Brian France's Replacement

Old 97

Old 97

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I've just been kicking this around, but with the steady decline in attendence, TV viewership, and now sponsor valuation, there has to be a conversation going on as to who will carry the torch into the future.
We all seem to agree that one or all of the current gimmicks have turned us off. Many feel, as I do, that TV is driving these changes. How long can Mr. France hang on until the "Next Big Change" is his job?
Will it be one of the current NASCAR executives or will it be someone from outside of the central brain trust.
My vote is for the young Mr. Ben Kennedy. We all concede that youth must be brought into the sport. Who better to have a grasp on that? Who better to have a working knowledge of the sport along with a firm heritage in the business?
Thoughts?
 
Old 97 said:
I've just been kicking this around, but with the steady decline in attendence, TV viewership, and now sponsor valuation, there has to be a conversation going on as to who will carry the torch into the future.
We all seem to agree that one or all of the current gimmicks have turned us off. Many feel, as I do, that TV is driving these changes. How long can Mr. France hang on until the "Next Big Change" is his job?
Will it be one of the current NASCAR executives or will it be someone from outside of the central brain trust.
My vote is for the young Mr. Ben Kennedy. We all concede that youth must be brought into the sport. Who better to have a grasp on that? Who better to have a working knowledge of the sport along with a firm heritage in the business?
Thoughts?
Click to expand...

If we ever needed someone to cover him for a few months and not miss a beat I know of a guy... Vincent Kennedy McMahon
 
Some fresh blood would be nice, preferably with some seat time.

I'd love to see Dale Jr. or Tony, but I doubt either wants any part of it. Most of the top-tier owners are too old to take it on. Chip Ganassi? His experience and success in other series would be useful.
 
According to an article that was published at the start of the season, Lisa France Kennedy is piloting the ship more than Brian.
 
Cool thread. In the racing world: Dale Earnhardt Jr, Chip Ganassi , Joie Chitwood (For what he did at Chicagoland Speedway and overseeing Daytona Rising) IMSA Weathertech Series Executives/ CEO's Scott Athertonand Ed Bennett, Ed O'Hara and my personal choice Tony Stewart. Total Shock move which I wouldnt hate: Bernie Eccelstone Outside of the racing world: Chicago Blackhawks President John McDonough (Read about how he turned around the Hawks from an afterthought to just as popular as the Bears in Chicago. It's miraculous), Ed Hinkie (Trust The Process NASCAR fans. I feel he'd at least have a plan unlike what these stooges tell us now),and Jerry Jones ( I'd be interested to see what his vision for the sport would be and where he could take it)
 
Old 97 said:
I've just been kicking this around, but with the steady decline in attendence, TV viewership, and now sponsor valuation, there has to be a conversation going on as to who will carry the torch into the future.
We all seem to agree that one or all of the current gimmicks have turned us off. Many feel, as I do, that TV is driving these changes. How long can Mr. France hang on until the "Next Big Change" is his job?
Will it be one of the current NASCAR executives or will it be someone from outside of the central brain trust.
My vote is for the young Mr. Ben Kennedy. We all concede that youth must be brought into the sport. Who better to have a grasp on that? Who better to have a working knowledge of the sport along with a firm heritage in the business?
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
How would a millionaire kid living his life in the lap of luxury know how to connect with a generation his age who are taking student loans to go to school?
 
Jerry Jones? The Cowboys' owner? THAT Jerry Jones? The man who fired a coach that took his team to consecutive championships because he couldn't swallow his own ego? The idiot who hired a college coach who didn't even know how long halftime was? The owner who can't see that his biggest problem is that he's also his team president and GM?

Gods, if he's the option, I hope that somewhere in central Florida, Brian France falls in the Fountain of Youth and reigns forever.
 
aunty dive said:
How about someone with a firm grasp of professional motorsport and an MBA from a decent school?
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What is the advantage of a MBA. You do realize that to achieve that, your being taught by a relics of what did work. I ask, if those teachers are so smart
why are they teachers and not millionaires?
Look at the real rich men of today. Gates was a drop out.
 
A good leader for Nascar would be someone like Tim Leiweke, Alan Mulally or Ellen J. Kullman who can take chaos and failure and turn it into prosperity. The challenge for Nascar is to get a much younger fan base so they would need someone that could identify those needs and then implement the necessary changes. Hopefully the current fan base would stick around but in the grand scheme of things it is not essential.

An alternative view is that Nascar is on a downward trajectory that can't be stopped and will eventually bottom out with home viewership of between 800K and 1.5 million people for the bulk of the races.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Jerry Jones? The Cowboys' owner? THAT Jerry Jones? The man who fired a coach that took his team to consecutive championships because he couldn't swallow his own ego? The idiot who hired a college coach who didn't even know how long halftime was? The owner who can't see that his biggest problem is that he's also his team president and GM?

Gods, if he's the option, I hope that somewhere in central Florida, Brian France falls in the Fountain of Youth and reigns forever.
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I agree with you on all those points. I'm a Cowboys fan and wish he'd hire a President/GM but you can't deny what a trandsetting gem Cowboys Stadium (his vision since day 1 buying the Cowboys) is, he's helped with the amazing NFL TV Deal, and he was behind the scenes in the Rams move to LA. He's been instrument in makin the NFL the juggernaut it is in media, attendance and fan following it is today. There is a reason he is making the NFL Hall of Fame really. And Jimmy was just as much to blame for leaving as Jerry was IMO
 
Snappy D said:
I agree with you on all those points. I'm a Cowboys fan and wish he'd hire a President/GM but you can't deny what a trandsetting gem Cowboys Stadium (his vision since day 1 buying the Cowboys) is, he's helped with the amazing NFL TV Deal, and he was behind the scenes in the Rams move to LA. He's been instrument in makin the NFL the juggernaut it is in media, attendance and fan following it is today. There is a reason he is making the NFL Hall of Fame really. And Jimmy was just as much to blame for leaving as Jerry was IMO
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Jerry will always be on my bad list for the way he treated Tom Landry and Tex Schramm.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
A good leader for Nascar would be someone like Tim Leiweke, Alan Mulally or Ellen J. Kullman who can take chaos and failure and turn it into prosperity. The challenge for Nascar is to get a much younger fan base so they would need someone that could identify those needs and then implement the necessary changes. Hopefully the current fan base would stick around but in the grand scheme of things it is not essential.

An alternative view is that Nascar is on a downward trajectory that can't be stopped and will eventually bottom out with home viewership of between 800K and 1.5 million people for the bulk of the races.
Click to expand...
Leiweke would be a great choice. Instrumental in bringing David Beckham to MLS/LA and was leading force for AEG
 
Team Penske said:
How would a millionaire kid living his life in the lap of luxury know how to connect with a generation his age who are taking student loans to go to school?
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Huh??? This is a family business. Ben has sooo much more going for him than Uncle Brian ever had. He is smart, articulate and YOUNG!!!!! He's a racer! He's not a wanna be, silver spoon, still on mama's teet. poser that can't do anything without screwing it up!
 
Bill Jr. evidently was suffering from dimentia when he turned over the reigns to Brian.... It should have gone to Jim..... I had a lot of faith in Lesa.... but...... as I understand it....... Brian is just a figurehead..... sold all his interest and Lesa is basically running the show..... I thought she was the one to have the most level head business sense. Maybe I was wrong....... Whoever is in charge needs to realize what they are doing isn't helping the downward spiral.......... Maybe there's nothing that can be done...... I don't know..... But....... whoever is in charge should be ashamed at how the viewership and attendance has spiraled since Bill Jr. died....... It appears they have made Nascar into into a dog and pony show and grasped at any straw ....... not really knowing what they were doing...... they have moved so far from what Bill Sr. and Jr. envisioned that they can never go back...... that's usually what happens with the third generation kids...... sometimes the second......
 
It was easier to depose the Romanov dynasty. Brian will be there for a long time.
And they will be twisting arms to make the POS a first ballot Hall of Farmer too.
The revisionist will also give him an undeserved great legacy too.
 
darlingtonfan said:
I saw where Lesa France Kennedy was named one of the most powerful women in sports by Adweek.I believe Brian is more of a figurehead.
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As I understand it........ Brian sold his interest in the company..... (shows what a moron he is.... but...... maybe not...... considering the floundering around like fish out of water.......maybe he was smart to cash out)........ He's just the flushed faced W.C. Fields that has to face the cameras and take the heat.......
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
Probably but I think he could have been treated with dignity but it happened eons ago.
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I am a life time fan and I didn't like the way they did Landry. Jones definitely has a ego that rubs people wrong..
Still the same I think he has been good for the Cowboys and the NFL.
He is the opposite of Brian France. Jones loves the Cowboys.
No way I will believe France actually gives a crap about even watching a race. No real fan would disrespect it more than he does.
 
Greg said:
I am a life time fan and I didn't like the way they did Landry. Jones definitely has a ego that rubs people wrong..
Still the same I think he has been good or the Cowboys and the NFL.
He is the opposite of Brian France. Jones loves the Cowboys.
No way I will believe France actually gives a crap about even watching a race. No real fan would disrespect it more than he does.
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I don't know a lick about Jones or the Cowboys..... I ain't a football fan.... but...... I agree on Brian.........
 
ReturnTrip said:
Frances probably get a tasty offer from a large company and sell it.
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I don't know.
They have the power to control almost every narrative of any agency close enough to cover the history with inside details.
Seems like a family that craves and creates more self serving smoke than the Vatican, with the self serving dictatorship BS lines. A power that the egotistical slobs would never relinquish.
 
Team Penske said:
What is the advantage of a MBA. You do realize that to achieve that, your being taught by a relics of what did work. I ask, if those teachers are so smart
why are they teachers and not millionaires?
Look at the real rich men of today. Gates was a drop out.
Click to expand...
The real rich men of today are unlikely to be interested in the top job at NASCAR ... drop-outs, MBA's or otherwise.

A Masters degree in any field opens doors. Sometimes, who you know is more important than what you know.
 
If the George family can weather the IRL/Champcar debacle, the France family
will have no problem weathering this and what ever it becomes during its
gyrations.
 
I think at this stage in the game, maybe it's best if everyone at the top was replaced, since its a collective group that is making the decisions. Replacing Brain, who is just figure head, wont do anything.
 
kymartin6 said:
Strange no one mentioned Warren Buffett.......... he can take a turd and change it into a golden nugget.........
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But you can't manipulate racing the way he does the market. In racing the fans only come when the like the product. When you go food shopping you generally compromise and buy what they have for sale. The local Loblaw affiliate here is suffering because he tries to sell what we don't want. A lot of people now travel the the nearest city and stock up on what THEY want.
 
I think Brian France's replacement should consist of the entire gambit of racing-forums.com board members. With our working knowledge, if we all work together, we could seriously eff up this sport, I'm sure.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
I think Brian France's replacement should consist of the entire gambit of racing-forums.com board members. With our working knowledge, if we all work together, we could seriously eff up this sport, I'm sure.
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I have serious doubts they could sit in a board room for 5 min.
The reluctance to change is so severe that cars newer than 1970 would be banned along with any product newly invented.
 
Team Penske said:
I have serious doubts they could sit in a board room for 5 min.
The reluctance to change is so severe that cars newer than 1970 would be banned along with any product newly invented.
Click to expand...

I don't think it is a case of people disliking change more than it is a group of people disliking change for the sake of change or change that takes something good and makes it bad. Nascar would not have lost over half its fan base if it was putting out a product people were enthused about watching.
 
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