Sprint To Replace NEXTEL As NASCAR's Top Brand In 2008
Tuesday July 10, 2007
Between the controversy of Friday's rained out qualifying and the excitement of the 2007 Pepsi 400 finish NASCAR fans had a lot to talk about this weekend. One event went largely unnoticed. On Saturday morning NASCAR announced that the Sprint brand will replace NEXTEL as NASCAR's premier series sponsorbeginning January 1st, 2008.
Many fans were upset in 2003 when NASCAR announced that Winston would be replaced by NEXTEL. I am a little surprised that fans have been very quiet about this announcement. While I didn't expect a huge uproar I did think that it would be more widely reported.
Which do you own more of Winston or NEXTEL merchandise? Will you be buying some Sprint Cup swag so you can stay current?
Comments
No, I won’t be buying anymore merchandise. It’s getting ridiculous with drivers changing car numbers and sponsors and now the series sponsor changing again so soon after it changed to Nextel. Nope, here’s one sucker that’s done trying to keep my collection current. Who cares?
Well Steve, I think the reason there has not been a big tadoo over this SPRINT/NEXTEL name change is PARTIALLY because everyone knows that NEXTEL really isnt a name anymore, it is now SPRINT for everything else–might as well be SPRINT for NASCAR also.! And partially because NASCAR is making a big deal about BURTONS car, we all know that CINGULAR is now AT&T and everyone (I think) feels that Burtons car should also say AT&T now.
If you had a company called ABC co. and you changed it to 123 co. You would not want people to know you as ABC co. anymore. We as people would not want to know you as ABC co. anymore either, but rather 123 co. GO KASEY
SPRINT? This make no sense at all. NASCAR wouldn’t let a driver change his cars theme and now they are changing the series name? Come on NASCAR, give us fans a break.
Nascar just SUCKS now, it dosent matter what name you call it, it will still suck.
Maybe NASCAR will become like Sprints service, SUCKY! Maybe the France family has enough money,that they could care less if fans are happy or not. People are not likely to accept change very well. Winston was going up in smoke, while sprint had already taken over Nextel.
im sorry but i refusse to buy anything more when it comes to the series sponsors… i like the fact that they were goin to keep it nextel and now its goin to sprint that isnt right and it shouldnt happen… alot of us nascar fans are starting to get sick and tired of all the bs that is goin on with nascar and it needs to stop right away
I agree with David. I’m sure Nextel was planning on this change BEFORE the hullabaloo with AT&T. Get real NASCAR and drop your suit against AT&T. The only difference I see (and I’ve read NASCAR’s excuses) is that AT&T didn’t “ask permission” before trying to change the logo on the car. NASACAR may be the “governing body” but if you keep pissing off the fans there may not be anybody to “govern”. Look what dissension caused with IRl and Champ. Do we want the same thing at NASCAR becuz the “governing body” is turning into a dictatorship where they feel they can do whatever they want but individual cars in the sport can’t?
When NASCAR made the decision to go with a cellular carrier they were pretty much dooming themselves to some sponsor shake-ups. The cellular carrier business has been very volatile ever since it came about. Companies have been bought and sold like wildfire. This really should be no suprise to anyone. As far as the #31 car goes, the competitiveness of the business is going to magnify petty sitiations like this one. I miss the Winston Cup. It was a politically correct move that I always felt might backfire. Juggling major sponsorship every few years will eventually have a detrimental effect of NASCAR in the public’s perception. In my mind they are getting what they asked for.
Having bloviated all of that, I am still a fan and dont want to be lumped in with the NASCAR bashers. I am just stating what I believe to be factual.
People were upset over the replacement of Winston because it has been that for years. As long as I can remember it had always been “The Winston Cup”, for years I didn’t even realize it was Winston Tobacco. I own nothing with the NEXTEL CUP on it, & I will not buy anything with Sprint Cup on it either.
Steve, I do not think it really matters to the fan from a merchandise standpoint. 99% of the fans own driver merchandise, not NASCAR / Nextel merchandise. Fans are much more loyal to the driver than the NASCAR / Nextel brand.
As for the switch, TLabonte Fan was correct, Nascar jumps around with sponsors just to follow the dollar. They view it as “Great. Fans now will need to replenish their merchandise supply with Sprint branded erchandise.”
As a fan, I will support my driver and his sponsor. I do not own one piece of NASCAR / Nextel / Winston branded merchandise, nor will I.
Never again will I buy Nascar items just to stay current. The only thing that never changes are the letters “NASCAR”.
My buddy and I went to the farewell concert held to honor the Winston Cup sponsorship in NASCAR all those years. I was very new to the sport and had NO CLUE Winston = the cigarettes. Doh!
I agree with 1969RS — go to a race and you’ll see almost ZERO people in line to buy NASCAR/NEXTEL stuff. We’re all piled up at our drivers’ rigs, diggin’ deep to pay for staff WAY too expensive just b/c it all has #8, 9, 24, 48, 12, 31, etc, on ‘em.
Who really foots the bill for NASCAR?
And it’s a BIG bill.
The following is my precentage of merchandise holdings. #20 90%. #24 5%. #99 5%. NASCAR/WINSTON/NEXTEL/SPRINT/HUMPTYDUMPY/WHO CARES
My merchandise holdings are very similar Smoke20. # 20-95% #24-2% #48-2% #8-1%
Winston, Nextel, Sprint- 0%
I think I finally figured out why Nascar hasn’t found a solution to the commercial problem…All their engineers and problem solvers are busy trying to figure out what they want to to call Nascar next.
Yep nobody buying nascar stuff, however they are still being paid royalities because of the nascar logo.
One of NASCAR planes went down hitting two houses in the Orlando area.
Jim, a man could look at that in two different ways. 1) Hope noone was hurt, but wouldn’t that have been exciting to watch that crash (I’m being sarcastic here) 2) guess Nascar didn’t make enough money from commercials this weekend to pay for enough aviation fuel. These are not necessarily my opinions or the way I feel. There are alot on here, that according to the comments made, feel that way.
smoke62, 5 dead so far in the crash. The pilot reported smoke in the cockpit before the crash. What I read they had plenty of fuel that’s what made fire so Hot.
Why don’t all the whiners just go buy some Cheese & Crackers and shut the h*ll up!. Does it matter who’s the “sponsor” of the series? Not to me, just keep the races coming fast & furious. Also, REMOVE THE RESTRICTOR PLATES!!!!
They should think of something else. “NASCAR Sprint Cup” Series is too closely related to Sprint Car racing besides the fact that it sounds just as dumb as “NASCAR Nextel Cup” does. I am a diehard “NASCAR” fan. Not to be confused with an advertisement for a cell phone or any other marketing ploy that detracts from the racing itself.
Corporate America, Corporate America, Corporate NASCAR.
Hey Suzi, maybe it will bring more attention to the Sprint Car Series? But then again, if fans think Nascar Sprint Cup is related to Sprint Car Series, it would probably hurt the Sprint Car Series. Ha.
It doesn’t flow. Winston cup, Nextel cup ok But Sprint cup, come on lets just call it FRANCE cup
Zman, fast & furious? Not with COT crap. If you been watching and listening those cot crap cars are slower, thats not my words, those words from the drivers themselves. REMOVE THE RESTRICTOR PLATE, they won’t need them next year, maybe a push truck.
I only got to know the Cup series by the name Winston for one year but even then I didn’t like the change to Nextel. Now they’re off to Sprint. In a couple years down the road it’ll probably be something else. I wish they’d just pick something and stick with it. All the changers are really just getting annoying now. Annoying corporate $$$$$ NASCAR $$$$$$
I got the solution, instead of Nextel or Sprint NASCAR should go with Virgin Mobil. So we would have to PRE-PAY before we can watch the races. Unless you one of many new to NASCAR, many of us can remember back a few years ago, what we had to do to watch the race at Pocono, Pay per View TV, only if you had cable. This should get the whiners going. LOL
I agree with you guys. Nascar changing the name to Sprint sounds like the 31 Change. If anyone have a cingular like me. Since the beginning cingular was a cover up for att&T to gain customers and sprint did the same with Nextell. They are awful as a company provider, but like all the other guys My merchandise percentages goes 48 95%, 24 5% & the rest who cares. I go to the races I support the drivers not the Sprint, Nextell.
John, I remember the “pay per view” deal from Pocono. I missed that race as I was not going to shell out $$ to watch. I guess Nascar learned real quick on that one.
Thats all good,I’m just glad Coca-Cola is taking over pepsi in Daytona and other races as I’m a fan of the Coca-Cola drivers …go #20
SOME OF YOU DON’T SMOKE AND THATS OK JUST AS I SMOKE AND IT SHOULD BE OK SAID THAT TO SAY THIS WHEN WINSTON WAS THE SPONSER THEY GAVE OUT AS I REMIMBER 2 CARTONS OF SMOKES 1 VIDEO OF THE BEST CUP FINISHES,CRASHES , POSTERS AND OTHER STUF.. WHAT DID NEXTEL GIVE OUT AS I REMEMBER 1 KEY LANYARD (ABOUT 25 CENTS) AND YOU HAD TO KISS THERE ASS TO GET IT.;
THEY TOOK WINSTON OUTTA RACEING BECAUSE THEY DID WANT TO PERMOTE SMOKING TO THE KIDS. POINT BUD IS BEER CROWN ROYAL IS LIQUOR BUSH IS BEER TO WE DONT WANT OUR KIDS TO DRINK EATHER DO WE SO TAKE THEM OUT TOO BY THE WAY I SMOKE AND DRINK TOO I KNOW THIS WILL GET SOME OF YOU NONSMOKES PANITYS IN AN UPROAR BUT THATS TO BAD
Sorry Ron It didn’t get my panties in a wad. However I’m still laugh at your comment how foolish it is. I really don’t give a rats azz if you drink or smoke that’s not my problem. However it is our problem because people like you think it’s your right to drink and smoke of which it is. Then you think it’s your right for everybody to flip the bill for your medical bills to the rest of us. Or when you get cancer then you sue the the tobbaco CO.’s As long I don’t have to breath your smoke or I’m not the car you hit after you drink.
You people seem to forget that if there were not a sponsor there would not be any race, who cares what name it is run under. and by the way the :restriction”
races are the BEST! Every one has the same chance to win not just the ones with the most money.
We all better watch closly because I am guessing like their signal Cars will start going away when they move 2 feet. I can just see it now the cars beeping in and out of the race one minute leading down the front straight,gone through the first turn,reappears coming out of turn two but only partially visable,down the back stretch pits can contact driver but driver can not answer because that service unavailable beep keeps telling him he’s on his own. Sorry- that got long I just have a commitment to sprint/nextel still and not very pleased.BET YOU COULDN’T TELL,HAHA
If NASCAR doesn’t get itself together and go back to the kind of racing that attracted all its millions of fans it won’t need to worry about who sponsers the races, because there won’t be any….no fans, why race?
Not crazy about the name change so quick,but I understand the reason.My question is are they going to change the chase again if Gordon wins to keep him from winning #7?
Here is a good one some person said the restrictor races are the best, what a joke. If he like them because of the slower speeds, he will be foaming at the mouth when he sees the cot crap race on how slow they are.
It seems to me that these cellular companies are too wishywashy to sponsor a racing series. They need to let Budweiser or Anheiser Busch sponsor the series. It has worked for the Busch series for a long long time. You don’t see that series flip-flopping their name.
I apologize to everyone out there for sounding insensitive about the plane crash. I made a comment before I did the research. Again I apologize. My heart goes out all those affected by this tragedy.
Well we know the “NEW” name for Nextel but what is the new name of the Bush league? The last I hear Wal Mart was one of the front runners just think
“Wal Mart Raceing League” So And So is at the top of the “Wal Mart Series”
Now this is just not right,
Thank you
Smoke62: Actually Busch has announced that they are leaving the Busch series at the end of 2007. NASCAR is currently looking into alternate sponsors for NASCAR’s #2 touring series.
Who can they get that will stay for a long time like winston did?The way big buisness is today,they either merge with someone else or file bankruptsy to make even more money.I think NASCAR is in a tough spot(not defending them)but times are changing.
Thanks for the info Steve. What is this world coming to when a race fan don’t even know what to call his favorite past time?
NASCAR’s next top brand, the people who made NASCAR, the fans
Yeah, let’s all donate $10 to NASCAR the beginning of each year. How much you think that’ll raise? Enough to eliminate Sprint, and let ‘em name the series/cup without a sponsor’s moniker?
Wishful thinkin.
Let them race and people will show up no matter what the name. Shouldn’t racing be about who can get the most out of their car and drive it the best? Not having everything identical. Takes away the best of racing in my opinion.
On a personal note to nascar’s comment, in America it is a good thing to be able to do what you want within reason. People have paid for that right with their lives, property, and money for many years. I would much rather spend my money in the U.S. on someone’s medical bills(no matter what the reason) than sending it overseas to improve everyone elses countries. Taking care of our own should come first. You can’t enjoy your rights without knowing to defend someone elses equally whether you like it or not. You cant say you dont care and then gripe about the consequences.
Southland, First, I know this is not a place for this kind of discussion, it’s for Racing. But as long someone brought it up a day or so ago, as well you did, I will voice my thoughts. I agree we should take care of our own first, No question. However, I don’t care it is your right to smoke or drink, and it is. But I don’t want to pay for your smoking or drinking habits of the problems they accur from it. I also think it’s dumb when everybody been warned about smoking, and when someone gets cancer they sue the Tobbaco co.’s. For what being stupid enough to ignore the warnings? They should sue you. Oh well back to the racing format.
A while back in another topic about the points they nascar takes away. Somebody made a comment that it is dumb to take away points after the fact. He also stated no other sport does that except nascar. What I just read this person was proved wrong. I just read that Oklahoma State U.? was just stripped of their 2005 football season.
Call it for what it really is. NASCAR FAN CUP. It’s the fans that power nascar. The fans buy the merchandise,tickets,hotpasses etc. The sponsors, sponsor the drivers and NASCAR and buy commercials so we’ll buy their product. Who has the true power in NASCAR? I say 60/40 NASCAR should listen.
Has anyone noticed the empty seats at the last few races? This is the answer to change! Money talks and bs. walks! Sony has signed JR. so drink your sony and listen to bud! Its all about choices and change, We NASCAR diehards do not like change. If ain’t broke , DON’T FIX IT!
First off, when Nextel signed with NASCAR, I believe for 10 years, they had the option in it to be allowed to change the name one time during those 10 years. They are exercising that option at this time. If Sprint is bought out by another company, they can’t change the name until the end of that contract they signed with NASCAR.
Second, I have heard that since the COT car is being used next year, that most of the Sprint NASCAR drivers probably will not be racing in the Busch (could be named something else next year as well) Series, since the 2 cars are so much different. The COT cars are very similar to the truck series trucks. I have heard that some of the drivers may start driving in the truck series instead of the “Busch”.
Third, GO #20.
I’ve got a suggestion for all the race fans out there. Why don’t we just let all the teams do whatever they want to their cars, and the smart ones will prevail. Oh yea, we can call it “Pimpin’ My Ride”
It is just part of the corporate world having to make everything in this country a damn commercial. It started with stadiums going from “Candlestick Park” to “3com park or Monster Park,” the last of the dying breed are Yankee stadium, Fenway Park and Wrigley field because it would be a crime to change Wrigley Field to ” Toyota Park” or whatever. Mark my words here and now, soon tracks will be named like this, Infineon has already done it, and then it will no longer be Darlington raceway but “Burger King Track.” It is getting to be too much, that is for sure.
Just Don’t Buy any Nascar Merchandise…
It’s time the fans make there stand and tell Nascar what we want..without the fans there will be no nascar.
I agree with alot of the fans leaving comments-its about the driver /teams-not the deep pockets of France. NASCAR is much like out own gov’t…if thjeir is a way to put more money in their pockets, it shall be regulated.
thekingcobra63, Ever heard of Lowes speedway?,Oh yea if you don’t buy in Nascar stuff they still get money from the teams stuff you buy.
Bottom line is that whatever the France family wants they get. A great example of a monopoly
here we go with the smokers again. look we are treated like a plague but pay the taxes. how would you like to do that. when i worked the smokers were the best, very seldom out sickk. it has nothin to do with racing. Winston cup sounded good, people loved it . If you watch the old races, it was the drivers out to win I say let them race. (Oh, do the drivers now have to ask permission to pass) ya know if you cant stand the smoke stay out of the kitchen I didnt smole because of the name Winston, I dont drink beer but I love Budweizer, so who said these influence you??? The drivers their cars and the race thats what makes me love racing.
gerrygo#8, I don’t care what they call they call nascar. I also liked it when they called it the Winston cup. Don’t complain about the taxes if you are willing to buy them, where I live the taxes goes for the effects of the habit. As I said before I do not care what you do, I just don’t want to pay for your habit. This OLD argument when I work the smokers was the hardest workers or the ones that was never sick. Where I worked the smokers was the ones that were not at their workstations because they were on a smoke break.
I do like the older days of racing because they race and none of this, you touched me, and whine about it, then you got the fans (the newer fans) complain on how one driver touch the other car, and they whine about it. This Political correctness went way overboard.
Im so sick of all the name changing stuff!!!
If Nascar doesnt get they’re act together , it will be over.
I go to many tracks to watch the races & even that is becoming a nightmare.
The “new Nascar fans are idiots, most of them, its just a giant party & they know NOTHING about the sport.
COME ON NASCAR GET YOUR STUFF TOGETHER!!!
Another “longtime” racing fan
Who cares? Nextel, sprint, same thing. Why not have Crown Royal and Coke or Pepsi as the major sponsors or the other family members, Jack, Jim or whoever.
As you can tell by my name I am first and foremost a hockey fan but I do love NASCAR as well. As for all the name changes, I do NOT support Winston, Nextel or Sprint but rather my support is for #48 – GO JIMMIE – and I enjoy watching #9. I buy merchandise with THEIR names on it. I don’t buy it for whoever is the sponsor du jour.
Now to get off the forum subject a bit and because another writer did bring up the smoking and drinking thing:
To address Ron regarding his smoking and drinking – If you smoke in your home ONLY that is your right but when you smoke in the open you are invading my clean air and I don’t appreciate it. If you want to kill yourself, then do it but I don’t want to get sick from your second hand smoke. My husband smoked for years and, guess what, it killed him at the age of 45. Now I have all kinds of breathing problems because of the second hand smoke I had to endure. Just make certain that if you have to drink you don’t drive ANYWHERE even remotely close to any of my family and friends. Just run into a tree or a telephone pole and leave our loved ones to live. Did you know that drinking kills brain cells? I guess that is why your comment is so filled with misspelled words and incorrect grammar. O.K. I got that said and I know this isn’t the forum for that but because of the losses I have had in my life I abhor smoking and drinking and all the sadness it causes.
GO JJ #48
I totally agree it does not matter what the series is called, it is still racing, and I will still watch it. The mercandise I buy does not say Nextel on it. It says NASCAR.
I was slightly relieved the Busch series was not going to become the ‘chicken run’ with KFC, lol.
More stuff to buy? I don’t think so. I’ve got a ton of Winston stuff and a small amount of Nextel stuff. I think that they need to remember that we’re not all made of money, and frankly don’t enjoy having to buy all new things when our drivers or NASCAR in general decides they want to switch it up. I remember when your driver had the same number and sponser long enough to get your t-shirts worn out. Now it’s all about keeping up with the “Jones’”.
We are hugh Nascar fans as well. Also agree, to many changes, who comes up with these ideas?? They say Nascar wouldn’t be anything without the fans support…..so why don’t they let the fans have a vote ..NEXTEL.or SPRINT…..We have over $2000.00 in 1:24 scale cars, mostly Earnhardt’s… Like everyone else backing off on merchandise.It’s definately becoming a race for the buck, the merchandise gets higher all the time,& the fans can’t afford to buy….So who is running this sport into the ground NOT THE FANS… Would be nice if whom ever is at the top could see all the comments from us unhappy fans…They say the buck has to stop somewhere..
ALL THESE CHANGES ARE STILL NEW, I FOR ONE AM JUST GOING TO SIT BACK AND SEE WHAT REALLY SHAKE’S OUT IN THE END !!!!
WINSTON,NEXTEL,SPRINT, WHO CARE’S IT’S THE DRIVER’S AND THERE PITT CREWS THAT MAKE THIS SPORT THE BEST THING SMOKING……………
I’M NEW TO WRITTING IN THIS SECTION BUT WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS THIS, WINSTON,NEXTEL,SPRINT, WHO CARE’S, IT’S THE DRIVER’S AND THERE PITT CREWS WHO MAKE THIS SPORT THE GREATEST THING HAPPENING ON THE WEEKENDS, I CAN’T REMEMBER THE THE LAST TIME I WAS CHEERING FOR WINSTON , OR NEXTEL, OR SPRINT
I FOR ONE AM GOING TO JUST SIT BACK AND WAIT TO SEE WHAT SHAQK’S OUT I9N THE END
We should quit going to the races and quit watching nascar, quit buying their stuff and then watch them cry. Just like we are crying now. Maybe they would go back to there roots and race like it should be raced.
$2000 in nascar stuff? Now whose the silly one or maybe stupid. I love car racing and I may buy “A” shirt or/and “A” hat but thats it. I have better things to do with my money to waste it on this stuff.
I SMOKE…I DRINK….I PARTY! I REMEMBER WHEN NASCAR DID TOO! BE NICE TO GET BACK WHERE WE USED TO BE. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RIGHT TO; SMOKE…DRINK…RACE…PRAY & HAVE JUST HAVE “ALL AMERICAN” FUN? YOU CAN PUT ADS ON YOUR CAR TO KEEP YOUR YAHOO HARD…REMEMBER THE AFTER SEX CIG? I THINK IT WENT TOO FAR A LONG TIME AGO! IF YOU DON’T WANT YOUR KID TO USE SOMETHING….TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT. DON’T TAKE IT OUT ON ALL OF US WHO USE COMMON SENSE & GOOD JUDGEMENT.
>>>COME BACK WINSTON
Big red woody, You do what ever you want, however when it interfers with others then it’s a problem. Ads on cars, no problem. When people drink to much and drives, A Problem. When people trying to eat a meal and a smoker is smoking, A Problem. A smoker out side walk, no problem, When others cant go no where without breathing unwanted smoke, A Problem. When smokers throw their butts on the ground so others have to pick them up, A problem, Bars No problem. Talking to our kids about it No problem.
Get the point?
Corporate sponsorship is the trend in all major sports and is the reason why drivers and race teams make the money they do and why greed is prevalent in all entertainment venues.
The name of the cup series should perhaps reflect icons of the sport like the Lombardi trophy, Stanley Cup, etc.
I for one could get used to the chase being for the Petty Cup. Race fans for generations will still know the history behind the name and what greater honor to bestow on the greatest driver to ever get behind the wheel?
What do you think?
Not the petty cup. He was a good driver, but when a person have the most money and biggest engine they tend to win races. He would never could have win that many with the rules they have today.
Why don’t we just call it the NASCAR FRANCE CUP