Déjà Vu for Connolly

[Paul]

Looks like Charter Communications sponsorship is in jeopardy and he is in the same position as last year at this time.

Drag Racing Internet Magazine - Competition Plus.com - KRISHER HEADED TO EDWARDS?

 

[mokanmike]

i thought that he had a 4 year deal???

 

[Randy]

i thought that he had a 4 year deal???

I thought it said Lucas on the side of his car?

 

[Pete]

do these sponsors have out clauses that they are using? This is not the first "multi-year" sponsor that has pulled the plug!

 

[rocketman]

Judas Priest, Déjà Vu every week. Who's next? When a sponsor's logo changes size and position that's an indication that all is not well. Remember when the Yankees identity slowly dissolved from Gywnn's car? That year was an ugly one for sponsors leaving if I recall but a few came through that winter. This was before Mr. Knoll got involved in drag racing.

 

[MoparBilly]

I was watching TV the other night, and a financial show was discussing companies that might not be around in 2009. I was shocked to see Charter Communications in the discussion. Something about high debt load and increasing competition...

 

[jackass]

do these sponsors have out clauses that they are using? This is not the first "multi-year" sponsor that has pulled the plug!

Pete.... most sponsors put their "out" clause in before the rest of the deal...regretfully... due to a few team owners.. couple drag..mostly oval .. that burned a few companies over the last few years...

Worst one i can think of is the John Deere/Jack Roush deal.... burned JD so bad they won't touch any form of motorsports....


Billy

 

[StockersRock]

Pete.... most sponsors put their "out" clause in before the rest of the deal...regretfully... due to a few team owners.. couple drag..mostly oval .. that burned a few companys over the last few years...

Worest one i can think of is the John Deere/Jack Roush deal.... burned JD so bad they won't touch any form of motorsports....


Billy

Yeah, with Chad Little who now runs the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour about as well as he drove a Cup car. Though, in his defense (not that I'm giving him much), there was definitely 2 very distinct tiers of equipment in the Roush stables then. Look at how bad they burned Johnny Benson, who now has championships in two of the big three NASCAR series.

 

[tnitro2]

If I'm not mistaken the LUCAS on the side of the car was a late addition, during the Chase, based upon a marketing agreement between LUCAS and Charter that involved an airtime trade. It's no secret that Charter has some financial issues and this may be a result of that, as is alot of the current conditions in drag racing.

 

[rocketman]

Well, if a company is doing badly who can blame them?

 

[clwill]

Last June, about when they made the deal with Dave, Charter's stock was $1.68 a share. It closed yesterday at $0.08, dangerously close to being delisted (which happens at $0.01). That's a drop of 95% in just over six months. Ouch.

 

[chop]

Rumor has that the Charter deal was bad from the get go. I was told that some of the crew was out looking for jobs before the Lucas deal came along.The deal with Charter was in April,right before the Atlanta race.

 

[tnitro2]

If I could suggest, any sponsor that remains in the sport, or any new ones that come in during these tougher economic times, please do your best to support them. Try their products, make a conscious decision to use their products/services over a non-participating product and let the retailer know that you are buying based upon their support.

This thread deals with Mac Tools and their withdrawal from the Kalitta team. I'm sure they still see drag racing as a viable form of not so much reaching their end user, but as a way to provide added value to thier distributors that sell the professional quality tools to the techs. That's why they can justify their continued support of NHRA and the MacDaddy US Nationals. If you are a tech and have access to a Mac Dealer, let them know you appreciate them, same for the Matco guys, and yes the Snap-On dealer as well. All the pro tool companies are taking a beating right now so some contraction is inevitable, but do what you can to keep the trucks rolling into your shop.

Check out and let GEICO give you an insurance quote on your toys, cars, house whatever. If they are competitive, let them know you appreciate their investment in the sport.

The old adage in customer service can be reversed here. "If you give great service, only the customer will know, if you give bad service, EVERYBODY will know....." well let's change that a bit to let all your friends know to support the people that support our sport. "Wake up America"......Pitts off...

PS...I'm trademarking that '"MacDaddy US Nationals" so Tony, if you would like to use it, get ahold of my attorney....lol

 

[tnitro2]

oooops....posted that on the wrong thread. can a moderator move this for me?

 

[Randy]

oooops....posted that on the wrong thread. can a moderator move this for me?

Your comments fit this thread as well.

 

[none]

Sponsor deaks are become "As the check clears..." Your deal is only as good as the last check you got that cleared. I would not be shocked to see deals fall apart during the second round of payments. This is going down hill fast..

 

[None]

I was watching TV the other night, and a financial show was discussing companies that might not be around in 2009. I was shocked to see Charter Communications in the discussion. Something about high debt load and increasing competition...

Spot on. Charter has 40 BILLION in debt on the books and most of it coming due in 2009 and will most likely be going away. Would be interesting to know how much last years deal was worth for the yellow car. Was there real money there or another of those large paint jobs with small cash?

 

[snowbunny]

Speaking of supporting sponsors, I live in a North Texas county of nearly 100k
population and we can't buy a reliable Mac Dealer, haven't had one in years, the last one here had very few tools to sell but boy did he have the knifes, swords and collectables to sell, I have very few Mac tools and half of them are broken, Mac can send a dealer if they want to but he may not be very welcome, hard to support a company with that kind of customer service.