Air Force spending priorities continue to be well managed

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/12/18/richard-petty-bubba-wallace-sponsor-air-force/

 

"Different pots of money" and all.  Gee, I wonder why all the pilots are getting out?

[BashiChuni]

Meh. It’s recruiting. Other things to be outraged about well before this. 

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

6 minutes ago, BashiChuni said:

Meh. It’s recruiting. Other things to be outraged about well before this. 

You're right, it's advertising, BUT I remember a big stink a few years back when they found out that actual recruiting production from NASCAR sponsorship was exactly zero.

[BashiChuni]

If it’s zero I agree time to re evaluate. I’d rather throw that money into air show demos. 

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

https://inmilitary.com/nascar-military-sponsorships/

 

Article is from a few years ago, but with NASCAR's declining attendance and viewship I doubt anything has improved.  And keep in mind I'm a HUGE NASCAR fan.  It pains me to see the sport declining like it is, but when I hear the Air Force cry poor and then see them spending money on NASCAR sponsorship it really blows my mind.  I've seen the Air Force booth at several NASCAR races and it's a ghost town every time, including Talladega which continues to be one of the few venues that is sold out (or nearly so) for every race.  

Edited December 19, 2017 by Napoleon_Tanerite

[17D_guy]

NFL and NASCAR declining?  IMPOSSIBLE!

 

[Mark1]

I don't necessarily support them but these are long term plays, not short term recruiting efforts.  I wouldn't expect to be able to definitively tie individual accessions to them.

The DoD paid the NFL millions to allow for "patriotic" displays at NFL games over the last decade.  Servicemembers watching the games from the sidelines getting highlighted on the big screen.  Surprise reunions between deployed members and their cheerleader girlfriends as the game returned from commercial break.  Flyovers at prominent games (yes they paid to have the opportunity to perform a flyover).

To the viewer it looked like the NFL supported the troops and was therefore gifting the attention, but that was not the case.  What does the military get out of it?  Every 10yr old in the country that wants to grow up to be a professional football player, 99.99% of which have no shot at it, will remember that their sports heroes (seemingly) idolize members of the military.  When their sports dream falls apart and they need an alternative path through life DoD hopes they'll remember the positive vision of the military that was displayed on the field.

As much as knowing that the NFL had to be paid to act like they support the military cheapens it, the reality is that it's probably the most powerful recruiting tool the military has.  I'd bet that the general appearance of servicemembers being greatly respected by society at a venue that draws hundreds of millions of viewers over the course of a season will draw more recruits than all the air shows in the country combined.  

[Blue]

Eh, it's a two-race sponsorship (The 4th of July Daytona race and the November Phoenix race).  A long way from the early 2000's, where they would sponsor a car for the whole 36-race season.

Can't say I agree it's a good use of taxpayer dollars, but in the grand scheme of things, there are bigger wastes.

 

[war007afa]

20 hours ago, BashiChuni said:

Meh. It’s recruiting. Other things to be outraged about well before this. 

So what do the flyovers do, then?