NASCAR Rear guard sponsorship size

[Forda]

Back a few years ago, the rear guard sponsorship signage on NASCARs was seemingly huge - to the point where parts of the letters were chopped off to give a bigger overall size; eg:



But now-a-days, the rear guard signage appears to be much smaller, sometimes to the point where it's hard to read on the TV; eg:



Any ideas on why this trend has occurred?

[Forda]

To further clarify:

Old school rear-quarter guard sponsorship:



You can see it from a mile away; the mind easily fills in the gaps of the chopped out letters. IMHO it was an excellent idea, and of greater value to the primary/naming-rights sponsor.

Another old school example:




And then an example of today's (rear-quarter guard sponsorship) design;



Which by comparison is squished up, and can barely be read, except up close.

Is it something to do with TV - the contractual arrangements between the assigned broadcaster and more close-up shots? Then again that wouldn't help the trackside audience that much.

Any ideas here?

[broadrun96]

To me it's a non-issue, I have never had a problem picking out the sponsors on tv. Admittedly I've never been, and have little interest in being, trackside at a nascar event. It also seems like the rear quarter has more room between the lower edge of the quarter window and the top of the wheel arch so sponsor names can run higher on the car. The Gamestop car also makes use of the higher text by adding their slogan in underneath behind the wheel arch. And when the VAST majority of the viewers are at home on the couch where do you think the sponsors want to be more legible from, trackside or in HD at home?

[Forda]

It's most definitely a non-issue; however it is of interest to me

Whether the viewers are at home or trackside, bigger signage is still bigger signage.

Surely a heap of research and thought has gone into decal placement for NASCAR teams; and it's obvious they've shrunk their rear-quarter sponsorship signage footprint over the years.

My question is was there something that people knew in the past, which has now been forgotten; or is there another explanation?

[fieldodreams79]

first off, it is worth posting this again.

Originally Posted by Forda

i have been thinking about this and the only two things i could come up with is marketing see it as more noticeable, for whatever reason or it has something to do with the modern decaling.

you got me, here...

[marc sproule]

Signage for the better funded teams has traditionally been proportional to the size of the check.

Having said that though,...some of the "poorer" teams will often give bigger coverage for lesser $.

And, of course, given today's economic climate, fewer $ may be buying larger signage than in the past.

Or it may not.

In other words, size may well vary depending on the size of the check and the overall size of the team's funding.

Clear as mud?

I thought so.

[Matt]

The rear quarter sponsor on the 11 car to the outside of Logano has some pretty big decals.

[Forda]

Originally Posted by Matt

The rear quarter sponsor on the 11 car to the outside of Logano has some pretty big decals.

Maybe, however it's nothing like this:

[Matt]

This is how most of the full bodied cars are at my local track:

...and this is how most of the open wheel cars are regarding sponsorship.

[Forda]

Nice hardware there

As you could be aware though; in V8 supercars, the number is no longer required to be on the doors (it's now on the windows only) - to make way for more sponsor real estate.

Again, and hopefully NASCAR team personnel read these posts, why have NASCAR's reduced their rear-quarter panel signage footprints?

To me it's a big mystery.

[JHamilton]

HDTV

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Forda

Nice hardware there

As you could be aware though; in V8 supercars, the number is no longer required to be on the doors (it's now on the windows only) - to make way for more sponsor real estate.

Again, and hopefully NASCAR team personnel read these posts, why have NASCAR's reduced their rear-quarter panel signage footprints?

To me it's a big mystery.

Numbers have more of a personal attachment to a driver in NASCAR and other stock car racing series than in Touring Cars and such.

For example, whenever someone says 3 in NASCAR, Dale Sr is immediately thought of, same with 24 and Gordon, 48 and Johnson, and 9 and Khane.

[Forda]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

HDTV

Is this a verified fact or an idea?

I tend to agree it is entirely plausible; although there would have to be a stack of research and science to justify the smaller naming-rights' sponsors' signage footprint on the rear guards. NASCAR as I understand, is a huge business, with lots of revenue required, and plenty of expenses to 'offset' that revenue.

[Forda]

Originally Posted by Matt

Numbers have more of a personal attachment to a driver in NASCAR and other stock car racing series than in Touring Cars and such.

For example, whenever someone says 3 in NASCAR, Dale Sr is immediately thought of, same with 24 and Gordon, 48 and Johnson, and 9 and Khane.

I believe this is absolutely true, and it is also applicable to some other motorsport categories too.
Google ("Peter Brock 05") or ("Dick Johnson" 17) if you have some free time

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Forda

I believe this is absolutely true, and it is also applicable to some other motorsport categories too.
Google ("Peter Brock 05") or ("Dick Johnson" 17) if you have some free time

Oh, I know this well, haha. The V8's are high up on my list of favourite series, I know a lot about em.

Same with SBR and the #9, Jason Bright and the #25, and Larry Perkins and the #11, to name a few.

[NaBUru38]

The Stock Car rasil usues in the right side of the windshield. I prefer Nascar's way with large numbers on doors. The Argentine Top Race has copied them, but sponsors will complain about losing space.