There is an expectation that Monster Energy and NASCAR will "eventually broker an extension when the time comes to open re-negotiations" for the company's title sponsorship of the NASCAR Cup Series, according to sources cited by Jordan Bianchi of SB NATION. The current deal expires after the '18 season, and NASCAR Exec VP and Chief Global Sales & Marketing Officer Steve Phelps said, "This will live past this existing contract and go to a future contract. The numbers thus far in terms of acceptance, awareness, the way fans are embracing (Monster’s) product in terms of consumption and the retail success Monster has achieved, it would make sense for both NASCAR the sport and Monster Energy the company to continue well into the future." Phelps said that the company’s approach to marketing is "precisely what NASCAR sought" when it signed Monster. Phelps: "We brought them on board because of who they are, that was a very conscious decision we made. We would take this high energy, a little edgier, maverick brand and bring in as our top sponsor." Phelps and Monster Energy VP/Sports Marketing Mitch Covington said that none of the ideas Monster has presented to NASCAR in "trying to position itself as the fun and different alternative have faced any pushback." Covington suggested that there could be more concerts like when rapper Machine Gun Kelly performed "following the May 20 All-Star Race." Covington: "We were really nervous about it because he's not a country music guy, but it ended being an overwhelming success." Meanwhile, Covington said that Monster is "considering airing national television commercials, something the energy drink maker normally shies away from" (SBNATION.com, 6/28).
