C’est la vie…NASCAR to Go Abroad?
With the changing times, consider the following: declined fan attendance at NASCAR race tracks, the recent downturn in today’s economy, and downsizing of corporate firms like Circuit City and DHL (current or former NASCAR sponsors), and General Motors begging for bailout, which incidentally forced an end to its relationships at Bristol and New Hampshire tracks. NASCAR should take a closer look into exposure in foreign markets and, even yes, going public. NASCAR is money mad and a money guzzler and why not gain more fans, exposure, and increased revenues in other tracks outside U.S. borders. The Nationwide Series has made appearances in cities like Mexico City (over 100,000 fan attendance) and Montreal in the past; NASCAR should take part in the opportunity to grow further.
Although there has been criticism to considering going outside the U.S. boundaries because it might be difficult for American sponsors due to trade barriers, there is the opportunity to also pick up new sponsors and increased airtime abroad. Existing sponsors like FedEx, UPS, and Coca Cola also increase their benefits by gaining additional international exposure; these companies already have benefited by providing services thus for both NASCAR and its global sponsors.
At the same time, NASCAR can easily promote its “drive for diversity” program, because of exposure to foreign spectators and publicity. Thus, it comes down to the question of whether NASCAR should go abroad. With the opportunities for international expansion, NASCAR’s image of once a Southern red neck sport on dirt will fade into a global empire in international racing on different tracks and maybe surpassing F1 in popularity. Aside from its grassroots of fans and history, arguably there should be no limits to the future direction of NASCAR.
We have the World Cup of soccer and the Summer and Winter Olympics, why not have an international NASCAR?
And that’s the view from here.
JLY