‘FORCED’ TO WATCH
As a long-time fan, I can see where Mr. Knoll’s frustration is coming from. Let’s face it: the ESPN coverage this year was disappointing. Forget the Countdown for a moment. From Pomona to Maple Grove, ESPN’s coverage was all John Force, all the time. Post Maple Grove; there were points when the coverage of John Force Racing overshadowed even the Countdown. Notwithstanding the Eric Medlen tragedy and John’s own serious crash in Dallas, it was too much. I found myself on more than one occasion changing the channel because I got bored with it all. There are too many other teams and too many other compelling stories in drag racing for ESPN to latch onto one, albeit extremely personable and charismatic, driver.
And then there is the aforementioned Countdown. Why did NHRA decide they needed to follow the lead of NASCAR with a fake playoff? In case anyone hasn’t noticed, after the curiosity of the first year of The Chase to the Nextel Cup, TV ratings and chase race attendance are both consistently down, year to year. The fundamental flaw of a “playoff” or “post season” in racing is that no one’s season ends when they are eliminated from championship contention. In “stick and ball” sports, when a team is eliminated from post season play, they stop playing. The teams that move on receive all the coverage because they are still playing the game or games. In NASCAR and NHRA, eliminated teams are still expected to incur all the expenses of racing with little to no exposure for their sponsors. While this has always been true in racing, these fake playoffs exacerbate the situation.
While I can’t say I agree with a work stoppage or boycott, I can say that the smart thing for NHRA to do is stop playing follow the leader and ditch the whole Countdown concept. Weren’t the 2006 championships, especially in Top Fuel, far more exciting in their natural state than this year’s artificially hyped championships? How much more exciting can you get than Tony Schumacher needing to win the race and set the national record to claim the championship, and doing it? No Countdown will ever be that exciting.
Jim Altemus
Bristol, Connecticut
IT’S NOT IN THE MAIL
Burk, I doubt that you will get a Christmas card from Evan this year, but you hit it right on.
Paul Romine
Indiana
SECOND-CLASS STATUS
I have written to ESPN and NHRA about the way we are treated. Late times on Sunday, poor coverage. Show times are off by hours because of other sports went to another game that went into overtime and pushed us back hours. One showing of NHRA 2day. No coverage by local TV in Philadelphia and other markets. Bad marketing in East Coast cities. Drag racing is a poorly covered sport unlike NASCAR covered live even in the rain for hours we look at a wet track. Drivers get poor coverage in NHRA, the drivers in NASCAR are made stars.
Wake up, we have a great sport. I have been in it for forty seven years, but I am ashamed of the way it is covered. No one ever says the kids are stock car racing on the street, why say DRAG RACING they are on the street another bad press for us.
Jim McCulley
McCulley Family Racing
Pine Hill New Jersey
CRANK UP THE PR MACHINE
Ok, so when is logic going to dictate doing business. Yeah, it difficult to gain sponsorship and keep them happy, it is difficult to run from your own wallet too.
So far in the off season the only deal I hear about is this possible boycott and I have yet to read any denials. Wow what a way to showcase your team’s virtues, what a way to market your team, let’s see, If I am the optimal sponsor, and you’ve shown what your team is about, and you to offer me Your boycott Idea, because as the optimal I know this is really called a strike and this will backfire big TIME. I would look at other team of venues. As the Optimal Sponsor I see no VALUE. As the Optimal Sponsor I demand ROI, Not the world champion(s) that is asking for my Dollar to appear on their car to Miss a Live interview and have a relative speak on my behalf.
The problem is not that you cannot get air-time, this is symptomatic of the real problem, your team has NO story to tell, and YOU have nothing to sell. Yet I read and hear about John Force racing, even when JFR is not winning, that team has a story to tell and something to sell and JFR gets big air time because of it. JFR’s stories, apart from what the subject is, team cheerleading or what ever it may be is a STORY because they create the story and the platform to have something to sell. When you are interviewed at the top and thank the sponsor tell the story of where they can buy the product.
Planning and yeah sponsorship too, as in any business if you are not selling or making a profit you look for the reason why and fix it or die as a business. Drag racing is a business, when was the last time you P.R.ed the story. Perhaps one can start by putting a story on DRO, or a like website telling about how your team is improving, what it is doing in the community, the statement your team is doing something positive, proof of your MISSION and within the demographic(s) those potential sponsors seek, the sponsor is your customer too. Get and keep your team Positive. If you are to boycott there is no good to come from it. Do you think sponsors are looking for negative press, or do you think they are looking for smart business / marketing partner, teams that give return on the invested capitol into your team(s)? Boycott /strike are not professional and not what sponsors expect of the TEAM OWNERS/BUSINESS PEOPLE.
What you are not is an employee of Dunder Mifflin paper where you can go on strike boycott. Lucas Oil is the title sponsor of the COLTS STADIUM. Has your team considered anything like that? No, I do not mean get Title sponsorship for a professional sports team, but do you think you could be the title sponsor of say a Little League park or Team? Send Jeff the Story and Photos.
Maybe this is simplistic; perhaps it is the start of reconsidering some of the issues with sponsors. GET THE PRESS, GET THE INK, SHOW SPONSORS WHY WE ARE THE GREATEST SPORT ON THE PLANET AND TELL THEM WHY TOO.
Will Heritage
St. Louis Park, Minnesota