The Fall of NASCAR

[Crimson's Ghost]

I'd say growing up in a Western PA demographic that football - NFL and college - are the two most popular things among my friends and people my age. Then after that the Penguins/Pirates seem to be popular due to the local factor.  I would say most people my age aren't college basketball fans year round, just in March and very few like the NBA (I think that's a big Western Pa. thing since it is popular elsewhere).  

Beyond that I'd say people like special events: Everyone will watch the Kentucky Derby, World Cup, Olympics, major golf tournaments.  But I can't say I ever heard of anyone watching Nascar. Nobody is running a fantasy nascar league or anything like that.

So I don't know what happened to NASCAR, but I don't think it ever caught on for a lot of people our age. 

[knowitall]

Does the Daytona 500 count as a special event? I don't watch it, but I do watch the Indianapolis 500. That's enough racing for one year, other than driving to work in the morning.

[konjo78]

Nascar is almost a blueprint for some sports out there right now. Most young people never had an interest in watching it and as the old fans moved out there was no new fans to fill the massive void.

Baseball might be the next big sport to suffer this fate in the next 10-20 years. Probably wont be as severe but signs of worry have been noticed by people on here.

Who knows maybe in the next 5 or so years youll see Fortnite or League of Legends take nascars spot as the esport/professional video game scene is starting to take off

[12HankQB]

I pray this doesn't happen. I already know too many kids that think they'll be video gamers or youtubers for a career. Nobody wants to get outside.

[konjo78]

Eh no different than kids wanting to be athletes or musicians, just a different form of entertainment.

What people dont realize is the actual orgs/professional teams just do not play games all day but a whole lot more. There is 100% scheduled physical activity time that is more than a average joe.

[Crimson's Ghost]

Does the Daytona 500 count as a special event?  I don't watch it, but I do watch the Indianapolis 500. 

I've seen some people show some interest in the Indy. 

[konjo78]

Does the Daytona 500 count as a special event?  I don't watch it, but I do watch the Indianapolis 500. 

I've seen some people show some interest in the Indy. 

I think what helps the Indy 500 is the only indy car race people care about and the indy car series knows/markets that way

[Pineapplesandballs]

The amount of accidents are down, which makes the race feel like its stagnant for a better part of the day. What channel is the race going to be on today and at what time? They used to have the Speed Channel where you could find racing anytime of the day or car related shows. This is now gone. The local race tracks are drying up as well. The chance to take your kids to a local race is harder to do. Thus parents who are race fan don't often take their kids to an actual race locally. The cars are no longer even close to "stock". Our own cars are more and more difficult to work on and leading people to not even work on their own cars. So for younger generations they don't have that background to go with either.

The cost of going to a race were out of hand for a while and that has led people to think its still very expensive. The economy and how much people have to spend to go to one has changed also. If a trip for 4 is $1600 to go to a race for the weekend, would you spend it on that or a little more and go on a vacation? How much the cars and R&D cost is crazy on the teams as well. Plus the lack of upgrades at many of the tracks has pushed people away.

For me the cost is high, the action is less, is it an event you cant pass up, no I don't believe so. This all leads up to falling numbers.

[knowitall]

Does the Daytona 500 count as a special event?  I don't watch it, but I do watch the Indianapolis 500. 

I've seen some people show some interest in the Indy. 

I think what helps the Indy 500 is the only indy car race people care about and the indy car series knows/markets that way

Wouldn't the same be true of the Daytona 500? 

[Manfred]

I'm of the Earnhart Sr./ Bobby Allison/ Cale Yarbrough/ Buddy Baker era.  I went to one race, maybe early 70's @ Richmond.  Ticket from a friend.  I am/ was/ will be more of an NHRA fan, but they are undergoing much of the same fanbase losses.  Cost of tickets, motels, fuel to get there and back, high food costs at the tracks, planning for a getaway weekend months in advance only to have it storm the weekend you have tickets for, with no refunds, Turnpike fees.  I used to run the 3 hrs. to Reading's Maple Grove, for $100 if I only went down & back on Sunday, incl. $50 for seat, a tank or so of fuel, and Pike fees of less than $10 for both ways.  It's double that now, and only 15 years later.  If you want to go for a Fri. nt. qualifying and Sat. too, add a couple hundred for tickets , and motels if available, to your tab.  I used to like going to World of Outlaws/ Pa. Posse events @ Lernerville, Hagerstown, Williams Grove, but those got expensive for many of the same reasons.  Newer drivers, your longtime heroes got out of it, lost interest as a whole.  Races of any kind that were won by a great mechanic setting the car up old school, now it's who can play with their black box the best to make them win.  Everything changes, including the fans and fan tastes.  The public has benefitted from many automotive safety innovations due to NASCAR racing/ R & D, but maybe it's time for the owners to cut their losses.