Quote:
Originally Posted by mc/rider
Does any of the money from subscriptions and advertising go to the drivers and car owners?
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I see you ask this all the time so I'll take a moment and respond.
First; with the exception of DirTVision, which is owned by the World Racing Group, broadcast companies pay for the broadcast rights, whether it be to a track for a single event or to a series for their entire schedule. What the track/series does with that money is entirely up to them.
Second; the biggest benefit to a track/series/drivers is not necessarily the $$ factor, it's the exposure factor. Some tracks/series/drivers realize this and work to capitalize on this by selling sponsorship/advertising based on the fact that it will be seen by an international audience much larger than the fan base that walks in through the front gate. This added exposure also builds a fan base for all involved as well. Marshalltown Speedway is a prime example. Thanks to the fantastic racing that takes place there on a regular basis, they routinely have visitors from out of state who just want to see or want to participate in their program simply because they've seen so many incredible highlights/broadcasts from there. In fact, most well run events have seen increased fan/car counts in the years following broadcasts. Granted, if you start your own little broadcast company for your track you're not going to reach the same volume of fans as being featured on FloRacing, so company size has a definite impact on exposure.
Third; many of the races that are held without fans are done so by additional funding being pumped into the purse by broadcast companies, or at least that's my experience. Contrary to what you may think, most broadcast companies know that you have to support the sport if it is to continue.
So, in short. Yes, "money" goes to the drivers and car owners, either directly or indirectly.
I should ad that advertising dollars is what helps keep a subscription that has well over 800+ events a year at $150.