RTA exploring exhibition races
- Thread starter HoneyBadger
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So these not making enough money car owners are thinking about building different non Nascar cars for exhibition races. I wonder how many are in agreement with doing something like that?
NASCAR's teams have certain rules they have to abide by as part of the charter agreement with the sanctioning body, and those include not starting competing racing series. That agreement runs through 2024. However, it appears that teams feel they have the legal standing to do some form of exhibition races, as long as they compete in non-NASCAR race cars and branded apparel.
NASCAR's teams have certain rules they have to abide by as part of the charter agreement with the sanctioning body, and those include not starting competing racing series. That agreement runs through 2024. However, it appears that teams feel they have the legal standing to do some form of exhibition races, as long as they compete in non-NASCAR race cars and branded apparel.
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“While the exact implications of the RTA exploring this via Wasserman are unclear, it does come amid a simmering dispute between NASCAR and its teams over the proposed share of revenue to go to teams under the new media rights deal that will start in 2025. It also comes amid the festering dispute between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, a situation that has been closely watched across sports after LIV started its breakaway property and heaped pressure on the PGA Tour to make seismic changes to its business as players sought more money.”
cheesepuffs
Team Owner
Could be a negotiation tactic. "If you don't give us enough of the TV cut, we can walk".
I know on Jeff Glucks podcast Jordan Bianchi said manufacturers told him they will not support their teams going to race another series so hopefully we aren't getting a split, but it will be interesting to see NASCARs response when they have said the same things about international
wi_racefan
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I'm confused how they think doing this will make them profitable? The amount of money they pull in running the cup series is crazy compared to any other form of racing outside of F1. If you can't make a profit running a cup car you need to look at your spending. Like Marcus Smith says its easy to demand more money but its even easier to say stop spending 20 million a year building race cars.
Where do they plan on running these things that will pull any kind of attendance to have significant pay outs. The only ones that I think would go for it from a TV side would be cbs and ESPN. I can see Nascar going to fox and nbc and saying if you carry these races you wouldn't get our tv contract in the new deal. Talk about a negotiation tactic. There likely is already wording in the current TV deal to this extent that they're not allowed to cover something like this.
Where do they plan on running these things that will pull any kind of attendance to have significant pay outs. The only ones that I think would go for it from a TV side would be cbs and ESPN. I can see Nascar going to fox and nbc and saying if you carry these races you wouldn't get our tv contract in the new deal. Talk about a negotiation tactic. There likely is already wording in the current TV deal to this extent that they're not allowed to cover something like this.
wi_racefan
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I guess the next question I have is if they do go ahead with this who is going to run this series? My first thoughts are Tony Stewart or The Captain, but I think both of those guys have enough on their plates already. Justin Marks? No offense to RC but I think that's beyond him. Maybe Jeff Gordon?
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I would think Roger Penske et al have taken all of that into consideration. The RTA membership is filled with some pretty smart cookies.
A successful entertainment industry executive?
Assuming it gets that far.
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
North Wilkesboro Speedway drew 17,000 for a CARS Tour race on a Wednesday night.
Southern National had a solid crowd for a race delayed four hours by rain on Sunday.
NASCAR has already proven you can just build a track anywhere.
As for the TV side, the RTA already has a streaming channel.
I agree that it is probably a ploy to persuade Nascar to pay more money. I know little about golf, but isn't there only two major Golf series compared to many on the racing series side? Seems to me it would be much harder to compete or even effect the Nascar series.
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
Probably ain't **** for them to build a Late Model Stock Car, Super Late Model, or even a Gen-6 car. Many of these teams already have affiliations with Late Model operations.
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
It's definitely a ploy. But I do think the RTA is willing to demonstrate that they can do this without NASCAR.
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
If the starpower leaves NASCAR, it's easier to compete against it.
If you don't have the stars, you don't have a show.
Say they do. With interest equaling ARCA what team in their right mind with the overhead they have would be a threat to Nascar? I see drivers jumping ship to join new teams being formed in Nascar myself.
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
17,000 people go to ARCA races on Wednesday nights?
ARCA races pack the grandstands at Florence and Southern National?
NASCAR isn't even the king of nationally televised auto racing in the United States anymore. F1 is.
wut. Don't think so. No use getting off track but look for yourself
Season Trends for Ratings
| Race | TV Rating | Audience | 2021 Rating | 2021 Audience | Difference |
| Belgian GP | 0.57 | 1.045 M | 0.39 | 637 K | 64% |
| Dutch GP | 0.62 | 1.148 M | 0.53 | 870 K | 32% |
| Italian GP | 0.53 | 0.995 K | 0.53 | 880 K | 31% |
| Singapore GP | 0.54 | 1.036 M | 0.37 | 574 K (2019) | 80% |
| Japan GP | 0.28 | .549 K | 0.5 | 756 K (2019) | -27% |
| US GP | 0.64 | 1.113 M | 0.72 | 1.225 M | -9% |
| Totals/Avg | 0.53 | .981 K | 0.507 | 824 | 29% |
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
You looking at totals or demos? Because "total viewers" don't mean shiit. Congratulations to NASCAR for having more geriatric viewers though.
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
Keep defending the notion that NASCAR can survive without drivers, doesn't need to pay the teams more, and can just replace star power (because they've done a great job replacing Dale, Jeff, and Jr). 
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
"Fox Sports welcomes you to the Daytona 500. Natalie Decker, the face of NASCAR racing, is chasing her first win over names such as Parker Eatman, Sammy Smith and Carson Hocevar at the World Center of Speed where dozens of people wait with bated breath."
Nascar's best teams. I bet Trackhouse would be all in. Gordon has said they are losing money, no telling who else.
cheesepuffs
Team Owner
I don't think NASCAR will be very afraid of the RTA, but it does raise some interesting points when you ponder the hypotheticals.
The RTA will obviously know that the fanbase is clamoring for more short tracks. NASCAR has a stranglehold on intermediates and superspeedways, but the RTA does have a bargaining chip in that there are numerous short tracks that they could partner with like @AndyMarquisLive is saying.
As far as the cars, team owners have already said that the next gen isn't as cheap in actual usage as what was pitched to them originally. So they could tell NASCAR that they could build their own stockcar design, a more traditional late model style chassis, cheaper than the NASCAR Cup car anyway. Another win for them.
For prize money and exposure, to Andy's point too, if you lose the stars then it's game over. If all of the big teams and drivers were to leave, then basically the current Xfinity midfield would become the Cup series overnight. Fans would not stick around for that.
And then yeah, demographics. The NASCAR total viewership is still higher than F1, but their total viewship is also destined for a sharp decline over the next few years due to that aging demographic. NASCAR's fanbase is literally dying out and new fans from younger generations are not queued up to replace them.
The RTA will obviously know that the fanbase is clamoring for more short tracks. NASCAR has a stranglehold on intermediates and superspeedways, but the RTA does have a bargaining chip in that there are numerous short tracks that they could partner with like @AndyMarquisLive is saying.
As far as the cars, team owners have already said that the next gen isn't as cheap in actual usage as what was pitched to them originally. So they could tell NASCAR that they could build their own stockcar design, a more traditional late model style chassis, cheaper than the NASCAR Cup car anyway. Another win for them.
For prize money and exposure, to Andy's point too, if you lose the stars then it's game over. If all of the big teams and drivers were to leave, then basically the current Xfinity midfield would become the Cup series overnight. Fans would not stick around for that.
And then yeah, demographics. The NASCAR total viewership is still higher than F1, but their total viewship is also destined for a sharp decline over the next few years due to that aging demographic. NASCAR's fanbase is literally dying out and new fans from younger generations are not queued up to replace them.
Keep defending the notion that NASCAR can survive without drivers, doesn't need to pay the teams more, and can just replace star power (because they've done a great job replacing Dale, Jeff, and Jr).
You have missed the point that I was making. The RTA if they decide to do this, it has to be good enough that it causes Nascar to have a gut check. I hope that is plain enough. It isn't going to be easy. Ideas will abound but something like SRX on steroids is one I think of. They had decent ratings on a major network.
cheesepuffs
Team Owner
To go with this, I think if anything SRX was almost the prototype that allows an RTA split to have some confidence. Confidence that TV deals can be made without NASCAR. Other people know how to design stockcars and run a traveling circus. And attracting big names is really what it's all about, through the implementation of a good car and a good schedule. A new RTA series that's more "enthusiast" controlled and less porky than NASCAR might be able to go a really long way actually if they played their cards right.
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
I was working for a racetrack one time, and the local news came out and did a story on two sisters who were racing with us. The tracktold me to stop writing features about drivers, and championship battles, and to stop having drivers featured on the news, and that I needed to promote "the facility" and "the track owner" more. The owner argued that people are there for the track, that the track is the show, that he's the show, and the drivers are a supporting act.
After weeks of fighting, I finally caved and did it his way. Our social media numbers went from being among the strongest in the immediate region (26,000-38,000 engagements per week on Facebook alone) to being the worst (less than 900 engagements per week) with that shift in strategy.
People who are in this for the money, and not for love of the sport, are genuinely this arrogant. They believe the show can go on without the stars.
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
North Wilkesboro alone should have been a gut check for NASCAR. I mean, it was enough of one for them to take the Cup Series back there. But that event, the number of viewers who tuned in on Racing America and XR, the number of people in the stands, the absolute electricity in the atmosphere, that was all done without NASCAR. And all it took to make that the biggest race in the history of Late Model Stock Car racing was Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
See the point?
cheesepuffs
Team Owner
That's insane. I believe it and I can see how it could get to that point with a track owner, but the cars can race at any decent track and the cars will bring the eyeballs to watch. A track without cars is literally useless. The cars, the drivers, the competition is everything. In my view, a track promoter's task is to best showcase the cars and make for an experience that makes people feel positive and want to return, by offering competitive ticket prices, or concessions, or whatever, to support and compliment the main attraction. But what do I know, I don't own a track so whatever.
one important point you missed. Stars go where the money is as a general rule.
cheesepuffs
Team Owner
I'd love a timeline where Dale Jr becomes the boss of the breakaway series altogether. It won't happen, but can you imagine...
cheesepuffs
Team Owner
The entire premise of this though is that the teams don't feel they're getting enough money out of the deal from NASCAR. If they are operating in the red, then the money for the drivers will dry up. It largely already has, compared to how it was in the late 90s into around 2010. Driver salaries have already been slashed dramatically with many big name but younger drivers making six figures instead of the seven figure numbers that it was before.
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
Over 17,000 people packed their asses into North Wilkesboro, a track with no modern amenities whatsoever, on a Wednesday night for a CARS Tour race.
No WiFi, no cell service, no running water, no air conditioned suites or media center, no NBC, no jumbotrons, no fancy scoreboards, no FanVision, no app to let you listen to your favorite driver. And 17,000+ people left work, got in their cars, sat in an hours-long traffic jam on a single lane country bum**** backroad, and marched into the stands to witness Southern Jesus race.
Hahahahahahahahaha. That's why these dudes are showing up to $5,000-to-win Late Model races.
Stay in your lane. You're holding up traffic in the fast lane.
No WiFi, no cell service, no running water, no air conditioned suites or media center, no NBC, no jumbotrons, no fancy scoreboards, no FanVision, no app to let you listen to your favorite driver. And 17,000+ people left work, got in their cars, sat in an hours-long traffic jam on a single lane country bum**** backroad, and marched into the stands to witness Southern Jesus race.
Hahahahahahahahaha. That's why these dudes are showing up to $5,000-to-win Late Model races.
Stay in your lane. You're holding up traffic in the fast lane.
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
My bosses, where I work now, are supportive of my PR strategy, a formula that has been effective in four different media markets, where I showcase the drivers and make them the show.
Without TV 5 grand is all ya get paid? that's an insult to a cup driver lol. The dam plane to get there costs that much
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You have to love an aggressive power play.
The tracks will be getting a haircut.
The tracks will be getting a haircut.
cheesepuffs
Team Owner
NASCAR owns too many of the tracks to allow that to happen.
Without competing head to head date to date, I don't think Nascar's tracks are going to suffer. The exhibition races have to pull some weight to have leverage. IF they do go thru with it, it would be cool if they get a decent TV deal..more racing for me lol.
The world of streaming was the last needed piece of the puzzle for a NASCAR split to conceivably happen.
15 years ago you needed a TV deal, tracks that held 80,000+ people, and Fortune 500 companies as sponsors. Now you need a steaming deal, tracks that hold 20,000, and the sponsors are small local companies or B-to-B deals.
15 years ago you needed a TV deal, tracks that held 80,000+ people, and Fortune 500 companies as sponsors. Now you need a steaming deal, tracks that hold 20,000, and the sponsors are small local companies or B-to-B deals.
HoneyBadger
Kelsey Mitchell fan account
The RTA owns a media/broadcast company.
It's a mess looking at their website. Maybe they will clean it up IF they are going to use it.