While negative reactions toward NASCAR’s recent decision to immediately ban the Confederate flag from all future races were highlighted, there are many people who supported the move.
NASCAR no longer subscribes to the “heritage, not hate” excuse and Carl Dukes of Dukes and Bell on 92.9 The Game in Atlanta believes the decision will bring in more fans than it costs the sport. Joining The Damon Amendolara Show Thursday morning on CBS Sports Radio, Dukes told DA he believes NASCAR saw the big picture in banning the flag.
“I think NASCAR is smart enough to realize that, yes, you might tick off a few people, but in the big picture, in moving forward with this, you’re going to gain a lot of new fans,” Dukes said.
Dukes said his initial reaction upon hearing the Confederate flag was banned at future NASCAR events was one of surprise. “To think this would happen with a sport that traditionally has been looked upon as not being inclusive, and the statement to say symbolism matters, I think that’s important for people to understand.”
While there are some fans who won’t support NASCAR’s decision, there are also people who have avoided the sport because of its synonymous connection to the Confederate flag. It was a delayed decision that stemmed from the Black Lives Matter movement being placed at the forefront of our national consciousness, but NASCAR finally showed accountability.
“Accountability is a big part of this in sports as we move forward,” Dukes told DA “And I think the sports that are accountable and acknowledge what’s going on and recognize how important it is, those sports will thrive, and they will be better for it. I think that’s the thing that NASCAR got yesterday with that statement.”
The immediate audience return supported Dukes’ belief that NASCAR will gain more fans than it loses. Wednesday night, hours after the decision was announced, the race from Martinsville did a 1.14 overnight rating, up 104 percent year-over-year. They also saw a 16 percent jump from the last weeknight race of the season, May 28. NASCAR was heavily featured in the news during the hours leading up to their Wednesday night race which likely contributed to promoting the event.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
