2015 NASCAR Thread - And then there was 1

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It would most likely happen. They already got MLB done that way.
I just remembered that CBS did 1/2 network, 1/2 cable deal for Thursday Night Football so I guess it would be likely.

Back on the topic, who is ready for Charlotte?
 
The reason ratings are down is because there is more access to more viewing options than ever before in most homes. With more available options, you should expect a decline in viewership across the board.

Seven years ago, the average household had access to about 130 channels. Two years ago, that number was nearly 190 channels. It's only going to continue to go up in the future.
I couldn't find this data, but I would bet that if you were to go back 15 to 20 years ago, the number would probably be closer to 40 to 50 available channels in the average household.

However, in NASCAR's primary demographic market (the more rural southeast region), there is probably a higher prevalence of homes without full-tier cable/satellite service compared to other areas of the country. Ten years ago, when every single race was available on Fox or NBC, anyone could watch every single race without much difficulty, even on an antenna that only received the big four local broadcast channels (Fox/NBC/CBS/ABC). Now that more of the races are on cable (FS1 and NBCSN) than not, there are probably lots of average NASCAR viewers that are unable to tune in that would like to do so.

NASCAR has lost some of their primary demographic to cable channels they don't have, while they are losing the more casual viewer to other channels they now have access to.

I also think that you get a decline in NASCAR viewership because the presentation of the product is not satisfactory (there are way too many commercials).
The races since 2001 have mostly been on cable as the 2001-2006 deal had Fox/Fx and NBC/TNT. The 2007 deal had Fox covering all the races so they couldn't move them to SPEED/FS1. ESPN started taking pretty much all of the races but the night races but in the first year in 2007 ABC had all the Chase races. The major networks now all just have their own sports networks to put them on. Motorsports is still a draw or CBS Sports Network wouldn't be covering as many motorsports as the do.
 
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ESPN is more readily watchable to more people than NBCSN is. Moving on...

Edit: Before anyone attempts to refute it...

As of February 2015, NBCSN is available to approximately 81,578,000 pay television households (70.1% of households with television) in the United States.
As of February 2015, ESPN is available to approximately 94,396,000 paid television households (81.1% of households with at least one television set) in the United States.
 
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Viewing of Motorsports is down across the board for a number of reasons....the economy, viewing options, etc.

Part of it too is that people just aren't fascinated by cars anymore. Cars used to be a form of escape every youngster used; now they can get the same type of enjoyment just going to Youtube and watching viral videos. It's not really a thing anymore, it's just an everyday appliance.
I think this is the best point made. In North America, cars are a disposable appliance like a dishwasher.

I think the level of technology involved with both racing, and the average household vehicle plays a large role in that disconnect. Modern race cars are engineering masterpieces which require a large amount of knowledge to understand and appreciate. They also have less and less in common with their road legal counterparts. At the same time that racecars have become more complex, so have passenger cars. The result of this is that fewer people have good understanding of how their car works, and even fewer people who actually work on their own car.

Thinking back to my parent's generation (I'm 30, so 1950s-70s), so many more people actually worked on their own cars and understood how their cars worked, which offered opportunity for a bigger connection with racecars which actually had a lot in common with a car anyone could buy.

I think it's just the natural progression of things too. No racing will ever be as "good" as it was in the 20th century,
especially in the second half, which I think will forever go down as the "Golden Era" of motorsports. The next time you will see vehicle racing that popular will be pod racing on Mars or something crazy like that...something new, and raw.
 
SpeedwayPurple_-_1.jpg


Bristol will have this oversized thing next year.
 
There is no purpose to add that except as a lame excuse to jack up ticket prices, it's :censored:ing Bristol. You can see the entire track and all of the action from your seats. Proof from my 2011 visit with mid-low level stands:
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Now people who have seats high up won't see the entire track with that damn thing since its lower than the top of the grandstands. The picture shows the obstruction that high up stands in turns 3-4 will get with this garbage.

At this point they should just put a giant statue of Brian France in the infield of every track.
:lol: Shhhhhh. Don't give the dictator any ideas :p
 
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This may seem off-topic, but maybe including this big TV screen is possible considering that I hear there's supposed to be a future college football game to be played at Bristol Motor Speedway. Maybe this is included for not only racing around Bristol, but also for college football to be hosted there. Similar plans to host a college football game or two have been announced at Daytona as well a long time ago.

That was the first thing I sort of thought about with the idea of that big monitor at Bristol in addition to the racing action.
 
You guys do realize this is all Bruton right?
I don't care tbh. Bristol is one of the few tracks that care enough to have SAFER cover the entire track, that's all I ask for
 
I just have a feeling it is. Charlotte gets that large screen on the backstretch... Eddie Gossage announces they're building a bigger one.

Now Bristol gets this ridiculous thing which, will probably be useful for college football considering how far the seat are going to be from the field, but it's going to kill sight lines for both fans and TV cameras for race coverage.
 

At this rate of excess and encroachment by college football, they might as well just convert the track into some kind of football temple that hosts NASCAR races during the offseason. That thing also looks like a MASSIVE safety hazard in the event of bad weather. What is it with SMI and these stupid useless screens that no one's gonna care about?
 
At this rate of excess and encroachment by college football, they might as well just convert the track into some kind of football temple that hosts NASCAR races during the offseason. That thing also looks like a MASSIVE safety hazard in the event of bad weather. What is it with SMI and these stupid useless screens that no one's gonna care about?

I give them 5 years before they announce the retractable dome to put the lid on Bristol.
 
There's a University of Tennesee game being played at Bristol (I think it's aganist Georgia) next September.
Edit: it's actually aganist Virginia Tech
 
Way too specific predictions:

Chicago - Kenseth (finished 5th)
New Hampshire - Keselowski (finished 12th)
Dover - Johnson (finished 41st)
Charlotte - Truex Jr.
Kansas - Edwards
Talladega - Dale Jr.
Martinsville - Kyle Busch
Texas - Johnson
Phoenix - Harvick
Homestead - Kenseth


Round 1 eliminations: Menard, McMurray, Gordon, Bowyer
Round 2 eliminations: Newman, Hamlin, Keselowski, Kurt Busch
Round 3 eliminations: Truex Jr., Edwards, Dale Jr., Logano
Homestead Results: Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Harvick, Johnson

So far, I'm 3 of 4 on eliminations, and not even close on winners.
 
At this rate of excess and encroachment by college football, they might as well just convert the track into some kind of football temple that hosts NASCAR races during the offseason. That thing also looks like a MASSIVE safety hazard in the event of bad weather. What is it with SMI and these stupid useless screens that no one's gonna care about?

The game is just a one time event just so Bristol can say they hold the record for the largest attendance at a college football game. They have been trying for 10 years to make this game happen, they even offered each school $20 million to play there and UT rejected the offer. The only reason UT agreed to play there is because the athletic department needs the money, but I heard that the payout for each school is around $2 million.
 
The game is just a one time event just so Bristol can say they hold the record for the largest attendance at a college football game. They have been trying for 10 years to make this game happen, they even offered each school $20 million to play there and UT rejected the offer. The only reason UT agreed to play there is because the athletic department needs the money, but I heard that the payout for each school is around $2 million.
They have a 5 year contract.
 
Imagine the noise...
I give them 5 years before they announce the retractable dome to put the lid on Bristol.

I too can see them doing it to attract non-motorsports stuff **Shudders a little**. Also, they could just y'know open it when NASCAR's in town, and close it either during rain or after NASCAR does their thing. Actually it sounds less horrible now.
They have a 5 year contract.
Given the expansionist nature and unwarranted attention that college sports gets, this could only be the beginning.
 
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