Sprint Extends NASCAR Sponsorship Through 2016, Everyone Jumps on the Fanwagon

Below is a news release from NASCAR announcing the extension of Sprint's sponsorship through 2016. Here's what struck me: the mentions of fans. Brian France says NASCAR's five-year plan is "laser-focused on continuing to improve our product, keep our existing fans engaged, and reach new fans."

What, no mention of TEAMS? No mention of drivers? Hospitality tents? "Creating outstanding sponsor experiences?" Huh? It's as if NASCAR understands where their revenue comes from (tip: it ain't teams). Later, Sprint's Dan Hesse gets on the fanwagon too. It's. All. About. Fans. NASCAR gets it.

News release below:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR and Sprint have signed a multi-year agreement for Sprint to remain the entitlement partner of the sport's premier series. The extension keeps NASCAR and Sprint as partners through 2016, and ensures that the No. 1 finisher in the sport's top series will be a Sprint Cup Series champion. The agreement coincides with NASCAR's Five-Year Industry Action Plan, which is designed to help grow the sport and reach new audiences.

"Sprint has been very successful in using our sport as a platform to enhance its brand and drive their business," NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said. "They have been a fantastic partner and we are immensely pleased to continue with Sprint as the entitlement partner for our premier series. This new agreement aligns perfectly with our aggressive five-year plan, which is laser-focused on continuing to improve our product, keep our existing fans engaged, and reach new fans."

"NASCAR fans are great customers who reward us with their loyalty," Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said. "We're very pleased to continue to have our brand associated with the most competitive and exciting form of racing in the world."

Since Sprint became the title sponsor in February 2004, it has activated the sponsorship in a number of creative and innovative ways, including the introduction of NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile, the exclusive application that allows millions of Sprint customers to keep up with every lap of NASCAR action on their wireless devices each year; the Sprint Experience mobile marketing display, which entertains more than 500,000 fans each year at Sprint Cup Series events across the country; and the introduction of Miss Sprint Cup, a fan favorite who boasts more than 1.2 million followers in the social media space on Facebook and Twitter.

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For a story based on this announcemen from NASCAR.com, go HERE.

Comments

[redcar]

I'm assuming you're talking as much about Indycar as Nascar here, P-Dog. So which group of fans is Indycar supposed to appeal to? It seems that anything that pleases one group just pisses off another.

Perhaps one problem with Indycar is that Randy does listen and so the series is starting to look like an elephant built by committee. Nascar knows what it is--"rubbin' is racin'." Maybe Indycar needs to figure out exactly what the product is--where they race, what they race, when they race.

Seems to me that Indycar (since Bernard anyway) has bent over backwards to try to please their fanbase.

[pressdog]

I'm commending NASCAR on their fan focus, which is still lacking in IndyCar, in my opinion. It's better than it has been, but too often fans come behind teams and sponsors and other considerations. Credit to Bernard for saying "fan" far more than predecessors. Still, when it comes to a choice between pleasing fans and pleasing other constituencies like teams and sponsor big dogs, NASCAR seems to invariably choose to please fans, and I argue that is single biggest factor in their success. Mainly because if you attract fans then everyone else is making moeny and happy. Meanwhile, IndyCar tries to do both, or goes with teams over fans, or most recently really has no idea what their target fan wants. This is all very complex, I realize. The reason why people like Bernard and others get the big money is to identify your target customer (fans) and 2) find out what wins them over and 3) give it to them. IndyCar seems all scattered on all three of those areas. At the end of the day you can only have ONE #1 priority. It has to be fans. Always.

[Brian McKay]

I hope that Angstadt's replacement is more fan-focused.

[rick mcnamar]

aAnd this is why i am getting less and less interested in nascar . I used to be a huge nascar and indy car fan i have 7 seson ticket for texas and have been been to every nascar and indy car event ever held there, but this year i,m giving them up. I realize it takes a lot of money to feed this monster but it's just to much like a circus now. The races are boring with the new car, its not about racing any more its all about the show.I've been to the indy 500 for 21 yrs. in a row now and if wasn't for for the tradition i would give them up too.I raced dirt tracks for 25 yrs. and i still think it's the best most competitive form of racing left.

[pressdog]

I don't watch Cup races rick for several reasons. First they are too long and I'm not excited by watching cars go around the track under caw-shun. I also dislike the Boys Have At It bullshit. The on-the-track product for me just doesn't induce me to sit through 4-hour races. But, obviously, based on TV numbers, there are millions of others who disagree with my view. As for the Indy 500, the last several races have been yawners, in my view. Luckily in 2011 Target couldn't figure out fuel mileage and Hildebrand biffed it to create some drama. The most powerful thing you can do as a consumer to change something on TV is not watch it.

[S0CSeven]

I watch NASCAR. I tape it & then FF until I see smokey stuff happening & watch that ...... then FF to the last 20 laps.

With the exception of Daytona, Talledega & the road courses, none of the races last over 20 minutes.

Works for me.