Sponsor exposure and the Kalitta Boycott (1 Viewer)

[DragFan2]

Well, the fear that PJ and others had at the beginning of the year, actually before the beginning of the year, regarding TV exposure of just the Countdown cars is coming to a head.

Look at how UPS and Bob Vandergriff had to blow up at the ESPN reporters and NHRA about his lack of exposure when he worked his butt off to bring UPS, a HUGE new sponsor to NHRA and only when he made it into the Countdown did he get any exposure and TV time. Now, it's the Kalitta Teams that are being outspoken about the issue, and it appears highly likely that next year or whenever new contracts are being negotiated, there will probably be clauses in the contracts about sponsor payments only through the the beginning of the Countdown and if a team doesn't make it, then there may not be any sponsorship payments, or they may drop considerably due to the lack of exposure that the sponsors will get. See Jon Asher's article and interview with Jim Oberhoffer on CompPlus here.

 

[Big John]

Re: Sponsor exposure

IHRA showed that we do not need a count down.

 

[67 Cuda]

Re: Sponsor exposure

Lets hope NHRA will realize that the "Countdown" is not what is needed in this form. With the limited track time that a car gets you would hope that NHRA will realize that they need to rework their plans to get more equal time for the different winners even if it means shorter interviews.

They should have an overview of each qualified driver doing a burnout that would be like a driver intro at the beginning of the eliminations program. It would only take a couple of minutes and would insure that each sponser would get mentioned at each race.

 

[Mooseman]

Re: Sponsor exposure

IHRA showed that we do not need a count down.

why doesnt everybody just go race IHRA

 

[Dave]

The Kalitta Boycott

This is a very interesting read from Competition Plus. I did not realize that 9 and 10 don't get paid. Until I read this I was still on the fence if I liked the Countdown or not. After reading this, I don't think I like it.

Torco Racing Fuel's Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - THE “ALMOST” BOYCOTT

 

[None]

Re: The Kalitta Boycott

This is a very interesting read from Competition Plus. I did not realize that 9 and 10 don't get paid. Until I read this I was still on the fence if I liked the Countdown or not. After reading this, I don't think I like it.

Torco Racing Fuel's Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - THE “ALMOST” BOYCOTT

More bonus money for Compton and Light?

 

[d'kid]

Re: The Kalitta Boycott

Frustrated? I agree with Jim O and we've been down this road all season...

nuff said

d'kid

 

[Doug in the woods]

Re: The Kalitta Boycott

What would be a real news story, kinda a take of the 60's is have teams and fans show up in Glendora en-mass and protest at NHRA headquarters about this bogus countdown crap.
Look at what this monster has done to the likes of Melanie Troxel, Ron Capps to name a couple.
I watched the race where Doug Kallita won and I still don't recall a top end interview with Dougie. Maybe because they kept throwing out that COUNTDOWN crap.
Well drag race fans lets get some REAL tv exposure and show up in Glendora before the Finals. I could see it now, 5000 race fans show up in front of NHRA headquarters and protest the countdown and the redicious salary the head honchos at NHRA are pulling in.
If the machine needs fixing then we as fans must pickup our tools (picket signs) and fix the way NHRA is operating. We as members have a right to voice our opnion seeing how WE are the NHRA.
I would bet the farm that if several thousand fans showed up at NHRA headquarters things would be different next year.
NEWS FLASH!! The city of Glendora is basically shut down due to a massive protest at NHRA headquarters. John Force in front in a wheel chair (get the smaphy vote as news stories with people in destress always get more news points).

 

[PJ]

Re: The Kalitta Boycott

spread the word, the petition is still out there and the powers that be are aware of it. Now if we can only get teams to fly anti countdown stickers

NHRA points System Petition

 

[Paul]

Re: The Kalitta Boycott

Here we go again..... If the TF Kalitta cars performed like they did last year, this would not be so much of a problem. And Doug, good luck finding 5,000 race fans to join you protesting the Countdown. Look at PJ's petition and you will see what I am talking about.

 

[lmhb oyf]

Re: The Kalitta Boycott

Here we go again..... If the TF Kalitta cars performed like they did last year, this would not be so much of a problem. And Doug, good luck finding 5,000 race fans to join you protesting the Countdown. Look at PJ's petition and you will see what I am talking about.

Who cares? The countdown still sucks ass.

 

[Husky]

Re: Sponsor exposure

IHRA showed that we do not need a count down.

\
So did last seasons TF Finish as well as a few of those Pomona decided FC seasons!JMHO

 

[PJ]

Re: The Kalitta Boycott

Here we go again..... If the TF Kalitta cars performed like they did last year, this would not be so much of a problem. And Doug, good luck finding 5,000 race fans to join you protesting the Countdown. Look at PJ's petition and you will see what I am talking about.

so not getting interviewed until he won the finals was ok with you. The countdown makes those no tin in it less meaningful, this mean less coverage which means pissed off sponsors. In the past the focus has been on the couple of teams still in the hunt. Someone else sneaking in for a win still got coverage though. Now with 8 countdown teams being crammed down our throats(and really not even the 8 are fully covered) there is less room for anyone else. So now a team gets a break through win in a rough season and can barely salvage any tv time???

Will it be even more exciting for you in the next few years when due to sponsors not paying out to teams not making the cut, they are not able to come to the countdown races? The countdown is bad for the health of our sport, but what the hell its exciting right

 

[Paul]

Re: The Kalitta Boycott

Who cares? The countdown still sucks ass.

That's your opinion and you are entitled to it. I am a person who likes to see how everything works out before I pass judgment. Why does it "sucks ass"?? Are you one of those people who want a life like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day and can not accept a little change to entertain your imagination?

 

[Paul]

Re: The Kalitta Boycott

so not getting interviewed until he won the finals was ok with you. The countdown makes those no tin in it less meaningful, this mean less coverage which means pissed off sponsors. In the past the focus has been on the couple of teams still in the hunt. Someone else sneaking in for a win still got coverage though. Now with 8 countdown teams being crammed down our throats(and really not even the 8 are fully covered) there is less room for anyone else. So now a team gets a break through win in a rough season and can barely salvage any tv time???

Will it be even more exciting for you in the next few years when due to sponsors not paying out to teams not making the cut, they are not able to come to the countdown races? The countdown is bad for the health of our sport, but what the hell its exciting right

PJ, I am not going to get into this with you again, we will agree to disagree. If this was true then we should be seeing less sponsors in NASCAR right (same kind of points structure)?? The last time I checked NASCAR has more fully sponsored teams now then before their Chase was introduced. This kind of blows up your theory of losing sponsors.

 

[JAG]

Re: The Kalitta Boycott

PJ, I am not going to get into this with you again, we will agree to disagree. If this was true then we should be seeing less sponsors in NASCAR right (same kind of points structure)?? The last time I checked NASCAR has more fully sponsored teams now then before their Chase was introduced. This kind of blows up your theory of losing sponsors.

While I agree there are sponsors in NASCAR, the one fact remains as I read it in the main stream media. NASCAR is losing TV share. Why is that? I don't know why, just a question. Could be many factors including losing the loyal fan base because of the chase, or because it's just boring...at least to me it is..lol

 

[luxexpress]

Re: Sponsor exposure

why doesnt everybody just go race IHRA

If and when Evan Knoll buys the IHRA, they might just do that if the NHRA does not clean up its act.

 

[Reese]

It will be interesting to see if they ask the Kalitta camp anything about the boycott on the next NHRA tv show.

 

[blackbeard]

look at whats going on here. we're bashing low driver pay, poor TV coverage, and the countdown at the same time! does anyone else see the irony?

BEFORE the coundown, TV coverage was bad, driver pay was low, and race attendance was just OK. at least the NHRA is trying to bring these factors up. face it, whatever was going on before the countdown was not working. and fact is, more people are watching NHRA in just 2/3 of the first countdown year than ever before.

it blows my mind how some people whine and complain about how NHRA gets "no love" from the mainstream, but then yells at the NHRA for trying to fix it.

/rant over

 

[Husky]

look at whats going on here. we're bashing low driver pay, poor TV coverage, and the countdown at the same time! does anyone else see the irony?

BEFORE the coundown, TV coverage was bad, driver pay was low, and race attendance was just OK. at least the NHRA is trying to bring these factors up. face it, whatever was going on before the countdown was not working. and fact is, more people are watching NHRA in just 2/3 of the first countdown year than ever before.

it blows my mind how some people whine and complain about how NHRA gets "no love" from the mainstream, but then yells at the NHRA for trying to fix it.

/rant over

At the risk of getting FLAMED, here goes.
DR is an orphan sport. It's on the fringe, even to motor sport fans.
I asked an "open wheel guy" if he wanted to go to a National Event on my dime, and he said "No Thanks." There's a finite amount of folks who will sit and watch it. There's an audience, but in the big picture, it's a small one.
There used to be a Joke about why the NY Rangers always sold out but the TV ratings were awful. The answer was because all the Hockey Fans in the area were at the Game. JMHO