Just saw this on Fox (1 Viewer)

[Student of the sport]

FOX Sports on MSN - NASCAR - This isn't what the Chase was made for

Interesting!!

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

I've said it before:
I really like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson-but then again, I still have all my own teeth?

 

[The Counterfeiter]

FOX Sports on MSN - NASCAR - This isn't what the Chase was made for

Interesting!!

We have (or had, stay tuned) a motorhome spot above the backstretch at PIR. I was amazed to watch 100,000 people sit in the stands to watch the worst NASCAR race I have ever seen. Stands were full and no one left until the end of this debacle!
We pay $3000 per race for the spot, which includes two passes - additional passes are $95 each. It's the best spot to watch a race I have ever seen and it has been worth every dollar to provide customers and employees with a unique experience. Unfortunately, someone at NASCAR realized this and these 16 spots were rumored to being converted to eight corporate spots at $25,000 per race. Hope of this being wrong dissapeared when three Budweiser Racing marketing guys showed up and started taking notes and photos. Kicked under the bus by NASCAR - I'm done with supporting these *******s. I hope NHRA's new "partners" realize that there could be a huge opportunity here - guided pit tours, starting line experience, etc
I could help, but I doubt anyone at NHRA wants to hear my ideas - Jim

 

[Sully]

If NASCAR had started awarding more points for winning a race than for leading a lap, they never would have needed their version of the Countdown in the first place. They threw this abomination together when faced with the prospect of a champion with no race wins a few years back, its charm has been on a downslide ever since - so naturally NHRA copied the idea and it's working out about as well as the trucks, another great idea they copied from NASCAR..

 

[None]

We have (or had, stay tuned) a motorhome spot above the backstretch at PIR. I was amazed to watch 100,000 people sit in the stands to watch the worst NASCAR race I have ever seen. Stands were full and no one left until the end of this debacle!
We pay $3000 per race for the spot, which includes two passes - additional passes are $95 each. It's the best spot to watch a race I have ever seen and it has been worth every dollar to provide customers and employees with a unique experience.

I don't think there a civil response to this post.

 

[*******]

Hmmm more ammo for P.J.

And NHRA wants to copy this ?

 

[----NONE----]

This kinda goes along with what a caller on Sirius NASCAR was saying last night (yeah, I know, I know, but NHRA/IHRA doesn't have a radio station dedicated to them... hint hint, anybody listening????? The full day of racing like the audiocast, might be popular. If it works, I'm claiming royalties!). I guess that for whatever reason, NASCAR has been declining after the 1st year of the Chase. Maybe it's a coincidence, maybe not, I don't know....
Look, I guess that I'm a purist at heart (I'm not trying to take anything awy from the current NHRA champs, after all, they had the most points for the last couple of races.....), but this thing definitely needs some fine tuning....

 

[d'kid]

I think both NASCAR and NHRA are missing the boat. Hardcore fans go to the track for the racing, and let the points fall where they may. It's the same when I watch on TV, I'd rather see a car Dominate (Elliot in Talladanga(sp) coming back from two laps down without a caution). It is the reason to Race, It's about Winning... Does it make good TV? Nope, but then, I don't watch the Super Bowl either, I understand the commercials are great, but the Games are normally one sided.

What I mean by that, I'm not a real football fan, so I don't watch football. I'm a drag racing Fan, so I watch drag racing... If I want to take a nap, I'll turn on a Winston Cup race(yeah, I know they have another Title Sponsor, some Cell Phone Company)...

But that's me. I'm not the target audience... or maybe I am

d'kid

 

[PJ]

I just wanted to point out this statement from the stroy for those that didn't read it all "Only four of the 10 Chase races have been sell-outs, and that is if the season finale at Homestead sells all of its tickets as expected.
TV ratings, meanwhile, have plummeted as the Chase has worn on — down an average of 14 percent over the past four races..."


This is one of the points I have been trying to make in the anti countdown stand. We are copying something that hasn't worked. hell 4 years in you'd think the drivers there would have given up but last weekend I saw an interview and they were saying how they still prefer the old system.


I know last years race over their would have been closer going into the final race without the chase. I thought I had heard the same was happening this year but I haven't checked to see if thats true.

When will the powers that be realize you can't manipulate true competition and honest drama

 

[ROCKY]

Nascar forgot to dance with the ones that brought them to the dance and started flirting with others. Ratings have been going down. I'm afraid NHRA is going to go the same direction.

 

[jim]

I just like watching the cars go around, as I like watching the drag race cars go down the track. I love the hardware, and don't particularly care about the championship drama.
I'm not trying to knock the human side of racing, I just don't care so much.

 

[Bullard Anderson]

With a TV contract that pays NASCAR $4.48 billion, I wondered why can't they go back to the short tracks to make racing more interesting for the TV viewer.

How much money do you need!

I don't know, I've given up on NASCAR, and I'm so thankful for the NHRA.

 

[The Swegian]

I've been to 20+ NASCAR races the last 7 years. I get tired of seeing the same cars week in and week out running at the front. Couple that with the fact that to actually watch a race on TV, you have to sit through about an hour and a half of commercials over a 3-1/2 hour race and my interest now has all but disappeared.

When NASCAR decided on imposing a "playoff" my interest definitely took a hit. Even though I'm not a fan of the countdown, I won't let it affect my interest in drag racing (I've spent too many years watching it and attending national events), but I certainly can't say the same thing for many others.

 

[Rajunz]

If NASCAR had started awarding more points for winning a race than for leading a lap, they never would have needed their version of the Countdown in the first place. They threw this abomination together when faced with the prospect of a champion with no race wins a few years back, its charm has been on a downslide ever since - so naturally NHRA copied the idea and it's working out about as well as the trucks, another great idea they copied from NASCAR..

Sorry Larry, but that is NOT why NASCAR created the Chase. Their Chase was created to bring viewership back once football season started. It has served that purpose.

As for this article, the only solution to this dehlima is to create some sort of a Salary Cap. Right now Team Hendricks is to NASCAR what the 49ers used to be to NFL before their Salary Cap.

 

[PJ]

. Their Chase was created to bring viewership back once football season started. It has served that purpose.

.

um maybe they taught math different where I came from but a 14% drop in viewership during the chase doesn't seem to be bringing them back. Current numbers are below what they were pre chase.

I will agree that overhyping and mainstream coverage has increased but it hasn't led to viewership and apparently (and to my surprise butts in the seats) over these chase races

 

[Rajunz]

It added viewership the first couple of seasons. The issue that you will never quit harping on, about the decline in viewership, that is pretty simple. NASCAR was already over hyped, over rated, forced down every sports fans throat if you will, and that hype was already wearing off. Late 90's NASCAR was the "IN" thing to do. Mid 2000's the hype wore off, and there is nothing that anyone can do to solve that. The sport will find a level spot and stay there.

HOWEVER, if there were 10 drivers going into this weekend with a shot of winning the title, I guarantee you that they would have record viewership for that one race. That is the one thing that a Chase, Countdown, Playoff can potentially bring to the table, to tighten up the field for the season finale. It did accomplish that much for NHRA.

Come on PJ, don't argue with what I just wrote, just agree with it, no matter what side of the fence you're on, you know I'm correct on this one!

 

[PJ]

It added viewership the first couple of seasons. The issue that you will never quit harping on, about the decline in viewership, that is pretty simple. NASCAR was already over hyped, over rated, forced down every sports fans throat if you will, and that hype was already wearing off. Late 90's NASCAR was the "IN" thing to do. Mid 2000's the hype wore off, and there is nothing that anyone can do to solve that. The sport will find a level spot and stay there.

HOWEVER, if there were 10 drivers going into this weekend with a shot of winning the title, I guarantee you that they would have record viewership for that one race. That is the one thing that a Chase, Countdown, Playoff can potentially bring to the table, to tighten up the field for the season finale. It did accomplish that much for NHRA.

Come on PJ, don't argue with what I just wrote, just agree with it, no matter what side of the fence you're on, you know I'm correct on this one!

ratings went up the first year of the chase and have goen down every year since.

Your point on if 10 drivers were in the hunt is partially correct. See it matters who those 10 drivers are. Every sports league, except possibly the nfl, always worries about who will be in their championship game. Certain teams draw better ratings then others. mlb was dreading and Indians vs Rockies match up in the world series. Now granted in team sports it often matters the size of the city they come from and that doesn't translate into racing per se. But the idea is still the same, its not always how many are in it but who. Years WJ was walking away with the title I was still very much into pro stock until the last race, years that GA did it, not so much

 

[Rajunz]

You HAD to dispute it huh PJ? Couldn't help yourself, huh?

.........Your point on if 10 drivers were in the hunt is partially correct. See it matters who those 10 drivers are..............

So in saying that, you PARTIALLY agree with me on the following, correct? I am correct on that one, right PJ?

.........That is the one thing that a Chase, Countdown, Playoff can potentially bring to the table, to tighten up the field for the season finale. It did accomplish that much for NHRA.

Come on PJ, don't argue with what I just wrote, just agree with it, no matter what side of the fence you're on, you know I'm correct on this one!

 

[BF]

Another interesting story. Read some of the comments and see for yourself how NASCAR fans "love" their chase.
ESPN - McGee: The Chase works - Nascar

 

[Paul]

David Poole (NASCAR Journalist) said it best the other morning all ratings are down across the majority of sports and less people are watching TV these days. Like or hate it, the chase has created excitement and is not going anywhere. I was thinking of PJ and the other anti-countdown crew when he made these statements.