NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France yesterday professed the governing body's overall health "amid a series of economic concerns and pointedly refused to discuss his political support of President-elect Donald Trump," according to Brant James of USA TODAY. France, an early supporter of Trump, struck a "defensive" tone during his annual state-of-the-sport press conference before the Sprint Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In a 17-minute news conference scheduled for 30, France, "bristling and sweating profusely under the stage lights, interrupted a question contrasting perceptions" over Mexican driver Daniel Suarez’s breakthrough with the "views of the candidate he so vigorously supported." France said, "Nobody wants to hear my political views" (USA TODAY, 11/21). France "declared that Suarez would never have been in position to win the Xfinity Series championship if not" for his diversity efforts. He said, "Without the Drive for Diversity program, with certainty, Daniel Suarez is not in NASCAR." The AP's Jenna Fryer noted Trump's stance on immigration, specifically with Mexico, has "appeared to be in conflict with France's efforts." France has "pushed for increased diversity, and was outspoken on his desire to remove the Confederate flag from NASCAR events" (AP, 11/20).
NOT JUST FOOTBALL: In Charlotte, David Scott notes France "pushed back on a question about NASCAR’s declining attendance and TV ratings." NASCAR does not announce attendance figures, but ticket revenues "have fallen consistently" since '10. Television ratings also have dropped, but France noted that other pro sports leagues, including the NFL, "have also experienced a decline in ratings." France: "We are still very pleased with our position in sports. The audience isn’t going away at all. It’s sliding to different places, consuming in different ways. I would tell you some other leagues that have 30 percent drop-offs. They didn’t lose (that) from one moment to the next. That audience is just sliding and consuming in some different ways. Our digital consumption is off the charts.” Scott notes NASCAR’s financial health is "actually on solid ground" due to the 10-year, $8.2B deal it signed with NBC and Fox in '13 (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 11/21).
FAN WATCH: In N.Y., Jerry Garrett notes race attendance "has been dwindling, which was particularly noticeable" this year at tracks like Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway. Although NASCAR is buoyed by the TV contract it signed in '13, "many races have been subject to double-digit drops in ratings from the previous two years." Races are often on cable channels like FS1, NBCSN and CNBC "rather than major networks." This season’s "financial issues have raised some eyebrows on the track and in the garage, as some teams have dropped out and others have consolidated operations, or cut back on entries" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/20). In Orlando, George Diaz notes yesterday's season finale was "sold out for the third consecutive year." But with Tony Stewart, a veteran driver with a "huge following retiring, and Sprint also ending its sponsorship after 13 years, uncertainty looms" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 11/21).
FIRST STEPS: France said the new team charter system -- which debuted this season with 36 charters divided among 16 teams -- would be “a long process for us.” MOTORSPORT.com's Lee Spencer wrote overall it has been a "beneficial first step." France: "We got it done, that was the most important thing. But forget the value part of it, the things that we’re going to be able to do are going to take many, many years to achieve or end goal which is to really lower costs in the industry to work with our interests better aligned with the teams which will affect their values going forward." He added, "Some of the things are not going to change, like you have to compete at a high level, you have to get sponsorship, you have to have a manufacturing relationship. Those things don’t change, nor should they. But the benefit of collectively working together -- in particular to getting the rule packages both better and more exciting for the fans at much lower costs over time -- it’s the hardest thing in racing to do and few in racing ever achieve it. And we are after that deal" (MOTORSPORT.com, 11/20).
