I know mis does a once a year fundraiser where you can do laps) If people realized that they could take their daily driver to goof around at the track that would be great. Getting people to the track is the key. Even if its inhra or some other group. the point is to get them there and exposed.

ok I suppose thats good for now

I like the ticket give away ideas.

 

[Jay]

Jay I understand your opinion but it is only drag racing...not rocket science...

You cannot compare these teams w/ other leagues of play and most companies will not go for it as currently most companies that support anyone in drag racing is usually a drag racing fan as the return will never be there...

Hey Jay...Since your in the marketing biz what is you web-site address?

Unfoprtunately, so many people feel that way, too....Budweiser? SkyTel? Skoal? US Army? Ups? Quaker State? Advance Auto Parts? They aren't in this sport because they are fans....They are in it because it helps them acieve their sales & marketing objectives...While I agree that there IS a "good ol' boy" network of fans that have businesses that support the series, the costs of running these cars has gone up to the point where unless they are the Evan Knolls, Connie Kalittas, Forrest Lucases, and Don Schumachers of the world, they won't be able to sustain their sponsorships simply because they love drag racing. They will need a much better return on that investment to keep doing it. Even Don Schumacher, as much as he loves drag racing, won't run cars without sponsorship on them. Now, is he willing to run a team at somewhat of a deficit as long as most of the costs are covered by the sponsorship> I would guess that he has enough coming in with a multiple car team that he has some economies of scale, but maybe he would subsidize a program, but maybe not...He'd be the only guy to aks on that one...I wouldn't speculate...

 

[Draw 3D]

Paul, you started the personal attack, I simply responded to it...

Please point out in any of my posts were I personally attacked you.

As for the rest of your points, we could argue all day so I'll just drop it.

I would not do any work for racer if I thought it would be detriment to the sport. I think making NHRA into a NASCAR clone would be a HUGE detriment.

The teams I mostly have worked with were what could be considered underdogs, teams that are not be able to get funding like JFR and DSR and would most likely have to leave racing if costs escalated any more than they are now.

Do you agree that raising fundings for the big dogs will kill the smaller teams, and, that the big dogs WOULD be the biggest recipient of increased funding?

 

[Jay]

I understand what people are saying about not wanting to sport to grow, however if you want teams out there, if you still want same day tv then more sponsors are needed and they will not come unless they see this as a growing, profitable endevor.


Not sure if the numbers still hold true but WInston said that they got much more bang for the buck in their nhra sponsorship then they did in nascar. If I recall they said that they gained 2x more customers in nascar compared to nhra but it cost them 4x the money to get them.


you can't grow if you don't invest. I don't remember who said it but the famous line of "you have to spend money to make money"

-I want to be able to go into walmart and buy drag racing towels, my kids want racing sheets for their bed. I don't want to have to go to a race to buy a shirt. I see nascar stuff everywhere, we need to be the same way

- a one stop shop for all racing items online. Most drivers e-stores are lacking and nitromall doesn't carry everyone. My in laws don't know anything about drag racing but they do know that their grandkids love it. They would love to be able to go to one website and buy gifts. Instead they have try to remember who is who and who they drive for and then find their website just for one kid. Then they need to repeat it for the next. A one stop e-store is much needed

-drag racing themed toys for kids, maybe even a cartoon. Market to kids, hook them young and you have fans for life

-eliminate the countdown (big surprise from me right lol)

-exposure. get one of our drivers on dancing with stars or something like that. Hillary was on a game show but it really didn't give her a chance to promote the sport. Why don't I ever see a racing ads on pinks, pimp my ride, nascar or any other car themed shows. How about putting together an ad blitz that shows on non racing times. Maybe epsn during football or on whatever the hot show is right now.

-lower the cost for fuel cars. Going back to 90% is the right direction, lets look at ways to keep the cost a little more controlled even if it means slowing them down A LITTLE. Both fuel classes need to be above 300mph. But if slowing them 10-15mph can make it more affordale not only for the drivers out there now but also for the ones wanting to be, well then thats something that should be explored. Also lower cost mean less money needed from sponsors, with a lower level of funding needed it may open the possibility of sponsoring to more companies.

-Audiocast is great but there are ways to improve it and to even make it a revenue stream. <my own little million dollar idea >

-A small form of profit sharing. Could be sticky I realize but a mentality of group growth and survival should overcome.

-There is a sense that nhra snags sponsors away from teams. While there are occasions when this has happened, there are also time that they have helped teams. There needs to be a bigger sense of all for one and one for all. If nhra holds a race but teams can't afford to get there who does that help. Develope a program to not only bring up new drivers but also to help grow sponsors.
What if they helped start a group for new drivers as well as helping to get regional sponsorships. They could combine a driver in training with a regional sponsor and have them exhibition at a couple of divisional events. The benefits are huge if a divisional event could promote that they had 2 fuelers there. It would increase people coming to those events, give a smaller or regional company some publicity and a taste of racing. That could help entice them to jump in bigger on the national level. Plus it could help be a training ground for up and coming drivers. More people through the gate would make the local tracks happy. The sportsman racers would have more people seeing them and in turn their sponsors.

-part of marketing it to see who are the faces of our sport. Obviously Force, Shoe and the likes but the main 2 people that present the sport to the masses are Mike Dunn and Paul Page. Mike does an awesome job, any first timer can tell he has a love for the sport and a deep knowledge if it. Paul...well he is trying and is improving but he's still nowhere near what we need. Put Dave Rieff, Alan Reinhart or John Kernan into that spot.

-Put people with race experince onto the board of nhra. There is a sense that everyone there is either a suit or hasn't been in a car since the 50's. We don't need all suits or all greaseheads running the show. A good healthy mixture is needed.

Promote the local tracks on the tv coverage and getting people to it. You can't go race on a nascar track (I know mis does a once a year fundraiser where you can do laps) If people realized that they could take their daily driver to goof around at the track that would be great. Getting people to the track is the key. Even if its inhra or some other group. the point is to get them there and exposed.

ok I suppose thats good for now

I like the ticket give away ideas.

As usual for you, EXCELLENT post, PJ!