Tickets not selling

MRM

MRM

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Things have officially hit the bottom of the crapper for NASCAR. The night race at Bristol will not be a sell out this year. There are still all kinds of tickets available at the ticket office. Scalpers have finally lowered their prices to face value and may have to drop them below that the week of the race. I fully expect a crowd of around 120,000 for the race.

At least Atlanta is pulling out all the stops to sell their tickets. They have a number of package deals available, some are really good deals. One package even includes selling pre-race pit passes (didn't know any tracks sold those). Bristol should take a page from its sister track, I guess they are in denial about not selling out the race for the first time in a long time.

I expect a lot of empty seats at Charlotte and a really bad crowd at California.
 
If they hadn't reconfigured Bristol, they'd have no problems selling out the races there. Let's be honest, Bristol is just another race now. Reconfigured to race like a regular speedway to please the drivers.

It seems to me that, in NASCAR, if the drivers are happy with the track and the ability to race on it, the racing is awful. Take California and Michigan for instance, the drivers love those tracks.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
If they hadn't reconfigured Bristol, they'd have no problems selling out the races there. Let's be honest, Bristol is just another race now. Reconfigured to race like a regular speedway to please the drivers.

It seems to me that, in NASCAR, if the drivers are happy with the track and the ability to race on it, the racing is awful. Take California and Michigan for instance, the drivers love those tracks.
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Got to agree on all counts
 
The spring race wasn't a sellout either. Lot's of empty seats all around Bristol. In my section, in our row, there were only two other people for the entire race.

I'm not one that buys into the track reconfiguration as being the problem though. Interest in the sport has declined in general. Bristol finally quit adding seats a couple of years ago. I think they simply outgrew today's demand. Heck, almost all of these tracks continued to build and build. Dover is another fine example. They were lucky to have been 50% filled this past spring. Some of that may have been because they changed their race date. Many tracks only offered package deals that included all of their races if you wanted to move into those new seats. Those are now slowly becoming a thing of the past.
 
Scary, I agree with Andy. Progressive banking killed the "Bristol racing the way it outta be" slogan that I once sported on a T- shirt from there. No fun anymore when you can run all over the track. I loved the days of following a car for twenty laps before laying the bumper down because you car is faster.

I remember a Night race when Dale Earnhardt lost power steering early in the race and still finished 3rd.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
If they hadn't reconfigured Bristol, they'd have no problems selling out the races there. Let's be honest, Bristol is just another race now. Reconfigured to race like a regular speedway to please the drivers.

It seems to me that, in NASCAR, if the drivers are happy with the track and the ability to race on it, the racing is awful. Take California and Michigan for instance, the drivers love those tracks.
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I couldn't agree more. I'm not the brightest light in the harbor and even I can understand that line of reasoning.

The new multi-grooved Bristol is now just "Las Vegas East."
 
Man oh man you guys are a tough crowd. I have been to Bristol several times before and after the track was rebuilt. I will be there again in a few weeks and will enjoy it as usual.

120,000 fans, dang, I bet the NBL, NFL or NHL would absolutely love to hit those numbers at a single event.
 
Smoke14 said:
120,000 fans, dang, I bet the NBL, NFL or NHL would absolutely love to hit those numbers at a single event.
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I don't think so. Who wants to watch an NBA game in the top row of a 120,000 seat stadium? You wouldn't even be able to see anything.
 
Smoke14 said:
Man oh man you guys are a tough crowd. I have been to Bristol several times before and after the track was rebuilt. I will be there again in a few weeks and will enjoy it as usual.

120,000 fans, dang, I bet the NBL, NFL or NHL would absolutely love to hit those numbers at a single event.


You have some pretty radical thoughts there. A bit out in left field I'd say. This forum is more about running Nascar down than finding anything good about it.Anyone would be crazy to go to a Nascar race.
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ted@economy said:
Smoke14 said:
Man oh man you guys are a tough crowd. I have been to Bristol several times before and after the track was rebuilt. I will be there again in a few weeks and will enjoy it as usual.

120,000 fans, dang, I bet the NBL, NFL or NHL would absolutely love to hit those numbers at a single event.


You have some pretty radical thoughts there. A bit out in left field I'd say. This forum is more about running Nascar down than finding anything good about it.Anyone would be crazy to go to a Nascar race.
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I'm going to respectfully disagree. There are many out there who find no fault with this new NA__AR, and though I don't fully understand, it suits them so I don't think that they are crazy.

Some people like this supposed "Reality (though there's nothing actually "Real" about it) TV." It takes all kinds, but just because I disagree, that doesn't make the people I disagree with "Crazy." If I did, then I could expect them to think the same about me, and I have proof that I'm not crazy. A shrink in the Navy found me sane and I have the papers to prove it!:)
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There are a lot of fans that I talk to that feel the same way about the new banking - they don't like it. Me personally, I like it. I think it's great to have cars all over the track and the actual ability to pass. When it comes to the end of the race though, the leaders all run the same groove We just haven't seen a bump for the win yet. But it's coming.

Bristol was one of those tracks that had ticket packages to buy multiple tickets to get the ones you really wanted. I dropped mine 2 years ago because I was tired of paying $56 for NNS tickets and only get $25 for them. Glad they stopped requiring that for this race. We'll see if they continue that for next year.

At some point, tracks will have to lower prices for the better seats if they want them filled. We're seeing the same thing here with the University of Tennessee football. The team isn't as good as it was, so the demand for tickets is down. And they continue to add terrace seats, box seats, etc. for inflated prices. They aren't selling many of them. Not many people want to pay $60 a pop to see a mediocre college team. Same goes for racing. No one wants to shell out $100+ for race tickets when people on the street do good to get $75 for them.
 
I hate the changes they made to Bristol. Before it was a track full of beating and banging but now it's just the same as all the other tracks.
 
Info about the ticket revenue just released for SMI.....

Admissions revenue at Speedway Motorsports Inc. tracks has dropped 16.7 percent for the first half of 2010, the company reported Wednesday. Of the drop, 44 percent is attributed to lower ticket prices and 56 to decreased attendance for the events. SMI tracks had 14 Sprint Cup and Nationwide races from January-June 2010, the same number as 2009. SMI President Marcus Smith said that ticket sales have increased over the three weeks leading up to events, but several SMI races were impacted by inclement weather. That was especially true at Texas Motor Speedway, where the Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup races were postponed by rain until Monday, according to the SMI news release. The ticket sales for Charlotte Motor Speedway also were down possibly because of its postponed race from a year ago. Typically, a rainout will cost the company one or two cents per share, said SMI Chief Financial Officer Bill Brooks. That would translate to approximately $420,000-$840,000. As far as the overall balance sheet, SMI showed a net profit of nearly $32 million in the first half of 2010, compared with a loss of $3.1 million last year, which included a loss of $55.6 million from the devaluation of Motorsports Authentics in the first six months of 2009. SMI showed a net profit of $77.9 million in the first half of 2008.
 
I think it's a combination of uninspired, read that as boring, racing and the economy. The last race at NHIS offered $40 tickets on a 3 payment plan. A 3 payment plan for a 40 buck ticket??

When I said uninspired/boring racing, in reading the forum I see I wasn't the only one who took a nap in the middle of the Pocono race. Something I seem to be doing a lot of lately, but I stay awake for movies and tv shows.
 
Seeing how I'm on vacation this week and next I'm trying to catch a few of the local tracks around the area. I haven't been to a race since the Bristol Modified race last year, so I need a fix. I find it much better entertainment going to a local track , rather than watching or attending a big Cup race. On the local level the racing is much better IMO. Heading down to Thompson tonight if the weather holds out. Then probably to Stafford tomorrow night for the Tour Mods, then maybe on to Monadock on sat. night, a weekend hopefully filled with the smell of racing fuel and rubber!
 
Don't forget Waterford, the SK mods put on some spectacular racing. 5 divisions of good racing.
 
Yeh Waterford is pretty good, kind of a long drive for me though. Not looking good for tonight, radar showing a bunch of storms coming in.:(
 
Mopardh9 said:
Seeing how I'm on vacation this week and next I'm trying to catch a few of the local tracks around the area. I haven't been to a race since the Bristol Modified race last year, so I need a fix. I find it much better entertainment going to a local track , rather than watching or attending a big Cup race. On the local level the racing is much better IMO. Heading down to Thompson tonight if the weather holds out. Then probably to Stafford tomorrow night for the Tour Mods, then maybe on to Monadock on sat. night, a weekend hopefully filled with the smell of racing fuel and rubber!
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Local racing is the best there is. Beats NASCAR hands down. Have fun seeing them mods!:beerbang:
 
If your unemployed it's hard to buy race tickets. I think this is one of the reasons the ticket sales have been low this year. We have seen this with our car club participation this year, no worky, no car playin.
 
I think most NASCAR fans just are being too negative and things aren't as bad as they sound but some only hear the negative and that afffects them. So clearly stop being negative
 
kkfan91 said:
I think most NASCAR fans just are being too negative and things aren't as bad as they sound but some only hear the negative and that afffects them. So clearly stop being negative
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That doesn't explain the empty seats and low tv ratings. Nascar has clearly gotten away from its core fan base.
 
blue92 said:
If your unemployed it's hard to buy race tickets. I think this is one of the reasons the ticket sales have been low this year. We have seen this with our car club participation this year, no worky, no car playin.
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but you would think the tv numbers would be up then instead of down.
 
Go Panthers said:
That doesn't explain the empty seats and low tv ratings. Nascar has clearly gotten away from its core fan base.
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yes it does by being negative and miserable you turn people of from stuff, I know I would ahve nothing to complain about if I wasn't on a forum, but because I am I feel like I have to complain about everything
 
I saw that Indy has already announced ticket prices for 2011 and have cut ticket prices for many of their seats. At some point, other tracks will have to follow suit.
 
People are really hurting for money right now and it's going to affect tickets being sold. As someone said, the tracks are going to have to adjust prices if they want people back.
 
blue92 said:
If your unemployed it's hard to buy race tickets. I think this is one of the reasons the ticket sales have been low this year. We have seen this with our car club participation this year, no worky, no car playin.
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It hasn't hurt ticket sales in NFL, MLB or NHL.
 
lisa_c said:
People are really hurting for money right now and it's going to affect tickets being sold. As someone said, the tracks are going to have to adjust prices if they want people back.
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Richmond cut tickets to $40 (they used to be $90), cut the stadium seating from 120,000 to 91,000 and struggled to get 60,000 people there. It's not JUST the economy, it's the racing. People are losing interest in NASCAR.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It hasn't hurt ticket sales in NFL, MLB or NHL.
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I dunno know, Andy. The figures I have show MLB down 1.7% against last years figures for this time frame: http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=sbd.preview&articleID=141211

However, 1.7% is, I believe a long way from NA__AR declining figures. The last figures I have is SMI's attendance is down over 16% ( http://www.scenedaily.com/news/arti...rsports_tracks_drops_167_percent_in_2010.html ), and NA__AR, as a whole is down something like 19%.

So, it looks as though the economy is hurting S&B but not nearly as badly as it's hurting NA__AR. I think NA__AR is in trouble and if it wants to come out of it changes are going to have to be made. The core fans aren't being fooled. What they're being presented now is NOT what it was when they first became fans, no matter how much NA__AR and its parrot press corps try and convince us otherwise.
 
kkfan91 said:
yes it does by being negative and miserable you turn people of from stuff, I know I would ahve nothing to complain about if I wasn't on a forum, but because I am I feel like I have to complain about everything
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I completely disagree. It's the product. I fall asleep during 80% of the races now. Every race is the same: the first 80% is just guys turning laps. Then for the last 20%, half the field gets either a lucky dog or a wave around, and they all drive like maniacs for the finish.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It hasn't hurt ticket sales in NFL, MLB or NHL.
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It's a hell of a lot cheaper to attend a ball game than it is a NASCAR race. I think the economy is playing a big part in the decline of track attendance.
I go to Auto Club Speedway and Vegas every year and I don't understand why everything (seats, pit pass, garage pass, etc.) is so much more expensive for Vegas.
Things are tough out there right now. The economy has not rebounded as predicted. There are NO jobs in California. I have two previously employed friends that are living on the streets right now. I think people are just not ready to spend.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It hasn't hurt ticket sales in NFL, MLB or NHL.
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If you really believe this please send me some of what you are smoking or back up your statement. I was at Wrigley field two weeks ago and the attendance was way, way down.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Richmond cut tickets to $40 (they used to be $90), cut the stadium seating from 120,000 to 91,000 and struggled to get 60,000 people there. It's not JUST the economy, it's the racing. People are losing interest in NASCAR.
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Well, i cant' speak for other people but i enjoy the racing as much as i ever did. i admit, things could be done to improve it, there always are improvements that could be made.
 
The wife and I have not attended a Cup race (paying for it ourselves) in probably five years. Many reasons of course, the money and the ability to watch the races live on TV are probably the two biggest reasons. The last two races we attended were at Charlotte from the suites. We didn't pay for these tickets but of course we appreciated them.

I can't say that I'm as enthused about Cup racing as I once was, but then again, it's such a different ball game now than it ever was. Many here have said that they pretty much detest where NASCAR has gone and I totally understand them. While I'm not totally in their corner, I too have not liked where the sport has gone or where it's heading. I'm not a purist so the changes made in the cars for safety or the point system really didn't bother me at all. But ever since the early 90's, and really before that, the changes in this sport and for that matter, all sports have come because of money. The competition for sponsorship has taken the sport to higher standards than ever before, making the teams more equal, thus putting more pressure on each team to do what they can to be more competitive. That has given the bigger, more wealthier teams an advantage, which in turn makes the other teams more eager to better themselves. In order to do that, they need more money for more testing, better equipment etc. It's a never ending cycle that will only play out if the sport totally crashes. But even then, what will be left will still have the same problems. Just look at any successful local racing team. The best will more than likely have the most sponsor money.

I'm a fan of racing as long as it has some sort of engine whether it's on land, sea or air. I just love to watch racing.
 
buckaroo said:
The wife and I have not attended a Cup race (paying for it ourselves) in probably five years. Many reasons of course, the money and the ability to watch the races live on TV are probably the two biggest reasons. The last two races we attended were at Charlotte from the suites. We didn't pay for these tickets but of course we appreciated them.

I can't say that I'm as enthused about Cup racing as I once was, but then again, it's such a different ball game now than it ever was. Many here have said that they pretty much detest where NASCAR has gone and I totally understand them. While I'm not totally in their corner, I too have not liked where the sport has gone or where it's heading. I'm not a purist so the changes made in the cars for safety or the point system really didn't bother me at all. But ever since the early 90's, and really before that, the changes in this sport and for that matter, all sports have come because of money. The competition for sponsorship has taken the sport to higher standards than ever before, making the teams more equal, thus putting more pressure on each team to do what they can to be more competitive. That has given the bigger, more wealthier teams an advantage, which in turn makes the other teams more eager to better themselves. In order to do that, they need more money for more testing, better equipment etc. It's a never ending cycle that will only play out if the sport totally crashes. But even then, what will be left will still have the same problems. Just look at any successful local racing team. The best will more than likely have the most sponsor money.

I'm a fan of racing as long as it has some sort of engine whether it's on land, sea or air. I just love to watch racing.
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Amen Buck. :beerbang:
 
Personally, I like the sport. I like the tracks especially the older ones, I like how competitive it is , I like the double wide restarts , I like the wave around and I like the chase format. Noone outside of the top ten ever had a chance anyway. I am glad that all those johnny come lately fans have departed. They weren't race fans , they were fans of one driver . When he wasn't winning , they left. I don't believe that the racing was better twenty years ago , because I was watching it then. Watching the Dave Marcis' and the JD McDuffies riding around laps down, and hoping to see them win again. I saw Richard Childress starting and parking cars to give Dale Sr a better chance to win a championship.Not much has changed, except a lot more cars finish the race and most of them are on the lead lap. There are still some "fans" around that we could stand to lose.That might not make the racing better but it would make this forum more enjoyable.
 
ted@economy said:
There are still some "fans" around that we could stand to lose.That might not make the racing better but it would make this forum more enjoyable.
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lol - hey rookie, carry my shoulder pads back to the locker room. <g>
 
I don't know maybe its cause i started watching as a 4 year old in 1995 but i have never had a problem with the racing or the changes
 
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