Outside the box cost cutting idea (1 Viewer)

[ironpony]

I have two comments on this thread
1) Lodging is lodging and if you think it is expensive for NHRA events you must not do much other traveling or follow other motorsports.
2) ROI for sponsors in NHRA is not very good, short tv time even less if your PS. Look at the last 20 years how sponsors have dwindled away.
We need to be honest, we get excited to get a new one but 5 left the sport. Look at how many are self funded entries or B2B.
NHRA has become too expensive to run a car and are pricing themselves out, when was the last time we had bump spots.

No more Forces I think JFR will be disappearing in a few years, John was the team. What will happen with Kalitta ? there's 6 teams right there. Jim Head ??
Salinas is gone Capco is hit and miss.
Something needs to give cost wise.

 

[Jim]

Why would cereal or candy sponsor NASCAR cars? Agree, though, it would be nice to see more corporations want to advertise at our races.

I used to work for a candy company that was a big NASCAR sponsor. They did it so they could bring buyers and executives from key retail customers to the race and to the hospitality tent. Bringing in the driver to meet customers was a big part of it, as was taking the show car and driver to trade shows and big meetings. How the driver interacted with their customers was more important than whether or not they won on the track.

They pulled out of NASCAR at the end of 2022 because the sponsorship no longer worked for them the way it did in the 1990s and 2000s. If NHRA teams want to attract corporate sponsors, they have to figure out how to do more for them than slap a logo on the side of a car.

 

[GumbyWVU]

I used to work for a candy company that was a big NASCAR sponsor. They did it so they could bring buyers and executives from key retail customers to the race and to the hospitality tent. Bringing in the driver to meet customers was a big part of it, as was taking the show car and driver to trade shows and big meetings. How the driver interacted with their customers was more important than whether or not they won on the track.

They pulled out of NASCAR at the end of 2022 because the sponsorship no longer worked for them the way it did in the 1990s and 2000s. If NHRA teams want to attract corporate sponsors, they have to figure out how to do more for them than slap a logo on the side of a car.

That's interesting. I wonder if, given that "every pass is a pit pass" in NHRA, since the direct exposure to fans is better, if maybe a revised model would work a little better?

Things definitely have changed for sure.

 

[GumbyWVU]

I have two comments on this thread
1) Lodging is lodging and if you think it is expensive for NHRA events you must not do much other traveling or follow other motorsports.
2) ROI for sponsors in NHRA is not very good, short tv time even less if your PS. Look at the last 20 years how sponsors have dwindled away.
We need to be honest, we get excited to get a new one but 5 left the sport. Look at how many are self funded entries or B2B.
NHRA has become too expensive to run a car and are pricing themselves out, when was the last time we had bump spots.

No more Forces I think JFR will be disappearing in a few years, John was the team. What will happen with Kalitta ? there's 6 teams right there. Jim Head ??
Salinas is gone Capco is hit and miss.
Something needs to give cost wise.

I've seen that ROI isn't good stated here before, but have companies/sponsors actually released their data on ROI to support that claim? Something that shows how their organizational goals and key performance indicators were met? Intangible benefits not met? Short term or long term goals not me?

I've struggled to understand why, if ROI is poor for NHRA, how it could be better for like ARCA, and NASCAR Truck series, where I've seen on TV far, far fewer fans in the stands for a one day event. I can't help therefore believe it's more than an ROI issue.

 

[65 Goatboy]

I used to work for a candy company that was a big NASCAR sponsor. They did it so they could bring buyers and executives from key retail customers to the race and to the hospitality tent. Bringing in the driver to meet customers was a big part of it, as was taking the show car and driver to trade shows and big meetings. How the driver interacted with their customers was more important than whether or not they won on the track.

They pulled out of NASCAR at the end of 2022 because the sponsorship no longer worked for them the way it did in the 1990s and 2000s. If NHRA teams want to attract corporate sponsors, they have to figure out how to do more for them than slap a logo on the side of a car.

I think Scag is a current example of what you are talking about, also look at all the varied sponsors Rick Ware is putting on Clay Millicans car.

 

[ironpony]

I've seen that ROI isn't good stated here before, but have companies/sponsors actually released their data on ROI to support that claim? Something that shows how their organizational goals and key performance indicators were met? Intangible benefits not met? Short term or long term goals not me?

I've struggled to understand why, if ROI is poor for NHRA, how it could be better for like ARCA, and NASCAR Truck series, where I've seen on TV far, far fewer fans in the stands for a one day event. I can't help therefore believe it's more than an ROI issue.

Yes it is assumed. If your sponsored car goes 4 rounds with good tv coverage it is 5 minutes coverage. Those other series have an hour in front of spectators at least. I just look at the number of self sponsored cars and B2b cars then true sponsors and there are only a few. So there is a reason probably better ways for a company to spend a couple million dollars.

 

[ANDY]

Before i moved up the ladder,i was the bottom end guy,in was the short block builder,i was the paint and body guy, (no wraps),i drove the hauler to most of the races,and at a lot of races we ran a top fuel car and a funny car out of 1 trailer.1992 we went to every race with both cars ,there were 4 full time guys a few fly in guys but not always and 1 of the highlights was we were in the other lane when Bernstein ran 301.we also competed in a pit crew challenge for 2 yrs. and got runner up each year.(castrol put that on ) the first one we did it in like 14 minutes, but at the final one the second year we did it in 4.36 and it ran on NITRO for 20-30 secs. we also had a school that we tried to make some extra money over the winter in fla, so it was like a learning vacation all in one. i think i taught 50 guys over the years and from what i was told in feedback there were no complaints. so really when we were done each day, we split up and stayed at a motel sometimes we rented a house sometimes we stayed at a friends house it was whatever we could find. that year we finished in the top 10 got rookie of the year for the TF car, and the FC got a couple runner ups but had too many different drivers.so to make this book im writing stop this was just one team, no big sponsor we put the money back into the car we had a paying driver and sometimes 2 paying drivers.We loved doing this more then u know, we didn't really stop and worry much about the money we made because its true what they say if u want to make money racing start with twice as much !!! there maybe a few things i would change if i tried this again,but i had more fun doing this then any other job i ever had...its a lot of work and a lot of common sense and that's why u see so many old guys still doing it today. there u have it an inside and an outside story..whatever u do save all those motel discount points and all those flying miles too..

 

[T.Smith]

The best quote I heard all weekend "There are too many crew chiefs involved in PRO."

 

[Butch]

I have two comments on this thread
1) Lodging is lodging and if you think it is expensive for NHRA events you must not do much other traveling or follow other motorsports.
2) ROI for sponsors in NHRA is not very good, short tv time even less if your PS. Look at the last 20 years how sponsors have dwindled away.
We need to be honest, we get excited to get a new one but 5 left the sport. Look at how many are self funded entries or B2B.
NHRA has become too expensive to run a car and are pricing themselves out, when was the last time we had bump spots.

No more Forces I think JFR will be disappearing in a few years, John was the team. What will happen with Kalitta ? there's 6 teams right there. Jim Head ??
Salinas is gone Capco is hit and miss.
Something needs to give cost wise.

Before i moved up the ladder,i was the bottom end guy,in was the short block builder,i was the paint and body guy, (no wraps),i drove the hauler to most of the races,and at a lot of races we ran a top fuel car and a funny car out of 1 trailer.1992 we went to every race with both cars ,there were 4 full time guys a few fly in guys but not always and 1 of the highlights was we were in the other lane when Bernstein ran 301.we also competed in a pit crew challenge for 2 yrs. and got runner up each year.(castrol put that on ) the first one we did it in like 14 minutes, but at the final one the second year we did it in 4.36 and it ran on NITRO for 20-30 secs. we also had a school that we tried to make some extra money over the winter in fla, so it was like a learning vacation all in one. i think i taught 50 guys over the years and from what i was told in feedback there were no complaints. so really when we were done each day, we split up and stayed at a motel sometimes we rented a house sometimes we stayed at a friends house it was whatever we could find. that year we finished in the top 10 got rookie of the year for the TF car, and the FC got a couple runner ups but had too many different drivers.so to make this book im writing stop this was just one team, no big sponsor we put the money back into the car we had a paying driver and sometimes 2 paying drivers.We loved doing this more then u know, we didn't really stop and worry much about the money we made because its true what they say if u want to make money racing start with twice as much !!! there maybe a few things i would change if i tried this again,but i had more fun doing this then any other job i ever had...its a lot of work and a lot of common sense and that's why u see so many old guys still doing it today. there u have it an inside and an outside story..whatever u do save all those motel discount points and all those flying miles too..

Back when we did it for the love of racing.

 

[ch streetcars]

Andy- I was attending sever national events in that time period, just as a spectator. I remember your name, but what team were you with? The pit crew challenge was so memorable , we later had Wyotech and other vo-tech schools involved in NHRA. How to get that re-introduced? Please , more stories of your touring days!!

 

[Under_Pressure]

Years back, didn't Tom leave the light on for us.
Something like the official NHRA MOTEL.

Yes, Motel 6 was an NHRA sponsor, and Tom Bodette did NHRA-specific ads that played at the track. They also did some kind of "who got the light" thing tied to performance on the tree- don't remember what it was, maybe best light of the round or something.

 

[Harry]

Here's a real world example. The PRI show is in downtown Indy December 11-13.
Take a look at room rates downtown those days, then look at the same rooms a week later. Look also in Plainfield and out by the airport. When you move away from the event, you'll get a better rate.
And tell me, if you owned a hotel what would your rates be?

Here's what I have decided, it costs more (for the room) to stay downtown, but downtown Indy is skywalk connected so I don't need to rent a car, and don't need to pay for parking everyday when I drive downtown. Financially it's a wash, but much more convenient to pay extra for the room.

Alan

Book your room in Lebanon just north of Brownsburg.

 

[Under_Pressure]

As for why consumer products see value in sponsoring NASCAR, they don't really anymore either. NASCAR has been hurting bad on the sponsorship front for years, and almost all cars have a patchwork of stitched together 1-2-5-10 race sponsorship deals that they hope can get them through the season. It's far from the old days of having A primary sponsor, no matter who you are. This started around the turn of the millennium and by 2008, even Dale Jr needed multiple sponsors for a season when he went to Hendrick.

Most sponsors in any motorsport these days are doing it for internal business purposes. NHRA, NASCAR, Indycar, F1- it's all about being able to bring employees/customers/vendors to the track, have nice hospitality, and make everyone feel like a big shot team member. Advertising is less of a motivator.

 

[mick]

that was a great trivia question: who was in the other lane when KB went 301 in 1992? pretty sure i found the answer after looking
at a few different articles ...... al segrini

 

[none]

Book your room in Lebanon just north of Brownsburg.

Then I need to rent a car, pay for parking, add the drive time every day, get there early enough that the close parking garages aren't full, and not get the "Hotel Bar Experience" downtown where there is as much business done as happens on the show floor.

Alan

 

[Jim]

Then I need to rent a car, pay for parking, add the drive time every day, get there early enough that the close parking garages aren't full, and not get the "Hotel Bar Experience" downtown where there is as much business done as happens on the show floor.

You want it all, Alan.

 

[Mike]

Then I need to rent a car, pay for parking, add the drive time every day, get there early enough that the close parking garages aren't full, and not get the "Hotel Bar Experience" downtown where there is as much business done as happens on the show floor.

Alan

Don't forget the St. Elmo's famous shrimp cocktail.

 

[GumbyWVU]

Yes it is assumed. If your sponsored car goes 4 rounds with good tv coverage it is 5 minutes coverage. Those other series have an hour in front of spectators at least. I just look at the number of self sponsored cars and B2b cars then true sponsors and there are only a few. So there is a reason probably better ways for a company to spend a couple million dollars.

Hmm, wonder if there is tax benefits for B2B also?

 

[GumbyWVU]

Book your room in Lebanon just north of Brownsburg.

Not sure location sometimes matters that much. We paid as much for a hotel in Charlotte, in the University City area, as we did for a lessor hotel in Ashland, Ohio, when going to Norwalk. About 10 years ago, there was a big pipeline project that went through the Ashland/Mansfield area and it seems the few hotels there in Ashland learned the fine art of gouging. At least they don't charge for parking - yet.

I wonder why NHRA doesn't have a travel arrangement service for members? The NRA does, and granted it's got a lot more members, but using it we scored a great price for the Tru by Hilton in downtown Indy for the 2023 national meeting for less than we've paid for hotels in the Indy area for the US Nats.

 

[none]

You want it all, Alan.

It's not what I want, it's what is needed. If you don't stay downtown you need to get back and forth. And if there's any free parking near the convention center, I'm not aware of it. Plus the Indy skywalks are amazing, just not needing a jacket to get around is another plus.

Alan