Saw this article on NASCAR.com which helps explain NASCAR's popularity:
NASCAR remains a sport for the average Joe By Mark Spoor, NASCAR.COM January 13, 2005 09:15 AM EST (14:15 GMT)
According to a year-end poll done by a national sports magazine, NASCAR chairman Brian France is the second most powerful man in sports, behind only National Football League commissioner Paul Taglibue.
Sure, France is ushering in a new era in NASCAR, what with the Chase for the Nextel Cup, Nextel replacing Winston as the title sponsor, the new schedule, the upcoming race in Mexico and more rule changes than any of us can keep track of.
Still, it may be something else that has helped NASCAR leap over the other major sports.
Namely, the other major sports.
It wasn't but a scant few years ago that we all were hearing about we were living in the "Golden Age of Sports." ESPN is a household word -- and even the name of a couple of very unfortunate babies.
Countless other sports networks are fighting for our attention -- two dozen or so on "the dish." Bench players are making millions of dollars even before they can legally have their first drink.
Now, it seems like things have finally spun out of control.
The NHL isn't playing, even though it's January.
The NBA is doing its best impression of English soccer, complete with hooligans.
Major League Baseball is trying to wiggle out of a steroid scandal that threatens the legitimacy of not only its records, but of the sport itself.
Even Taglibue's NFL is busy wiping egg off its face despite the fact that Randy Moss is throwing it around every chance he gets.
And that's just the past couple of months.
Meanwhile, NASCAR's biggest controversies in 2004 were why fans at Talladega would throw beer cans at Jeff Gordon and why Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to curse in Victory Lane.
Kind of like comparing robbery to a parking ticket.
Ryan Smithson and I were having lunch the other day at the Dawsonville Pool Hall, (yes, that one), when the topic of NASCAR's popularity came up.
More specifically, what is it about this sport that has made it so popular?
Above the cars and the speed and the beer, isn't it really that you can relate to these guys? You know they make money, but you don't know how much.
You know they like a good party, but you rarely hear about them taking it over the line. You see their girlfriends up on the pit boxes every week. You know the names of parents and their kids.
Could it be that NASCAR's marketing machine is that powerful, or that the racing media is that naïve? Perhaps, but ask yourself this:
Can you picture yourself at a frat party doing kegstands with Dale Earnhardt Jr.?
Can you picture Jamie McMurray ringing the doorbell to pick up your daughter?
Can you picture Kasey Kahne or Kyle Busch coming over to mow your lawn?
Now try to picture Barry Bonds, Moss or Ron Artest doing those things.
Didn't think so.
The opinions listed here are solely those of the writer.
Meanwhile, NASCAR's biggest controversies in 2004 were why fans at Talladega would throw beer cans at Jeff Gordon and why Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to curse in Victory Lane.>>>>>
This is a joke right?
For about 4 weeks in a row NASCAR was a laughing stock when they were changing rules every week and making blunder after blunder...
Maybe what the article left out was this........Nascar is popular because you don't hear any of their drivers are getting into any kind of trouble. Moss is running over cops, Ray lewis is killing people, T.O. cries to get paid. The Indian Pacers are having a brawl with the city of Detriot.
Basketball goes in cycles, it was dead before Dr. J then Magic, Bird and then Jordan came along and took it to new hights. Now its in a slump but not like the slump of the 1970's.
Baseball is losing its fans and will continue to because it is a league of the have's and have not's. How would you like to be a Royals fan and know you are out of it by the All-Star break.?
Football is & will always be America's sport. You root for the team under the helmet. It is an event. Once a week on Sunday's just like on Nascar. Fans goes to church then go home and get ready to curse and swear at the TV. There is 3-5 critical plays in every football game that will decide a game. That's why they call it any given Sunday. Anyone can beat anyone. It's not like Morgan Shepard can win this coming Sunday, but last year the 2-14 Dolphins beat the 14-2 World Champion Patriots.
Tyson retired back in 1990. Every fight after that has been a washed-up boxer trying to regain his glory days which turned out to be a laughing joke. It finally took him until last week to realize that he was nothing but a joke.
as for Nascar's popularity........Fox did get something right the other week......when they said in what other sport can you go ask the coach or whatnot, why he just did what he did (i.e.- two tires, fuel only, stay out, short pit)..........its that bit of interactivity that we share with the broadcaster that helps us relate to whats going on at the track.
not to mention, with no players' union, there will never be a lock-out
