Backseat Blonde - Gone with the Wind

August 30, 2004

Gone with the Wind
By Allison Wagda

Fans are notoriously fickle. In an era of instant
gratification, fans look for non-stop excitement and
competition in their favorite sports. Adulation can turn to
infamy for a star athlete because of a comment or a
missed play. Depending on what’s in vogue, a sport can
enjoy the spotlight or loiter on the fringes of obscurity.

I’ve been pondering all of the changes in NASCAR over the past year to try to make
sense of it all. Perhaps Brian France had all these ideas stored up from years of
sitting on the sidelines. However, they’ve been implemented so haphazardly, without
planning or forethought. So I’ve come to the conclusion it’s (indirectly) thanks to us,
the fans.

Not that it’s our fault. NASCAR’s new leadership has become hypersensitive to any
slight change in the wind. Now that the big bucks are seeping into the sport, any loss
in popularity could have a dramatic effect on revenues.

Essentially, France et. al. are doing their absolute best to give us what (they think) we
want.

Oh, it’s not out of the kindness. It’s to protect and grow their business. The problem
is, it’s backfiring.

Fan’s collectively yawned toward the end of last season as Matt Kenseth breezed to
the championship. Not that fans actually complained, but no one was particularly
engaged. Hence the so-called “Chase.” Fans in the West started clamoring for more
races, so NASCAR realigned the schedule. At Talladega, irate fans rained beer cans
on the track when the race ended under caution. Almost like the Olympic gymnastics
judges, NASCAR caved in to fan pressure and instituted an ill-advised green-white-
checkered rule.

I think they’re letting the inmates run the asylum.

And they are missing the point. Fans only want good racing. The championship was
always a bonus element of the season. Week after week, we tuned in to watch our
favorite drivers compete. Even as Kenseth pulled further and further ahead. The
Chase only distracts us from the real action. It’s gloss.

Fans were upset about the Talladega finish because drivers couldn’t race for a win. I
don’t think fans would have minded if Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a
chance to race back to the caution. And yes, fans like me in the West want to be able
to see races in person more often, but certainly not at the expense of historical
venues.

Sure, it’s all about money. But I think there might be something surreptitious going
on. After all, any legitimate businessman knows how to grow a business. When
looking at long term considerations, a slow, steady planned growth track will yield
the optimal results.

I know this is a bit out there, but all these changes and publicity gimmicks remind
me of Internet start-up businesses. When IPOs were all the rage, long-term
business plans were tossed out the window in favor of “exit strategies.” Entire
companies were built with the sole purpose of going public, making executives a
bundle of money so they could retire. Instead of looking to the future and using
fundamental business practices to get customers, executives were far more
concerned about creating buzz and visibility. That way, they could dress up the books
and either sell the company or go public.

NASCAR’s leadership today seems far more concerned with short-term gain rather
than long-term viability. So maybe the Frances want out. Brian wouldn’t be the first
kid who didn’t really want to run the family business. Unlike most pro sports,
NASCAR isn’t an actual association…it’s a corporation. So why are they so intent on
increasing revenue so quickly? Are they renegotiating TV contracts? Brian wants a
new yacht? Something’s up, that’s for sure.

So many changes in such a short period of time seem amateurish and distract from
the sport. Fans are left hanging with no sense of continuity or respect for tradition.

The only way or NASCAR to attain the heights of the NFL is to get back to basics.
Credibility will come with good racing, not flash and commercialism. Drivers and
teams need to have a say in the administration of the sport to provide a series of
checks and balances to keep the governing organization on track and in line. Fan
input should be considered, but shouldn’t trump what’s best for racing.

Because in the end, that’s all any of us really want.

© Copyright 2004 BackseatBlonde.com. All Rights Reserved, Any copying, redistribution or
retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of
BackseatBlonde.com is expressly prohibited.