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Its a business just as why JR is still racing and on the Hendrick team which he wouldn't be at his age with no championships. More money than just the race winnings in this sport> Its a fulltime job unlike these days and sponsor work most days during season .If not for the benefit to NASCAR/team she would not be on any major team.
Danica gets as much coverage as does because she's a female in a male dominated sport and NASCAR needs her to help get attention to their sport by a large portion of the population that could care less about NASCAR. TV ratings for the 2012 season were down, part of a continued decline and track attendance has done the same. When TV ratings are down and track attendance is down, they need to do something to help turn the tide.
Danica gets as much coverage as does because she's a female in a male dominated sport and NASCAR needs her to help get attention to their sport by a large portion of the population that could care less about NASCAR. TV ratings for the 2012 season were down, part of a continued decline and track attendance has done the same. When TV ratings are down and track attendance is down, they need to do something to help turn the tide.
Which is funny because of the many races I have attended over the years many women would be in attendence.
There are many female NASCAR fans without the need of Danica's presence. Your first sentence is right on the money. It really doesn't matter (I have said this before) if she never wins a race or a championship. Danica has broken the proverbial glass ceiling bringing a big $$$ sponsor and landing a quality ride. This mirrors what Jeff Gordon did for sprint car drivers.
Danica gets as much coverage as does because she's a female in a male dominated sport and NASCAR needs her to help get attention to their sport by a large portion of the population that could care less about NASCAR. TV ratings for the 2012 season were down, part of a continued decline and track attendance has done the same. When TV ratings are down and track attendance is down, they need to do something to help turn the tide.
there's no proof of how much she'll help in the long term. It might cause a blip short term but will those fans stay around? Especially if she's back in 37th most of the race?
all sports leagues are doing this - appealing to the widest possible audience for more ratings, merchandising sales, etc. Does it really work?
for the short term perhaps, but in the end all they mostly do is anger long-term fans without usually substantial better results.
there's no proof of how much she'll help in the long term. It might cause a blip short term but will those fans stay around? Especially if she's back in 37th most of the race?
all sports leagues are doing this - appealing to the widest possible audience for more ratings, merchandising sales, etc. Does it really work?
for the short term perhaps, but in the end all they mostly do is anger long-term fans without usually substantial better results.
Long term fans can be the source of the problem- memories are distorted as they get older, their generation was better, resistant to change, and so on.
Which is funny because of the many races I have attended over the years many women would be in attendence.
There are many female NASCAR fans without the need of Danica's presence. Your first sentence is right on the money. It really doesn't matter (I have said this before) if she never wins a race or a championship. Danica has broken the proverbial glass ceiling bringing a big $$$ sponsor and landing a quality ride. This mirrors what Jeff Gordon did for sprint car drivers.
Yep NASCAR has many woman fans at races. My wife loves watching it .But I think Gordon was much different really.Has one of Earnharts pit crew said when Gordon put him out of the a race. He thought he would be mad but he just said dam ; that kid took me out and he never even touch me.Gordaqn was not called the wizkid for nothing.
Long term fans can be the source of the problem- memories are distorted as they get older, their generation was better, resistant to change, and so on.
long term fans are who NASCAR's made money off for decades.
she's not even close to the first woman to race in NASCAR
nor is she especially talented
what happens 5 years from now when she's been as successful as she was in INDY and the *** is up? "All" those new fans, those woman, very few will stick around, and in the meantime just more of the real fans will have given up or restricted their watching/buying etc.
Which is funny because of the many races I have attended over the years many women would be in attendence.
There are many female NASCAR fans without the need of Danica's presence. Your first sentence is right on the money. It really doesn't matter (I have said this before) if she never wins a race or a championship. Danica has broken the proverbial glass ceiling bringing a big $$$ sponsor and landing a quality ride. This mirrors what Jeff Gordon did for sprint car drivers.
Yup NASCAR's demographic has been split between men and women about 50/50 for a LONG time. I remember a bit piece CBS did during the 1987 Daytona 500 where they talked about how the female demographic was changing the sponsors. They highlighted Darrell Waltrip and Buddy Baker because of Tide and Crisco, respectively.
I've said this before - Danica is a double-edged sword. She brings attention and a big sponsor to the sport, yes, but if she continues to lay an egg on the track she's going to make it more difficult for the women who come after her because other big-name sponsors won't want their product associated with a novelty act.
long term fans are who NASCAR's made money off for decades.
she's not even close to the first woman to race in NASCAR
nor is she especially talented
what happens 5 years from now when she's been as successful as she was in INDY and the *** is up? "All" those new fans, those woman, very few will stick around, and in the meantime just more of the real fans will have given up or restricted their watching/buying etc.
it's short term thinking.
The long term fan also abandoned the sport because they "didn't like the changes", "cookie cutter this", "driver's aren't the way they use to be", and the classic "racing was so much better back in the day."
Yeah, Janet Guthrie finishing 7 laps down in 11th place is great racing.
Nor did I say Danica was the first woman to race in NASCAR; I said and I quote "Danica has broken the proverbial glass ceiling bringing a big $$$ sponsor and landing a quality ride."
Nowhere in that sentence did it say nor was it implied she is the first woman to race in NASCAR. Your lack of reading comprehension is highly annoying.
Yup NASCAR's demographic has been split between men and women about 50/50 for a LONG time. I remember a bit piece CBS did during the 1987 Daytona 500 where they talked about how the female demographic was changing the sponsors. They highlighted Darrell Waltrip and Buddy Baker because of Tide and Crisco, respectively.
I've said this before - Danica is a double-edged sword. She brings attention and a big sponsor to the sport, yes, but if she continues to lay an egg on the track she's going to make it more difficult for the women who come after her because other big-name sponsors won't want their product associated with a novelty act.
Gordon had a similar affect, upon his success teams started looking at sprint car drivers. Some have been successful, other have not.
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