With the season-ending championship race approaching closer every week, NASCAR decided to ramp up its marketing efforts ahead of the big day. However, fans were not too pleased with this decision. Why? Well because the race was already sold out. Fans looked at this as gross mismanagement of funds and tore the organization apart in the process.

NASCAR journalist Adam Stern stated, “@NASCAR is buying advertising placements and billboards all over Phoenix to build buzz around the sold-out NASCAR Championship race next month, including two 3D billboards near @FootprintCNTR, a 10-story wrap on the Arizona Center, and others at the convention center and airport.“

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All of this marketing would have not caused any drama but the fact that Phoenix is already sold out, many argue what is even the point to concentrate so much effort here. Humorously, people also spotted out one of the banners used for the promotion had a picture of Kyle Larson’s car, who, even though is the defending champion, has already been knocked out of the playoff contention.

Fans unhappy with marketing efforts on a sold-out race

Fans argued that such a marketing initiative should take place across all races throughout the season, arguing that it would be the only way to bring back sold-out venues like it was in the earlier part of the century.

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NASCAR would argue that the idea is to create a buzz around the mega event, so as to drive up opportunities for local businesses on that weekend. But fans remain critical that promoting an already sold-out race is going to yield no return in terms of the popularity of the sport. Moreover, in recent years the popularity of what the sport once was, is steadily diminishing as the years pass by.

If anything should be done, one would argue that each and every race on the calendar should be aggressively promoted in order to draw fans into the venues and make them as jam-packed as they used to be back in the day.