Nearly two full years after Sprint announced it would pull the plug as title sponsor of the sanctioning body’s Premier Series at the end of 2016, NASCAR announced Thursday in Las Vegas that Monster Energy will take over that role next year and beyond.
NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France, along with NASCAR Executive Vice President & Chief Global Sales and Marketing Officer Steve Phelps and Monster executives made the historic announcement Thursday afternoon in Las Vegas, where Friday night, NASCAR will fete the now seven-time Premier Series champion Jimmie Johnson.
Financial terms of the NASCAR-Monster deal were not disclosed.
When Nextel, which later merged with Sprint, signed on originally to be the NASCAR title sponsor in 2004, the deal called for $750 million over 10 years, according to multiple news reports.
The Sports Business Journal reported in March 2015 that NASCAR was asking for $1 billion over 10 years for Sprint’s replacement.
The youth-oriented Monster brand, which is a Coca-Cola subsidiary, should be a perfect fit for NASCAR because the sport is in a unique period of transition with an astonishing lineup of young talent coming up in the ranks.
Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Chris Buescher all enjoyed excellent rookie seasons in the Premier Series in 2o16.
And behind them, the talent pool is deep, including XFINITY Series champion Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones, William Byron, Bubba Wallace, Daniel Hemric, John Hunter Nemechek, Tyler Reddick and Cole Custer, to name just a few.
Bringing in a company like Monster that specializes in the youth market makes an awful lot of sense at a time when NASCAR is going all-out to attract the coveted younger demographic in a sport that right now has an older fan base.
If you’ve ever been to a Monster Energy Supercross race, you know it isn’t just a race; it’s a lifestyle event, filled with sound, fury and nonstop entertainment.
There are fireworks, bright lights, fire, loud music and all manner of visual and auditory stimulation — exactly what NASCAR needs right now to pump some energy into the sport.
PHOTOS: Race winners in the Premier Series
Next Slide
1/37 SLIDES © Getty Images
2016 race winners in the NASCAR Premier Series
