The thrill is gone, and the numbers prove it.
After decades of phenomenal growth, NASCAR’s popularity has hit the wall. At Bristol Motor Speedway a couple of years ago, Jeff Gordon told reporters he couldn’t believe the rows of empty seats. Where were the cheering fans who normally packed the stands and infield?
Attendance is down at NASCAR races, and no one seems to know why. Even the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte is languishing. Though marketing analysts predicted 800,000 paying visitors would pass through the museum’s doors in 2011, only 272,000 showed up, resulting in an operating loss of $1.4 million. New augurs were enlisted, who soon promised higher attendance for the Hall of Fame’s second year. Instead, the number of visitors dropped another 30 percent.
So what happened? Like many other relationships, the one between NASCAR and its fans dimmed because both parties have changed, making the old love affair impossible to carry on.
First of all, you know a relationship is in trouble when one of the parties says it wants to see other people. That’s exactly what NASCAR has told its Southern fanbase.
NASCAR used to be an all-Southern event. At every race, hundreds would wave the battle flag. The Rebel 500 at Darlington, South Carolina, opened on Confederate Memorial Day. Its opening parade featured a Confederate soldier waving a battle flag.
More @ The Abbeville Institute
Oh man this is so simple. The southern man simply said: Y'all Don't want my flag? Y'all; don't want my money.---Ray
ReplyDeleteYup.
DeleteI quit NASCAR when they paid Jesse Jackson and his rainbow push coalition $500,000.00. I swore I would never follow it again and I haven't. I wish a new series would start using all of the tracks NASCAR quit using like Rockingham, North Wilkesboro among others. A southern series like it used to be before they tried to be all inclusive.
ReplyDeleteA southern series like it used to be before they tried to be all inclusive.
DeleteYes. Next race Labor Day. http://carteretspeedway.com/
I think the only way NASCAR could further offend fans is hold a “Black Lives Matter” memorial race. But really, NASCAR fans are/were working class, God worshiping, America loving patriots. They honor and love traditional America. Going PC is a sure way to drive them away. How many football fans have been turned off by NFL decisions? Allowing BLM salutes, but banning a patch supporting police. Does no one understand, there is an underlying patriotism running through “fly over” America. Hollywood movies are tanking. Is it any wonder? The actors in them call their viewers idiots for wanting guns, while shooting guns throughout the movie. Target is feeling the PC burn. Millions of people, including me, will never spend another cent at a Target store. Target is a private store and they have a full right to allow perverts in bathrooms with women. I just will not support their decision.
ReplyDeleteBadger
Target is a private store and they have a full right to allow perverts in bathrooms with women.
DeleteYesterday there was an article that stated they have been hurt financially because of the decision.
Nascar was born out of 'shine hauling. It was about good old boys leaning over the hood talking about fast cars, fast women whist drinking shine and beer, farting and an occasional cussing. I got tired of all the PC crap that was being slapped on us. All the restriction and conformity. No true innovation and daredevilling...
ReplyDeleteJunior Johnson.
Deletehttp://freenorthcarolina.blogspot.com/2011/10/junior-johnson-appreciation-day.html
They can look no farther than their very own embrace of political correctness for their decline.
ReplyDeleteThat and the rules they have in place that makes every race a 200 mph parade.
Part of the attraction to NASCAR was the colorful drivers, like A.J. Foyt for an example, back in the day.
Unpredictability, In Your Face and not afraid to mix it up were common traits back then. Multi colored fenders from the paint of your competitors was an everyday thing.
Now they all have to walk around on egg shells so as not to offend anyone and keep a squeaky clean image.
I quit watching the races years ago because they got downright boring.
Contrary to popular belief, that is not racing by it's very definition.
Thanks and I've always liked the drags more.
DeleteIgnoring that fact that no war has a single cause, the fact that people still claim slavery was the sole or primary cause of the WBTS is demented.
ReplyDeleteHere is an easy way to prove slavery was not the cause of the civil war:
1. Q: If the southern states swore to maintain slavery but elected to stay within the Union would there have been war? A: No
2. Q: If the southern states had abolished slavery first and then seceded from the Union would there have been war? A: Yes
Ergo it is plain that secession was the issue which was the primary question which the civil war was fought to resolve. As it turns out we all here agree that war was an illegitimate way of resolving that issue etc, but it has always seemed to me very easy to demonstrate – and extremely difficult to refute – that secession rather than slavery was the primary cause of the war.
-Paul
I quit NASCAR when it no longer had all the big three "US made" factories and they introduced Toyota. When they went stupid on the Confederate Flag that was quit and don't care mode. I miss Rixhard Petty and that group of my childhood. Gone with the wind
ReplyDeleteWell said. They have cut off their nose to spite their face.
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