The NHRA “aims to recruit more fans” by making changes such as "having more of its key races televised live instead of on a delayed basis,” according to Jim Peltz of the L.A. TIMES. NHRA President Tom Compton noted that while the organization “doesn't release figures, attendance has risen about 3% a year in each of the last two years and is on pace to grow by at least that amount again this year.” Leading into the season-ending Auto Club Finals this past weekend, the NHRA’s average audience on ESPN/ESPN2 was at 559,000 viewers, up 7% from last season. But Peltz wrote, "One problem for the NHRA is that most of its events are tape-delayed on TV.” That is due to the fact that, “while each of its races are finished in the time it takes to read this paragraph, there can be lengthy delays between each race.” Teams “need time to rebuild the dragsters' engines between runs, and there are frequent delays to clean up ‘oil downs,’ when oil drops on the dragstrip from blown engines.” The NHRA “believes it's crucial to curb those problems to provide more events live on TV.” The NHRA and ESPN this year “agreed on showing three events live, and they're hoping to show six events live next year.” NHRA team owner Don Schumacher said, “We need to step our TV program up. That's going to continue to take the sport forward” (L.A. TIMES, 11/15).
FUTURE ISSUES: In California, Louis Brewster wrote while Compton “may stroll around in anonymity” during events, he is the "most powerful man in the sport of drag racing.” Compton said of issues facing the NHRA, “The biggest challenge we face is awareness. By any measure, we are the second-most popular motorsport series in America. We are rebounding positively from the effects of the recession, and I say that because our attendance is up and our TV viewership is up. We have the third-youngest fan base of major pro sports in America. This year alone, our racers have been featured on CBS News Sunday Morning, USA Today, New York Times and The Today Show, to name a few.” Compton said the NHRA’s new Countdown to the Championship format “has done everything we hoped it would do. First and foremost, the playoff-type format has added excitement and drama to the season-ending championship.” He added, "Because the Countdown has added excitement and drama, it has had the effect of increasing fan engagement, increasing media interest and coverage, and helping to bring out personalities of our drivers" (Inland Valley DAILY BULLETIN, 11/16).
