Charter Concerns Are A Fan Problem, Not A NASCAR Problem

Since NASCAR unveiled the Charter system Tuesday, reaction from NASCAR fans has been…not entirely positive. Do these unhappy fans know something the sport’s millionaire-team owners don’t? Are these complaints about the future of the sport valid? Let’s take a look at some of the concerns.

On Tuesday, Brian France announced the formation of the new Charter system of ownership. If you’re reading this you probably know enough about NASCAR to know that this is a new form of ownership, and that essentially it is guaranteeing 36 teams starting spots on the (now smaller) 40-car Sprint Cup starting grid.

Now, NASCAR fans as a group are very resistant to accept change. Me? I don’t like the Chase, and I really don’t like the new elimination-style Chase. However, I accept that is my own personal bias, and it doesn’t make it “unfair” since the rules are the rules. If everyone is playing by the same rules, it is up to the players (or in the case of the Char–

OK…wait. NASCAR’s own jargon has the word “Charter” capitalized. That’s dumb. NFL teams are not “Franchises”. I’m not doing that any more.

–charter system, it is up to the owners) to play by the rules the best, right?

There has been a great deal complaining on Twitter (insert shocked face here) from NASCAR fans about what the charters will mean for the sport, both for the present and the future. Is there something to these concerns? I would tend to think the sport’s owners – most of whom reside in much higher tax brackets than you and me – have a pretty good idea of what is best for them. Let’s take a look at what seem to be the fans’ major concerns about the charter system and see what each of them really mean for NASCAR.

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