Chasing Success in NASCAR: Have Changes in Championship Tournament Format Affected the Importance of Winning?

摘要

Prior to the 2014 racing season NASCAR modified its Chase for the Sprint Cup championship tournament format in an attempt to emphasize the importance of race wins and provide more "playoff type" moments. This was in direct response to declining race television viewership and decreased fan interest in the sport. This research looks at how the new Elimination Chase format with its four rounds compares to models by Rishel et al. (2015) of points accumulation in prior Chase formats (2003-2014) to test if there has been any decline in the importance of consistency (completing laps) to accumulate points and highlights the importance of race wins in gaining Chase entry and in winning the Chase. An emphasis on wins did not exist in prior Chase formats, and the new tournament structure enabled potential participation in the Chase by more drivers over the entire field than was possible under the previous Chase formats. Implications of these findings on NASCAR and other professional leagues in structuring their championship tournament formats to drive fan engagement throughout the playoffs are discussed.