New TV Deal for NASCAR could be good for NHRA
Written by David Lamm · December 7, 2005
The folks in Daytona have kissed and made up with the folks in Bristol, Conn. agreeing to an eight-year deal to put NASCAR on ABC and ESPN starting in 2007. The NHRA recently extended its deal with ESPN through 2011 and sharing the network with NASCAR might even help elevate drag racing higher than where it currently resides in the auto racing pecking order.
ESPN.com: NASCAR agrees to 8-year deal with ESPN, ABC
First and foremost, ESPN and ABC landing the deal with NASCAR further cements their commitment to covering motorsports. When NASCAR left ESPN for the big money being dangled by Fox and NBC back in 2000, that opened the door for the NHRA. ESPN was left without a major form of motorsport for the first time in a long while and the NHRA helped to fill that void. Before ESPN became the home for NHRA, races were sometimes broadcast a week later and could be found on obscure channels that most cable television subscribers didn’t receive. Everyone has heard of ESPN and even though the NHRA can be found exclusively on ESPN2, that channel has just about as much penetration in cable homes as the main ESPN channel enjoys. NASCAR coming to ESPN shows that ESPN is a place where auto racing can be easily located.
The second benefit of this deal is the potential of cross promotion. If you are reading this you are more than likely a fan of racing. Sure, you have your preferences but you probably have a mild interest in other forms of motorsport whether it be stock cars, open wheel, midgets, super cross, etc. If the NHRA and ESPN can coordinate that the drag races can follow the completion of NASCAR events, the potential to grab new viewers is immense. Having NASCAR viewers that might linger on the channel after a race before they grab the remote could eventually transition into drag racing fans. It can’t hurt. It seems it would be easier to convert a NASCAR fan into an NHRA fan rather than trying to convert an MLS soccer fan or women’s gymnastics fan. Those are the types of programs that seem to precede NHRA races currently.
Lastly, the opportunity to cross-promote to NASCAR fans could be great. Running promotions during Nextel Cup or Busch Series races informing them of NHRA races airing later or the following day might drive more viewers. ESPN has not made promoting the NHRA a priority outside of within the confines of an NHRA telecast. Maybe the big wigs in charge will see the potential in keeping viewers on their channel whether it is for a drag race or yet another poker tournament. One can only hope.
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7 Responses to “New TV Deal for NASCAR could be good for NHRA”
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ESPN2 has not and I repeat not done thatgreat of a job furfilling their contact with NHRA. Try to watch the races and have to wait becaose of a stupid game. Overpaid idlots.
I agree espn2 has not done a very good job with there broadcasting of the NHRA. Many times have I set my VCR and I end up with half of the race due to espn2 not starting any were too 1/2hr. or 1hr. later than posted. I’ve been a NHRA fan for years approx. 15yrs. I am also a racer and want to see the sport keep on growing. I could just go on and on about how the sport is family fun and is about 1/2 the cost of Nascar. I like Nascar but it has had the glory for too long, time to share!!!! Thank you.
Thanks ESPN2 for for showing NHRA drag racing. If not for them, we’d probably not see it at all. Now we know where to find it through 2011.
NHRA gets preempted some pretty sad programs already. Now it will get it from NASCAR which has run hours late because of rain delays, wrecks,and the dreaded “debris on the track”. Read that as, we need pit stops because the leader is to far ahead and haven’t had a caution in a while. I will just do like always and use the dvr to record the show and fast forward over the commecials. That helps the sponsors alot.
I would have to agree espn2 limits the airtime it has with nhra which is crap. watch half this day half the next our hours apart for what a poker game college games ect ect. also nhra brodcast on espn2HD which i would love the see but cant do to no cable nor dish air’s espn2HD in the midwest ST.louis so eather we all git the chanel or we dont is the way i think it should be
Im not a big fan of nascar, but love the NHRA..Im pleased that espn 2 will keep on covering dragracing for a very long time..I see lots of promotion on nacar tho, but not very much of NHRA..We need more coverage..But espn 2 does an excellent job of coving NHRA..My thanx are with themmm…
I love todays coverage of commercials on all channels, The use of replay of anything that happens while we were away 19 of the 20 minutes on womens toiletries and the schooling we got on what break pads are made of is inspirational an gives our toddlers something to grow into. Now if we can start a cooking commercial on how Tony Stewart got so fat racing All will be in balance,,