Someone once asked me why I considered NASCAR possibly the number one sport in the U.S. Maybe the following stat's will explain why!
The following stats are excerpted from and credited to Time Magazine's research, from an article titled: The Last Lap (2001)
Inside Nascar's Growing World
THE FANS
Attendance has doubled since 1990. Last year 6.5 million fans flocked to Winston Cup races,
spending around $65 a ticket.
A NASCAR survey of fans found that:
40% are women
64% have attended college or beyond
70% have Internet access
41% earn more than $50,000
38% live in the South
17% in the Northeast
45% in rest of country:
Devote an average of 3.7 hours a week to the sport
Spend an average of $287 per year on NASCAR merchandise
Source: Edgar, Dunn & Co.
Projected to be the fastest-growing sports earner over the next five years.
TOTAL REVENUE (millions)
Sport -- 1999 -- 2006 -- Growth*
NFL -- 4,119 -- 6,524 -- 7%
MLB -- 2,633 -- 4,030 -- 7%
NBA -- 2,656 -- 3,838 -- 5%
NASCAR -- 1,398 -- 3,423 -- 14%
NHL -- 1,528 -- 2,129 -- 5%
Source: Paul Kagan Associates Inc. *Compound annual
NETWORK-TV RATINGS*
NFL regular season 10.9
NASCAR 5.1
NBA regular season 3.4
MLB regular season 2.6
NHL regular season 1.4
Data from leagues and networks *Last season
LOCAL ECONOMIC IMPACT (millions)
Top 5 income-generating pro sports events for host cities
Indianapolis 500 $337
Daytona 500 $240
Brickyard 400 $220
Super Bowl XXXIV $215
SAP U.S. Grand Prix $171
Source: Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal; based on 2000 figures
THE MERCHANDISE
Licensed sales have increased almost 16-fold since 1990.
Products affiliated with Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon reportedly make up 80% of total sales
'90 $80 million
'95 $600 million
'00 $1.26 billion
Figures based on industry estimates
THE SPONSORS
Each racing team attracts corporate sponsors that pay big money for their logos to flash past at 190 m.p.h.
ROOF & DOORS No ads allowed. Reserved for car's number
HOOD $7 million to $12 million
FRONT QUARTER PANEL $370,000
LOWER REAR QUARTER PANEL $250,000 to $1 million
B-PILLAR $75,000 to $200,000
TRUNK AND BACK $350,000 to $1.5 million
REAR QUARTER PANELS Often sold as package with hood
C-PILLAR $150,000 to $500,000
TIRES One race can chew up 32 tires. Goodyear is the exclusive supplier at $384 each
Source: Industry estimates, NASCAR, Goodyear; 1999 model car
With death being ever present on the horizon of late, I was provided some statistics I thought I'd share here:
Deaths at Daytona
Marshall Teague Winston Cup practice Feb. 11, 1959
George Amick in USAC 100-mile race on April 4, 1959
Dr. Bernie Taylor Powerboat race infield lake June 14, 1959
Harold Haberling Winston Cup practice Feb. 21, 1964
Billy Drew Wade Winston Cup tire test Jan. 5, 1965
Don MacTavish Sportsman 300 race Feb. 21, 1969
Wayne Harris Bartz Lightweight motorcycle race March 12, 1969
Talmadge "Tab" Prince Twin 125-mile qualifying race Feb. 19, 1970
Joe "Rusty" Bradley Daytona 200 race March 14, 1971
David Pearl Paul Whiteman Trophy Race July 30, 1971>
Friday Hassler Twin 125-mile Winston Cup qualifying race Feb. 17, 1972
Ricky Knotts Twin 125-mile Winston Cup qualifying race Feb. 14, 1980
Francis Affleck ARCA practice Feb. 7, 1985
Dr. Charles Ogle Stock car testing Injured Dec. 15, 1985;
Died Dec. 26, 1985
Bruce Jacobi Twin 125-mile Winston Cup qualifying race Injured Feb. 1983
Died Feb. 4, 1987
Joe Young Charlotte-Daytona Dash race Feb. 13, 1987
James Kolman Kart testing Dec. 27, 1987
Randy Glenn Motorcycle practice Feb. 26, 1988
Don Williams Sportsman 300 race Injured Feb. 1979
Died May 21, 1989
Dale Robertson Kart race Dec. 27, 1989
Julius Johnson ARCA 200 race Injured Feb. 11, 1990
Died Feb. 14, 1990
Joe Booher Florida 200 Dash race Feb. 12, 1993
James Adamo Motorcycle race March 7, 1993
Neil Bonnett Winston Cup practice Feb. 11, 1994
Rodney Orr Winston Cup practice Feb. 14, 1994
Michael Himes IMSA endurance race Jan. 31, 1997
Dale Earnhardt Winston Cup Daytona 500 Feb. 18, 2001
Deaths in Racing.....
NASCAR
NASCAR History Deaths:
Dale Earnhardt at Daytona, February 18, 2001 (Daytona 500)
Tony Roper at Texas Motor Speedway, October 13,2000
Kenny Irwin at Louden, New Hampshire, July 7, 2000
Adam Petty at Louden, New Hampshire May 12, 2000
John Nemechek at Homestead, Florida in 1997
Neil Bonnett at Daytona Beach, Florida in 1994
Rodney Orr at Daytona Beach, Florida in 1994
Davey Allison at Talladega (helicopter crash) July 12, 1993
Alan Kulwicki (airplane crash on way to Food City 500) April 1, 1993
Clifford Allison at Brooklyn, Michigan in 1992
J.D. McDuffie at Watkins Glen, NY in August 1991
Grant Adcox at Hampton, GA in 1989
Bruce Jacobi at Daytona, (injured February 1983, died February 4, 1987) twin 125 qualifying
Terry Schoonover at Atlanta ,GA in November 1984
Ricky Knotts at Daytona, February 14, 1980 (twin 125 qualifying)
Tiny Lund at Talladega on August 10, 1975
Ricky Knott at Daytona Beach, FL in February 1972
Friday Hassler at Daytona, February 17, 1972 (twin 125 qualifying
Talmage Prince at Daytina Beach, FL in February 1970
Billy Drew Wade at Daytona, January 5, 1965 (tire test)
Fireball Roberts at Charlotte, NC in July 1964 (accident was in May)
Harold Habering at Daytona , February 21, 1964 (during practice)
Joe Weatherly at Riverside, CA in January 1964
Marshall Teague at Daytona, February 11, 1959 (during practice)
Billy Myers at Bowman-Gray Stadium Winston-Salem, NC April 12, 1958
Bobby Myers at Darlington, SC on September 2, 1957
Thomas Priddy at LeHi, AK in June 1956
Clint McHugh at LeHi, AK in June 1956
John McVitty at Longhorne, PA in April 1956
Lou Figaro at N. Wilksboro, NC in 1954
Frank Arford at Longhorne, PA in June 1955
Larry Mann at Longhorne, PA in September 1954
CART
Driver- Year- Site-
Greg Moore 1999 Fontana, Calif.
Gonzalo Rodriguez 1999 Monterey, Calif.
Jeff Krosnoff 1996 Toronto
Jovy Marcelo 1992 Indianapolis
Gordon Smiley 1982 Homestead, Fla.
IRL
Driver- Year- Site-
Scott Brayton 1996 Indianapolis
Formula One
Driver- Year- Site-
Ayrton Senna 1994 Imola, Italy
Roland Ratzenberger 1994 Imola, Italy
Ricardo Paletti 1982 Montreal
Gilles Villeneuve 1982 Spa Francorchamps, Belgium
