Taking a break from NASCAR reporting for this post as I have just watched the video from Cadillac and their CTS-V racing program. Cadillac has put together a few short films showing off the new race car on the track. The car will hit the streets of Long beach March 25th-27th during the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge GT Series.
You can see more on Cadillac YouTube Channel.
In addition to the film series, Cadillac will also be hosting a live chat on the Cadillac V-Series Tab on Facebook so that racing enthusiasts and fans can talk with the Cadillac Racing Team and participate in an open forum discussion during the actual racing event. So when Cadillac makes its storied return to the racetrack, they will not only be breaking new ground on the track, but they will be driving down new paths in social media as well. Live dialogue between racing fans and the racers themselves will be the first of its kind, and only marks the beginning for what’s to come from Cadillac.
Cadillac Racing Video For CTS-V is a post from: Awesome Race Fans
As NASCAR continues to look for ways to improve the sport, both on and off the track, one area I believe they are missing a huge opportunity is with their online content. While there are plenty of articles, blog posts, and video clips available at NASCAR.com and the many other racing related websites, NASCAR is trailing most of the other major sports with their live streaming options.
NASCAR’s current online presence is controlled by Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting Systems, and has been since 2001. In 2008, the two entities extended their online deal through the year 2014. This puts Turner in direct control of NASCAR’s official online footprint.
Currently, outside of the six races that TNT’s RaceBuddy is available online, NASCAR.com’s online offerings are pretty scant. TrackPass offers scanner audio, timing and scoring data, limited MRN/PRN broadcasts, and some weird virtual racing animation called RaceView. There are also some short feature shows and racing highlights available each week. There is however, no way to watch races streaming live online, view archived race footage, or even listen live to MRN and PRN broadcasts and shows.
And compared to the other major American sports, NASCAR is still in the digital ice age. For example, while they don’t offer live streaming video of games online, the NFL does have live online streaming audio for all 32 teams. Major League Baseball has their MLB.TV package that allows fans to watch every regular season game live online, and they’ve been doing so for years. The NBA offers League Pass Broadband that allows viewers to watch 40 games a week live online including full DVR features, plus every game from the season is archived and available at any time to watch in full replay. Even the NHL has Gamecenter that offers live online games, plus they just added a new archive of old and classic games that are available for download. Everyone else seems to get it, except NASCAR.
The biggest obstacle appears to be that NASCAR has several partners in terms of broadcasting, and getting them all to agree on a fair package might be difficult at best. But the one key factor that could change everything is NASCAR. It’s their product in the end, and if they wanted it done, it could get done.
Just to give you and idea about what the networks think, earlier in the season when asked about streaming races online, FOX’s David Hill said that they would not do it, so as to protect their local affiliates. After reading that, and knowing the difficult situation that network television is in, I can understand his position. What’s interesting to note however, is that while he’s not okay showing NASCAR races online for fear of harming his local affiliates, he’s certainly okay “harming” them by allowing Major League Baseball to stream every single game online with it’s MLB.TV package while FOX continues along as part of $3 billion TV contract with MLB that runs through 2013. Good one David.
What NASCAR needs is a comprehensive online package that would allow fans to pay a subscription fee for everything mentioned. Allow them access to live audio and video of press conferences, practice sessions, qualifying, and races online. Make RaceBuddy available for all 36 races. Give them access to listen to all of the MRN and PRN broadcasts and shows. Want scanner audio for every driver you? You got it! Offer several different packages at different price points, and let them choose what they want. There is so much activity going on during the week and at the races on the weekend, and it could all be available for consumption, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, right on NASCAR.com. Cha ching, cha ching!
NASCAR needs new ways to connect with their fans, and they are always looking to expand the sport’s reach. They have a golden opportunity lying right in front of their faces to accomplish both, and they have chosen to ignore it. Somebody please explain this to me.
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Pages that don’t work. Under construction banners. Replayed press releases. Poorly produced video content (or clipped TV interviews). Lackluster traffic. Pitiful efforts.
All these things and more describe the websites of NASCAR’s biggest teams. For all their sponsorship dollars and sales savvy, the sport’s elite have largely failed in their efforts to attract a strong audience to their Internet presences.
In our very unscientific TNI poll we found a little less than half of respondents regularly visit the websites of their favorite teams or drivers. According to comScore Hendrick Motorsports had just 68,000 unique visitors in March. The traffic numbers for other teams are lower (by comparison NFL teams regularly have unique numbers from the low six figures to the low seven figures per month).
The popular excuse is that NASCAR fans follow the drivers, not the teams, so they don’t visit the team sites. I don’t believe this is the whole story though. The teams, for their part, have done very little over the years to utilize the potential of their sites.
What you currently find on their websites is non-exclusive content (press releases), some photos, and the occasional video collage set to ridiculous music. Some teams have attempted blogs, but they get forgotten; and while others have done a good job with video recently, I don’t trust they’ll continue to do it.
Roush Fenway is making steps in the right direction, but the end result is still to be seen. According to Sports Business Journal, the team is spending close to $500,000 on a new team website (this includes the site, a relationship with the Barbarian Group and a new studio) – the new site will be “half competition/half sales.” Team president Geoff Smith said this was a way for them to modernize their outreach. Welcome to the 21st century Geoff (you’re only 10 years late).
One of the key components of this redesign is video content, and the team has already started to wade into that. They recently produced a Home Shopping style infomercial for Ricky Stenhouse. It was mildly entertaining, but about 4 minutes too long. Don’t get me wrong, it was well done and having a guy like Sean Pragano (Ricky’s PR guy and a former broadcast sports reporter) host is great. Every team should attempt to put out viral videos. Roush just needs to be very careful about who they’re marketing this to, and whether or not there will be an actual benefit.
Unfortunately, many teams are online just because they feel they have to be. As Michael Smith so accurately wrote, “…most teams don’t tout their sites as a legitimate source of exposure. It’s mostly a value-added component to a sponsorship deal.” While very correct, the statement is fundamentally flawed. How can a site be a value-added component if nobody sees it? Perhaps more important to this post though is why isn’t it being used as a source for exposure?
NASCAR, just like every other sport in the country, is facing dwindling coverage by downsizing newspapers, newspaper chains and broadcast outlets. Where most sports teams are looking to increase their online presence, especially on their own sites, NASCAR teams are doing nothing. I think it’s bizarre.
On top of that none of these teams do anything to promote their sites (with the exception of the occasional sticker on the car or, driver’s firesuit). It seems quite simple and logical to think that a team would want to tell people that they have a site and there are great things on it, but none do.
Honestly there is a lot teams could do to encourage people to visit. Most important is getting capable individuals in place to produce exclusive content for the site. The fact is, it takes skill and knowledge to effectively write for and produce video content. It also takes a skilled individual to consistently write compelling and interesting stories and blogs that people will return to read. If teams can effectively add value to their sites, and increase traffic, it too could become a tool for making money. Go figure.
Too often organizations delve into things without asking the fundamental, why they’re doing it. It seems like such a simple thing, but often gets overlooked. Websites certainly take time and money to make right, but with the proper individuals and the appropriate investment they really can turn their sites into a valuable part of their marketing efforts.
Quick video of Tony Stewart when he was filming those Burger King commercials.
Tony will engage in his first-ever live polygraph test (yes, you heard that right…). Beginning Sept. 28, fans will be invited to submit and vote on questions to be asked of Stewart during the live webcast on Oct. 20. And if that’s not enough, fans can also sign up for a chance to win the Ultimate Tony Stewart Experience. Go to www.bkracing.com for more information.
Tony Stewart Making the Burger King Commercial : AwesomeWreckage.com ~ Nascar Fan Forum
Hi NASCAR fans – Some exciting stuff happening around here, If you didn’t already get it from the Title we are going to have a contest.
This past July was the 25th anniversary of King Richard Petty’s 200th win and STP is celebrating it by creating Videos of the event. To celebrate the silver anniversary of Petty’s 200th win, STP created an exclusive documentary video series aptly titled, “Crowning Achievement,” comprised of three videos that give fans a unique perspective on the King’s storied career and historic win.
The series included exclusive footage and interviews with the King where he shares the story behind the story. The final video in the series follows Petty during his 25th anniversary celebration at Daytona on July 4, 2009 as he talks to fans, gets honored by the drivers and gets back on track in a replica of the No. 43 STP car he drove to victory back in the 1984 Daytona race.
These are videos that NASCAR fans will appreciate – because there may never be another driver like Richard Petty. Aside from being a fierce competitor and a fearless driver, the King knew his car inside and out better than anyone else on the track. During his career, Petty was as comfortable under the hood as driving the car, a testament to a childhood spent working on cars in his dad’s garage. STP salutes the do-it-yourselfer and the folks, like Petty, that roll up their sleeves and take pride in their work and their cars.
Now on to our contest. I want to know why Richard Petty is the King. You can leave your entry in the comments below. The winner will get a prize package containing an STP Complete Fuel System Cleaner, cleaner kit, a Hat and a T-shirt. Its simple to enter just leave a comment. Winner will be chosen on September 3rd at 6pm est. Good luck and enter now.
Richard Petty Contest Sponsored by STP : AwesomeWreckage.com ~ Nascar Fan Forum