WASHINGTON—The U.S. House kept military funding for NASCAR and other professional sports in place with a narrow vote Wednesday night.
The effort to ban pro sports sponsorships led by Rep. Jack Kingston, a Savannah Republican, ran into resistance from major sports leagues — even National Guard-sponsored driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke up — and their supporters in the House. As a result, an amendment to a defense spending bill that would have taken away $72 million the military spends on such sponsorships fell, 202-216.
Kingston said in an interview that he would continue to press the military for a full justification for the spending, which includes bass fishing and ultimate fighting sponsorships. With the Pentagon warning of catastrophe from scheduled $500 billion in defense cuts over the next 10 years, Kingston said it is important that every line item be justified. He said he has yet to see convincing evidence that, for example, the $26.5 million spent to sponsor Earnhardt brings in many recruits.
The Army recently announced it was dropping its sponsorship of driver Ryan Newman, but the National Guard has defended the Earnhardt contract as important for its branding. Kingston said the biggest lobbying push came from NASCAR.
"We got lots of conversations from people who were receiving the money about how pro-military they are," Kingston said. "And I guess if you're getting $25 million a year from the military you'd be pro-military, too. I think there are cheaper ways to rent your friends."
In a statement NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development Marcus Jadotte praised the vote.
"Sports sponsorships work," he said. "They remain a critical part of the marketing mix for a host of other big, consumer-facing brands like the U.S. Armed Forces. Leaving marketing decisions like these in the hands of a select few members of Congress is misguided."
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