After testing the publishing market in 1997 with an exclusive licensing agreement with HarperCollins, NASCAR took a hiatus in 2001 to examine the direction it wanted its book program to move. "We decided we didn't want to put all our eggs in one basket," said Jennifer White, senior manager for publishing at NASCAR. "Different publishers have different specialties and that's what we wanted to tap into."
The decision has resulted in licensing deals with eight publishers for adult titles and three publishers for children's works. One of the first books to emerge from NASCAR's new strategy was Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, done in cooperation with Chicken Soup publisher Health Communications. First printing for the title, which was released in April, was 400,000, and the book should easily become NASCAR's bestselling title sold through the retail channel. The previous bestseller had been Thunder of America, a 50th anniversary title published by HC that has sold more than 150,000 copies. NASCAR's big title for fall is expected to be NASCAR Chronicle, which it has licensed to Publications International. The 496-page book will tell the story of stock car racing's growth from its moonshine roots to a multi-billion-dollar sports industry. A deal with Sports Publishing will yield titles on drivers Bobby Allison and Ryan Newman. NASCAR's role in the Allison and Newman deals is as a cross licenser, since the drivers are the primary licensers.
Another aspect of NASCAR's adult program is a longstanding deal with UMI Publications, a direct mail house that publishes NASCAR Yearbook and sells it exclusively through direct mail.
The research conducted by the association during its year away from publishing found that the children's market presented a huge opportunity. "We knew it was an area we wanted to get into, and it has paid off," White said. The first titles for the children's market were done with Bendon Publishing and feature coloring, activity, sticker, board books and puzzles. Bendon has already released 29 titles, mostly through mass merchandisers but through some bookstores as well. In the first 45 days the books were in the market, Bendon had sales of $1.6 million, with sales through Wal-Mart particularly strong. Bendon is expected to release another 23 titles by year's end.
In addition to its Chronicle title, Publications International is doing several children's books with NASCAR. Set for release in August is the Champion Racers sound book plus two wipe-off books. Similar to the agreement with Bendon, Publications International's titles are aimed at ages five and under, and White is in negotiations with a publisher to produce books for the seven- to 11-year-old market. First books are expected to be released next year.
White is certain that NASCAR, which does about $2 billion annually in licensing, has room to grow in publishing. Areas she hopes to enter soon include historical works, encyclopedias and books for 12- to 18-year-olds, and she is in talks with comic book publishers as well.
