Very much agree with you. But us petrolheads are not the ones sponsors want to attract, we are too few!
they want ordinary Joe to buy their product. So whenever I have taken a friend out to watch rallies, and the same man to watch rallycross, they all go for rallycross. Why: you see it all, it is compact, it has drama you can follow, you can walk back to the depot, not drive.
Rally has a lot going for it: the bravest and best drivers in the motorsports world, cars that look like one you can buy tomorrow, speed, man vs machine, hero/fan possibilities.
But it is utterly mismanaged from FIA, as the ugly duckling. Left to die by itself, while F1 and the new E-Racing gets all the attention.
Companies win contracts to be promotor, they fail miserably;
bad website, useless addition that cost money (wrc+), oldfashioned TV production, little or no use of streaming, and interaction with drivers and co drivers, no improvements in any area.
Something need to be changed.
Make a set of cases. Put this to three different universities, two think tanks, and on facebook for Ordinary Joe to speak out. Ask sponsors what they would like to see change.
Put results into a report, go and brief Rally Comitty in FIA on the results, and a plan of change.
Rally has the potential, but need help to grow!