NASCAR fans soured by repeated commercial breaks during Daytona 500
In this day and age, commercials and sporting events on television go hand in hand. They are an unfortunate but necessary evil. However, race fans eager to take in the 65th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday from the comfort of their homes were dismayed by the amounts of breaks during the action.
The outcry reached such a fever pitch that the hashtag "Commercial 500" trended on Twitter throughout the race.
While some vented their frustrations over the incessant breaks on social media, others poked fun at the situation, finding the humor in it all.
Later in the race, the complaints from NASCAR fans continued after the FOX broadcast went to commercial at the exact moment a wreck ensued during the 118th lap of Stage 2.
Journalist Justin Melillo kept track of the breaks while distinguishing whether or not the commercial included the action in a picture-in-picture box. At last count, there were 20 commercial breaks, with only five accompanied by a side-by-side of the live race action.
In a further slap in the face to NASCAR fans, commentator Mike Joy even joked during the broadcast, "Dare we try to going FOX side-by-side one more time? We Dare," before adding a charismatic chuckle.
Ad revenue is an integral part of any major sport, and understandably, NASCAR would want to get every dime it can during its crown jewel event. Though, after today, they've seemingly angered and alienated a large core of the fanbase, who aren't likely to forget their poor experience on Sunday.
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