You know something NASCAR This was a rant I was going to save for the end of the season, but I’ll just go ahead and do it now. I have less prep than usual, and I’m at a disadvantage because next to me is a Gatorade and not a Busch Light after 3 shots of Whiskey so here she goes.
(Also this is gonna be a long one so try to keep up)
I know the most popular Boomer complaint you get these days is equivalent to “It was so much better in the 90s” Actually Bob Dylan wrote out a better version of that quote. “I used to care, but THINGS have changed (Seriously he won an Oscar for that??)
The thing is, things HAVE changed. The Tracks don’t control the TV rights, the Sanctioning Body does. Unless you taped the entirety of the race the only way you could rewatch it (if at all) was a recap on SportsCenter or the Local News. It wasn’t until I was starting to grow up that Full Race or even Shortened Race Replays could be viewed on an alternate network (Probably a Cable Network in the middle of the night)
But as I’ve said before things have CHANGED!! Some of them for the better. Now I’m not an engineer so I can’t say anything about the car. I’m not a Marketing Firm/Grifting expert so I can’t say anything about sponsorships. I’m a 37 year old Lone Wolf Type, so I’m DEFINITELY not an expert in Families or what would make the Youth of America start watching to help grow the sport (I know the Video game is going to help in the Long term but I’ll save that for a few weeks)
BUT, I’ll tell you what I am an expert in. That American tradition known as Consumerism!! I love consuming things; Food, Drink, Sports on TV, and a copious possibly unhealthy amount of Physical Media. There’s digital as well. Digital has some cons to it, but for the purposes of this discussion I want to focus on the pros.
Actually there’s a Con I need to bring out: According to Denny Hamlin who may or may not have been privy to this information through more than word of mouth. There MIGHT be some documentation somewhere he’s seen *Somehow* that allegedly implies that NASCAR simply took the TV Deal that got them the Biggest Bag without looking into the Smaller details. They’re like me signing up for another app or online service. Look, here’s my signature. Let’s scroll through this crap. Time’s a wastin, y’all were at this for nearly 10-11 months. So I could infer that my suggestions might be moot unless there’s a reworking of the TV Deal y’all didn’t really see or realize the potential of.
On this current Broadcasting deal at this point in the season you are on *Checks Notes* NBC/Universal where a majority of the races are broadcast on current Universal Property *checks notes again* USA Network via USA Sports which is about to be spun off into ANOTHER company that didn’t sign off on NASCAR’s TV deal and has had a massive ratings collapse since switching over to said network. Someone might want to check in on that.
It’s not 1995 anymore kids, it’s 2025. We have the ability to not only broadcast the event not just on one network, but on the internet as well. You’re on NBC/Universal. You mean to tell me you absolutely CANNOT stream this race on Peacock which is a Streaming Service I’m subscribed to? It’s already done for the *Checks notes again* 4 races you broadcast on NBC.
Ok fine you absolutely CANNOT show the race on Peacock. You’re chastity caged from doing so (and not letting Xfinity race at North Wilkesboro, but I digress) but this last race in Kansas had one of the best finishes of the year with your “MOST POPULAR DRIVER” (That probably can’t be picked out of a police lineup) and you absolutely have NO WAY to rewatch that race online. Despite you guys having your own platform of streaming races. NASCAR Classics is an AWESOME way to relive that race. However the most recent race you have is Bristol which was two weeks ago. New Hampshire, which was last week, isn’t up yet. Which in my eyes is pathetic on you.
Take a look at your competition. Actually let me go to Peacock. Hmmm WWE Section Wow, remember when WWE was a scourged product?? It wasn’t hip, it wasn’t cool. You could be ostracized for simply acknowledging the product. Now they have an ENTIRE tab on Peacock. Didn’t they just sign a $5 Billion Dollar a year deal for simply the Broadcast Rights for ONE weekly Show. That’s not including the nearly $2 Billion Dollar Deal they signed with ESPN for their Monthly Big shows (Now called Premium Live Events) That’s about as much as you guys are getting. Oh shoot I forgot about the nearly $2 Billion Dollar Deal they have with Peacock for their Friday Night weekly show.
Dang WWE has you beat in the TV Rights game, The Streaming Game, Their Superstars have a bigger Social Media Presence, and have you seen their product lately?? Look at how much sponsorship they’re getting.
What is WWE doing that you’re not?? Asking for a Friend
-Halfpint
Halfpint's Point 