IndyCar shopping for a new series sponsor

[IndyAndy]

Phillips-Van Heusen Corp, which owns Izod, has officially pulled the plug on their sponsorship of the IndyCar Series, effective at the end of the current season.

Indiana Business Journal.com

Doesn't sound like this was a surprise to anyone. - I just hope that INDYCAR can find a replacement soon.

 

[Retroram52]

Not enough interest to have the return on investment be worthwhile. Like everything else in this country, people showing up at work just to get a paycheck and the loss of creativity shows. I suspect that racing in the many forms and on the corporate level will eventually wither and die for lack of money from the fans because the product is often just plain boringand people find more important things to do like surviving these days.

 

[IndyAndy]

Companies that put up sponsorship dollars these days are far less willing to do it simply for the love of the sport & to just be associated with it: Most expect a noticeable return on their advertising investment.

IndyCar looked like it was well poised to 'take off' (popularity-wise) when Izod came onboard, but that really didn't happen, did it?

 

[Retroram52]

Part of the problem is that there are not enough recognizable American drivers in the IRL and Americans these days are very sensitive to having foreign representation in their playtime activities with illegal immigration being so pervasive and so devisive.

Another issue is the venues and race courses like this Pre-Indy race in early May which is a very bad idea that the IRL continually does. They eschewed places like Mid-Ohio, Portland, Milwaukee, and I believe Road America for Brazil, Baltimore, and twin-ring Motegi which are costly to the teams in their own right. The street courses, outside of the one in California, are generally cost prohibitive even though the Baltimore race was fairly popular.

They should listen to Mario Andretti who knew how to mix good venues of road courses with ovals and the track in Austin is exactly what the IRL should focus on. But I doubt that will happen because there are way too many incompetent chiefs and definitely not enough indians.

 

[bored at work]

It's a shame because the on track product is better than it's been in 20 years.

 

[Retroram52]

I hear you Indy. The product has gotten way better but the chiefs running the show have gotten worse. And like all incompetents, they'll run it into the ground because of their stupidity before admitting they're stupid and they don't know what the hell they are doing!