NASCAR evaluating souvenir row

dpkimmel2001

dpkimmel2001

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Well, this just plain sucks IMO.

NASCAR fans call it souvenir row, and for the last three decades, they have gone there to browse for hats and T-shirts at enormous truck rigs carrying their favorite driver’s merchandise.

But that tradition may become a thing of the past. NASCAR is in the early phases of re-evaluating its trackside merchandise program, and it is looking to make a change. The company two weeks ago sent a request for proposal to a dozen companies asking them to submit plans for how the sport could change the way it sells merchandise at races.

At a minimum, NASCAR is considering reducing the number of truck rigs along souvenir row, and possibly eliminating them altogether, in order to replace them with a more traditional retail concept like the tented stores set up at the entrance to PGA Tour events.

NASCAR teams and tracks have offered their support for exploring a change. The initiative is being led by Blake Davidson, NASCAR’s vice president of licensing and consumer products.


Read the whole story here.
 
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I dont care how the merchandise is set up and packaged at the track, as long as merch is still sold there. Merch tents are no stranger to stick and ball sporting events. I dont see a difference between a merch tent and a merch trailer... as long as it holds all the same merch. Besides, its probably more economical to break down and set up a tent each week rather than pull a hauler across country.
 
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I'll carry the post I was about to make in the Random thread over here, to keep everything together.

I get that they are losing money with the current setup, and losing money is not good. I would like to know how much of the decline in souvenir sales is due to fans being "inconvenienced" by the sprawl or location of souvenir row and how much is simply going towards online merchandise sales.

The thing that ultimately rubs me the wrong way the most on this is that I feel the fans will ultimately lose out, by way of increased souvenir prices. Yeah, that story says the "business model" won't change because NASCAR already gets a cut. But if all the t-shirts and diecasts find themselves in one convenient location, who would stop them if they gradually bumped up prices here and there?

Furthermore, you know what would help sell more souvenirs? Putting more butts in seats. On the 4th of July, you can either spend $90 for two adult general admission tickets and two children's GA tickets for the Nationwide race at Daytona, or you can spend $48 for VIP seats at the Daytona Cubs game, complete with In-seat waiter/waitress service. If that's not your thing, then just buy the two adults/two kids GA seats for $26. Which family do you think is more likely to spend money on t-shirts and food at the event on Friday night? Which family do you think is more willing to buy the tickets in the first place? Changing souvenir row to make money feels like walking up to a rodeo bull and saying "May I have a glass of milk, kind sir?"
 
Souvenir row has always been a big part of the fun at the tracks. All of my merchandise has been bought out of the trailers not at one of the few stores at some tracks. If it goes It's another change that's going to have a negative effect on the at track experience.
 
Sometimes there is something to be said about tradition. We've been going to races for a long, long time. Before these haulers were the norm.

I really can't see where having all of the merchandise under one roof is going to make a difference in sales. I am not going to go in there and buy another drivers merchandise. I have in mind what I want when I go to the track and I go to get it.

After this change, the next will be to charge an entry fee to this new store. Bank on it. NASCAR will.
 
I think having the haulers filled with souvenirs at the track is one of the things that people that go to races look farward to every week. I guess as long as they still have an area set-up to where people can still buy souvenirs then I'm alright with it.

As a side note, living in Mooresville, I find it odd that there are next to no stores in the area that sell NASCAR items. Even Concord-Mills mall, which is literally 5 mins from Charlotte Motor Speedway, has no NASCAR stores in it. If you want to buy anything, you have to go to the race shops to get it, or online.
 
If they were to do this, a good idea would to have a Hendrick Motorsports tent, a JGR tent, and so on. It would be weird not to have the souvenior row, but as long as i can get what i want, it wouldn't be that big of a deal to me.
 
KahneFan said:
I think having the haulers filled with souvenirs at the track is one of the things that people that go to races look farward to every week. I guess as long as they still have an area set-up to where people can still buy souvenirs then I'm alright with it.

As a side note, living in Mooresville, I find it odd that there are next to no stores in the area that sell NASCAR items. Even Concord-Mills mall, which is literally 5 mins from Charlotte Motor Speedway, has no NASCAR stores in it. If you want to buy anything, you have to go to the race shops to get it, or online.
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I know, right? And when you're going down 77, the Mooresville exit has a sign that says race city USA!
 
blanston said:
I know, right? And when you're going down 77, the Mooresville exit has a sign that says race city USA!
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Yeah exactly, they advertise Mooresville as Race City, USA but there are hardly anything to do with racing here.

Hell, the only cup teams here are Penske and Germain racing, the rest are around the concord area mostly.
 
It might suck for the fans, but the shareholders are of paramount importance.

I am quite sure that the Nascar hog will be able to will make the most of a revised teet, and siphon off more profits.

This is good for Brian, why cant folks celebrate the change and just be happy.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
I dont care how the merchandise is set up and packaged at the track, as long as merch is still sold there. Merch tents are no stranger to stick and ball sporting events. I dont see a difference between a merch tent and a merch trailer... as long as it holds all the same merch. Besides, its probably more economical to break down and set up a tent each week rather than pull a hauler across country.
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How can they fold a tent with all that stuff in it? ;) Still need a truck to haul the goods. I think this is more about a better shopping experience and clearer paths to and from the gates.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
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I think this shows the problems with merch haulers. Totally disorganized lines, and add hot sun or light rain, and it's miserable. Getting past these mobs is also a hassle.

I really don't understand why people are against a more organized and hospitable shopping tent. Oh yeah, tradition. Traditionalist are the people that have nascar still racing "stock cars" that are actually museum pieces. :rolleyes:
 
FenderBumper said:
I think this shows the problems with merch haulers. Totally disorganized lines, and add hot sun or light rain, and it's miserable. Getting past these mobs is also a hassle.

I really don't understand why people are against a more organized and hospitable shopping tent. Oh yeah, tradition. Traditionalist are the people that have nascar still racing "stock cars" that are actually museum pieces. :rolleyes:
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It's going to take a lot of organization (and space) to get 43 drivers' worth of fans to be in orderly lines in this super tent.

If you can promise it will be those convenient, organized, and hospitable, sure. But I think the comparisons to tents at other events are forgetting just how unique NASCAR souvenirs are and the differences in sports. We aren't just hawking t-shirts for one team here.
 
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To me the t-shirt and hat designs have went in the crapper lately.That's why they losing money.Before there used to be a couple cool shirts and hats to pick from.Now I barely see anything I like.
 
ztevans said:
It's going to take a lot of organization (and space) to get 43 drivers' worth of fans to be in orderly lines in this super tent.

If you can promise it will be those convenient, organized, and hospitable, sure. But I think the comparisons to tents at other events are forgetting just how unique NASCAR souvenirs are and the differences in sports. We aren't just hawking t-shirts for one team here.
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This is nascar. Put a restrictor plate on them expectations!
 
MRM said:
Hard to justify paying $30 for a shirt when you can get something from Walmart for half that price.
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Or amazon, Or at one of many merchandise websites. Especially when the shirts bought at these trailers shrink two sizes the first time they are washed! (my experience)
 
If you think there's long lines to purchase merchandise now just wait until all of the different teams' merchandise goes through one set of cash registers.
Instead of being in the Dale Jr. only line, now you're backed up in a line with fans of every other driver. I can't see how this is going to be more efficient for the fan.
 
Smoke14 said:
So.....

They will TRUCK the merchandise to the track and then set it up in a tent?

:XXROFL:
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What's so funny? They can fit it into one or two trucks as opposed to 20+ currently. The cost savings of eliminating 18 trucks are huge.
 
Marcingak said:
What's so funny? They can fit it into one or two trucks as opposed to 20+ currently. The cost savings of eliminating 18 trucks are huge.
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It also eliminates jobs for all of the trailer sales personnel. I see the same salesperson in the trailer at both Vegas and Fontana. These people travel to every race.
 
BobbyFord said:
It also eliminates jobs for all of the trailer sales personnel. I see the same salesperson in the trailer at both Vegas and Fontana. These people travel to every race.
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True, but it will create jobs for people who have to set up and break down the tent each week
 
Maybe they can put all those salespeople inside the tent each in their own area to eliminate long lines.
 
BobbyFord said:
Reducing the number of retail trailers will ultimately result in lost jobs.
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Yes, unfortunately. Especially the truck drivers. But, it looks like they have no choice because sales are way down and it's a failing business model.
 
My experience with the Vendor trailers at cup races has been this.
1. They all commit pricing collusion (price fixing) to the tenth degree and get away with it, like a good ole boys club.
2. To find deals, go to the parking areas with the big vendor tents for deals.
3. It is something, to watch the lines at Gordon's, Jr's, and JJ's trailers, always a line, but at anyone else trailer, walk right up no waiting.

When I am at BRISTOL, I always buy from the merchandise and food vendors inside the track, they all man the booths with local charity help and get a percentage for their particular cause. A lot of this is also done at Atlanta and Charlotte. It's a good thing.
 
sdj said:
My experience with the Vendor trailers at cup races has been this.
1. They all commit pricing collusion (price fixing) to the tenth degree and get away with it, like a good ole boys club.
2. To find deals, go to the parking areas with the big vendor tents for deals.
3. It is something, to watch the lines at Gordon's, Jr's, and JJ's trailers, always a line, but at anyone else trailer, walk right up no waiting.

When I am at BRISTOL, I always buy from the merchandise and food vendors inside the track, they all man the booths with local charity help and get a percentage for their particular cause. A lot of this is also done at Atlanta and Charlotte. It's a good thing.
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First of all, it isn't collusion if you see what your competitors are charging and charge the same thing.

Secondly, those cheap white tents in the parking lots are disgusting. It's all old, outdated crap that I'm sure fell off a truck somewhere. I'd rather pay full dollar for quality CURRENT merchandise than give some slob $10 for stuff from 2005.
 
Brain f cked up NASCAR, so lets were what else he can screw up.
It would be nice if her would unf ck something else first. And they wonder why seats are empty....
 
At Bristol, you can get much better merchandise from the "cheap white tents" - just as current but also plenty of older merchandise as well. And the current merchandise is usually cheaper.
 
of races i go or have been, Bristol seems to have the cheapest prices on merc.
 
why is nascar trying to reverent the wheel? fans like what they know. Looks like the old fans are out they need some thing new.
 
You guys would get sick if you knew all the behind the scenes to this merch trailers (eh, maybe not...you'd probably come to expect as much from NASCAR). The greed is abysmal. NASCAR double dips, sometimes triple dips into sales depending on the track and agreement. Motorsports Authentics and Chase Authentics (basically "companies" that NASCAR holds the puppet strings to) are really your only ticket to the dance if you want to sell at track. The "taxes" (joining the trust, NASCAR's cut and working with a group like MA) make a single trailer's break even point something like $15,000-$20,000 in sales for one weekend. That's BREAK EVEN. The way NASCAR has a strangle hold on licensing and selling at the track, it's just not worth it for teams other than HMS (and Jimmie and Jeff sell less than half of what Jr sells).

I was able to look at multiple years worth of sales trends before last season (we were getting Furniture Row Racing into a trailer for the first time ever) and couldn't believe how far the numbers were dipping. To the point that it made little sense for 75% of the trailers to even be there.

HERE'S THE THING: If NASCAR were to treat track merchandise as nothing more than a customer service to fans, and allow vendors to come in on their terms, and open the doors to a competitive free marketplace (including negotiating their own rights with drivers and teams, and a fair/nominal fee for the NASCAR logo), the merchandising system would thrive. But there's zero chance of that happening. NASCAR will never be in favor of anything that doesn't see NASCAR paid first. I've never seen a company this poorly run. Honestly. I know a lot of people's opinions about how greedy NASCAR is seems like hyperbole - but it's not. It's that awful. And the clock is truly ticking...
 
Allenbaba said:
You guys would get sick if you knew all the behind the scenes to this merch trailers (eh, maybe not...you'd probably come to expect as much from NASCAR). The greed is abysmal. NASCAR double dips, sometimes triple dips into sales depending on the track and agreement. Motorsports Authentics and Chase Authentics (basically "companies" that NASCAR holds the puppet strings to) are really your only ticket to the dance if you want to sell at track. The "taxes" (joining the trust, NASCAR's cut and working with a group like MA) make a single trailer's break even point something like $15,000-$20,000 in sales for one weekend. That's BREAK EVEN. The way NASCAR has a strangle hold on licensing and selling at the track, it's just not worth it for teams other than HMS (and Jimmie and Jeff sell less than half of what Jr sells).

I was able to look at multiple years worth of sales trends before last season (we were getting Furniture Row Racing into a trailer for the first time ever) and couldn't believe how far the numbers were dipping. To the point that it made little sense for 75% of the trailers to even be there.

HERE'S THE THING: If NASCAR were to treat track merchandise as nothing more than a customer service to fans, and allow vendors to come in on their terms, and open the doors to a competitive free marketplace (including negotiating their own rights with drivers and teams, and a fair/nominal fee for the NASCAR logo), the merchandising system would thrive. But there's zero chance of that happening. NASCAR will never be in favor of anything that doesn't see NASCAR paid first. I've never seen a company this poorly run. Honestly. I know a lot of people's opinions about how greedy NASCAR is seems like hyperbole - but it's not. It's that awful. And the clock is truly ticking...
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Wow, that's incredible. Brian France is a monopoly.
 
The Licensing Trust of teams and drivers get 10% of revenue while Motorsports Authentics gets 75% of revenue. Amazing.
 
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