Roseanne is coming back to ABC, and the network is doing the most logical thing possible to advertise the sitcom’s reboot: it’s naming a NASCAR race after the show.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series is in Sonoma, California, this weekend for a 300-mile race, and Roseanne is getting top billing for the event. The Roseanne 300 will take place on Saturday, and ABC is amped up about the show sponsoring a dang NASCAR race.
Branding is everything in NASCAR, and any enterprising entity that wants to get the word out about something can rely on the sport to take their money and make things happen. But this does seem like a unique way for a TV show to make that happen.
New Release: Come see @ReelMFishman be the Honorary Grand Marshal at the @NASCAR #Roseanne300 on Saturday, March 17. #RoseanneonABC #ABCPublicity https://t.co/ODAswnzjy6 pic.twitter.com/lfOGUhlGWY
— ABC Publicity (@ABC_Publicity) March 16, 2018
And let’s not pretend that this is ruining the sanctity of the sport, or even is all that absurd. We don’t even have to talk about how one of the sport’s signature events is called the Bass Pro NRA Night Race. This race in particular has had some unique names in the past. According to the always-trusted Wikipedia, past names for the race include the Treatmyclot.com 300 (2014), Drive4Clots.com 300 (2015) and Treatmyclot.com 300 by Janssen in 2016.
Besides, the drivers seem pumped about this.
Never thought I’d race in the #Roseanne300 but here we are https://t.co/ax1stGg48D
— Tommy Joe Martins (@TommyJoeMartins) March 16, 2018
Should be a good race.
