Speed yesterday announced an expansive social media initiative that will see talent from Kyle Petty to Kenny Wallace answer fan questions on its website, Twitter and Facebook over the next three weeks. The Fox-owned network will launch the Speed Social Scanner during its pre-race coverage of Saturday’s Sprint Cup race at Richmond Int’l Raceway. The scanner will feature one of its 21 on-air personalities fielding questions during the two-hour broadcast of NASCAR RaceDay Built by The Home Depot. A similar set up will take place prior to the Sprint Cup races in Darlington (May 7) and Dover (May 15). It will then answer questions throughout the day on May 21 as it previews and broadcasts the Sprint Cup All-Star race from Charlotte Motor Speedway. Speed VP/Marketing Nancy McDonald said, “We want to create the largest social media party fans have ever experienced. We want to really connect with fans and help them feel really connected with NASCAR and Speed.” In addition to driving Web traffic and bolstering social media offerings, Speed President Hunter Nickell said one of the goals with the initiative is to boost viewership of Speed’s coverage of the showdown race where approximately 25 drivers compete to qualify for the All-Star race. There is no advertising tied to the effort, but Nickell said that could change in the future. Nickell: “This is a test, so we can foresee a time where it succeeds that a presenting sponsor would be possible. Our focus (right now) is on the other objectives.” In addition to having a Social Scanner, Speed will run a special promotion to increase its fans on Facebook. “Like Racing? Like Money? Like Speed on Facebook” will offer fans who “like” its page a chance to win $10,000 (Tripp Mickle, SportsBusiness Journal).
CHANGE THAT CHANNEL: SCENEDAILY.com’s Bob Pockrass noted Speed is broadcasting tomorrow night’s Nationwide Series Bubba Burger 250 instead of ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC. ESPN is airing Spurs-Grizzlies Game Six, while ESPN2 has the second round of the NFL Draft and ABC is showing an “episode of ‘Shark Tank’ and then a special edition of ‘20/20’ focusing on the British royal wedding.” Fans “don’t necessarily mind the switch from ESPN to Speed,” but it “comes across as a sign that ESPN doesn’t care about the Nationwide Series and that other sports programming comes first” (SCENEDAILY.com, 4/26).
