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According to reports from StockCarGazette.com and NASCAR Now on ESPN2, the Daytona 500 may be forced to change its date. Since 1971, the Daytona 500 has been scheduled for the Sunday prior to the third Monday in February (Feb. 14-20), which has recently been two weeks following the National Football League’s Super Bowl. But the date of the Super Bowl could change. |
NFL owners, at their annual meeting, talked about adding one or two weeks to their regular-season schedule, which, depending on the number of pre-season games could, make the entire length of the season up to two weeks longer. That would result in the Super Bowl scheduled on the traditional date of the Daytona 500.
The NFL won’t change its schedule, most likely, until its 2011 season, meaning the first potential conflict wouldn’t come until 2012 at the earliest. A NASCAR spokesperson answered a media inquiry and said they would have to study the situation, which is a polite way of not making any comments.
However, even if the NFL decides to go in this direction there could be internal problems and possibly unintended consequences. Because sources claim that if there is any addition to the NFL revenue stream the players, some who don’t feel that they are making enough money, may demand more pay from team owners.
There are also complications if the NFL season were to start two weeks early and not step on the Daytona 500 traditional date. Because team personnel traditionally take the month of July off as their annual vacation. Backing up the NFL season two weeks would make the team (non-player and coaches) personnel angry.
Although any changes contemplated by the NFL would probably be done in a vacuum because the NFL feels that they don’t owe NASCAR any courtesy and negotiation as they are at the top of sports pyramid. All of this is about a new source of revenue for the NFL.
We also did a What If The NFL Merged With The Canadian Football League story some years ago and how this would impact on the traditional Daytona 500 date. At the time we thought that NASCAR would blink and change their traditional mid-February date and not go up against the NFL Super Bowl. At the time we got the impression from critics that an extension of the NFL season would never happen. But now there’s a different set of circumstances and the NFL is looking for an additional revenue stream and the Daytona 500 could be in the way.
Because the Daytona 500 came just after the Super Bowl all of the air went out of the US and North American sports hoopla balloon. Also, the NBA and NHL playoffs were both months away and NASCAR’s Daytona 500 was positioned to get media attention and sports editors were anxious and looking for the next big story.
We can remember when the prelude Busch Clash, traditionally run on the Sunday before the Daytona 500, was switched to a Saturday night from a Sunday afternoon, because of the Winter Olympics. Wouldn’t you know that it worked out! Because the Clash didn’t have to fight for TV ratings with Winter Olympics. And it probably gave NASCAR and their broadcast partners the idea about putting their franchise into prime time on TV.
Any changes to the Daytona 500 date could also impact the business at Disney World, Universal Studios and even Busch Gardens. The current date of the Daytona 500 is the beginning of the winter school break. A lot of fans and families head for the Daytona action at that time. Following the Daytona 500, many also travel over to the Orlando and the Tampa area. Any date change would no doubt impact the up tick in business at those three theme parks. With the economy in the tank this is also something else for the tourist business in northern Florida to be concerned about.
Considering any possible changes on the Daytona 500 date, we still think that there’s some “wiggle room” here for NASCAR. If the NFL Super Bowl moves onto the traditional Daytona 500 date in a few years, NASCAR can run the 500 on Saturday night, a day earlier. NASCAR has been looking for a way to put their opener in prime time and now they may have the excuse to do it. It’s the old saying “with adversity comes opportunity”.
Not bucking the NFL Super Bowl resulted in the Daytona 24 Hour race moving off its traditional date and going a week earlier. Ditto for the NHRA, which moved it’s three divisional Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock season opener at Pomona, CA away from a conflict with the Super Bowl. So two forms of motor racing have already set a precedent and moved off their date so as not to conflict with the Super Bowl. And we think that NASCAR will be the third if it ever comes to that. (END)
NOTE: INFORMATION FOR THIS COLUMN CAME FROM VARIOUS REFERENCED SOURCES, PRESS RELEASES, NOTES AND OTHER SOURCES.
One thing that is an even easier fix to this issue.
Move the 500 back to its “normal” start time. It would be over long before the Super Bowl begins. May also get a boost from all those NFL’ers that start watching the “80″ (yawn) hour pregame programming. It would be something different to switch to when the same stories are being broadcast for the xteenth time. Has a perfect spot for additional advertising opportunities.
Just think of the possibilities of Monday morning conversations at the offices could be as well. First dude or dudette “Wow could not believe team x was creamed by team y.” second dude or dudette “Yeah but did you see the fantastic finish to the NASCAR race wow so much better. It was really a great race to watch.”
I would block off the whole day and tell the wife to kiss off scheduling anything on that Sunday.
Brian, Great idea! I’m not sure that the decision makers would give it a whirl, though. Because the perception is that the SuperBowl dwarfs the Daytona 500. Lou
Move it to the week before the SB, even if they have the Pro Bowl then the 500 would blow it away. Take the week off for the SB and then go to California, or better still Vegas.