Zachary Peters

I used not to enjoy Twitter at all. Then I discovered the “For You” tab, and a world of entertainment opened before me. Occasionally, jammed between someone’s ridiculous rant and a funny meme, I get inspired by a question or post. Well, that is what this is—a response to Austin Konenski’s reply to Sports Media Watch’s post on tv ratings. Sports Media Watch reported the highest ratings for the start of the NBA playoffs since 1997. Mr. Konenski commented:

“I really do believe that if people want to watch a sport (NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR, etc.), they will watch it.

March Madness (Round of 64), the NBA Playoffs, and The Masters all saw massive success. NASCAR just needs to hit on something to draw more interest again.”

He is partially correct about NASCAR’s current problem in a very important year for them. It is known that fewer people are watching traditional television than before, and this is across the board. Yet, some moments break that trend. Recently, the above sporting moments have done very well, showing that people will still watch events if they want. NASCAR has not been immune, for some time, from the drop in ratings. In some cases, a drop in ratings that the “across-the-board drop” cannot explain.

What can NASCAR do to become an aberration in a sea of slackening viewership? It is still the number one or two most-watched event when a race is broadcasted. They draw millions of viewers, so NASCAR is not starting from zero. Yet, anyone who has watched for multiple decades, even one decade, sees the decline. What can be done? What should be done? Are there any fixes? What are the problems? These are the questions that I am sure NASCAR asks after every event and during the year. I would like to know if a simple fan with no inside knowledge or industry experience can answer some of these questions with anything useful. I am that fan, and there is a broad answer to fixing the issues NASCAR is facing. That is, creating a great racing product and creating great ways for fans to interact with that product.

First and foremost, there are big-picture problems that NASCAR cannot help. The culture of entertainment is changing. Millennials have shorter attention spans on average, and Gen-Z is even more extreme. The TV is less important than it has been for 50 years. Screens are still dominant, but young people almost constantly ingest content through phone screens.

That leads to another big problem; they ingest all kinds of content, more content than they even know what to do with in most cases. NASCAR and every other show compete in a dense market with many options. How does someone decide what to watch with the limited amount of time they have? There is entertaining content all over the place.

Time was just mentioned. People are busier than ever before. There are many reasons for this, but it all leads to the same issue. How do people want to spend what little spare time they have? Is a sport, not just NASCAR, worth it?

These are cultural problems that do not have solutions that one organization can solve. These are complex problems, generational problems, that we do not have time to go into detail about. There are several books worth mentioning if someone wants a better grasp on these issues. One book is The Millennials: Connecting to America’s Largest Generation, and another is Meet Generation Z.

There are things NASCAR can do to combat these problems, but they will not go away without a radical cultural shift in society. Later, I will share what NASCAR, as an industry, can do to help fight these broad problems and find ways to maximize potential.

What about things NASCAR can fix? Are there issues that they can control? The short answer is yes. Ultimately, the most important part of the popularity of NASCAR comes from the racing product and the drivers, engineers, and cars that create amazing moments. NASCAR, right now, has a car problem. Let’s keep it simple: there is no car disparity because of imposed engineering limitations. Okay, theoretically, that should mean the drivers are the defining success factor, and that is not the case right now, either. There are a ton of drivers and ex-drivers, industry insiders, and engineers that have offered suggestions to fix this. Most of their offered solutions would most likely work on solving the car problem.

A “fix” for road courses and short tracks was implemented this year. NASCAR created a low downforce package that has helped a little, but the Martinsville race exposed the shortcomings of the low downforce package by itself. So, what else can be done this year, and what should be done for long-term improvements?

Quick fix/this year:

• Smaller/reworked breaks
• Even less downforce
• Get rid of shifting (I do not know the technical details of this, it may not be a short-term fix)

These three things might help solve the short-track problem and create a place for driver talent and even excellence in race adjustments, but NASCAR should not stop there with small fixes. No, NASCAR could fix everything with something special; more horsepower.

Like an off-brand version of Jeremy Clarkson from classic Top Gear, “more power” should be the mantra over the next year or so. I know there are technical and financial concerns, but NASCAR needs to find more power to push those concerns’ limits. It is racing! Power is the name of the game, and as of right now, I can buy a car with more horsepower than a Cup car. (I say “I could go buy” loosely. I prefer not to be in crippling debt).

Fixing the car will let the drivers shine, and NASCAR needs more drivers to shine.

Another problem is the ease of access people have to participate in the sports they watch. My grandmother loves NASCAR, which is how I was introduced to it. I ask myself, “How do kids get introduced to the sport today?” You can pick up a bat, ball, and club easily. Those sports are easy to approach. Chances are, most kids will not be able to race, so they must have a different entry point. This must be at the track, race day experiences. The first thing NASCAR can do to address this approachability problem is to make the experiences affordable, safe, clean, and fun (the race will be fun, but there needs to be more).

Affordability is not just getting a seat at the track. It is concessions and experiences. An entry-level ticket should have great value. If I get enough time and money to bring my kids to a race, will I feel like I wasted money if all I did was sit and eat expensive food for four hours? There are awesome things you can pay for at a race to have a spectacular time, but they come at a cost. Throwing in some special things for regular admission would be a game-changer. Surprise people who show up with how much their ticket will get them.

A place being safe seems like common sense, but “safe” for a single person in their 50s is not the same as “safe” for a parent in their 20s or 30s bringing kids. Are there vape and smoke-free areas? Is there a law enforcement presence? Is there a family area free from alcoholic beverages? I am not a safety expert, but as a parent, you learn to look out for certain things at venues that make you feel safe or less safe.

You don’t know how important cleanliness is for young families until you realize you are in a place that clearly is not clean. Is cleanliness at a facility often ignored by visitors? Yes, but is a dirty facility ignored? I only went to one race a few years ago, and it was clean. I expect that is the norm, but the importance cannot be overstated.

NASCAR is fun. Once the engines start at the track, for me, it is nearly impossible to get bored. Yet, kids get bored, and there are cautions and much time before a race. Is NASCAR creating fun moments that supplement the main attraction at the race? The race is the star, which will hook people, but what else can be done to elevate the experience?

If we can get kids and even adults to the track, they will leave with a ton of new interest that did not exist before. Going to a race takes NASCAR from “just cars going in circles” to a visceral and unforgettable moment. The next time they see it on television, they have a connection to real sights, sounds, and experiences.

In my opinion, here are some tools to combat these broader cultural issues that NASCAR is not responsible for creating:

• Create a ton of NASCAR content.
  • Hire creative people to share the stories and experiences of NASCAR. Create shorts/highlights of funny, historical, or spectacular moments.
  • Create behind-the-scenes footage and day-in-the-life footage that adds depth of understanding for new viewers and old fans.
  • Do this non-stop. There should be new content several times a day on every social platform.
  • Highlight the drivers on a personal level.
• NASCAR teams should be doing the same, as best as possible.
  • Pull back the curtain of the day-to-day as much as possible and share on social media.
  • Elevate the drivers.
• Pictures are nice, but a video is better.

The above advice will not fix the cultural problems NASCAR faces, but it will ensure that NASCAR is available to be digested in small bite-size pieces that younger people enjoy. NASCAR and the teams already do this, but it is not engaging or interesting 90% of the time.

NASCAR must create a great racing product and then create great ways for fans to experience that product at the track, on social media, and on tv. One final side note: NASCAR has to work streaming into the next TV deal. NASCAR is still a large sport with many fans, but the industry can and should do more.