I think the big problem with drawing more viewership and marketing partners with NHRA is the believability factor.
Any sport that is watched has to have some element or realness or relatability to it. Once upon a time when John Force raced, people saw him as a hungry competitor, ran the car differently (harder burnouts, more on kill) . That appears real. What doesn’t appear real is when everyone of his drivers has his last name or another connection to nepotism.
that tells people it’s not really about talent or skill, but who you know. There has to be the element of “man these really are the best in the world “ as opposed to they are just here because of blood and name. The same can be said about force, Schumacher, Morgan Lucas (and friend Shawn Langdon) , Kalittas etc.
At that point you’re not paying to see the best (think NFL, 100k college players that get narrowed down to 2000 guys who make it) you are really just watching Millionaires and there min drive a fast billboard.
Just think, if shumacher racing and force said they had enough and folded shop, you would be watching a bunch of pro “part timers” compete. Guys who 10 years ago ran national events in close proximity to their home, made a good run in qualifying then parked it til Sunday (this Haddock, Novelli, Paul lee etc)
I remember one of the force girls in Indy years ago running super comp. impressive looking car sure, but pretty unremarkable results. If I told prospective fans she would be a “pro” in a year or two, they’d ask on what merit. And I’d say look at the name.
To me racing was more fun when a top team can lose first round and be exiting the facility in less than two hours. Now, a guy like John can lose first round, but has 2 other cars to possibly win. He owns half the darn circus. Kalitta was notorious for flying out of etown shortly after losing. Now he has “team mates “ to watch.
pro stock for example was best when you had or believed so many names can win. Anderson, the johnsons, Allen Johnson, v Gaines, Krueger, Connolly, pawuk etc. now it’s 3-4 older names and a bunch of guys who live close to whatever national they are running.
same goes on top fuel. When the quality sheet has Tony s, kalitta, Eddie hill, Amato, McLennathan, Herbert, Millican, dixon, Bernstein etc. the class looked like a battle, now you have iPhone Vs droid.
sponsorships too need some diversity. I remember going to a handful of nationals a year and you would see beer, tobacco, sunglasses, clothing, auto parts stores, oil companies, WWF, even the Yankees. Not every new fan cares about an auto parts store which seems to be a staple now. (Advance, Napa etc) give them different topics to see product wise and you can pull more people in, not just the few people who buy tickets no matter what. Those fans are easy, part of the choir. If nascar only had tire companies sponsor cars, it would be boring and less fans. By Having Home Depot, beers, electronics manufacturers, laundry detergent etc brings people in who go see that stuff up
Close as well as the race.
not sure why it happened, if it was inevitable and part of the cycle, but the fun of events to me is gone. Used to never know what you were going to see. I brought friends to track when toliver ran the wwf car and they paid to get in and watch races as well. Used to see celebs all the time, which is not the reason I went, but cool to see and gave it a certain level of must see. Now (last 7-8 years ) I see small fields, cookie cut interviews. The skuza, bazemore, force type interviews are gone. It’s as if every driver is the same.
All seem to be same topic too, convince the camera how “fun” the car is too race. Supposed to be racing, not selling roller coaster tickets. I won’t pay 100 plus a seat to watch the Eagles to have players say they play to have fun. Can go to local park for that. I want to see guys out to win, even if it’s hard and not fun at times.
Not sure how to fix, for me, when it really boils down down to 2-3 teams competing, and no real room for under dogs, I can’t watch and follow intently.
making it less about money and nepotism would be a start. It would be great to know Torrence had the talent and earned a ride thru racing. Then you see his personal business gross over 500 million a year and say ah ha. Make it more about competition and less about watching a rich hobby. No one wants to see yachts race.
to look at other sports, NFL for example, all those guys who are yes now millionaires, for the most part came up from poverty and earned their spot on the field, not pay for it. Would anyone watch of a starting qb was playing because he paid more than the next guy for the spot? What makes it work is those guys , to avoid poverty, had to work and earn there way on it which usually means a lot of sacrifice. How much sacrifice does one believe Britney force done? She just happens to have the “talent” no one else here has to race TF? Ashley? Courtney? Height ?
sorry for the long winded post. I just remembered the glory days where even I belived one day I could race my way up to that level. And recently I realized with my name that was never in the cards.
last example I can give is, to most, what is a more legit way of being a head of a country……being elected in by people who both know and don’t know you, or being born price awaiting the throne?