drivers if they actually had to pay for them? After all, if these drivers are the independent contractors that NA$CAR keeps saying they are, then they need to be able to independently contract the use of their images and voices and get paid for it. That means not only would NA$CAR be having to pay for the use of their images and voices, but the networks would have to pay also.
And how about the auto manufacturers? They need to be able to license the use of their logos. Those logos are copyrighted after all and anyone who wants to use them has to pay unless the manufacturers say otherwise in writing. And with the way things are going right now with car and truck sales, they need a little something to off-set their losses as declines in sales continue. In the past, Fox, with NA$CAR’s blessing, electronically took out the sponsors on cars who didn’t pay up “mention money” or buy commercials. The teams and sponsors were outraged to say the least. You also had the Booth Buffoons not mentioning the names of the sponsors who didn’t buy air time. So maybe it’s time the manufacturers started getting paid for the use of their logos and images by NA$CAR and the networks. After all, if the drivers and team are independent contractors, then the manufacturers are independent contractors too. And they deserve to be paid for the use of their logos on the cars as well as the names of the vehicles they’re supposed to be. So if NA$CAR and the networks want to use the logos, names of vehicles, and the decals which simulate what the cars are supposed to be, then they should get paid for it. After all, the old adage of “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” doesn’t hold true anymore and the manufacturers need to get some return on the investments they make in their on track presence and what they spend for promotion and advertising in conjunction with NA$CAR events.
And what about the TV monies? The teams only get a part of that in the form of the race purse. Other major sports, like football and baseball, pay out a share of the TV monies to the teams. And the teams in turn pay out some of it to the players and put some of it in a pension fund. And as the various race teams make up the “players” like in other sports, then they should get a cut of the monies from the networks. They should also be able to have a pension fund like other major sports and put a cut of the TV monies, say 5%, into it. As independent contractors, they should be able to negotiate the rights for the use of their images and voices to be used by the networks and radio. If the networks aren’t willing to pay the drivers, teams, and manufacturers for the use of their images, audio, and logos, then they don’t get to use them. Which also means they can’t show them. Can you imagine how big of a nightmare it would be for DW to not be able to mention his little June Bug is driving a Chevrolet or for him to cheerlead for his brother and the manufacturer of his car? Or for Webhead not to be able to mention his Hendrick boys are in Chevrolets or for him to poke fun at the Roush Fords? DW would have to be gagged because of the 3+ hour commercial he does during the first part of the race season for two of the auto manufacturers.
So let’s say the networks and NA$CAR refuse to pay up the monies for the images fees, logo royalties, and audio usage fees. What then? Well, the manufacturers pull every identifying decal off of the cars. That means no bow ties, rams, or blue ovals. That also means no name identifiers like Impala, Fusion, or Charger. No phony headlight or taillight decals. That means the cars will all look more generic than they do now. And what can the networks or Faux King Brian do about it? Not a thing. It would look like an IROC race with sponsorship decals on the cars. Only uglier.
As independent contractors, the manufacturers would enter into a deal with the teams to freely display all the logos and brand identifiers of their product on the team uniforms, pit boxes, and pit wall banners as a sign of appreciation for them choosing that particular brand or make of car. Unless the networks and NA$CAR came across with some money, that would effectively eliminate any crew chief and driver interviews unless they only wanted to show only their heads. And that’s providing the teams or drivers aren’t wearing a hat which has the logo of their car manufacturer on it. That would also eliminate them showing pit stops because they’d have a lawsuit on their hands if they showed a car manufacturer’s logo. Imagine GM or Ford telling The Emperor of All Things NA$CAR that unless he pays the license/usage fees for the logos, they won’t be buying any commercial time from the networks or sponsoring any of the little graphics like the Lap Leader, or Move of the Race, and others along these lines. That would eliminate at least 50% of the lead-in plugs and graphics run during a race. Folks would get awfully tired of seeing the same 3 Viagra and Bud ads race after race. They might be able to get Ex-lax to sponsor the “Move of the Race” but wouldn’t be able to show it.
And how would the fans react? They’d be wanting somebody’s head on a platter. Namely the Idiot Savant in Daytona who’s not a savant at all. Just an idiot. Imagine the Kasey fans who don’t get to see Kasey and scream out his name. Imagine the Booger Brigade not being able to see their favorite slimy green car. Imagine the Keebler Elf fans not being able to see those famous elf ears? People would literally be marching on Speedway Blvd in Daytona with pitchforks, torches, and beer cans in hand threatening to burn down the Ivory Towers if they didn’t give in to the teams’ and manufacturers’ simple requests. After all, NA$CAR has made billions off of the drivers, manufacturers, and fans and it’s only right that they be rewarded for it. There’s a saying about there’s no such thing as a free lunch. It’s about time somebody in Daytona and TV Land started picking up the tabs for it.
Now, think about this. For years, the networks
and NA$CAR have used strong-arm tactics and
brow beat manufacturers, teams, and sponsors
into submission and basically picked their
pockets to be a part of the sport. They make
sure everyone pays up to use the NA$CAR logo
without exception and it doesn‘t matter if it‘s a
1/64th scale die-cast or a T-shirt or a package
of toilet paper. If the logo is on there, they have
to pay up. If you want to get mentioned on the
networks, you have to at least pay mention
money or buy commercials during the race and
even then there’s no guarantee your sponsor or
manufacturer gets mentioned. So isn’t turn about
fair play?
While most folks may not think of the Navy Seabees as doing much in the way of humanitarian work, they've been busy in Kenya drilling wells for several villages over the last 2 years. Clean water is hard to come by in the remote areas where they've been drilling and despite the heat, terrain, and living conditions, the Seabees have been working hard to give these folks the water they desperately need to stay alive. Once again, another of the stories the lame stream media doesn't bother to cover. So to all those Seabees out there who helping others live a better life, many thanks to you for your efforts.
Motherhood, Apple Pie, and John Wayne
Mad Mikie
Curmudgeon at Large
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