Nascar is banning the Confederate battle flag from its events and properties after Bubba Wallace, the only black driver, called for the ban during an interview. “The presence of the confederate flag at Nascar events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry,” Nascar said on Twitter. Bubba Wallace’s car featured a black lives matter paint scheme during Wednesday’s event at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. The ban could help the sport in appealing to a wider and more diverse audience at a time when it’s struggled to increase its fan base. “Nascar has seen more downs than ups in terms of attendance in the last few years, but more importantly, there has been long-term concern regarding what and who Nascar stands for,” T. Bettina Cornwell, the academic director at the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon, said in an email. “All sports have symbols -- the loss of the confederate flag will result in pushback from some traditional loyalists -- but it will open the sport to many more than it loses.” That sentiment was echoed by Ben Shapiro, the founder of Pivot Agency, a sports and entertainment marketing firm. “I think it’s all positive,” said Shapiro. “For their brand and business, it was the right thing to do.” Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2TwO8Gm QUICKTAKE ON SOCIAL: Follow QuickTake on Twitter: twitter.com/quicktake Like QuickTake on Facebook: facebook.com/quicktake Follow QuickTake on Instagram: instagram.com/quicktake Subscribe to our newsletter: https://bit.ly/2FJ0oQZ Email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. QuickTake by Bloomberg is a global news network delivering up-to-the-minute analysis on the biggest news, trends and ideas for a new generation of leaders.