Instead, lets spend more to take care of them!

[MrSplitshot]

I agree with ditching military sponsorships for NASCAR or anything else they are sponsoring. Sponsorships, for the purpose of advertising (not charity), should be about what the sponsor can get in return for the money that they provide the organization sponsored. Whether that's the military, or private enterprise, it stands true. The answer you're going to get from NASCAR and whomever within the military (or company they hired to promote them) is "awareness" and "image" and things like that.

Somebody, somewhere, in a government position that was tasked with "promoting" the Armed Forces for recruiting purposes came up with the NASCAR idea....I'm sure they were pitched hard by the folks at NASCAR. While they may have "sold" the deal on the need to promote the military branches to the youth for the purpose of enlistment in the future, the problem I have with that is NASCAR doesn't have America's pre-enlistment age youth as a target demographic. I'd bet you a paycheck that folks in the government are getting their wheels greased for these sponsorships that cost millions. Ditch'em.

It's nice that you see US Army or National Guard going around the track on Sunday...if it were about honestly promoting pride in the US Armed Forces, it would be different...but it's about CASH that these race teams need to operate and compete. In my opinion too, the folks that sign up for the military are not coaxed into doing so by decals on a race car or commercials about how cool the military is. Ads about how the military can help kids get a college education/training that will help them find jobs in the private sector once they are out in exchange for their service....that's the only type of ad I could see being beneficial. I think that might play a factor, along with the sense of "duty" that is passed down from generation to generation in this country. The government should be more worried about properly taking care of Vets when they get home, so that the positives involved with serving ones country get passed down to future generations that will volunteer to serve.

Taking care of vets will pay more dividends with enlistment that sponsoring NASCAR, IMO.

[RoadToad]

She's hit on a good one. Absolutely these sponsorships should be stopped, but I would submit that some of their TV and other advertising might be a reasonable investment. I wonder what other sponsorships like this there might be out there, and not just by the military, but other departments besides Defense?

[GeoFisher]

I read an article about this a few days ago...........I was on the side of everyone here UNTIL I read the article.

The article basically said that over 40% of all leads in every branch of the military were directly related to sports Sponsorship.

I don't know if I believe it or not, but if that is true, then it is a very powerful recruiting tool.

[MrSplitshot]

I read an article about this a few days ago...........I was on the side of everyone here UNTIL I read the article.

The article basically said that over 40% of all leads in every branch of the military were directly related to sports Sponsorship.

I don't know if I believe it or not, but if that is true, then it is a very powerful recruiting tool.

Wow, that surprises me. I don't believe it for minute. They say that 64% of the World's statistics are made up right there on the spot. LOL I'd like to read that article Geo...

I've read a few articles online about this too, and it seems to me that common sense gets thrown at the window more and more every day.

They say that the 18-34 year old male demographic is declining for NASCAR...which is precisely the demographic that the military could possibly benefit from advertising to. We have bills that propose to cut spending for police officers, teachers, and veteran's programs....but a bill that seeks to cut spending millions of dollars to sponsor race cars is doomed in Congress because most of our elected politicians don't want the hassle of the backlash they are getting over it from their constituents that are race fans. What's a measly 20 million a year in this huge budget crisis, right? They just want it to go away. Shame on Congress, and shame on those citizens who write letters and backlash about something that may cut into the NASCAR budget, but don't have the same passion for something that might cut the budget for police officers, teachers, or vets!

That just *****. Talk about mis-aligned priorities and taking things for granted! We'll riot over something that makes some decals on a race car disappear, but who gives a crap about having police officers on the beat, enough teachers to teach our kids, and the needs of vets taken care of?

One article I read says that because a high percentage of NASCAR fans served in the military (1 in 5, according to the research) that the government needs to spend the money to sponsor the cars so that they can "reach out" to those people who served....because it makes them feel good and take pride in seeing "Army" or "National Guard" going around the track.

Feel good? I'm not a vet, but I've got to think that I would feel good and take more pride in knowing that some of my brothers and sisters in need of help after serving were taken care of. I'm thinking that if we want to make vets feel better, we could probably use that money for something more tangible. I call BS entirely, but what do I know?

I'll hush now. lol

[GeoFisher]

This is not the article I read but it took me about 1 minute to find it.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/ra...aying-off.html

I said 40% but I was wrong.....it is actually MORE............

30% of all leads are directly tied to NASCAR sponsorship.......according to the article.

One thing though.....I think the 7 million per car sponsorship includes all the SPOTS that are ran too. so all the advertising that is being done.....and their adds are pretty cool.

I don't know......Still not too sure I believe it...........

Later.

[walkeraviator]

This is just my opinion, but it seems liek advertising at a NASCAR event is like preaching to the choir. A majority of NASCAR fans are fairly conservative pro military people. These are the kind of people who are going to join whether or not a car has an army slogan on it. And while we are at it, how much do you think it cost for teh Thunderbirds to do a fly by at the Race? Do you honestly think that the money to pay for the fly by came from anywhere other than your tax dollars? Yeah its nice to see em, but maybe they can shelve these kinda things until after the national debt has been remedied?

Honestly, i believe media advertising is money well spent, but there should be one budget titled armed services recruitment budget. They shoudl simply recruit for the military in general. Let the flesh and blood recruiters do teh job of helping these people figure out which branch has teh brightest future for them.

[HURRICANEBOB]

I read an article about this a few days ago...........I was on the side of everyone here UNTIL I read the article.

The article basically said that over 40% of all leads in every branch of the military were directly related to sports Sponsorship.

I don't know if I believe it or not, but if that is true, then it is a very powerful recruiting tool.

If that's where its advertized, that's where they will say they see it. Advertize it at Walmart, not NASCAR, and suddenly 40% will come from wally world.

[kygorski]

That sponsering a car isn't cheap. but did we forget the price of advertising? heres a great slogan " join the army. go to strange and exciting places, meet new cultures, and kill em"not original

[mhall]

I agree but see it like Tim, cut it all, don't discriminate, cut every single piece of pork you can find. Including idiotic moronic crap like studying why Cows fart so much. Or why people like to drink Coke Cola......

Let's don't just pick one at random, CUT'EM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !

[DJD]

Just remembered they sponsor fishing pros as well. Prolly in a lot of sports we don't watch.