One of the great orators and visionaries of his time

[gnomesayin]

Against the backdrop of Jimmie Johnson's historic accomplishment and inevitable discussion of his legacy as an all-time great, I'd like to take a moment to recognize NASCAR's other current living legend, Brian France. Let's appreciate his gifts as a leader and eloquent speaker with some of the greatest hits from Mr. France's media address this morning.

On the Chase format:

"We're very pleased with the formats. Wouldn't change a thing."

On changing the Chase format to include a bonus for the regular season points leader:

“We’re going to think about that. That’s a fair thing for us to consider to make sure the regular season is as important as it is. I don’t know how exactly we’re going to do that, but we’ll look at that.”

He wouldn't change a thing, but this is the next change he is pondering. He wants to make the regular season as important as...it...is?

On politics:

"No one wants to hear my political views. So I won’t be talking about that — other than on my diversity."

His diversity?

“Nobody, nobody in this company has worked harder, done more and resourced it better than me."

I think his most inspiring trait is his immense humility.

On declining attendance and TV ratings.

"The audience isn’t going away at all. It’s sliding to different places, consuming in different ways."

"That audience is just sliding and consuming in some different ways. Our digital consumption is off the charts."


We'll have to trust his insider knowledge on that, since just as NASCAR stopped announcing attendance figures years ago and would avoid publicizing ratings if they could, NASCAR does not release digital audience figures to show us which charts they are off.

 

[Michfan]

He didn't earn the name Brain France for nothing. I'm so close to being done with NASCAR. I've already stopped going to races, barely buy merchandise, and probably only watched 10-15 truck and Xfinity races this year. Keep it up Brain...

 

[NasNYG567]

I'm indifferent towards him but I'm genuinely curious if anyone likes him

 

[be9ak7ts16]

Excellent post, you have expertly displayed the genius that is Brain France.

 

[cheesepuffs]

I wish Tony Stewart would become the chairman of NASCAR and literally fix everything in a year flat.

 

[jaqua19]

I wish Tony Stewart would become the chairman of NASCAR and literally fix everything in a year flat.

He should, and would fix it.

 

[DaBiff1618]

There's a reason Stewart and Gordon couldn't wait to get out. Motor sports as a whole ( NASCAR, F1, Indycar) is a dying breed and corporate hacks that sacrifice genuine product for pipe smoke and pulpices are driving away the die hard fans attempting to appeal to casual fans who will never watch. Transformers is "entertaining" doesn't mean it's a great movie. Much like this "race" may have been entertaining, but still an absolute joke

 

[Barbara Charles]

France really is as dumb as a rock.

 

[BobbyFord]

7th place driver wins the "Championship."
No wonder the sport is dying. Thanks Brian.

 

[ted@economy]

He turned me off when he committed Nascar to support a political candidate . You just don't do that without alienating half your customers . Happy to see him with a Mexican Champion . Thanks Brian.

 

[ToyYoda]

With Brian's strong leadership, I'm baffled as to why NASCAR's top series doesn't have a title sponsor for next year yet.

 

[Team Penske]

They have a new sponsor, the final negotiations to replace Brian and his A$$ kissers hasn't been inked.

 

[rocket dawg]

Its a dying sport. the "chase" help destroy it. I watched about 30 laps yesterday, just wasnt interested.

 

[Skoalbandit33]

He didn't earn the name Brain France for nothing. I'm so close to being done with NASCAR. I've already stopped going to races, barely buy merchandise, and probably only watched 10-15 truck and Xfinity races this year. Keep it up Brain...

I am ahead of you as I have not attended a race for 6 years or so, wouldn't be caught dead purchasing anything Nascar related but I do still catch most of the cup races via the dvr as I can't watch a race live due to all the dead time. IDK who even races in the lesser series other than Shrub.

 

[gnomesayin]

Another year, more morsels of sweet wisdom.

“It’s always been hard, to get the competition level up, and some of that is done by formats like stage racing and cut-off events and so on – they have obviously stepped up the competition level. But there are other things we can do that are important to us."

It's always been so difficult to get these race teams and drivers to compete with each other. We all remember how terrible the sport used to be. They've done so much to enhance it, and will keep enhancing. At least this year he didn't claim that he "wouldn't change a thing" just prior to announcing the biggest change in modern history to how NASCAR races would be formatted.

"Attention times, the platforms they want to view and consume, they’re changing. There will be linear TV, which is critically important, but other things now will give us a great opportunity, and we're positioned well there."

Very similar to last year's BS comments, except that he has picked up the vocabulary word linear at some point. The audience watching NASCAR non-linearly is the real future. Maybe they can find a way to release the entire season at once to binge on demand like Netflix does with its shows.

On Monster:

“You’ve got to remember, this is only the first year, right, and there are always growing pains (but) we’re thrilled. The promises they’ve made, they’ve kept, with the young demo, edgy shows, edgy marketing, putting our drivers in different places (and) in a different light. That’s what we want. They’ve delivered on that.”

EDGY.

Honestly I expected a much bolder and visible presence from Monster. I was pretty bullish initially on them being the title sponsor and thought it was a good move. IMO it hasn't gelled particularly well and still seems an odd fit. It is questionable how invested Monster is in making this work. Will they extend past this coming season? Who will Brian be thrilled about next year at this time?


https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-brian-france-brent-dewar-homestead-980568/

http://www.asapsports.com/show_conference.php?id=136055

 

[Formerjackman]

I'm pretty sure that if you look up the phrase "Born on third base and thinks he hit a triple", there is a picture of Brian France.

 

[Mopardh9]

He didn't earn the name Brain France for nothing. I'm so close to being done with NASCAR. I've already stopped going to races, barely buy merchandise, and probably only watched 10-15 truck and Xfinity races this year. Keep it up Brain...

I'm totally with you on this, I went to few Whelen Mod Tour races, but as far as spend money on Cup or Xfinity. ..I'm done.

 

[Reck]

"The audience isn’t going away at all. It’s sliding to different places, consuming in different ways."

I love this one.

Tool.

 

[Skoalbandit33]

Brian France has to be one of the most vacuous people I have ever seen or known about and calling him an idiot or moron would be an insult to idiots and morons. A 2x4 has more on the ball than he does.

 

[Charlie Spencer]

What the heck is 'linear TV'? All of mine are rectangular.

 

[aunty dive]

What the heck is 'linear TV'? All of mine are rectangular.

Buzzword / phrase. Boiling Frog ... under the curve ...stuff like that.

"Nonlinear television is defined as non-traditional means of viewing that enables place- and timeshifting. This contrasts with traditional linear television, where viewers must watch a scheduled TV program at the time it’s broadcasted, and on the channel it's presented on."

https://technology.ihs.com/389350/broadcasters-have-no-cause-for-panic-over-rise-of-nonlinear-tv

 

[Skoalbandit33]

What the heck is 'linear TV'? All of mine are rectangular.

Brian likes to use words and phrases like synergy, edgy, audience is sliding to different areas (yeah...right off the Nascar map), buy in, value added, circle back, storytelling, game changer and others that sound like he knows what he is talking about. I would think terms like value proposition, symbiosis and co-action will be in vogue shortly.

 

[Greg]

Buzzword / phrase. Boiling Frog ... under the curve ...stuff like that.

"Nonlinear television is defined as non-traditional means of viewing that enables place- and timeshifting. This contrasts with traditional linear television, where viewers must watch a scheduled TV program at the time it’s broadcasted, and on the channel it's presented on."

https://technology.ihs.com/389350/broadcasters-have-no-cause-for-panic-over-rise-of-nonlinear-tv

I think the drive for diversity needs to work in the shapeshifters too.

 

[24ever]

Well in fairness do you expect him to come out Nd say stuff like "We are looking at combining the Trucks and Xfinity because car counts are so low next year that is the only way to field them"

"Our TV timeouts cause way less complaints than the old debris cautions we used to have"


"We are not worried in the least that another 3 cars are not going to compete next year, or the continuing absence of new owners"


His job is to sell the sport.

 

[Skoalbandit33]

Well in fairness do you expect him to come out Nd say stuff like "We are looking at combining the Trucks and Xfinity because car counts are so low next year that is the only way to field them"
"Our TV timeouts cause way less complaints than the old debris cautions we used to have"

"We are not worried in the least that another 3 cars are not going to compete next year, or the continuing absence of new owners"

His job is to sell the sport.

I don't think anyone expects France to savage Nascar but his best play would be to say nothing as what springs forth from his lips in sheer nonsense and contradiction. If Nascar was even remotely hip SNL would have a Brian France skit every other week as the guy ridicules himself before anyone else even starts. In the case of France the phrase "the less said the better" is essential.