Nascar and the Future

M

Mopardh9

Guest
I wrote a little rant in one of thatsracins' blogs today about how Nascar is a declining sport. One that is pricing themselves out of business, with high tickets, even higher food, and accmodations, making it nearly impossible for a family of four to afford a race weekend at the Cup level. I look at it this way....i'd rather go to Stafford, Thompson, Waterford, and a few other local tracks 8-10 times a season than go to 1 Cup event. I look at it as more bang for my buck, more racing for a lot less dollars. When i go to Vegas for a Race weekend it is $350 right off the top for tickets another $300 or more to fly, $500 or more to stay for a min. of 4 days, and then of course you have meals, beer, and souveniors, oh yeh forgot the shuttle service ...another $150. That isn't even counting doing all the Normal Vegas stuff! That is over $1200 easily, which in my book is a lot of money just to go racing. I told my buddy yesterday i can't justify going to Vegas next year if i start building a house( crossing my fingers on that) , it just doesn't add up. That will mean 2 years in a row i haven't gone, but i have seen some great racing here in Ma. on the local level. So fellow racing fanatics what are your thoughts on this? Do you think Nascar is pricing themselves out of business or do you think that people like us will continue to pay the ever increasing prices?
 
I used to go to a lot more races than I do now. About 10 years ago I would attend maybe 10 in a year. For the last few years I have been down to 5 per year. This year (because of sickness) it looks like just the 2 at Bristol. You are right about the cost going up. It might be now that Bristol is all I will do at all. As for you if you want more for your buck. Maybe you should try Bristol. Much better racing than Vegas IMHO. You can't beat short track racing.
 
tkj24 said:
I used to go to a lot more races than I do now. About 10 years ago I would attend maybe 10 in a year. For the last few years I have been down to 5 per year. This year (because of sickness) it looks like just the 2 at Bristol. You are right about the cost going up. It might be now that Bristol is all I will do at all. As for you if you want more for your buck. Maybe you should try Bristol. Much better racing than Vegas IMHO. You can't beat short track racing.
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I've seen some awesome racing at Vegas, as for Bristol it is a little too small for 43 cars IMO. The tickets are way too hard to get too, i like Richmond for a short track myself, but no matter how i look at it the price is too much. Hell just to go to a Busch East race or a Whelen Modified event will set you back at least $30 and sometimes $40 just for a ticket.
 
Apparently i am in the minority here in thinking that the prices of Cup races are out of hand. Anyway just thought i'd post something like this because it has been bugging me for some time now.:D
 
Mopardh9 said:
Apparently i am in the minority here in thinking that the prices of Cup races are out of hand. Anyway just thought i'd post something like this because it has been bugging me for some time now.:D
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You are not alone, Mopar. I'm giving up my season tics to TMS because $2300 a year + everything else is just too much for our retirement income.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
You are not alone, Mopar. I'm giving up my season tics to TMS because $2300 a year + everything else is just too much for our retirement income.
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Sad isn't it, see stuff like this gets me ripping mad. The fans like us that made this sport grow and prosper are getting forced to just watch on TV, it's not fair, i'd love to go up and watch all the racing starting on Thurs at NHIS. It is just about a 90 minute drive for me, but damn if i am going to pay over $350 for my wife and I just for tickets! When i can travel 20 minutes down the road to Stafford and watch a good racing program for $12.50!!!:bazooka: NASCAR
 
kelloggs5TLfan said:
Our local racing program is:
Grandstands - $8
Tier and pit - $25
V.I.P. Suite Passes $20
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$12.50 for regualr events $30 for special tour events such as Busch East, Whelen Tour, and The Midgets and Super Modifieds.
 
Yeah, it is a shame that the people who really kept the sport going can't go to the races like they used to.

But the reality is that Nascar is making money than it ever has, and a lot of that was driven by the "nationalization" of the sport. If you used to live in the Carolinas, you could see races at Charlotte, Rockingham, N. Wilkesboro, Bristol, Atlanta, Richmond, Darlington, etc - all within a few hours. But as Mopar pointed out, you have to fly to the races now- which really adds to the cost.

At the same time though, having races in Vegas, Chicago, Kansas, Miami, etc. brings a local track to all of those people. And with a local race or two a year, those people are then more likely to follow the racing season, watch it on television, buy merchandise and support Nascar sponsors.

As far as raceday ticket prices go, those are set by the track owners and one would suspect on a supply and demand basis. If the seats start going empty, the ticket prices will come down, I guarantee it. But that doesn't appear to be happening.

It's sort of like when a band you used to go see at the little club 6 times a year for $6 suddenly gets on the radio and ends up playing arenas for $75. All you can do is say "man, i used to see these guys when nobody cared."
 
If you want affordable racing, why not support the local Saturday night gang? The other race will be on the TV and you won't have to fight the crowds or,in the case of my hometown track Daytona, pay $40.00 to park.
 
carsntunes said:
If you want affordable racing, why not support the local Saturday night gang? The other race will be on the TV and you won't have to fight the crowds or,in the case of my hometown track Daytona, pay $40.00 to park.
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That is exactly my point, maybe if less people attended the Cup events the prices would start coming down, but i doubt it. When is the last time you actually saw a ticket for a sporting event come down and stay that way. I can't think of any Major sports team that has done this.
 
I agree, prices are way too high. as said, people have to fly now, and that's what's increased the cost. Plus ticket sellers use overhead to make money. A ticket with 114 face price will go for closer to 160 or even 200 (i've seen in the 300's!)

That's why, even for the dickies 3 race weekend, we don't stay at a hotel. we live under 60 miles from the track, so we just drive hom each day since it's cheaper. 360 miles (3 round trips) at 18 MPG is 60 dollars. Find me a good hotel room for 2 nights for that price. but for people that have to travel, there for sure are pricing issues. If tracks would just drop their ticket prices by 10 or 20 %.....

although, if SMI says they're for the people, lets average up ticket prices for all of SMI's tracks vs all of ISC's tracks.
 
I agree.... However, before you bag on NASCAR, this is a phenomena with every major sporting event out there. Go try to get a ticket to college FB - $60-80. The big 3 (NFL, NBA & MLB) are no different. I just keep my season tickets to Bristol (even though I live in TX) and attend every few years. Let friends go the times I don't attend.

Pro sports is a $$ grabbing business just like anything else. It stinks, but it is reality and it won't stop until our society stops watching it (note watching) on TV. TV rights fees are the economic engine to the machine and it will keep getting out of hand until everyone starts watching more reality TV.
 
Aggiewes said:
I just keep my season tickets to Bristol (even though I live in TX) and attend every few years. Let friends go the times I don't attend.
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Well hello friend. It's been such a long time since we've talked. How you been... :)
 
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