Refueling

Stock car racing, specifically NASCAR, is something I admittedly know very little about. This has nothing to do with the stereotypes that many still point to in bashing the sport or its Southern roots or its predominantly white crowds. After all, if you can’t tell from previous posts, I’m a black slightly-above-casual hockey fan. It’s mostly because my brain locks whenever I get behind the wheel of a car, something being born and bred in New York City can do to you. Though many in my circle have an intense passion and knowledge of automotives, I know nothing about them other than how to move them or be a passenger in them.

So in advance, my discussion on the sport’s most popular organization is not based on knowing the dynamics of a race or the inner workings of the cars, drivers and teams themselves. In fact, I invite you to bless me with some intelligence on this arena so that when you (if you have not done so) watch the re-airings of this CNBC special, you’ll be able to share some insights that are not considered in-depth here.

As mentioned over the weekend, there’s nothing worse than an untimely malfunction. So this post, which was supposed to be published when the show originally aired, has been edited in its aftermath.

Almost two weeks ago, a question about NASCAR’s next six months was posed in the second part of Halftime:

For now, if (a HUGE if) Danica Patrick joins NASCAR after the season ends, how much of an impact would she make on a sport once considered America’s fastest growing sport just a few years ago?

This question came about because NASCAR was once considered the fastest growing sporting league in the United States, a mantle that Ultimate Fighting Championship has grabbed, taken down and jujitsued in the last three years. Despite a strong presence on television and successful expansion into western and northeastern markets over the past decade, NASCAR has taken some major blows during this recession.



It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the calamities in the automotive industry have a direct impact on team sponsorships and organizational support. Yet, the advertising dollars hurt just as much, if not more. This isn’t just about the decal above the exhaust pipe just to have real estate on the body of the car, but it’s also about branding segments of race coverage from broadcasters and online promotions to drive up interest in the sport and products teams use. Even what would be considered add-ons to advertising deals such as personal service agreements are being jettisoned (though in this case, it’s more about the malaise at General Motors).

So, in bringing back the Patrick question – whether this is genuine fan curiosity or another internal conversation within the media that happens to be passed as a story – the more important issue at hand wasn’t about the IndyCar star. I just wonder if Patrick and NASCAR would have been in the same sentence before the economy tanked.

Many a IRL driver have made the leap between circuits with mixed success, however, it’s widely assumed that Patrick will be the one that sticks with NASCAR because of her testosterone-fueled following. The obvious attention paid to this scenario centers around being an attractive female who has finally started to have the consistent success she has clamored for since she arrived on the scene a few years ago. For a select bunch, it’s just about Patrick being an attractive female.

If this scenario presented itself two or so years ago when NASCAR was the hottest American sporting entity, adding the Patrick brand to Dale Earnhardt  Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon would have been akin to adding a small-market star player to a big-market franchise laden with stars of its own. That could still be the case if it ever happens, but in 2009/10, it could feel more like getting a one-and-done star in college basketball.

Of course, I could be completely off.

If you missed the CNBC special, Inside Track: Refueling the Business of NASCAR from Scribe favorite, Darren Rovell, check out the replays:

Sunday, July 19th Midnight ET
Friday, July 24th 10p ET
Tuesday, July 28th 10p ET
Sunday, August 2nd 9p ET
Friday, August 7th 10p ET

The show certainly provided more business insight on the circuit than this post shows, but I am curious to read your thoughts, regardless of interest level in the sport. I am extremely curious to know your thoughts on the importance of Patrick to the Indy circuit, a potential future in NASCAR and sports in general.

Say What?!?!: To quote the late Heath Ledger's Joker, "And heeeere... weeeee........ go!"

Props

Before we get ourselves revved up for Week 3, a quick note about Props.

While the blog covers all aspects of sports from its action to its culture to its business, the idea of Props was to highlight some of the finer things specifically in a game or its broadcast. Yet, this hasn't been an ordinary week considering all that has gone on in the past seven days: Hurricane Ike, Wall Street, etc. So, in regards to Week 2, let's spread the love a bit, shall we?

Kickoff - FOX: For as many issues some of us (myself included) have with FOX's NFL coverage, they are daring in their graphics innovation. With a defensive player now equipped with a headset to speak with his defensive coordinator, fans want to know which player has the green dotted helmet. In the scrolling starting lineup graphic, there's a green box and radio label that surrounds the picture of player who adorns the helmet.
During the first Giants offensive/Rams defensive series, Joe Buck pointed out that is was Corey Chavous, the Rams' free safety who wore the helmet as his team was torched by the Philadelphia Eagles for over 500 yards in Week 1. Now, maybe it just gives fans and media a scapegoat when their defense looks sloppy, yet, FOX did this to help satiate one of the league's great curiosities.

1st Quarter - Darren Rovell: Before all hell broke loose on Wall Street, the last seemingly positive financial news this week centered around the valuation of NFL franchises. Forbes releases the worth of each franchise annually and delves into what makes the league's proverbial cash registers go 'ching!' every second of the day. Forbes said that the average worth of a team has reached over $1 billion, with nineteen teams clearing that mark. These days, the NFL seems to be like The Juggernaut, only getting stronger as it moves without anyone truly questioning its power. So we're supposed to believe that every team is really worth its stated value, right?
Rovell questions how the venerable magazine came up with the numbers and in some way, puts them in perspective with the economic realities here in the U.S. This is not to say that a lie is being told so much as Rovell is telling folks to not take everything as gospel.

2nd Quarter - Matt Forte: The Chicago Bears needed something to be happy about and there's no doubt that Forte has provided a reason to smile a bit more. Their quarterback situation has been in shambles for decades, no one can name one wide receiver in the franchise's history outside of Chicagoland and Cedric Benson burned them baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad. He's been impressive for a guy that they did not plan on playing much and was relatively unknown coming out of Tulane. Granted, it's been two weeks, but 215 yards in two games for a rookie RB against a stout Carolina front seven and an Indianapolis team hyped to open a new stadium isn't a bad start.

Halftime - Gene Deckerhoff. Just the coolest voice in the game.

3rd Quarter - Ed Hochuli: If you haven't heard by now, the most famous referee in American sports became its most infamous because of a blown call that cost the San Diego Chargers a potential win against the rival Denver Broncos. Yet, respect should be due to the man for not only admitting to his error - no matter how great it is in the overall scheme of a 16-game season - but for not hiding behind the overall body of officials or stubbornly telling the public (and himself) that he believed he made the right call at the time and stands by it. The referee's job is difficult enough as is and Hochuli had every ample opportunity to partake in a little CYA. It doesn't change the outcome nor will it make any member of the Chargers organization any less upset, but at least everyone can move forward.
With that positive slant given, two things need to be understood. First, for those folks who are getting into a tizzy about the call, aren't there a few other pressing concerns in society than this? Secondly, when a team's fortunes seem to be predicated on a botched call or play, the reality is that it should never come down to that in the first place! If the final score of a football game is 39-38, as exciting as it may be to watch, it should be an alarm for such porous defense played on both sides. (Thanks to Shutdown Corner for the reference).

4th Quarter - Keary Colbert and Koren Robinson: They were the winners of the "Seattle needs healthy bodies at wide receiver" sweepstakes. "Because we all know" - in the words of Stephen A. Smith - that right now, the Seahawks have more trainers and paramedics than flankers at the moment.
In all seriousness, this could be one of the good stories in the NFL this year. Robinson been sober for 25 months and returns to the franchise that drafted him six years ago. For anyone that has ever watched how a person's alcoholism can disrupt and devastate life, you wish for more redemptive stories as his.

Pro-Cut

Some of you may be aware, but I have always been intrigued by more than box scores. In fact, you may have been the beneficiary (or victim) of a book from my growing library of sports culture and business books. When in college, I found out that I wasn't the only person who was obsessed (or aware) of sports as an industry. The vast resources in school and beyond led me to an area in sports media that is relatively unexplored by the fans, but heavily parused by corporate executives and consultants.

One of my favorite sports media people doesn't break down game footage or write opinion articles on recent coaching hires. Instead, he's probably the mainstream guru of the sports business (compared to some of the academics such as Andrew Zimbalist).

Darren Rovell, now with MSNBC and previously of ESPN, posted this interesting article regarding a disgruntled NBA fan who wanted to buy a pro-cut jersey from the league's online store. The video itself is... well, he had a lot of time on his hands, but for those of us who collect or would like to collect league apparel, this may be of interest.