That same year, one of the Indy car teams was sponsored by an open source software company who tried to do something similar, too – they took donations to sponsor the car. I threw in a few bucks and it was fun to root for my team, although that wasn’t so successful. If I remember right, they never got anywhere near the amount necessary to be the primary sponsor, and ended up with just a small sticker on the side of the car somewhere. I am not even sure if they made the starting grid.

For me, it did help me connect to a certain driver and give me a reason to root for them. I’m not exactly a fan of any given driver – I respect anybody that can make it to that level of motorsport – and I am happy for anybody that wins or has a good day. The problem is that I don’t get polarized by being a real fan of one particular driver, where I’m ecstatic if they win, or really mad if they lose. Fantasy racing does give me some of that, though. So it’s good to have something like that to connect me to a driver and raise the intensity of my involvement and interest.

Anyway, I think you are on to a good idea that certainly could be revisited.

I agree that the IRL should do more promotion through the drivers, and it needs to be done outside the track prior to each race. They need to have autograph sessions at a mall, radio interviews, appearances at local car shows etc (potential new fans aren’t at the track). Associated with these build up events there should be promotional things like free tickets or paddock passes for the upcoming race.

Besides a static car display at these events, they should have an IndyCar simulator that allows people to understand how phycial the sport is. (Perhaps two or three simulators could fit in one trailer.) Also, invite local news figures to try “driving” the simulation of the local track while getting pointers from a driver. That news piece would be “free” promotion.

Once the IRL and local promoters make contact with potential new fans they need to maintain it with emails, tweets, text alerts, fantasy teams etc. to keep fans involved with the series.

The drivers seem to get that it’s all about the fans. Hopefully the league and promoters can focus more on the fans too.

How cool would it be if your kid could get an Indy Car “toy” in his Happy Meal? How cool would it be to see ANYTHING Indy Car related in Target? Just some nagging questions I’ve had.

Now, on to what I would do. Some of which I’m rephrasing what others have said, so I apologize in advance.

1. Promotion. We live in a society where anything-even something unpleasant-can become popular with the right amount of marketing. Does IndyCar even have a marketing department? There are ways to do promotion without spending a whole bunch of money. Some were already mentioned. I would add to encourage/make the drivers do what politicians do-shake hands and kiss babies. Have the drivers-different ones each week-hit the market where the race is going to be and hit every radio and television station, newspaper and media outlet. Send the drivers out to the local Honda dealers to make appearances. Meet and greets with Tony Kanaan at 7-11, Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti at Target, Graham Rahal at McDonalds. Have the drivers go to schools, community organizatons, the rotary club, anyplace they can to promote the race. I would also have a show car at each appearance. I’m not a NASCAR fan, but it was very cool when NASCAR has it’s annual year-end banquet here in New York where I live to get to see a real life NASCAR “stock” car-Jeff Gordon’s DuPont Chevrolet #24, and Matt Kenseth’s DeWalt Tools Ford #17 were the two cars I’ve seen and touched. That is a great way to get people interested.

It would also help to market someone besides Danica Patrick, who is one of the most polarizing figures in sports. It seems to me that she repels as many people as she attracts. While some of that isn’t her fault-some of the emnity is based solely on sexism-some of her actions also turn people off as well. One problem with promoting other drivers is the constant turnover each year in the driver lineups. It’s one of those chicken and the egg things. You need more sponsors to have more stable drivers, but you can’t get more sponsors and money without doing other things to get it.
2. Schedule more shared weekends. While it is clear that some tracks ALMS and Grand-Am race at are not suitable for IndyCars-and vice versa-it can’t hurt to hopefully get your product in front of another audience.

3. Provide a platform for the automakers. Use IndyCar racing at a lab to develop new technologies for road cars. There has been talking in other arenas of a universal engine, which can be made by every automaker and used in every series. This would also mean encouraging the carmakers to come back, even if you have to beg-though not publicly-thik about it.

4. Rivalries. There really aren’t any rivalries in IndyCar anymore. In the past, you had Mario Andretti vs. A.J. Foyt vs. the Unsers. Now? None that I can see. Some of that comes from rooting for manufactuers-sorry for the spelling error. But somehow, IndyCar needs some real rivalries to stir interest. Sometimes in sports-see Red Sox-Yankees-the love comes not only from rooting for your team, but hating someone else.

5. Let the fans have more access. Schedule fan walks of the pit lane, the tracks and the garages occasionally. Obviously, not during track activities but schedule times for that. In addition, I also agree with going after the families. Make the tickets affordable for families and encourage outings at the track.

Even if any or all of these ideas are implemented, nothing may happen. But at least it’s worth a try.

A week AFTER the season-ending race, IndyCar tries feebly to spin a feel-good story about the health of the Series?! “A concert” is an activity for fans wilting in the heat, hiding in the shade? “A car corral” is an activity? “Concessionsis” are an activity for fans?!
WHAT ABOUT ATTRACTING FANS?!

Americans stayed away in droves (the heat? the economy?the sport?) and some couldn’t tune in to satellite TV or cable TV.
Much bluster about championship, championship, championship, championship … No mention of Grand-Am racing on same day, one mention of the heat in Homestead and much trumpeting two WEAK sponsors, Apex and Izod, who had a volleyball game and fashion show — not at the speedway and not for IndyCar fans — and an ethanol sale at a fuel station one day. Wow; what sponsorship activation (not!).