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View Full Version : Minnesota Congresswoman wants to ban military from NASCAR sponsorships



oak
02-16-2011, 12:25 PM
Is this woman crazy? What is the value of all the tv time the #39 team will get just through speedweeks? Practices, qualifying, qual races, interviews, etc. Throughout the entire season? Don't forget the advertisement from the hauler. What about merchandise sales where apparel is worn for years?

I wanted to post her phone numbers, but thought better of it. This is not meant to be political. Go to the story and click on her name. Numbers are at the bottom of the first page.

From Jayski:


http://jayski.com/cupnews.htm#20110216a


Minnesota Congresswoman wants to ban military from NASCAR sponsorships: Rep. Betty McCollum wants to put the brakes on the Defense Department's 10-year sponsorship deal with NASCAR racing teams, saying the multimillion-dollar recruiting effort is a waste of money. The Minnesota Democrat is also dubious that stock car sponsorship has much to do with enlistment numbers or troop readiness. "This is not only putting a sticker on the car. This is paying for a racing team," Ms. McCollum's chief of staff, Bill Harper, told Washington Wire. "That doesn't contribute to military readiness." The amendment is one of more than 400 that lawmakers want attached to Rep. Paul Ryan's spending bill to fund the government through Sept. 30. Ms. McCollum's office estimates the Pentagon has spent more than $100 million on its own NASCAR teams. Col. Derik Crotts, director of the army's sponsorship, told Washington Wire in an email that the Army spends $7 million a year on its racing team, and finds it valuable. "Youth surveys show that motorsports is a passion point for young Americans," wrote Col. Crotts. "It is critical that the Army use these passion points to communicate with prospects and their influencers." He continued, "In a 2009 among nationwide fans, 37% feel more positive about the Army due to its involvement in motorsports."

anyonomus
02-16-2011, 03:23 PM
Sorry.. I fully agree ....The Military has no business in motorsports...They should spend there efforts and time plus money(7Million+$ reported) on helping the citizens of the USA..
And I am NOT an American..but to squander tax dollars like that is a shame..
In these days of fiscal restraint the word Hmmmm comes to mind..
"motorsports is a passion point for young Americans" while others starve and are homeless...once again ..the word Hmmm comes to mind..
Any

oak
02-16-2011, 06:17 PM
I believe it is money spent on advertising for recruiting. Should they not have a recruiting budget? Should the army and navy play football?

A.D.I.D.A.S
02-16-2011, 08:06 PM
Yes there should be some spending limit but not much come one 7million dollars??? That money could be used else where. They can do a lot of potential recruiting through school visits. And yes there should be Army-Navy football as this has been a tradition since the late 1800's.

pandr
02-16-2011, 11:28 PM
Sorry.. I fully agree ....The Military has no business in motorsports...They should spend there efforts and time plus money(7Million+$ reported) on helping the citizens of the USA..
And I am NOT an American..but to squander tax dollars like that is a shame..
In these days of fiscal restraint the word Hmmmm comes to mind..
"motorsports is a passion point for young Americans" while others starve and are homeless...once again ..the word Hmmm comes to mind..
Any

I am aa avid NASCAR fan as you can see Any, but I tend to agree to a point. The money could be spent elsewhere. A million dollars a car for a full season and they have sponsors. Where do you stop?

oak
02-17-2011, 01:11 AM
They can do a lot of potential recruiting through school visits. And yes there should be Army-Navy football as this has been a tradition since the late 1800's.

But at what cost? Keep in mind, they play a full schedule. NOT just the one game. Is this only for recruitment purposes? Keep in mind they also have other full programs such as:

baseball
basketball
cross country
golf
gymnastics
lacrosse
rowing
soccer
sprint football?
squash
swimming & diving
tennis
track & field
volleyball
sailing

How many of these other sports (military) get a fraction of the television time or publicity in comparison to the cost of the program to the target of possible recruits? This really is how it boils down to the value of the dollar spent.