Outside the Lines covers NASCAR and Economy

[Gateway Fan]

Per Jayski.com

ESPNs Outside the Lines Examines Economys Impact on NASCAR: Sundays Outside the Lines (ESPN 9:30am/et; ESPNEWS 12noon/et) will examine how NASCAR is being affected by todays struggling economy. Transporting equipment and personnel cross country has never been costlier due to escalating fuel prices, which have also impacted fans traveling to races. The economy has made sponsors more vital, yet hard to secure, prompting long-time team owners to seek outside investors: Boston Red Sox owner John Henry became co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing (2006); Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillette became primary owner of Gillette Evernham Motorsports (2007); Boston Ventures, an equity firm, took control of Petty Enterprises (May 2008). Mike Massaro reports.
From Sundays Outside the Lines: "We could see six or so teams shut down if they are not funded. Nobody is going to run this out of their own pocket for too long, myself included, so it is a serious situation". -- Doug Yates, owner of Yates Racing
"Before, let's say five years ago, a top echelon team, you were looking at $10-15 million. All of a sudden, now, I'm told, because of driver salaries and all the other factors that affected the cost of going racing, that top tier team now is $24-30 million" -- Larry Camp, motor sports marketing expert
"I know this is a sports story, but this is not a sport anymore, except on Sunday afternoon from about 1-to-5 in the afternoon. It's a business six days a week". Kyle Petty, driver for Petty Enterprises and son of NASCAR legend Richard Petty
"We are committed to getting through this year, but I got to be able to see into 09 something a little more positive than I see today. I think well make it, but the economy and the struggles the other teams are seeing are the same as ours. It is a tough, tough world out there right now in NASCAR". Doug Yates.(ESPN PR)(6-27-2008)

[SportscarBruce]

April 29, 2007, from Bizville NASCAR/open wheel disucssion;

The "weaker (open wheel) series" have managed to survive splits, lean years, predictions of imminent demise, and yet they bounce back. Why? because enough fans, sponsors, and participants maintained an emotional attachment to their beloved sport.

NASCAR has burned that lifeboat, the only thing that holds it together today are promises of money and glamour.

Once gone the whole house of cards comes crashing down.

That day is approaching.

Per Jayski.com

Doug Yates;

"We could see six or so teams shut down if they are not funded. Nobody is going to run this out of their own pocket for too long, myself included, so it is a serious situation"

Kyle Petty;

"I know this is a sports story, but this is not a sport anymore, except on Sunday afternoon from about 1-to-5 in the afternoon. It's a business six days a week". "We are committed to getting through this year, but I got to be able to see into 09 something a little more positive than I see today.

[Booster]

I know I'll probably take a lot of heat for this...but I wouldn't mind seeing NASCAR go down. It's boring and cheesy...I'll take open wheel and sports cars anyday over stock cars.

[KevMcNJ]

I know I'll probably take a lot of heat for this...but I wouldn't mind seeing NASCAR go down. It's boring and cheesy...I'll take open wheel and sports cars anyday over stock cars.

holy cow

this is gonna get good

(logs off to make some popcorn)

[schraderfan]

Nothing is going down. The worst case scenario is 2004. About 36 full-time, full-race teams.

[SportscarBruce]

It woun't go away but rather go through a major shakeup.

Some positives;

Shifting control of the sport from BF and his Mad Ave marketing adviser buddies towards people who live and breath racing, dumping the COT for genuine stock cars (Aussie V8s for instance) with genuine stock engines, trimming down stratospheric budgets everywhere from mega-fabrication shops to travelling entourages, etc, etc.

People bought into the notion that NASCAR's river of money was never going to taper off. Things just got out of hand.

[MoparsRule]

It woun't go away but rather go through a major shakeup.

Some positives;

Shifting control of the sport from BF and his Mad Ave marketing adviser buddies towards people who live and breath racing, dumping the COT for genuine stock cars (Aussie V8s for instance) with genuine stock engines, trimming down stratospheric budgets everywhere from mega-fabrication shops to travelling entourages, etc, etc.

People bought into the notion that NASCAR's river of money was never going to taper off. Things just got out of hand.

I'm with SCB on that one... that'd be sweet!

[BADGER]

I'm with SCB on that one... that'd be sweet!

Shifting control of the sport from BF and his Mad Ave marketing adviser buddies towards people who live and breath racing

Yeah sure I remember how so many like yourself praised the ideal of shifting control of a series from a dictator towards people who live and breath racing. I guess it's only a good idea with a brainiac like TG in charge

[Gateway Fan]

With the #40 closing shop, that is the first of the up to 6 predicted by Robert Yates to close after the season. Yates Racing would be two more, that's three. How about Robby Gordon, drives a Dodge with little sponsorship. Front Row has been towing around the country with nothing to show for it, that's five. DEI has gone on the record as saying they need sponsorship for the 01 or it closes as well. That is six. 6 current, full time NASCAR Sprint Cup series teams that may close up shop and not continue for 2009 and beyond. Meanwhile, NASCAR has limited the most successful teams to four cars each. How does that decision look now? While other teams are dropping out due to high cost, they are going to force RFR to drop from 5 to 4 after next year. Brilliant idea.