NASCAR is Great Again

DIDIT

DIDIT

Old School Fan
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Port Salerno, FL
...at least for me. With the drop in popularity, there is a reduction in the crowd size, demand for tickets and other track local amenities such as parking. Attending the race at Daytona, I found ticket pricing to be great at $40 general admission for the Xfinity, then because of the postponed race, any Xfinity ticket holder could stay for the Cup race. That never would have happened 20 years ago. Parking could be had for only $5 practically just across from the track. Absolutely no traffic to deal with, plenty of room to spread out in the stands, no lines for the concessions or restrooms and the souvenir trailers are back. I actually like the stage racing as it was interesting to watch the drivers either compete for a top ten finish or fall back because of the possibility of a wreck. With stages you know exactly when you could get up and make room for some more beer without missing any racing.

If you haven't been to a race lately, I suggest now is the time to go. Bigger isn't always better.
 
DIDIT said:
...at least for me. With the drop in popularity, there is a reduction in the crowd size, demand for tickets and other track local amenities such as parking. Attending the race at Daytona, I found ticket pricing to be great at $40 general admission for the Xfinity, then because of the postponed race, any Xfinity ticket holder could stay for the Cup race. That never would have happened 20 years ago. Parking could be had for only $5 practically just across from the track. Absolutely no traffic to deal with, plenty of room to spread out in the stands, no lines for the concessions or restrooms and the souvenir trailers are back. I actually like the stage racing as it was interesting to watch the drivers either compete for a top ten finish or fall back because of the possibility of a wreck. With stages you know exactly when you could get up and make room for some more beer without missing any racing.

If you haven't been to a race lately, I suggest now is the time to go. Bigger isn't always better.
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Good points as normally with any negatives you can find some positives and you have listed several. Back when I started going to races it was a relaxed atmosphere, parking was free and getting in and out of the track was a breeze. It sounds like lots of things from those days have returned and for the fan going to the race it sure beats being crammed in like a sardine. Daytona holds about 100K in fans. How full did it look to you?
 
To be honest given the state of NASCAR I was actually surprised as many people showed up as they did from what I seen on TV.
 
DIDIT said:
...at least for me. With the drop in popularity, there is a reduction in the crowd size, demand for tickets and other track local amenities such as parking. Attending the race at Daytona, I found ticket pricing to be great at $40 general admission for the Xfinity, then because of the postponed race, any Xfinity ticket holder could stay for the Cup race. That never would have happened 20 years ago. Parking could be had for only $5 practically just across from the track. Absolutely no traffic to deal with, plenty of room to spread out in the stands, no lines for the concessions or restrooms and the souvenir trailers are back. I actually like the stage racing as it was interesting to watch the drivers either compete for a top ten finish or fall back because of the possibility of a wreck. With stages you know exactly when you could get up and make room for some more beer without missing any racing.

If you haven't been to a race lately, I suggest now is the time to go. Bigger isn't always better.
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That's a great list of +'s in what many see as a sport on its deathbed.
 
It doesn't hurt me when I get my tickets to Dover and have to deal with half the crowds of a decade ago, shorter lines at the restrooms, concessions, haulers, etc. Where I sit between turns 1 & 2, I usually get at least half a row to myself. It's also less traffic to deal with but I'm just concerned about the long-term viability of the sport. I don't think NASCAR will shutter it's doors after the TV contract runs out but it will be significantly altered from what we are now used to.
 
Yeah there are pros and cons right now. For some events like xfinity the ticket buyer is paying too much and in my case at mis you would get sardined into only 8 or 9 sections. But for cup there are many pros around buying the ticket at its current price.
 
JohnHill said:
Yeah there are pros and cons right now. For some events like xfinity the ticket buyer is paying too much and in my case at mis you would get sardined into only 8 or 9 sections. But for cup there are many pros around buying the ticket at its current price.
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Some races the Xfinity prices are cheaper than the $40 I mentioned for Daytona. I have been to plenty of short track races where the ticket price was $35 to $40. In my opinion that is a pretty good value. I am with you when it comes to cramming you into a few sections, that sucks. At Daytona the whole "stadium" as they call it was open.
 
2017-Ticket-Chart-Update.jpg


A little steep for Xfinity IMHO.
These prices are for the Fall Dover races.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
Good points as normally with any negatives you can find some positives and you have listed several. Back when I started going to races it was a relaxed atmosphere, parking was free and getting in and out of the track was a breeze. It sounds like lots of things from those days have returned and for the fan going to the race it sure beats being crammed in like a sardine. Daytona holds about 100K in fans. How full did it look to you?
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I would guess 60%. They have those nifty colored seats and it's always deceptive when they show the stands from an angle. And, yes parking used to be free at Daytona and still is if you want to park and ride. I will say many parking lots were sold out.
 
DIDIT said:
Agree, but notice in the lower right corner, kids free on Friday and Saturday and only $10 on Sunday. If you have kids that is a good deal.
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The tracks have to entice the parents to bring their kids. They are the future. I don't have children but my best friend has three sons. Only one has chosen to come back with us on multiple trips. The other two have zero interest in the sport even with scanner and/or FanVision rentals. And I'm convinced the middle one only attends because he wants to spend time with his dad (which is FANTASTIC) but I don't believe he'll be attending races in the future on his own.
 
I'm all for kids being factored in and having them get good deals. but regardless of who has a good time at the end of a day or not an average xfinity race is still too high. It is what it is money speaks louder than words, I just got a feeling i won't be paying 45.00 at the ticket window again for no real seat selection to watch xfinity. It was fun, but it wasn't really worth it. Even for the in person race experience...

I wish for my parents and other adults who were nice and worked things out taking me to races... I wish for them all those tickets I had were free when I was growing up. I guess that's a stubborn mindset to have right now, but NASCAR is over compensating a xfinity race ticket so people can bring their kids in free. Basically I paid for probably 2 kids to get in there when I had my xfinity ticket a couple weeks ago, id rather paid for myself.
 
JohnHill said:
I'm all for kids being factored in and having them get good deals. but regardless of who has a good time at the end of a day or not an average xfinity race is still too high. It is what it is money speaks louder than words, I just got a feeling i won't be paying 45.00 at the ticket window again for no real seat selection to watch xfinity. It was fun, but it wasn't really worth it. Even for the in person race experience...

I wish for my parents and other adults who were nice and worked things out taking me to races... I wish for them all those tickets I had were free when I was growing up. I guess that's a stubborn mindset to have right now, but NASCAR is over compensating a xfinity race ticket so people can bring their kids in free. Basically I paid for probably 2 kids to get in there when I had my xfinity ticket a couple weeks ago, id rather paid for myself.
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JMO but for $45 I would rather have a decent steak and a couple of drinks or put the money toward some camera gear or gas for a road trip. For this guy about 20 bucks for an X or truck race seems fair.
 
If the Xfinity cars or Trucks came to a short track within 6 hours of me I would shut up and pay up any price in the 2-digit range. There's just no point in going to the Xfinity portion of a weekend race when you can watch the Cup cars the next day for $20ish more than the Xfinity ticket. At some tracks crappy Cup seats are the same price as an Xfinity ticket.

But when these series go to tracks like Gateway and Eldora they're much more special because they're marquee events at tracks that don't see major televised events. Gateway has the Indy race and Eldora is the gold standard in dirt but this used to be more true for places like Mansfield, Memphis, IRP, and Myrtle Beach.

I secretly/foolishly hope Stafford gets SAFER barriers and enlarges the grandstand. Then, as long as an Arute owns it...there's a *chance* for an Xfinity/truck race. A slight...oh so slight chance.
 
I live about half an hour from Chicagoland Speedway and was thinking about going to the Cup race in September. I looked at tickets around the start/finish line under the luxury suites (it's shaded) and saw they were $162. Each. No thanks, I'll look at secondary markets or watch the race from my climate controlled home. Better tracks like Phoenix, Michigan and Martinsville have cheaper tickets in better seats.
 
DIDIT said:
Agree, but notice in the lower right corner, kids free on Friday and Saturday and only $10 on Sunday. If you have kids that is a good deal.
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Good deal at the track, not a deal at the hotel & food stations. I understand the sport has no control over it but for the most part ticket prices are in line with other pro sports but the lodging is insanely gouged & so is food. NASCAR fans travel from further away in comparison to other sports & the lodging costs are hell on a blue collar sport.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Good deal at the track, not a deal at the hotel & food stations. I understand the sport has no control over it but for the most part ticket prices are in line with other pro sports but the lodging is insanely gouged & so is food. NASCAR fans travel from further away in comparison to other sports & the lodging costs are hell
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The problem is exacerbated at places like Bristol, Darlington, and Martinsville where you have limited lodging options and non-locals won't know where to go to get good deals. I suppose you could throw Loudon in there as well but I'll throw in the tip to just go to Manchester.
 
DIDIT said:
Agree, but notice in the lower right corner, kids free on Friday and Saturday and only $10 on Sunday. If you have kids that is a good deal.
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This might be the best step Nascar has taken in a long time. Because of not being free, I took my daughter, 8, who has never had an interest in racing to the truck race at Martinsville. She now has a favorite driver(she's obsessed with Ben Rhodes, she cried when he lost his engine while leading a few weeks ago) and has watched a few on tv with me. She watched the entire race this past week with me. I've also taken my son, 9, to Martinsville and Charlotte for a total of 35$. He's hooked. We're planning on going to to either Atlanta, Daytona or Darlington next year. The whole family might go.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
JMO but for $45 I would rather have a decent steak and a couple of drinks or put the money toward some camera gear or gas for a road trip. For this guy about 20 bucks for an X or truck race seems fair.
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Charlotte Xfinity race tickets start at $25. You could grill those steaks and have a couple drinks at the track. :)
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Good deal at the track, not a deal at the hotel & food stations. I understand the sport has no control over it but for the most part ticket prices are in line with other pro sports but the lodging is insanely gouged & so is food. NASCAR fans travel from further away in comparison to other sports & the lodging costs are hell on a blue collar sport.
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I really have no problem with the ticket prices...... never have...... (now snappy D mentioned $162 for good tickets to Chicagoland..... THAT... I would have a problem with)...... it's all the meals, LODGING, and travel expense that has made me a lot more comfortable watching from the comfort of my home.
 
If nascar had any brains, every open seat would have been filled with service members and their families, it costs nascar next to nothing, and maybe their goodwill brings in new fans.

Also, buying leftover corporate group tickets for pennies on the dollar from stubhub will only last so long until the scalpers no longer renew, forcing us back to the overpriced ticket office.
 
Been enjoying the benefits of what you describe for several years now. It's nothing to pay $30 to see the 410s at my local dirt track. Good friend of mine went to see Kyle Larson run at a 1/4 m bull ring in PA last night for $20.
 
About 68k attended the coke 400. Prices have mostly stayed the same. You don't want to give away too many tickets because it cheapens the product. There was a football team in Orlando that gave away free tickets and they only lasted 1 season. My background is in sports business so I read articles and talk to my former professors about this. Every league is having trouble attracting the under 30 crowd. We want experiences. We want a place to mingle and talk with our friends. That's why more stadiums are adding spaces where people can relax and chat with their friends.
48% of people under 25 don't have a favorite basketball team. They are team lebron or team curry.
53% of NFL fans are casual fans. They like the social aspect of it. It gives them something to talk about on Monday at work or school.
E gaming is huge right now and companies are starting to own teams.
Having technology at the stadium/arena is critical in bringing in young people. The warriors have been working on this for the past 2 years. You buy a vr set and wear it at home. You pay $10 a game to $250 for a season. You get to watch the game from court side seats while your at home. If your at the arena you pay $10 and can watch the game from the eyes of the referee or assistant coach. NASCAR should look into this. Imagine watching the race from the drivers helmet or from the flag stand.
 
rowdy3 said:
About 68k attended the coke 400. Prices have mostly stayed the same. You don't want to give away too many tickets because it cheapens the product. There was a football team in Orlando that gave away free tickets and they only lasted 1 season. My background is in sports business so I read articles and talk to my former professors about this. Every league is having trouble attracting the under 30 crowd. We want experiences. We want a place to mingle and talk with our friends. That's why more stadiums are adding spaces where people can relax and chat with their friends.
48% of people under 25 don't have a favorite basketball team. They are team lebron or team curry.
53% of NFL fans are casual fans. They like the social aspect of it. It gives them something to talk about on Monday at work or school.
E gaming is huge right now and companies are starting to own teams.
Having technology at the stadium/arena is critical in bringing in young people. The warriors have been working on this for the past 2 years. You buy a vr set and wear it at home. You pay $10 a game to $250 for a season. You get to watch the game from court side seats while your at home. If your at the arena you pay $10 and can watch the game from the eyes of the referee or assistant coach. NASCAR should look into this. Imagine watching the race from the drivers helmet or from the flag stand.
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Ive been an advocate for years of NASCAR placing a live 360 VR camera in the stands with binural audio for an affordable price. IMO the millenial crowd would eat that up.

Theres nothing like the at track experience & with VR tech there is no excuses not to utilize it as a motivator. Batcam be damned.
 
I watched a few second of the driver helmet camera last weekend. I don't care what they use, if the production people don't understand what fans want, your never going to enjoy coverage of a race. The production people come to the track with a plan for the race ( last week it was DE last Daytona) They don't care what is happening on track, they care only about making the plan work.
So Junior's car is out of the race and instead of swithing stories, they talked about him until the end of the race.
That is why TV viewership is down and will continue to fall. You can only hype a fart so much before the smell drives people away.
 
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