“Dumb, Boo” – Dale Earnhardt Jr Leads NASCAR Reactions to Controversial “When-Not-If” Move

NASCAR had been suffering from dwindling viewership since 2014, and Dale Earnhardt Jr’s retirement in 2017 was a further blow. But it looks like NASCAR is slowly and steadily making its way back up. Taking a page out of Formula One’s book of tapping global audiences, should NASCAR benefit from hosting an event outside of the USA?

Formula One made a big decision when they allowed Netflix’s crews into their paddocks and garages to document the ins and outs of Formula racing. The sport was already a global behemoth – racing in different countries and continents for decades. But this move turned out to be a masterstroke from the top brass.

The documentary, Drive to Survive, with its editorial and creative freedoms generated enough drama and intrigue to strengthen F1’s standing amongst uninvested viewers, and also captured new fanbases across the globe. The result – more demand for races in different cities and countries.

NASCAR Cup Series races have always been staged in the US, while there is strong viewership across the globe but nothing to cater to that demand. Within the US, its TV numbers have gone up with FOX reporting an 8% rise year-on-year – average viewership in 2022 was 3.67 million on FOX compared to 3.40 million in 2021.

But NASCAR isn’t just trying to get its numbers up in the US, it is also actively trying to tap into the millions of viewers outside. The process began in 2018 with the appointment of Jim Cassidy (Chief International Officer) and Chad Seigler (Vice President, International Business Development).

Cassidy had then said “NASCAR racing is broadcast in over 185 countries and territories, with race fans engaging stock car racing in person at events in Canada, Mexico and across Europe. The demand for Nascar racing internationally has never been stronger and we look forward to bringing our sport closer to race fans everywhere.”

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It looks like Cassidy and Seigler have made concrete steps toward the internationalization of the Cup Series. If successfully pulled off, NASCAR can propel forward at rocket speed with the amount of new revenue that will flow in as a result.

Dale Earnhardt Jr among fans not enthused by NASCAR decision

Despite the optimism shown by the executives of NASCAR, there remain some doubts about the move. One of the biggest dissenters has been Dale Jr –

Other than Dale, other fans vocalized their reservations about the move as well –

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Technicality-based fears and reservations, like those of Dale Earnhardt Jr are valid and justified. They must be taken into account by NASCAR as they plan their moves going forward. But in totality, the move could provide a big push to NASCAR.