GoDaddy dropping Danica Patrick's car sponsorship
GoDaddy won't be returning to sponsor Danica Patrick's car next season.
The company announced Tuesday it is ending its primary sponsorship of Patrick's Sprint Cup Series ride. She has been sponsored by GoDaddy for the entirety of her Sprint Cup Series career.
The company would still like to sign Patrick to a personal services contract, and a spokesperson said it was looking to expand its international brand. NASCAR is much more popular in the United States than it is in other parts of the world.
"We love Danica and all she does to empower and inspire people, especially women, which is why we are working to keep her in the GoDaddy family," GoDaddy chief marketing officer Phil Bienert said. "We have the utmost respect for Stewart-Haas Racing, and they've been phenomenal partners. In fact, NASCAR has been a tremendous domestic platform to help us achieve an 81 percent aided brand awareness domestically, but at this stage, we need a range of marketing assets that reach a more globally-diverse set of customers."
The news also comes as Patrick is in the final year of her contract at Stewart-Haas Racing. Both Patrick and team officials have expressed optimism that she'll sign an extension with the team, however finding funding is now also necessary to keep Patrick with the team, as GoDaddy was one of the four-car team's biggest sponsors.
Patrick's teammate Kurt Busch, Sunday's race winner at Richmond, is sponsored by team co-owner Gene Haas' automation company.
GoDaddy has been with Patrick since her IndyCar days. After she was sponsored by Motorola and Boost Mobile, GoDaddy signed on with Patrick and Andretti Autosport in 2010. When she made her transition to NASCAR in 2012, the company went with her.
"I'm sad. I'm a little surprised and I'm sad," Patrick told the AP. "But to say I didn't imagine this was not a scenario would be a lie. It's bittersweet. It's going to be really weird to think I won't drive the bright green, can't-miss-it car next year."
It's also leveraged Patrick's popularity via advertising. Patrick had appeared in 13-straight Super Bowl ads for the company, though her 2015 Super Bowl commercial for the company was pulled after negative feedback.
After finishing 25th at Richmond, Patrick is 16th in the points standings.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
