NASCAR fan as almost as loyal to the sponsors are they are to their favorite drivers. The 1990's and early years of the turn of the century saw NASCAR's popularity increase with new tracks, additional races, TV deals, and attendance records being set at most of the tracks. This rise in popularity also attracted many new sponsors. Sponsorship extended from the cat teams to track and race naming. A major sponsorship change of the main circuit from The Winston Cup to the Sprint Cup series also took place. R.J. Reynolds, the tobacco manufacture, ending a long standing sponsorship with NASCAR and Nextel took over. Nextel and the sponsorship was later acquired by Sprint.
References:
Website / Photo: NASCAR© History of NASCAR - http://www.nascar.com/news/features/history/
I agree that there has been some changes in sponsorship for nascar. I do not think that the sponsor makes me buy there product tho. For instance there is a ATT car on the Sprint cup circut, I like Burton he is not my favorite but still i like. I have a verizon cell phone. My favorite driver is Gordon, I do drink pepsi but dont care about dupont. And Jimmy Johnson has Lowes while Lagano has Honme Depot, I buy whereever is cheaper.
ReplyDeleteSponsership is NASCAR has come down some with many companies sharing the bill. With uncertian economic times decisions have to be made to stay viable as as a sport and NASCAR seems to be prepared to to what it needs to to weather this storm.
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