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NASCAR: What will the grandstands look like in 2018?

By Dustin Smith

CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 08: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Tide Pods Toyota, and Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, lead the field at the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 8, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 08: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Tide Pods Toyota, and Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, lead the field at the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 8, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /
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The 2018 NASCAR season is right around the corner. Will the seats be filled or will we see more of the grandstands than we want to?

With the retirement of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and many unpopular changes to the sport, could 2018 be the lowest attended NASCAR season? Will we see races with the stands mostly empty?

One question to be answered when the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season begins is whether or not the grandstands will be full on a regular basis. The sport is losing its most popular driver to retirement and has seemed to be on a downward spiral in recent years. When cameras pan the crowds, what will we see in 2018?

Throughout the 2017 race season, cameras would pan the crowd and the amount of empty seats was a bit concerning. Sure, Indianapolis looked as though hardly anyone was there. However, the crowd was not as small as it may have seemed. Watkins Glen International and Daytona both sold out their grandstand seating.

At any rate, it would be nice to see more fans and watch the sport grow. Unfortunately, I do not think this is what is going to happen. The die-hard fans are choosing to watch less and new fans are simply not coming. Of course, Dale Earnhardt Jr. retiring wont help much, either. Regrettably, I  think the 2018 season may be one of the worst attended in the history of NASCAR.

Why the lack of fans at races is a problem

The loss of sponsors in NASCAR is a main component as to why there are just 31 full-time cars slated to hit the track in 2018. With sponsors annually pulling out of the sport, it is crucial for NASCAR to attract and keep fans around.

Why do companies sponsor race cars? The whole idea behind spending the small fortune on a race car is to attract more business. Sure, the write-off is a factor. However, as a sponsor, you’re hoping something will click in the minds of the people watching. Fans see your product on a race car and say “hey I need that, I should call this company”, and the rest is history. Sponsorship is no doubt one of best forms of marketing there is.

More from NASCAR

One of the problems that NASCAR is facing is the disappearing fanbase. Ultimately, to keep sponsors wanting to support the sport, NASCAR needs to keep fans in the seats and watching on television. Above all, if people aren’t watching live or on television, we will continue to see sponsors leave the sport. If you put two and two together, you see that if people aren’t watching, sponsors are not getting what they pay for.

I hate to be so negative before the season even kicks off, but the facts are there. I think the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is going to struggle without Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel. Unless the racing is spectacular, which, of course, could very well happen, people will not be as interested to watch races each and every Sunday. On the other hand, maybe a new face becomes the new Dale Earnhardt Jr. We will just have to wait and see.

Next: NASCAR: Top 10 drivers of all-time

Do you think the stands will be full this NASCAR season? Will you be attending any races in 2018? What are your expectations for the season?

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