Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, Sprint Cup, FanHouse Exclusive, NASCAR
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Filed under: Roush Fenway Racing, Daytona Int'l Speedway, Sprint Cup, FanHouse Exclusive, SPEED TV, NASCAR
We learned a lot through the media tour this week. NASCAR is changing the points system. RPM has a new CEO, who happens to also be female. Felix Sabates has a lot of ideas for how to make things better (on second thought, not sure we learned anything there). Larry McReynolds thinks the sport’s media is too negative. And some in the sport’s press corps have thin skin. All in all, an enlightening week.
Perhaps most enlightening though were those comments from McReynolds and the backlash he incurred. Serving as EGR’s MC on Monday, McReynolds told a less than receptive crowd to be “more positive.” The snark and angry responses that ensued were large in number, but not exactly surprising. I’m sure some of you saw them.
Monte Dutton of the Gaston Gazette wrote:
McReynolds and his (Fox) mates would much rather talk about ingrown toenails than empty seats. He seldom used the noun “sport” without the modifier “our.” He perhaps considers himself uniquely qualified to lecture on the subject of ethics, as one of his employers is fond of proclaiming itself “fair and balanced.”
And Jeff Gluck of SB Nation wrote:
At the very least, offering a large group of people suggestions on how to do their jobs makes everyone defensive, and it’s certainly not going to make anyone change how they do their jobs.
Point taken Jeff.
Thanks for the ethics lesson… not
The fact is, McReynolds was always going to lose with these comments. Reporters aren’t going to admit (if they are) that they have taken a negative slant, and fans aren’t going to admit their outlook on the sport is at least, in some measure, colored by what they read and hear (it is). I’m not sure what the impetus was for McReynolds to make these comments, but they were a not so great idea.
The common refrain out of much of the press corps was: “we’re just telling like it is.” And since NASCAR’s media is a bastion of journalism in this country, why should anyone be questioning them? They are, of course, always objective, and never delve into opinion or question the decisions of the sport’s drivers, team executives, team owners, sanctioning body etc. Just the facts.
Snark aside, Larry McReynolds probably shouldn’t be lecturing anyone on ethics in journalism. And the sport’s press corps is right that they have a moral and ethical responsibility to “seek truth and report it.” Still what McReynolds said contains at least a grain of truth.
As a side note, after railing against McReynolds (inherently a negative thing), it took just a couple of days for some members of the press corps to further strengthen McReynolds’ point. No sooner had NASCAR announced the points change on Wednesday, had the sports media begun tearing it apart. These scathing editorials from some people who are normally tasked with writing the news, no doubt has colored perception. Or maybe not?
Fans can think for themselves
Jeff Gluck wrote:
Fans can think for themselves and make up their own minds – about everything.
One of the first things you learn in the news business is that every decision you make when you’re crafting your story is a matter of opinion. Every comma, every period, every sentence not written, every shot edited out, they’re all editorial decisions that can change the meaning of a story. That in turn can affect how the story is told to the readers, viewers or listeners, and how they see a particular event.
While Gluck is absolutely correct, that fans are capable of thinking for themselves, as a steward of the news, and perceived expert on the sport, what he and others say matters. It especially matters to those who closely read and follow what he and other favorites have to say.
Whether you want to admit it or not, unless you’re personally witnessing events, the person or organization you’re getting your news and information from colors your perception. And there is nothing wrong with that.
For instance, I like college football, but I’m not an expert on recruiting – what Rivals.com and other ranking experts have to say about a recruit absolutely affects my opinion of said recruit. The same is true in NASCAR. People tend to defer to those who have more knowledge than they have, it’s human nature.
Some final thoughts
I didn’t agree with everything Larry McReynolds had to say on Monday, but I do think he made a good point about the environment that has enveloped the sport’s media. Some in the press corps write about NASCAR with clear disdain. And I think there is a good deal more negativity that permeates NASCAR than other sports – I think a lot of that has to do with respect for leadership at the top (‘Craftsman World Truck Series’ anyone?).
I know this going to sound ground breaking, but I also think it’s possible to be factual and honest without being inflammatory and unnecessarily negative – on the flip side it’s possible to do all that without being ‘Pollyanna’ish.
Until we once again strike that balance though these charges of negativity are going to continue to pop up. And until the collective press corps is willing to look in a mirror and see itself for what it is, warts and all (some proved on Monday they aren’t ready), nothing is going to change.
The fourth estate is alive and well in NASCAR. There is no doubt about that. For the sake of the sport though, that may or may not be a good thing.
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Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, Sprint Cup, NASCAR
NASCAR Announces New Points Format, Chase Changes, New Qualifying Rules originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 20:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
I’ve written here before about my affection for lawsuits – and so long as your not involved, who doesn’t? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t enjoy the prolonged nature of them, or all the ill-will they no doubt create – and as I said, I don’t want to be involved. But the information that they generally dispense is wonderful!
Want to know how much a mid-level Cup crew chief makes? There’s a lawsuit for that. Want to know how little money the sport’s back markers will take from sponsors? There’s a lawsuit for that. Want to know the questionable stuff one of the sport’s safety manufacturers is up to? Guess what? There’s a lawsuit for that.
This season has had no shortage of those lawsuits and the interesting insights they provide.
Robby Gordon v. Extenze:
I’ll call this Extenze lawsuit number two. We’ll get to number one in just a moment. After losing his ride at Front Row Motorsports at Michigan (something we told you first), Kevin Conway and his sponsor Extenze found a new home at Robby Gordon Motorsports. Conway ran seven races for RGM, finishing no better than 30th. Thanks to lackluster performance, Gordon had to step-in to keep the car in that very valuable top-35 position in owner points. Robby says he got the greenlight from Extenze to replace Conway – they claim otherwise. Robby is now suing Extenze’s parent company for $690,000.
This one’s interesting for it’s contract specifics. $230,000 to sponsor a car for one race. That’s not much. And we saw what that gets you at RGM – a start and park ride.
Front Row Motorsports v. Extenze/Kevin Conway
This is Extenze lawsuit number one. And tack Kevin Conway onto this one. Front Row Motorsports sued Extenze parent company Biotab and Conway for $2.754 million shortly after the team booted them out the door. They allege non-payment on part of Biotab and Conway’s $5.4 million, 15 race deal.
The most surprising part of this one is that Conway was getting paid $540,000 plus 10% of any sponsorships he brought in. Oh and if you’re curious, Front Row did slightly better than RGM, pulling in $360,000 per race for those first 15 races – still though, not much.
Scott Speed v. Red Bull Racing
We don’t know a whole lot about this one yet, but it’ll be interesting if/and when it becomes available. Speed was released by Red Bull Racing shortly after the end of the season, a move that everyone has been expecting – Speed may or may not have been aware. After a seven and a half year relationship Speed said he was fired through fax – a move that did not sit well with him. It’s not exactly clear what Speed wants out of the deal – money or a ride, maybe both – but I’d assume we’ll find out soon.
Jeremy Mayfield v. NASCAR
Did anyone watch Lamb Chop as a child? They had the song that never ends, and NASCAR has the lawsuit that never ends (at least it feels that way).
Judge Graham Mullen dismissed Jeremy Mayfield’s suspension related lawsuit against NASCAR in May, but Mayfield has fought on. In an October request asking Judge Mullen to reconsider his ruling, Mayfield made claims NASCAR Chairman Brian France had a vendetta against him. He cites an incident in 2006, where France supposedly made a drunken phone call from California to the tower at the Brickyard 400 demanding Mayfield be black flagged. NASCAR says France was in Orlando at that time, and Mayfield’s team owner, Ray Evernham, says he was the one who called Mayfield in, a story corroborated by crew chief Chris Andrews.
As this lawsuit seeps into another year, I think I speak for many when I say I can’t wait for this to be over.
NASCAR v. Access Marketing & Communications
Add the Drive For Diversity program, an outside marketing agency, and apparently some bad record keeping and you’ve got yourself a good, old-fashioned dispute.
In March NASCAR filed suit against Access Marketing & Communications as it sought to determine how much it owed the company. NASCAR alleges it owes nothing, while company owner Greg Calhoun says he is owed “hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
The interesting thing with this one is the disclosure that NASCAR spent in the neighborhood $2 million a year administering the D4D program. That’s a lot of coin – and there hasn’t been much to show for it. Kind of makes you wonder what’s being spent on the current effort with Max Siegel.
Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, NASCAR
Filed under: NASCAR
Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR
Filed under: Jeff Gordon, Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR
Filed under: Daytona Int'l Speedway, Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR