NEXTEL Posses a Big Threat to NASCAR Participants and Fans
By: Andy Kondratick
Gone is the day of scanners, say hello to the new NEXTEL NASCAR Communicator. The NNC two-way communication system is state of the art and will bring the teams some much need privacy and change the way NASCAR officials communicate directly with team owners, crew chiefs, and drivers alike. During a race this could be used for NASCAR officials to talk directly to a driver and issue a penalty or directive to them. Just imagine the impact. That all sounds great, I guess, and I couldn't be happier about the fact we have a sponsor for NASCAR that will bring us on into the 22nd Century. Maybe.
I am however fearful about a recent event that has taken place. The fact that teams are having a hard enough time finding sponsors is not news to anyone. With the current things happening in the world today and the way our economy is staled, I don't think NEXTEL should be allowed to say that other communications companies can't sponsor teams. AT&T, Microsoft, Dell, MCI, Sprint, just to name a few, could bring a boat load of revenue to our sport to help it grow further into the future faster than ever before.
One of the largest money earners right now is communications. We are always going to need that in the world so people will always spend dollars on making it bigger and better. So why rob a team of a chance to compete just because they happen to have a sponsor that is a competitor to the series sponsor. The series sponsor is still going to get the most exposure. Who cares if an AT&T sponsored car wins the NEXTEL Cup? NEXTEL will still have their name in there and it will always be on top of the trophy before all the other names on it. The drivers duke it out on the track every week. Why not let the sponsors have their own race? See who can bring the best product to the table every week and make the fans happy to purchase their product. That is what the spirit of NASCAR competition and sponsorship is all about.
I think it is wrong and I am calling to the NASCAR gods to make the change. This is not five or six tobacco company's gentlemen. Wake up! There are literally hundreds of communication companies out there that could bring billions of sponsorship dollars to our sport. Why limit these funds to one company for a ten year deal that could end up on the skids in five years because someone else invents the best communication device? Now you have burnt all those other bridges so our sport suffers and becomes the new IRL, having 18 teams with a boring snooze fest instead of an exciting race. Mr. France, you need to see the big picture. Please reconsider this policy if it isn't to late.
This is bad folks. The fact that NEXTEL and NASCAR spell their names with all capitals is about the only thing I see that the two have in common. I do wish NEXTEL luck in NASCAR but I will be sitting back just waiting to say, "I told you so."
- Rogue Reporter Andy
E-mail me at bigdaddyrogue@comcast.net
July 24, 2003 -
One would think that it was a blessing in disguise when NEXTEL decided to sign on as NASCAR's sponsor of the now current Winston Cup series. Yes, they are the largest communication company out there right now and they will no doubt bring great things to this sport. They are leading the way in new technology and they have already made their presence known in a big way by announcing that they are going to change the way we as fans hear the race and the way the teams and officials communicate with each other.