"The time was right to allow distilled spirits companies into NASCAR," said Mike Helton, President of NASCAR, upon their decision to allow Diageo to be the first distilled spirits sponsor for the 2005 NEXTEL Cup season.
"Attitude have changed, and spirits companies have a long record of responsible advertising." This policy shift will bring more than an estimated amount of $100 million to NASCAR.
NASCAR already accepts beer and malt beverage sponsors such as Budweiser and Smirnoff Ice. NASCAR Sponsors will receive exposures on cars, television, and promotional items. NASCAR fans spend approximately $4 billion on licensed items annually. Races are televised in more than 115 countries, brining higher ratings than any other sports except NFL.
In 2001 NASCAR gained a $2.8 billion contract with NBC and Fox. There are about 75 million NASCAR fans in America according to NASCAR.
Before mixing the auto racing with alcohol, NASCAR consulted with advocacy groups including National Commission Against Drunk Driving (NCADD) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). John Moulden, President of NCADD says he is impressed with the way NASCAR is handling the issues.
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"NASCAR has the opportunity to be a player in this world when it comes to drunk driving because clearly not enough people are getting the message." |
Any spirit sponsors for NASCAR must follow advertising and marketing guidelines set by NASCAR, that are consistent with the "Code of Responsible Practices for Beverage Alcohol Advertising and Marketing" set by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). Additionally sponsors must spend 20% of their advertising dollars to promote responsible alcohol consumption. Helton added that NASCAR will emphasize the same responsible marketing messages to beer companies.
Wendy Hamilton, President of MADD told Associate Press, "NASCAR has the opportunity to be a player in this world when it comes to drunk driving because clearly not enough people are getting the message." Each year drunk driving kills more than 160,000 people on the roadways, it's the nation's most frequently committed violent crime, according to MADD.
The National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing was founded in 1947 by William G France, who lived in Daytona Beach, Florida. He was an amateur stock car driver and a gas station owner. Today stock car racing is the fastest growing sport in the United States according to Sports Illustrated. NASCAR is a division of Time Warner.
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Related links:
NASCAR website
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
National Commission Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
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