JFR in Trouble? (1 Viewer)

[Paul]

Read to the end of this article, it doesn't sound good. Mid summer it was rumored he had sponsorship all but signed for next year. Rumblings heading into Indy were saying things aren't panning out and now he talks about him not racing next year and laying off people. Hopefully this opens Glendora's eyes that some things aren't rosy out there. If Force can't get sponsorship for himself, that shows what Corporate America thinks about the NHRA.

http://www.competitionplus.com/drag-racing/news/29031-john-force-has-his-coming-to-reality-meeting

 

[HEMI6point1]

I'll never understand how a corporate conglomerate is willing to throw 20 million at a NASCAR team - a sport where most "fans" just watch to see the crashes - but don't want to spend 3-5 million on a drag racing team that will obviously be championship caliber and has a huge fanbase.

 

[None]

I'll never understand how a corporate conglomerate is willing to throw 20 million at a NASCAR team - a sport where most "fans" just watch to see the crashes - but don't want to spend 3-5 million on a drag racing team that will obviously be championship caliber and has a huge fanbase.

It is not that hard to understand. Look no further than the filler classes: Pro Stock and stop and go racing.

 

[Paul]

A couple of top CC's could be without work next year, if I am a team owner looking to add talent in that department I would be having some conversations behind the scenes.

 

[Jimbo]

I think part of the problem is you always have to look at racing from the sponsors perspective.

The comment someone made about why sponsors throw 20 million at a NASCAR team is a good example.

Most NASCAR races are on the TV for a few hours and you are watching cars go around in circles but think in terms of how much camera coverage a sponsor who has a car running in the top ten gets over the course of three hours or more!!

Now look at drag racing and take any top ten cars in the class and ask yourself how much camera coverage time do they get at each event and I think you begin to see part of the reason why they spend their money on NASCAR instead of the NHRA

When sponsors spend money they want to evaluate what they are getting for the dollars they are spending and if the answers don't make sense they look for other places to spend their money.

Having more TV coverage is a good place to start.

There are many things sponsors need and want to see before investing their money and I am sure one thing they are looking at very close in how strong the sanctioning body is that is putting on the events and what type of TV packages they have in place.

In my opinion sponsors are not just sponsoring a team or driver but are buying into the whole sanctioning body concept.

Most people would agree that the car counts for many events have been down along with spectators and sponsors and all of these things tend to show a trend that right now is a problem.

The interesting thing right now is it is not just NHRA drag racing but also NASCAR, Professional Golf and many of types of sporting events that are also seeing their TV ratings going down along with spectators.

Just my opinion. Jimbo

http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[cephus]

has anyone ever done the actual billboard time of a NHRA car vs a roundie round
number of races x number of laps of nascrap car around the track say for instance 23 races times average 300 laps
divide $20M = $6900 per lap of cost totally finishing the race of advertising
vs
number of 23 races x number of 7 possible times down the track for a nhra car
divide by $3M and do the math $10,900 per pass of advertising
maybe shed some light ,,this is not down 2 the penny just for bitching on this site and based on the 2 different types of suits at the top Glendora is a bunch of arrogant folks vs the country boys from the south that can speak to ya without thinking u are beneath them

 

[Tybamf]

He's just playing it up. I'm sure he has sponsors lining up at the door. He is simply trying to maximize his deal and make sure he doesn't pass up a better offer. He is the biggest "free agent" ever in drag racing and will surely be OK. I fully expect shortly after all obligation to Castrol is fulfilled, we will have an announcement.

On a side note I always thought Carhartt would be a great sponsor. Their clothes and workwear are great and if they could come out with a line for mechanics they would need dump trucks to haul all the money to the bank.

 

[Raconteur]

... Having more TV coverage is a good place to start.

More TV coverage? So even less people per hour would tune in?

Drag racing is what it is, so what if we loose a few Pro teams? If drag racing is viable in the market place, it'll survive, maybe 8-car eliminators is the answer.

Sorry, but it looks like we may be seeing the thinning of the herd.

 

[Jimbo]

Darr Hawthorne:
Your comment "More TV coverage? So even less people per hour would tune in?"

I am not sure what you mean. Are you saying the longer NHRA drag racing is on TV you think fewer people are watching?

Jimbo

http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[PJ]

I don't know if it is still true but when Winston was involved they knew they reached more fans via nascar however they had to spend more money to reach them.
If I recall the stat was that they could spend one dollar to reach a NHRA fan but $4 to reach a Nascar fan. If you have money to blow then nascar will, or at least would get it you there. If you wanted more bang for the buck then nhra was where it was at. Again, not sure how true that still is

 

[Nunz]

I don't think Force is playing any game with regards to next year's program. And I'm sure he does have sponsors lining up at the door, just not for the numbers required to replace Castrol and Ford. And like he said, it wouldn't make any sense to run those cars on his nickel. He's been fortunate enough to make a great living and I assume accumulate some wealth while doing what he loves. Running 2 fuel teams without the right backing is a quick way back to baloney sandwiches. I would hate to see him not driving, but if that's what happens next year, it's not the end of the world. Hell, remember when Snake took a season off to focus on finding sponsorship? He came back and raced for years. Let's face it, you can count on one hand the REAL multi-million dollar deals that have lasted for any real length of time. If there were any to be had, Force would've inked one by now, IMO someone would've locked him up as soon as he announced he'd be available for 2015.

 

[Randy]

Thinking about Nascar, if you are in the top handful of cars at each race you'll get most of the TV time compared to the rest. Kinda like the pro golf analogy, where 80% of the money is made by 20% of the pro golfers and 20% of the money is made by 80% of the pro golfers. The top cars get the bulk of the exposure leaving the rest with very little air time unless one of "the rest" is involved in a big wreck and they show it over and over again. And a big wreck wouldn't be considered a sponsored car's finest moment.

At least in NHRA drag racing if you qualify you will be given, at a minimum, first round air time and close up shots of your sponsors as they show the race car pulling to the line.

 

[Toejam]

More TV coverage? So even less people per hour would tune in?

Drag racing is what it is, so what if we loose a few Pro teams? If drag racing is viable in the market place, it'll survive, maybe 8-car eliminators is the answer.

Sorry, but it looks like we may be seeing the thinning of the herd.

Yeah....8 car fields would surely thin the Herd....the fans that is!

 

[mick]

just like the beer dragsters that showed up for decades, the castrol funny car too will soon make it's last pass.
here's a question.....if JFR secured funding for one car and not two, would john race himself or sit out and fund
brittany's TF'r?.....pretty sure he'd sit out and let brittany race.

 

[cephus]

id rather c Courtney and Brittany

 

[cantdrive55]

It's all about R.O.I. Every form of Auto Racing is dealing with it, it just so happens that this time it's John Force.

 

[vegasnitro]

just like the beer dragsters that showed up for decades, the castrol funny car too will soon make it's last pass.
here's a question.....if JFR secured funding for one car and not two, would john race himself or sit out and fund
brittany's TF'r?.....pretty sure he'd sit out and let brittany race.

He was VERY clear in that story on CompPlus that it is more important to him to get Brittany funded. He would sit out if it came down to it. He said they (Robert, Brittany and Courtney) are the future.

 

[TSK]

People are constantly talking about how NHRA is in trouble.
Now DRO has an interview with Tom Compton.
He gives the impression the NHRA, in spite of the still-shaky economy, is doing OK.
If true, that’s great to hear.
However, consider this: the current “face” of NHRA is 65 years old, and there have been many stories written about his difficulties finding major sponsorship for two cars.
The average age of CEOs across the country is 57.
Do you think the people in charge of doling out sponsorship money are going to be inclined to give money to somebody who is 65, or would they prefer to go with someone younger?
As George Harrison sang, “All things must pass.”
The battle with age is never won.
The sport survived the retirement of Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme and many others. And, if what Compton says is true, it will survive if, and when, Force quits.
But, NHRA needs to be doing a better job of promoting the younger stars to secure the future of drag racing.

 

[Race Fan]

Thinking about Nascar, if you are in the top handful of cars at each race you'll get most of the TV time compared to the rest. Kinda like the pro golf analogy, where 80% of the money is made by 20% of the pro golfers and 20% of the money is made by 80% of the pro golfers. The top cars get the bulk of the exposure leaving the rest with very little air time unless one of "the rest" is involved in a big wreck and they show it over and over again. And a big wreck wouldn't be considered a sponsored car's finest moment.

At least in NHRA drag racing if you qualify you will be given, at a minimum, first round air time and close up shots of your sponsors as they show the race car pulling to the line.

Randy

I think what you are referencing is known as "The Pareto Principle". also called The 80:20 Rule

 

[JF]

I think its all about Greed. What does it really take to field a car? You can do it on less, Burgers instead of Lobster, One trailer instead of five, Commercial flights instead of private planes, I'm not talking about not paying yourself a salary. But get real, do you want to race? OR are you a corporation that expects a profit of 400% over the cost of doing business.

John Force is a corporation. His days of wanting to race are over. He races because it fuels the corporation as do most current TF/FC racers. Only a few still do it because they want to race. Dakin, Greek, Zizzo to name a few. Sure even they still need sponsors but they do it for less.