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Sponsorship, Making the NASCAR World Go Around, So Why the Fuss?

Jeremy T. Sellers
August 14, 2007

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It certainly didn't use to be that way. During the times of "run what you brung", sponsorship wasn't the pedestal of NASCAR that it is today. However, this philosophy alone brings much needed dollars to a team in order for it to become or remain competitive. In the end, we've all seen what happens when a car loses its sponsorship: crash and burn. With that aside do we really need to start tying up our court system over what appears on whose car? Aren't there more important issues for our judicial system to be handling? Indeed!

Budweiser, Miller Lite, and Coors Light. Jim Beam and Jack Daniels. Sunoco, Shell, and Marathon. Alltel, Cingular, and Nextel. See what I'm getting at here folks? NASCAR preaches the need for diverse interests in order to keep the sport running, but as of recent, only if it suits the governing body. Granted, Nextel is the premier sponsor of the cup series, but before they took to the head back in 2004, they grandfathered the aformentioned wireless services. However, since AT&T has bought out Cingular Wireless, warranting an over all change in name and design, NASCAR files a lawsuit. High priced attorneys stating that the NASCAR fans will be "confused" by the change. What's changed other than the name? Then the questioned needs to be posed regarding the Nextel Cup becoming the Sprint Cup for the 2008 season. Wouldn't we, as uneducated, inbred hillbilly fans be just as confused by this as we would Cingular being bought out by AT&T? Does anyone else see a double standard here but I?

It's okay to have dueling beers, differing liquors, and feuding fossil fuels, and some, but not all, wireless warriors as primary sponsors? With no doubt, there's more to this argument than we'll ever been privy, but it seems a shame that a sport we love and follow so dearly, and readily dump our dollars into can't see us as even being semi-educated. I would reckon I should follow nothing but Busch races from now on, as I am a Verizon customer. THEY are allowed to be a primary sponsor in that series. Niether you or I may be able to make our own decisions regarding our wireless carrier if we follow a driver in the Nextel, Sprint, Piss, or whatever, cup. However rest assured we can booze it up, fill it up, and drive it home!

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