Jayski.com: Las Vegas Motor Speedway downsizing?

I wouldn't mind Vegas switching dates with Homestead and becoming the championship race
 
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I am curious how much revenue NASCAR gains from attendance (% of overall income).
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
I don't think track revenue is as important as it once was due to the idiotic money FS1 and NBCS are paying to cover the series. Once that money runs out and Nascar is trying to sell its rights to the Oprah Winfrey and Bo Diddly networks track revenue will really matter.
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I'd subscribe to the Bo Diddly network if Dish offered it.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
I don't think track revenue is as important as it once was due to the idiotic money FS1 and NBCS are paying to cover the series. Once that money runs out and Nascar is trying to sell its rights to the Oprah Winfrey and Bo Diddly networks track revenue will really matter.
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Bingo. Tracks get 65% of the TV revenue according to articles I've read on this very website. I'm sure that dwarfs what they earn from gate receipts, for now. The tracks are swimming in TV revenue for the near future so it makes economic sense to "right size" to give the impression of "full houses" to the TV viewing audience while they can recoup a large portion of that "lost revenue" by offering 21 inch molded plastic seating, cup holders, expanded WiFi and amenities that the "new" fan demands (sushi, craft beers, areas to "socialize" in, etc.)
 
I've never understood why some people are so obsessed with attendance numbers and seat numbers. If you all want to play with numbers so much you can do my taxes.
 
I suspect that the fall Las Vegas date will match up with a big convention week like SEMA aftermarket auto show which is one of the biggest events Vegas has annually.

I don't think Nascar will ever admit that a lot of drop in attendence is because of "The Chase!" When you hyper emphasize the last 10 races, you deemphasize the first 26.

Another problem they can't do too much about is in the last couple of years they have lost their biggest draws:
Jeff Gordon - retired
Tony Stewart - out due to injury now retired
Carl Edwards - suddenly retired
Dale Jr - out due to injury now back for how long?
Jimmie Johnson - now with his 7th championship probably starting to think about retirement.
Yes soon Larson, Elliott, etc will have taken their place but how many butts are they putting in seats now?
 
When they restore the stolen North Wilksboro date, I will get the cred of TV revenue being paramount.

Until then I will pleasure myself off of those cookie cutter empty seats. I hope the seat removal incurs a lot more expense than anticipated, and much distress. Hopefully a fiasco that is publicly embarrassing itself.
 
They already have a short track... and it's not even getting used by the Truck Series once for their two cookie cutter dates.
 
While they are downsizing and enhancing the fan experience why don't they just enclose, air condition/heat and soundproof the entire grandstand. That way everyone will be able to carry on a conversation over the roar of the engines outside in a comfortable setting similar to their sofa at home. After Phoenix last week the fans need a safe and healthy way to watch the race.

LOL, I see old pictures of fans dressed in suits in the hot Florida sun as the cars raced around the track with no fences. How did they do that?
 
Greg said:
When they restore the stolen North Wilksboro date, I will get the cred of TV revenue being paramount.

Until then I will pleasure myself off of those cookie cutter empty seats. I hope the seat removal incurs a lot more expense than anticipated, and much distress. Hopefully a fiasco that is publicly embarrassing itself.
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In a perfect world, I wish they'd be racing at Wilkesboro next year using this year to fix the place up, make improvements and be ready for two dates next year.
 
dave corthell said:
While they are downsizing and enhancing the fan experience why don't they just enclose, air condition/heat and soundproof the entire grandstand. That way everyone will be able to carry on a conversation over the roar of the engines outside in a comfortable setting similar to their sofa at home. After Phoenix last week the fans need a safe and healthy way to watch the race.

LOL, I see old pictures of fans dressed in suits in the hot Florida sun as the cars raced around the track with no fences. How did they do that?
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For all we know, they were passing out by the dozens. It's hard to see them in the photos when they're lying on the ground.

That's what people wore everywhere then, according to the custom of the time. I'm sure it could be done by today's fans, but why would anyone want to? We have better options available to us.
 
JimmieGordon2448 said:
I wouldn't mind Vegas switching dates with Homestead and becoming the championship race
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I agree. Homestead is a great track, but it feels like the Championship is decided in a remote location.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
I think Talladega reduces capacity by more than 40%. Take a look at this link as it is a real eye opener.

http://www.jayski.com/pages/tracks-seating.htm
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Nascar will no longer provide attendance figures in its' race reports. Hmmm...I guess they don't want it to look even worse than it really is. i can't believe Homestead only has 46k seats, did it sell out the last few years for the final?
 
Mopardh9 said:
Nascar will no longer provide attendance figures in its' race reports. Hmmm...I guess they don't want it to look even worse than it really is. i can't believe Homestead only has 46k seats, did it sell out the last few years for the final?
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It sold out for the last two. Not sure about before.

Edit.....

Yes, it sold out for 2014 as well.
 
Mopardh9 said:
Ok thanks...I'm wondering if eventually all these big tracks are going to downsize to around 60-70K like the capacity of most football stadiums.
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They may. We seem to be headed back to where we were really not all that long ago. Not necessarily a bad thing as far as being an attending fan IMO. It's a lot easier egress with half the fans of days gone by. Shorter concession lines. Shorter restroom lines. Not as many people to deal with in general.
 
NJJammer said:
I used to enjoy my two mile walks home from high school (even in the snow...not so much in the rain.) My friend's son complained to his dad when his school bus stop was moved about 250 yards. Snowflake generation. :idunno:
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Since we're jumping to the subject of school buses for a second.....

My wife and I have this same conversation a few times a week during or morning commute. We carpool for the first half of our ride to work each morning. It never fails that we get behind the same set of school buses in the morning. Most of the stops that we see made involve the parent driving their kid to the end of their driveway. The kid waits in the car until the bus comes to a complete stop before slowly making their way to the waiting bus. When they finally do get on the bus, the bus driver waits until they are seated before shutting the door and moving on. Sometimes stops are as little as neighboring homes yet they get on at the end of each of their driveways. :mad:

My how times have changed.....
 
That's mostly due to the school districts wanting to avoid liability lawsuits from parents screaming, "My kid was run over \ abducted on the way to the bus stop!"
 
NJJammer said:
I used to enjoy my two mile walks home from high school (even in the snow...not so much in the rain.)
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My Dad said he walked to school 5 miles, barefoot in the snow and uphill...both ways going and then coming home...
 
Bobw said:
My Dad said he walked to school 5 miles, barefoot in the snow and uphill...both ways going and then coming home...
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Sounds like the school that I went to. I wonder if we were neighbors?

Edit.....

Sorry, I reread and saw you said 'barefoot'. We had a strict 'Must wear shoes' policy. I guess it wasn't the same school. My bad.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
They may. We seem to be headed back to where we were really not all that long ago. Not necessarily a bad thing as far as being an attending fan IMO. It's a lot easier egress with half the fans of days gone by. Shorter concession lines. Shorter restroom lines. Not as many people to deal with in general.
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Indeed. Bill France Jr and Bruton Smith seriously over expanded capacity in an orgy of building during the 1990s, and their heirs are still struggling with the result. Bill Jr and Bruton and others foolishly viewed the millions of "Nascar Lifestyle" bandwagon fans as structural growth that would continue forever, rather than as a fad. The "Nascar scene" was white hot from coast to coast... until it wasn't. When pop society moved on to graze in a new pasture, the boom went bust. It was a helluva party. And it is a helluva hangover.

Nascar has compounded the fall with lackluster leadership implementing a lackluster vision. I do see major improvements on multiple fronts in the last few years. Current aero rules have made the racing a lot better. The championship format is much better than the last few years. The charter system is an important step in making team ownership viable, although further steps are needed. Policies and rules are more collaborative than previously. I don't know know if it's enough. I don't think any of us do.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
They may. We seem to be headed back to where we were really not all that long ago. Not necessarily a bad thing as far as being an attending fan IMO. It's a lot easier egress with half the fans of days gone by. Shorter concession lines. Shorter restroom lines. Not as many people to deal with in general.
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Not a bad thing at all but at the same time the health of the series is a little disappointing.
 
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