Fanatics Tent

AdoubleU24 said:
If I'm understanding this right, 3 to 4 haulers for 8 race teams means condensed stock and variety. It also means double or even triple long lines just waiting to even see what's for sale, try on a hat, etc. Someone please explain to me how this is better than a self-serve superstore tent cause I still don't see it. I can even live with each driver having their own hauler like last year. This has disaster written all over it though.

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What I'm seeing is a race team taking control over their own souvenir sales and out of the hands of NASCAR.
As I stated previously my attraction to the trailers was the difference in the artwork between drivers and teams.
With Fanatics it seemed to me that all merchandise was very similar across the board and both NASCAR and Fanatics were able to confiscate a major portion of the profits. (just ask Larson)
More than just a debate as to tent vs. trailers, this sure feels like a decision that may bring control over merchandise(and profits) back in house with each respective team and driver. Good News!!!

On a side note...…… I think a lot of drivers visited their trailers this year. Did that occur often with the tent?
 
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Old 97 said:
… I think a lot of drivers visited their trailers this year. Did that occur often with the tent?
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If it did I never heard about it. But some visited the haulers at every race before that damned tent arrived.
 
A friend of mine met Austin at the tent in Daytona a couple of July's ago. He was there signing random items throughout his section and placing them back on the shelf for people to stumble upon and buy to their surprise. I know Gordon was doing a book signing tour of sorts at the Fanatics tents too. Logistically though, it's a lot easier to have appearances inside of the haulers. You've got an automatic barrier between driver and fan with the high up counter top and you don't have to rope off a section and hire security to stand there.

As far as doing your shopping early, I make every effort to do that and have had great success avoiding crowds since I normally go for practice days and such, but for example on Daytona 500 day there is no such thing. I went to buy a 9 hat at about 10:30am last year and stood there for 30 mins. I was there the weekend prior for the Clash but they didn't have everything fully stocked so I had to come back.
 
AdoubleU24 said:
No I'm speaking from my own personal experience and preference. I don't enjoy standing and waiting in long lines baking in the sun just for the opportunity to see what's for sale. Never mind having to wait on someone to hand you items back and forth across a counter so you can see it up close, touch it, or try it on for fit while feeling like you're holding up everyone behind you while they're also baking in the sun and waiting to do what you're doing. As a consumer I enjoy self service, quality, and a wide variety of options. The tent gave me those things.
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I understand...your opinion is different than mine and that is fine...
 
rowdy3 said:
The haulers worked when you had over 100k attend the race and 45k for the Busch race. In 2010 teams started to lose money. So teams started to share a hauler. My sis dated a driver in 2013 and he said he almost lost 100k on the trailer so he decided to team up with other teams to on a merchandise trailer. They made money. If people turn out and buy merchandise the tracks that signed with a merchandise company should make money. Main gate will only be going to isc tracks. Teams are optimistic about their haulers but it’s a wait and see approach. If something isn’t right the July Daytona race will see changes.
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Yes, as I stated there are problems with the hauler model. I remember one year NASCAR/Daytona placed a drivers only merchandise hauler on the inside of the gate on the back stretch at Daytona. That effectively killed any chance at making money.
 
I wandered around Hauler-ville at Daytona (Summer race) a few years back. It was sorta like a Carnival Midway without the amusements -- food, NASCAR sponsor tents, and the Haulers. It seemed most fans at that point were a captive audience to that area, just waiting for the next movement into their seats.

NASCAR/Sponsors scheduled live events for several drivers at the same time in that area, so I got to see Danica and several other drivers meeting the fans. It was a no-man's-land between leaving your car/motel/restaurant and the grandstands -- where many fans hung around a good part of the day, to then wait for the lengthy pre-race festivities (and Sam Hornish) before the Green Flag waved.

Quicker access into and out of the venue would be key to a better fan experience --

Tent vs Hauler: the fans that want it "now" will find it either way. Shopping experience was not a high priority when fans are just surviving the weather (thunderstorms) and waiting periods before the show; and fans can go into/under a Tent instead of wait outside in the Hauler line for the fan to buy a JR hat or bar of Zest race-car soap.

I'd like to see the $$$$$$$$$ improvements they made, especially on how they organized the surge areas before and after a race. I stayed the entire race, and that slow walk out of the grandstand structure to the bus pickups, then to remote parking where you start your car and immediately inch into a traffic jam -- made me never want to do that again.

Big Beautiful TV Screens surrounded by your favorite foods in the comfort of home (while shopping the internet for NASCAR gear) is probably Reason #18 why they're pulling seats from many venues.
 
Ventisca said:
I'd like to see the $$$$$$$$$ improvements they made, especially on how they organized the surge areas before and after a race. I stayed the entire race, and that slow walk out of the grandstand structure to the bus pickups, then to remote parking where you start your car and immediately inch into a traffic jam -- made me never want to do that again.
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This is another one of those changes made by NASCAR, or in this case ISC over the years that have run me off in attending Daytona. Years ago, I could park in the parking lot right next to the track for a reasonable fee. The "dog track" parking lot. Then they ran us off and we couldn't park there any longer. That was fine as we could park on the side streets around the speedway for free. We had great access to the speedway, places to eat (Hooters) and all the merchandise trailers and sponsor stages. Then one year we went to park and was informed they were towing all cars parked on the side of the street. Our choice then was to either pay $60 - $70 for parking or park in the free "remote" lot. The remote lot might not be too bad if you are just showing up for the race and plan to leave your car and go directly into the track. Given it is about two miles from the track and they shuttle you, you can't go back and forth. I used to go to every race at Daytona, but now I go only on occasion and it is never for the Cup race.
 
DIDIT said:
This is another one of those changes made by NASCAR, or in this case ISC over the years that have run me off in attending Daytona. Years ago, I could park in the parking lot right next to the track for a reasonable fee. The "dog track" parking lot. Then they ran us off and we couldn't park there any longer. That was fine as we could park on the side streets around the speedway for free. We had great access to the speedway, places to eat (Hooters) and all the merchandise trailers and sponsor stages. Then one year we went to park and was informed they were towing all cars parked on the side of the street. Our choice then was to either pay $60 - $70 for parking or park in the free "remote" lot. The remote lot might not be too bad if you are just showing up for the race and plan to leave your car and go directly into the track. Given it is about two miles from the track and they shuttle you, you can't go back and forth. I used to go to every race at Daytona, but now I go only on occasion and it is never for the Cup race.
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Park behind the mall it’s 15 or $20 for the 500 and $10 or $15 for all other events. Super easy to leave. Takes me an extra 10 mins to get home. You can also park after the stop light behind the mall for free. About a 15 min walk.
 
rowdy3 said:
Park behind the mall it’s 15 or $20 for the 500 and $10 or $15 for all other events. Super easy to leave. Takes me an extra 10 mins to get home. You can also park after the stop light behind the mall for free. About a 15 min walk.
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Not when I went. :)

I left my home (Tampa area) early morning and scooted past Orlando -- hit traffic coming into Daytona. I timed it to get there early enough to see/hear some of the drivers by the Haulers and to avoid the late rush -- at least that was the plan. Others like me cruised around looking for parking and found nothing, until getting directed to the land of remote parking lots in the hinterlands. It was more jammed up than Bike Week, and less fun...

But I got to see Bill Elliott race!



Anyway, this year I'll probably get to Talladega, Charlotte ROVAL, and maybe park the RV at Kentucky where I'll be able to get in early, then wait out a day for the post-race traffic to subside.
 
rowdy3 said:
Park behind the mall it’s 15 or $20 for the 500 and $10 or $15 for all other events. Super easy to leave. Takes me an extra 10 mins to get home. You can also park after the stop light behind the mall for free. About a 15 min walk.
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I am not familiar with where you are talking about. I do know of some spots off Fentress where you could park for about $20. But it was almost a mile out. I didn't mind that one because the proceeds went to the cancer society.
Also what is amazing to me is that as attendance continues to decrease it is harder to park. You would think the opposite would be true. I have gone to races at other tracks where literally thousands of parking spaces were not being used because they were premium parking spots for high dollar ticket holders. Charlotte was always one of our favorites where you could park for free, tailgate, enjoy all the souvenir/sponsor tents and easily walk into and out of the race.
 
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