So, why aren't you watching NASCAR? According to USA Today, NASCAR "solicited opinions from drivers and team owners in a 'town hall'-style meeting" earlier this week on why attendance and television ratings have dropped.
I know that I haven't watched NASCAR since Rusty Wallace made his last call and pulled off the track into the broadcasting booth. So, why am I not watching?
It is simple, I am now a tad busier (with a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old, and a newborn) on a daily basis, and I can't (and won't) carve out the time to spend a Sunday afternoon watching a NASCAR race. I'm not alone, as Fox has seen ratings drop 13% compared to a year ago.
Want the funniest and, possibly, most absurd theory? Blame it on Digger. Digger is Fox's animated gopher who pops up in Fox's pre-race programming, and some believe that disdain for the gopher has hurt ratings -- seriously. Hill said that he received a recent email from a "high-ranking NASCAR official" blaming Digger for the poor ratings. Hill said the email claimed, "It was because of Digger that people were turning off in droves because they couldn't stand it . . . I said, 'I'm so sorry. If I'd known, I never would have created him. I didn't realize how insidious he was . . . It's the biggest crock of (stuff) I've ever heard."
Yes, some want to blame the drop in ratings on an animated gopher. I don't think that is the case, and I truly pray that was a joke.
In fact, Hill notes that the gopher (who was created during a rain delay a year ago) has sold $500,000-worth of items at its 53-foot merchandise trailer. This would rank Digger among the top 15 drivers in terms of sales. Does a gopher really impact whether or not you watch a NASCAR race?
One suggestion was to keep a consistent start time, beginning every race at 1 PM Eastern Time -- though this could cause some confusion on the West Coast.
Hill then turned philosophical, "Nothing goes up forever . . . Every sport has a correction. We've had the most unbelievable run with NASCAR. Because of that, and maybe quite rightly, people think it'll keep going. If it had gone down 50 to 60%, there's something wrong. But 13% is no time (for) alarm."
It isn't time to panic, honestly, as NASCAR Cup races continue to pull in more than the average network audience for the NBA postseason -- and I don't see NBA Commissioner David Stern blaming the problem on any animated gopher. Of course, the NBA doesn't use an animated gopher.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-29-2009 @ 4:24PM
jsl2117@msn.com said...
I think one of the things that has hurt NASCAR is the cars them selves. There is such a sameness about them, they all look a like, and except for the colors. and a small logo on the grill, they are. The fans cann't identify with the car, it's not just like the one I drive, or can buy. the shapes, and performance is all the same. In the old days of NASCAR fans could see a dodge charger, or ford 500, and a chevey malabeu, and think I've got a car just like my favorite driver. I could be just like him. Try that with the car of tomarrow.
The drivers are highly skilled, and personable as ever, but a chevey car of tomarrow will never be in my garage, and I'll never imagine to own one.
5-29-2009 @ 5:02PM
Mike O said...
Maybe people are getting tired of watching cars go in circles?
5-29-2009 @ 6:40PM
thedude said...
There are two main reasons why I stopped watching
Yes Digger is one of them. Toyota is the other. I will not shop with any company that sponsors a Toyota in NASCAR
If I wanted to watch moronic cartoons I would turn on CN and watch Spongebob. As for Toyota, it is called NASCAR NOT JAPCAR
Every patriotic U.S. citizen should be extremely concerned that it is cheaper for Japan to build cars in the U.S. than it is for them to build in Asia or even Mexico where many US cars are now made.
Before you get your Chinese made panties in bunch let me confirm that this is not a jingoistic rant. I jsut firmly believe that every country should be agriculturally, industrially and economical self sufficient. Globalization is the key factor for the world economy being as far in the toilet as it is.
5-29-2009 @ 7:25PM
Jeff Rodrigues said...
In my case, it was indeed because of Digger that I stopped watching FOX Sports' coverage of NASCAR. When they kept popping up that cartoon in camera shots of racing action (as if the gopher would get ran over), it was so distracting from the race. And they continued to do this over and over and over. I got so fed up and frustrated over it that it was hard for me to enjoy watching the races anymore, so I stopped. As a result, my interest in NASCAR has declined. I was a subscriber to Race View on NASCAR.com, and I ended up cancelling my subscription. In the last few years, I've been to two races at Infineon Raceway as well as last year's Labor Day weekend race in Fontana. As of now, I don't have any intention of spending over $100 to go see a race in person. So in my case, it was indeed the Digger schtick that lost me.
5-30-2009 @ 3:08AM
Lawrence Phoenix said...
I KNOW 'DIGGER' IS TO HOOK IN THE YOUNGER KIDS IN WHAT'S BILLED AS A 'FAMILY SPORT' BUT IT DOES UNDERCUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF AUTO RACING AND IS TOO CUTE BY HALF....
5-30-2009 @ 9:26AM
cjj1259 said...
There's several reasons why I don't watch as faithfully as I used to.
1) Rusty retired. I have several drivers that I really like but no one captures my attention like Rusty did.
2) The 18, 24 and 48 get so much attention and coverage in Cup that it's annoying and irritating.
3) Kyle Busch stinks up the races in the Nationwide and Truck series that my interest in them has waned also. On a side note his stupid antics on the track are going to get himself or someone else seriously hurt someday.
4) The Waltrip brothers really are aggravating to listen to. I am so glad I won't have to hear what DW says at the start of every race after this weekend and I wish Speed would replace Michael for the Truck races. Between DW and Michael Toyota is shoved down peoples throats every race and it is nauseating.
5) NASCAR ticks me off sometimes with their antics too.
I love racing. I watch ARCA and IRL as much as I can. Throw in some sport car races and occasionally motorcycle races too. I sometimes watch F1 but that is just follow the leader so I don't do it often. So it's not that I'm tired of watching people go around in circles, like Mike O suggested, I still love racing.