NASCAR Uses Snapchat to Attract New Fans

NASCAR has been around for a very long time, and until recently, it really didn’t have much trouble attracting new fans. So, here’s a question, what’s changed in recent years? Well, consider that when it first started, entertainment was a little slim. You had the basic sports, like baseball, soccer, football, and of course, NASCAR. When the season was in full swing, it was either play baseball in the park, or head to the race track to cheer on your favorite driver.

Today, however, kids have plenty of sources of entertainment. Seriously, they have everything from video games, to television, amusement parks, social media, you name it. Actually getting out and living a little seems a bit like a foreign concept, so here’s a thought: why doesn’t NASCAR go to where the kids are hanging out right now? That’s exactly what they did.

Nascar Heads to Snapchat

As we said before, NASCAR has had a serious problem attracting the next generation of stock car fans, and last December, their Managing Director of Social media pointed out that ‘not a lot of kids grow up playing NASCAR’.

The previous generation is definitely aging, and filling up the seats at a stadium is definitely going to be a challenge. Maybe someday they can start offering virtual tickets to the race, but for now, they’re a little bit behind. So, right now, social media is one of the best ways to reach the potential young race fans whose faces are perpetually glued to their phones.

It’s Actually Working

The Snapchat effort is actually going very well. In fact, the social network team has produced some life stories at race events, and the strategy is pretty simple: they’re focusing on the thrill of attending a race rather than offering coverage. It’s pretty cool, and your kids can still see the race live on television (on Sundays), but getting your kid to the track might be difficult without presentations like these.

If you’re a NASCAR fan, then this is, without a doubt, great news for you. The idea, as stated by NASCAR, is to simply get kids to watch the shorts online, and say to their parents: “Hey, this is cool, I want to go to a race now”. Well, it’s a great solution for a generational problem, so don’t be too surprised if your child comes to you asking to head to the Daytona 500 or something a little more local. Also, don’t be too surprised if you need to buy a plane ticket.

TAGS: KIDS NASCAR FANS, NASCAR, NASCAR FANS