Here's the deal

S

SST55

Guest
Little discussion in another thread over the costs to attend to attend a na$car event, got me thinking. Dangerous I know.
I'll soon be 65 >gasp< but in my lifetime I've driven, built and owned race cars. Up until 1995 I always had a boat, last ones a 27 footer and a 21 footer. I held a private pilots license. I had a carry license and owned way to many firearms. Bought a woodworking shop for my own enjoyment, since sold.
I'm now involved in model railroading and just ordered a computer controled setup.

Now what do they all have in common, other than being expensive hobbys? I did it for my enjoyment and with the backing of my wife and family. And I never byitched that this cost too much or that did. If attending a event is going to make you go hungry or miss a car/mortgage payment stay home and watch it on TV.

How can you enjoy it if you're going to bellyache about it later?
 
SST55 said:
Little discussion in another thread over the costs to attend to attend a na$car event, got me thinking. Dangerous I know.
I'll soon be 65 >gasp< but in my lifetime I've driven, built and owned race cars. Up until 1995 I always had a boat, last ones a 27 footer and a 21 footer. I held a private pilots license. I had a carry license and owned way to many firearms. Bought a woodworking shop for my own enjoyment, since sold.
I'm now involved in model railroading and just ordered a computer controled setup.

Now what do they all have in common, other than being expensive hobbys? I did it for my enjoyment and with the backing of my wife and family. And I never byitched that this cost too much or that did. If attending a event is going to make you go hungry or miss a car/mortgage payment stay home and watch it on TV.

How can you enjoy it if you're going to bellyache about it later?
Click to expand...

Good point. I'm going to stay at home and get a new TV, Recliner, end tables, lamps and some other cool stuff. Then I will save for my mecca to Martinsville done first class in about 10 years from now.

And I will stop bitching about how hot the sun is. Cause I love the shade in my living room!
 
Just thinking out loud:

Aren't Hobbies and Entertainment two different things?

Maybe there are two different types of fans?
 
Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut. Hobbies are supposed to be entertaining. Right?
 
I'm not sure about a hobby being entertaining, I guess it is but I prefer to use the term enjoyment.
 
Post #1 spot on. You should know what you can afford. I go to the races right now because I can afford to. I can't really complain about something that I choose to do. Filling the tank up several time to head to a NASCAR race is different than filling my tank up to head to work each week. I have to work.
 
Hmmmmmmmm...I'm not sure I get this. If money has never been an issue for you, consider yourself lucky. Some people have budgets, and when something they love gets priced right out of their budget because of gouging, it's natural to cry foul.

Consider yourself lucky to not have to give a **** about cost, but why rag on those who do?
 
I never said that money wasn't an issue. I also live on a budget and thanks to great planning it still allows me to attend a few races a year. I quit going to plenty of NASCAR weekends because of the cost. I only attend 3-4 a year now because that's all I can afford. There will probably be a day in the not to distant future when I'll be giving up another too. Not really getting the 'rag' comment.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Not really getting the 'rag' comment.
Click to expand...

Probably because it wasn't directed at you. I'm happy SST55 gets to do all those wonderful things without feeling he can't afford them. It's probably why he can't understand someone else who doesn't have that kind of free cash after paying the bills. His whole post is fairly arrogant and selfish, IMO.
 
I'd say that many people where caught up in the same problem as I was. I puchase tickets almost a year in advance of the race and budget accordingly At That Time the increase in fuel/travel cost was already hurting but the last minute extra $250 hotel cost Busted my budget. So rather than attend in a limited manner wondering the whole time how we would cover the expenses we just did'nt go. Sorry if I sounding like I was "Bitching" but I really do feel that if Hotel's continue to do business this way It will effect race fan turnout.
Sure we will attend Darlington ( we stay with old friends that live nearby ) Atlanta ( brother lives in Hampton ) and of course Daytona where I live other than that I beleive I'll be fishing on racedays for awhile.
 
SST55 said:
Little discussion in another thread over the costs to attend to attend a na$car event, got me thinking. Dangerous I know.
I'll soon be 65 >gasp< but in my lifetime I've driven, built and owned race cars. Up until 1995 I always had a boat, last ones a 27 footer and a 21 footer. I held a private pilots license. I had a carry license and owned way to many firearms. Bought a woodworking shop for my own enjoyment, since sold.
I'm now involved in model railroading and just ordered a computer controled setup.

Now what do they all have in common, other than being expensive hobbys? I did it for my enjoyment and with the backing of my wife and family. And I never byitched that this cost too much or that did. If attending a event is going to make you go hungry or miss a car/mortgage payment stay home and watch it on TV.

How can you enjoy it if you're going to bellyache about it later?
Click to expand...

Are people not supposed to have a comment on being gouged for hotel rooms, tickets and camping prices? Should those of us without your level of disposable income not be frustrated that it's becoming too expensive to enjoy our favorite sport?

And I will bitch and complain about it all I want. I will continue to send emails to the track and the fan council expressing my views. No one is asking for charity, they just want to go the races.
 
FlFlash said:
I really do feel that if Hotel's continue to do business this way It will effect race fan turnout.
Click to expand...

Yes, you hotel bound people are getting screwed big time. Maybe a call/letter/email to the local politicians in that area may do something to help?
 
Also when it comes to hotels, they always raise the prices whenever something big is going on, just like the airlines do. A bunch of my friends and myself go to WrestleMania every year but as soon as we find out the date for next years we book our hotel and airline tickets(if needed, we prefer to drive if its closer) asap because as soon as the hotels and airlines find out the dates for the event the prices skyrocket.

I know it's a lot different with NASCAR events cause it's usually the same weekend every year so the hotels already know. What I've always done with staying with hotels is I usually stay about an hour away from the track, I have an suv, but I get decent gas milage so if a hotel an hour away is only 90-100 bucks compared to 200+ a night, the gas money I spend ends up being cheaper then if I would have stayed at a closer hotel.
 
The cash was never free I WORKED MY ASS OFF for it. I also made some investments that turned out to be very lucrative. From the mid 70's to mid's 90's I never had LESS than 2 jobs, sometimes I had 3. I also paid taxes not only up the wazoo but I sent the wazoo, his family and all his relatives on all expense paid trips around the freakin' world for many years.
I'm not a 5%er or even close. I do know if you want something if you work hard enough there's a chance you just might get it. Krist I sound like limbaugh! Arrogant nope, sorry you took the truth that way. Selfish? Hardly.

It's just that if you're going to do something be it a hobby , for entertainment or personal enjoyment don't be bellyaching what it costs. Decisions yours.
 
SST55 said:
The cash was never free I WORKED MY ASS OFF for it. I also made some investments that turned out to be very lucrative. From the mid 70's to mid's 90's I never had LESS than 2 jobs, sometimes I had 3. I also paid taxes not only up the wazoo but I sent the wazoo, his family and all his relatives on all expense paid trips around the freakin' world for many years.
I'm not a 5%er or even close. I do know if you want something if you work hard enough there's a chance you just might get it. Krist I sound like limbaugh! Arrogant nope, sorry you took the truth that way. Selfish? Hardly.

It's just that if you're going to do something be it a hobby , for entertainment or personal enjoyment don't be bellyaching what it costs. Decisions yours.
Click to expand...

So basically this thread is to lecture us whippersnappers about hard you worked and that we should just accept it when greedy pigs try to gouge us.
 
FenderBumper said:
If money has never been an issue for you, consider yourself lucky............
Consider yourself lucky to not have to give a **** about cost, but why rag on those who do?
Click to expand...

Who said money has never been a issue for me? Who says I don't give a **** about costs? I'm not "ragging" on anyone who attends but if you do don't byitch about it later. You knew the costs going in. Food. gas, lodging are items na$car has no control over.

As for gouging, name a business that won't take advantage of increasing their bottom line. The state regulatory agency is the one to contact, not na$car.
 
Matthew2470 said:
So basically this thread is to lecture us whippersnappers about hard you worked and that we should just accept it when greedy pigs try to gouge us.
Click to expand...

Nail on the head. He has money and wanted everyone to know it. There's millions of people who worked just as hard only to have the rug pulled out from under them. Instead of understanding their plight, he uses it as an opportunity to brag about what he has.
 
The problem with Bristol in particular is that there are no nearby hotels the closest hotels are 1-2 hrs from the track and even then their very limited. In my particular case when we contacted the hotel to Verify our reservations which where made several months ago we where informed that we Would be Billed for Three nights not the original 2 nights we had reserved and done in years past at the same hotel. A 2 night stay which we had budgeted for was going to cost us $480 to begin with Then they wanted to tack on another $240 for the Third night even though we would'nt even have been there. I told them to KMA and we cancelled our plans....yes I'm still a bit peeved about it.
It was additional cost that we had not planned on that kept us away, not the track design or race.
 
FlFlash said:
The problem with Bristol in particular is that there are no nearby hotels the closest hotels are 1-2 hrs from the track and even then their very limited. In my particular case when we contacted the hotel to Verify our reservations which where made several months ago we where informed that we Would be Billed for Three nights not the original 2 nights we had reserved and done in years past at the same hotel. A 2 night stay which we had budgeted for was going to cost us $480 to begin with Then they wanted to tack on another $240 for the Third night even though we would'nt even have been there. I told them to KMA and we cancelled our plans....yes I'm still a bit peeved about it.
It was additional cost that we had not planned on that kept us away, not the track design or race.
Click to expand...

Ah, stop complaining. Nobody wants to hear it!
 
FenderBumper said:
Instead of understanding their plight, he uses it as an opportunity to brag about what he has.
Click to expand...

That is a low blow, FB! I disagree with your statement. I did not consider what he posted to be bragging at all. I think you owe SST an apology!

Matthew2470 said:
So basically this thread is to lecture us whippersnappers about hard you worked and that we should just accept it when greedy pigs try to gouge us.
Click to expand...

And Matt, I think that you are twisting what he said. I agree that there is much "opportunism" in the fact that hotel rates and campground rates increase when NA$$CAR comes to town. It IS gouging. BUT...it's the old rule of Supply and Demand! That's what our free enterprise system is all about. The market sets the price! If the costs are too high, and people don't buy the product, the price will come down. It's not about acceptance of being gouged. It's about making a choice - YOUR CHOICE - as to whether or not you are willing to pay the price!

SST55 said:
If attending a event is going to make you go hungry or miss a car/mortgage payment stay home and watch it on TV. How can you enjoy it if you're going to bellyache about it later?
Click to expand...

That is the exact same logic I use in regards to going to concerts. When I was 15, 16, 17 years old, concert tickets were like $3.50 to $5.00 for shows like Cream, Deep Purple, Led Zep, etc. Now that concert tickets are $200 or more sometimes, I choose NOT to go.
 
robbybee said:
That is a low blow, FB! I disagree with your statement. I did not consider what he posted to be bragging at all. I think you owe SST an apology!
Click to expand...

Just a little lesson in twisting what people say. SST55 knows damn well I never suggested that he didn't work for his money.

That said, his post does lay it on a bit thick.

"I'll soon be 65 >gasp< but in my lifetime I've driven, built and owned race cars. Up until 1995 I always had a boat, last ones a 27 footer and a 21 footer. I held a private pilots license. I had a carry license and owned way to many firearms. Bought a woodworking shop for my own enjoyment, since sold.
I'm now involved in model railroading and just ordered a computer controled setup."

Believe me, I'm not jealous at all...well, maybe the train setup....but that's a lot of bragging to throw at people talking about struggeling to afford going to a race. Ending with...

"Now what do they all have in common, other than being expensive hobbys? I did it for my enjoyment and with the backing of my wife and family. And I never byitched that this cost too much or that did. If attending a event is going to make you go hungry or miss a car/mortgage payment stay home and watch it on TV.

How can you enjoy it if you're going to bellyache about it later?"

..is a slap in the face. If I were in the situations some people here have talked about, I would be pissed. WTF is the point of this thread? To tell people who have less to STFU?

It is what it is. If he now thinks better of what he did here, he should step up and say so.
 
That is a low blow, FB! I disagree with your statement. I did not consider what he posted to be bragging at all. I think you owe SST an apology!


I Think he likes to have come with a real LOW BLOW
 
I think SST55 makes some valid points - for his point of view - as spending the money and THEN complaining is a waste of time/effort/energy. However, joining in a forum where people complain about such things (as that is our nature) and feeling that it must be confronted is, IMO, no different. Though I don't see the need to get personal about it.

So, why spend and then complain? Why read and then complain?

Now, I'm going have a few damn beer with a couple of friends and that ain't complaining - that's bragging :cool:
 
It's one thing to have to travel some place and pay out money for a few nights just to attend an event. It's another thing to be totally gouged.

The gouging does play into it some. Living 2 hours away, most of the people that I talked to that no longer go said they stopped going because of the lack of action.

If fans have a vested interest or feel like they are being entertained, they will go. The NCAA is now selling upper level tickets at the Georgia Dome for tomorrow night's regional games because the Kentucky and Indiana fans want the tickets, even if they are 1/2 mile from the court. Those areas have been hit pretty hard by the economy, but they are going to something they want to see. Attendance isn't down just because of the economy.
 
Wow, this thread has really turned out some nasty replies. Yep, going to races, as well as many other professional sports event and entertainment venues, costs more and more every year. And why is that? Because people will pay the price. Doesn't mean they won't gripe about it. The only thing they can do is to boycott. We stopped going to Cup races many years ago simply because of the cost. The last two times we went we had free ticket and suite access. I won't do it any other way now and those free tickets probably won't come again either. If enough people stop going for one reason or another, things will change, just as what Bruton is trying to do. If his prices keep going down and yet people still won't come, you can believe that he will attempt to do something about it. Just think about this for a minute. When Smith wanted to build a dragstrip next to his track in Concord, NC, the city said no. Bruton then said if that is what you want, I'll move the track. The dragstrip was built. BMS used to be the hardest ticket to get in NASCAR, but not any more. Now if the attendance doesn't stop going down, it won't take much for Smitty to shut down the track and go elsewhere or even built a new track. He will pressure the local hotels if this continues to be a problem. Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol all have to work together on this and put the pressure on the local businesses. There's a lot of money twice a year just for NASCAR alone.
 
My view is, you only go around once. I have a good time at every available opportunity. If there's something I want or somewhere I want to go (within reason) then I go out and make some more money so that I can afford to do it. There's ALWAYS ways to make more money. Complaining sometimes eases the pain when you know you got gouged a little but nobody can gouge you if you don't let them.
 
When I go to Richmond next month and spend $1100 for the weekend I won't complain at all. It's totally worth the sacrifices I make to get the money together to be able to go. I just wish it was cheaper so I could go to more races. But once I get my degree and my salary doubles it's gonna be on like Donkey Kong as far as going to races. Holla!
 
Matthew2470 said:
When I go to Richmond next month and spend $1100 for the weekend I won't complain at all. It's totally worth the sacrifices I make to get the money together to be able to go. I just wish it was cheaper so I could go to more races. But once I get my degree and my salary doubles it's gonna be on like Donkey Kong as far as going to races. Holla!
Click to expand...

Going to go and see and MSU BBall games? ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom