Snakes deal (1 Viewer)

[jimbo]

After the blurb on the other web site about The Snakes deal with Skytel possibly being in danger, has anyone heard anymore on the subject?
I did read somewhere Larry Dixon's contract with DPR was up for renewal on Oct. !st. He also stated the the Snake said don't worry. Was this blurb just a "chicken little " item or was there any truth to the rumor?
What I do know is I sure miss LD's prerace and post race notes and comments that were published on the team report page in ND along with releases that were on the Nitromater here. If the Snake does get a new sponsor-I sure hope there's enough money to hire a PR person like when long time sponsor Miller was aboard!
It would be a shame if this legend (Snake) and 2nd winningest TF driver in history (LD) had to sit on the sidelines!

 

[rocketman]

I can't believe that the Snake doesn't have a PR person right now. I'm sure you are mistaken.

As for the Skytel deal, all I know is what you already heard. Sometimes when the team supporter leaves the company so does the sponsorship. I think it's all gotten to expensive to think that there's a lot of available deals out there in a short period of time. In the 90's you could get by on a half million. what happend?

 

[turbo ken]

I heard somewhere that skytel was a 1 year only deal.

 

[PJ]

I'm sure they have a pr person it's just not the same guy as it was before, he did great, but has since moved on to another team

 

[Buddy]

I heard somewhere that skytel was a 1 year only deal.

That's what I thought it was too... I think Dixon is doing pretty good promoting SkyTel, I can't imagine them not wanting to renew...

CJ Curtsinger

 

[Rajunz]

Skip Allum was Snake's PR man until mid 2002, when he got moved into the General Manager position. I'm not sure who's done PR since then. Do you guys remember Skip posting on here about the Sunglasses Fiasco.

 

[Bobby Bennett]

Torco Racing Fuel's Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - DIXON'S UNCERTAIN FUTURE

 

[none]

Well, I guess since the 30 days are up we should expect an announcement

Or maybe we let the guys make a run at the championship before we start commenting/speculating on next year..........

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

I think I'll have a little more faith in Snake's ability to run his business as he has for years. Miller beer dropping could have been a fatal blow but he picked up a paging company, for heaven's sake. I suspect he can market his billboard as well as most anyone can and his credentials coupled with Larry's don't hurt him at all. Suffice it to say, I doubt he's at home with his head in his hands. I see him with a phone in his ear scheduling a meeting with multiple company's marketing departments, don't you?

 

[jimbo]

I was not questioning Snakes ability on landing a sponsor. I just remember last January when the Skytel deal announcement was almost last minute. I'd hate to go through that again-waiting to be sure my favorite TF will be partipating this coming year.
As far as the PR person goes all the past years there have pre and post race reports on the TF car. Snakes FC has frequent updates and race reports in ND and other websites. I am assuming being the business person that the Snake is, the Pr persons salary is bulit into the sponsorship package. I may be wrong but this is what I suspect.

 

[mick]

when you hear teams talk about signing multi-year agreements; that they
are not satisfied with just one-year 'flash-in-the-pans'......it probably doesn't
say much for how business views drag racing as a marketing tool when
don prudhomme of all people has to settle for a one year deal. he was
probably already looking for 2008 and beyond before he signed the deal
for 2007!
i'd really like to see larry and don stay together for a few more years,
they have invested many years together.
possible that us tobacco will expand their involvment with team??

 

[Nunz]

I agree with you Doc. The only trouble is, the floodgates haven't exactly opened for drag racing sponsorships yet. So even the best may have trouble finding deals.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

I'm a salesman. I sell land here in Arizona and nothing whatsoever happens without my initiation. I have to find buyers, sellers and then put them together. I get nothing until I have successfully merged the needs of such buyers and sellers to the satisfaction of all parties. After 30 years of this I know how to pound pavement and make business come to life. My competitors flourish in great times and starve in times like we are now having but I stay the course and figure out how to keep fed (and fund a race team along with my retirement, etc.)
There are way too many similarities to discuss but I will say this. There are millions of companies that need to market their services/products/ideas to the public. They are paying through the nose to marketing departments who are searching high and low for better ways to reach target markets, expose their company to the public and reach potential customers. Somewhere in the space between such marketing needs and Top Fuel drag racing lies the opportunity for synergy. I have to believe that some of the best long term sponsorships have yet to be landed. I don't doubt Don Prudhomme knows all this intimately and is working toward a long-term relationship. I wish him all the best.

 

[DrRocket]

.
possible that us tobacco will expand their involvment with team??

Doubt that. Restrictions on tobacco adverstising are pretty strict. I think one of the restrictions is that they can't use sports marketing if there are kid in the audience. It's why they got out of NASCAR and NHRA marketing.

 

[PJ]

WOW you would think with the amazing excitedness of the countdown and all of the attention it has drawn that sponsors would be beating doors down trying to get in. Especially when Dixon, one of the all time greats, is available.



I do hope the either resign skytel or grab a new one quick. I'd prefer that they keep the old one. It's gonna get pricey if I have to buy new shirts for my son everytime Dixon changes a sponsor lol

 

[mick]

Doubt that. Restrictions on tobacco adverstising are pretty strict. I think one of the restrictions is that they can't use sports marketing if there are kid in the audience. It's why they got out of NASCAR and NHRA marketing.

us tobacco = skoal sponsored funny car

 

[Toejam]

While In Dallas I visited with the Husband and wife that run Snake's apparel trailer. They told me that Donna Prudhomme asked them if they could work next year....

 

[you]

......The only trouble is, the floodgates haven't exactly opened for drag racing sponsorships yet.........

I don't know.....Evan Knoll and Forrest Lucas have come close!

 

[DrRocket]

us tobacco = skoal sponsored funny car

I realize that. I'm just saying that that's about as much as they can get away with these days.

 

[Jay]

I realize that. I'm just saying that that's about as much as they can get away with these days.

The chewing tobacco companies are not subject to the cigarette tobacco settlement with the government.