And they wonder why they're not filling those stands on Sunday

dpkimmel2001

dpkimmel2001

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We usually go to four or five races a year. The same ones mostly. Sometimes we like to go to a different track. So..... I thought that maybe I'd pick out a different race to go to next year. I just called Michigan International Speedway to check on ticket availability for one of their races for next year. Wouldn't you know it, no Cup race without buying the Nationwide seat too. A package deal or nothing. Nothing was my choice. When are they going to learn? I know that Michigan isn't the only track and ISC isn't the only track owning organization to do this. Bruton has his share of package only deals as well. I know that they're trying to boost that attendance on Saturday but as a result of that marketing concept they're producing empty seats on Sunday. Four of them as far as Michigan is concerned.
 
I stopped taking my Bristol tickets last year because of always having to buy the Nationwide tickets too. When this was first offered, I didn't like it then. But it was a way to be guaranteed tickets to the night race. Now that tickets are easy to come by, there was no incentive for me to continue to buy all those tickets. I got tired of paying $50+ per Nationwide ticket and practically giving them away. I think Bristol has finally stopped requiring to buy NNS tickets. But you'd think they'd all learn.
 
This must be something new. I have had tickets for Michigan since 1980 and have never bought Nationwide tickets unless I drive up to watch the race, then I buy them at the office.

Last year four co-workers ordered tickets for the cup race and did not have to buy Nationwide tickets.
 
Maybe things will change once it gets closer to race time? I have to turn in my vacation time for next year by the end of the month. I'll choose another track instead. I hadn't been there since 2000 when all three Earnhardt's ran their one and only race together. For all of about five laps or so. Kerry's day ended before it ever got started, almost.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Maybe things will change once it gets closer to race time? I have to turn in my vacation time for next year by the end of the month. I'll choose another track instead. I hadn't been there since 2000 when all three Earnhardt's ran their one and only race together. For all of about five laps or so. Kerry's day ended before it ever got started, almost.
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I was there.

How many tickets do you need?
 
Many tracks that host NASCAR 'Cup races hold at most two weekend events a year. If you were a promoter, what would you do?
 
I understand the complaint from the $ perspective but at the same time, if I go to a race it takes my whole weekend anyway so why not hit the Nationwide race?
 
chromehorn said:
I understand the complaint from the $ perspective but at the same time, if I go to a race it takes my whole weekend anyway so why not hit the Nationwide race?
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Well, the complaint is why do tracks bundle ticket packages when they can't sell out the cup race. And.... The economy sucks.
 
Smoke14 said:
I was there.

How many tickets do you need?
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I appreciate your offer but we decided to hit Pocono the week before. Both are about the same distance for us. I haven't been there in a while either. Flame away Pocono haters.

PettyBlue said:
Many tracks that host NASCAR 'Cup races hold at most two weekend events a year. If you were a promoter, what would you do?
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I'd sell tickets instead of turning away potential ticket holder. Greed is the only reason for those packages. Like had been previous mentioned in another post..... Bristol used to be that way until recently. The spring 2010 was the first Cup race that hadn't sold out in many, many years @ that track. Bruton changed his tune real quick for the fall race. He then started to offer individual event tickets. Other tracks are slowly following suit and eliminating the required package in order to attend the Cup event.

chromehorn said:
I understand the complaint from the $ perspective but at the same time, if I go to a race it takes my whole weekend anyway so why not hit the Nationwide race?
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The $ perspective is the main reason that my family and I don't attend the Nationwide races. That's great that you are able to do that and support them but not all of us are in that same situation.
 
So people are forced to buy Nationwide tickets only and not truck series?
 
#17D500winner said:
So people are forced to buy Nationwide tickets only and not truck series?
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And if the question is directed @ Pocono. The trucks do not race at Pocono during the spring race, only the fall race.

The only other tracks that I go to that the trucks race @ are Bristol & Dover. Bristol actually gave us the truck tickets this fall along with our other tickets. Dover has never forced me to buy any other tickets other than Cup.

For a couple of years Richmond forced me to not only buy the Nationwide ticket, they also forced me to buy to buy the IRL as well. I gave those seats up as I couldn't even give the IRL weekend away. Just a couple of Fridays ago, I saw the new IRL schedule. I didn't see Richmond listed on the schedule. I guess I screwed up on letting those seats go.
 
I don't know about this past season but during the 09 season Chicagoland was horrible with this stuff. They made you buy a package of Cup / Nationwide / Trucks and IRL. I explained to them I was coming out from NYC and couldn't make the 2nd weekend of Trucks/IRL cause it was in I believe late August but they didn't care. I ended up buying the package and selling the Trucks/IRL tickets on stubhub to make my money back for those tickets. They also don't let you bring in coolers to this place either. Other then the free parking Chicagoland is the worst in terms of fan friendliness that I have dealt with.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
And if the question is directed @ Pocono. The trucks do not race at Pocono during the spring race, only the fall race.

The only other tracks that I go to that the trucks race @ are Bristol & Dover. Bristol actually gave us the truck tickets this fall along with our other tickets. Dover has never forced me to buy any other tickets other than Cup.

For a couple of years Richmond forced me to not only buy the Nationwide ticket, they also forced me to buy to buy the IRL as well. I gave those seats up as I couldn't even give the IRL weekend away. Just a couple of Fridays ago, I saw the new IRL schedule. I didn't see Richmond listed on the schedule. I guess I screwed up on letting those seats go.
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To clarify, the post wasn't directed at any particular track, city, county, state, country or coast.
 
StewartHaas-Gibbs Racing said:
I don't know about this past season but during the 09 season Chicagoland was horrible with this stuff. They made you buy a package of Cup / Nationwide / Trucks and IRL. I explained to them I was coming out from NYC and couldn't make the 2nd weekend of Trucks/IRL cause it was in I believe late August but they didn't care. I ended up buying the package and selling the Trucks/IRL tickets on stubhub to make my money back for those tickets. They also don't let you bring in coolers to this place either. Other then the free parking Chicagoland is the worst in terms of fan friendliness that I have dealt with.
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Chicago has been lik ethat since they opened...thats why I have never gone yet:(
 
I've never bought tickets from the track.

Always bought tickets from a friend or from a scalper at the track. Never paid more than face value and never had a bad seat.
 
StewartHaas-Gibbs Racing said:
I don't know about this past season but during the 09 season Chicagoland was horrible with this stuff. They made you buy a package of Cup / Nationwide / Trucks and IRL. I explained to them I was coming out from NYC and couldn't make the 2nd weekend of Trucks/IRL cause it was in I believe late August but they didn't care. I ended up buying the package and selling the Trucks/IRL tickets on stubhub to make my money back for those tickets. They also don't let you bring in coolers to this place either. Other then the free parking Chicagoland is the worst in terms of fan friendliness that I have dealt with.
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kansas was like this until last year.
 
Years ago you could buy separate tickets at The Glen, but the price for the whole weekend is comparable to some tracks one day only cost so I don't mind paying it. If you buy General Admission, it costs even less, but then you do w/o seats. Of course at a road course, some people may like this more anyway so they walk around and watch from different places.

I was pretty surprised when I was checking for tickets at other tracks that I'd have to pay more than my Glen tickets and was for only one event. If I'm going to drive that far to watch a race, I'm making a weekend of it.
 
Kansas was also doing the thing where you have to buy tickets for the whole season(Cup, Nationwide, IRL, Trucks) before this season. They stopped that this year though.
 
If I'm going to call them out when they are wrong IMO, I'll praise them when they do something good..... I just got my Bristol invoice from 2011. There is a 18.5% reduction on my ticket prices for next season. Way to go Bruton. :beerbang:
 
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