Cutting Cost? How about finding new revenue? (1 Viewer)

[AJSMapleGrove]

So I recently read where the Kansas Nascar Cup Race in October had a race purse of almost $8 million. I've been around racing for 35 years, so I understand the concept of popularity, TV money, major brand sponsorship, blah blah blah. But what really caught my attention is......

I just got my ticket renewal for Nascar Xfinity Series Race at Michigan for 2022. In 2021 my adult ticket was $25. Now for 2022 my ticket jumps to $45. There is one difference that the ARCA Racing Series will share the same race date. Now I myself will not sit through the ARCA race, I will just go up for the Xfinity Race. But I don't care, my trip to Michigan ever summer is tradition. Plus gives me the opportunity to stop at Cabela's on the road at to the hotel after the race. So yes, I renewed my tickets even tho the price went up.

So how can the NHRA possibly secure ideas to gather more revenue. I know not everyone will agree, but as a spectator of the NHRA for 35 years, if Norwalk was to send me my ticket renewal and instead of $64 for my reserve seat, they jumped it to $84, absolutely I would still renew my tickets.

Obviously there is a limit of how much ticket cost can go up. But it's just one idea for NHRA to generate more $$. Cause of you think of it, $84 a ticket for a 5 hour full day of NHRA action "with pit access" is a bargain compared to $109 reserve seat for Nascar Cup (at any track), $100 nose bleed seats for a NFL game. $150 for nose bleed seats at College Football game, and on and on.

So if ticket prices went up to generate more money to teams, what else can be done?

I mean, if Nascar can pay $1,000,000 for a boring All Star Race. How hard can it be to have Top Fuel and Funny Car run for $500,000 for Indy US Nationals win?

 

[Custom Body Fan]

Well, I don't know how much the tix cost for today's qualifying at Pomona, but it seriously looked like there were maybe 1,000 people in the stands for nitro qualifying. The crowds there, in SoCal, where there should be, and used to be, a lot of fans, have been dropping every year. Jacking up the price will at some point drive people away. Last time I was at Pomona, beer was $10 or $12, so I sure had fewer than I would have if they were $7 or $8.

 

[BOO BOO]

Your assuming that any and all extra money the NHRA would get would go to the race teams. Don't think that's been there history

 

[NHRAMike]

Thursday was $18, but it was general admission. Today was $57, tomorrow is $75 and Sunday is $71, although that is reserved seating. Don't forget to add $15 for general parking or $30 for pit-side each day, and $11 for a bud/bud light, or $13 for a craft beer or michelob ultra.

 

[Jim]

Friday crowd?
Bring back 2 rounds of Pro Qualifying and you'll see my fannies in the seats.
Friday was ALWAYS my favorite day- You got to see every car TWICE and the evening session was often filled with record-setting performances.

 

[ironpony]

$100 for a days entertainment is fine with me.
Costs me $150 to fill my truck up.
$60 for a crap meal and a beer, which I rarely eat out.

 

[Luke Nieuwhof]

One way to increase revenue is to value add. Some tracks have the Top Eliminator Club, but there is so much more opportunity across a race weekend.
- Start an NHRA owned three seater dragster, at $500 a ride. Run it down the track 20 times across the weekend.
- Build a bus that gives behind the scenes tours of the top end of the track at tracks where you can’t access it. Let people see the turn around at the end of the track and see a different angle.
- Something between Top Eliminator Club and regular grandstand seating. Like at Gainesville this year there was all that empty space on the one side of the track. Set up a beer garden style place with shade, cash bar and a few TV screens.
- Keep an eye on attendance, and if there is surplus space as the day goes on, launch a social media campaign based on location for anyone within a 20 minute drive of the track with a half price discount for that day only. If they’ve already missed half the day, convince them it will still be worth their time.

 

[AJSMapleGrove]

Just saw this to add. I know some of you guys mentioned the Pomona prices. So let's go even further in the same state of California. Look at ticketmaster for the Nascar goof clash at the LA Coliseum. Tickets are around $110, and there's been a lot of tickets sold already. That's not even a Nascar points race. I'm just saying, how can NHRA get this kind attention. If its not with ticket prices, then where? Just want NHRA teams to see the $$ that boring Nascar gets easily.

 

[.]

I have no doubt the prices of tickets and revenues will go up, but so will NHRA's (and everyone else's) expenses. I was in section 22 bleachers for Friday and basically had it all to myself. This has been the most I have ever paid for tickets and probably would not do it again if it's just one round of qual.
My inbox has been bombarded by NHRA 2022 renewal notices. IDK what the country/economy will be like 2022; it's getting worse. I did hear the Let's Go Brandon chant out there yesterday.

 

[Luke Nieuwhof]

I did hear the Let's Go Brandon chant out there yesterday.

Cant people just leave their political preferences at home for a day? If I’m sitting in the bleachers drinking a beer and watching nitro, the last thing I want is to be sitting next to some bozo who insists on political chanting.

 

[T.Smith]

Thursday was $18, but it was general admission. Today was $57, tomorrow is $75 and Sunday is $71, although that is reserved seating. Don't forget to add $15 for general parking or $30 for pit-side each day, and $11 for a bud/bud light, or $13 for a craft beer or michelob ultra.

I've never understood the attraction of sitting around in the hot ass sun drinking beer. Somebody pass me a pillow and a blanket, because all beer does is make me sleepy.

 

[Jack]

Cant people just leave their political preferences at home for a day? If I’m sitting in the bleachers drinking a beer and watching nitro, the last thing I want is to be sitting next to some bozo who insists on political chanting.

In today's world, no they can't.

 

[65 Goatboy]

Friday crowd?
Bring back 2 rounds of Pro Qualifying and you'll see my fannies in the seats.
Friday was ALWAYS my favorite day- You got to see every car TWICE and the evening session was often filled with record-setting performances.

Lots of times I went to Gateway or Memphis for 2 rounds of qualifying and skipped the finals. Cheaper and more bang for your buck! Many times the crew chiefs would really step on it more so then the finals, especially at night. Saw some epic runs and broken records.

 

[Jim]

Want to increase attendance at NHRA events? Here's one way: Have clean, comfortable, brightly lit restrooms. There are a couple of tracks that consistently get good attendance for events, with a lot of the spectators being families. Norwalk is one of those tracks and Norwalk is a track that has clean, comfortable, brightly lit restrooms. When you have families come to the track, that includes women.
Women are more aware of restroom conditions. Cleanliness matters more to them because they can't stand in front of a urinal as men can.

 

[.]

Cant people just leave their political preferences at home for a day? If I’m sitting in the bleachers drinking a beer and watching nitro, the last thing I want is to be sitting next to some bozo who insists on political chanting.

The chant today Saturday was way LOUDER accompanied by roaring applause.
But what generated thunderous foot stamping the aluminum bleachers was when Force got on the mic and declared the fans are the lifeblood of the sport.

 

[TSK]

Just saw this to add. I know some of you guys mentioned the Pomona prices. So let's go even further in the same state of California. Look at ticketmaster for the Nascar goof clash at the LA Coliseum. Tickets are around $110, and there's been a lot of tickets sold already. That's not even a Nascar points race. I'm just saying, how can NHRA get this kind attention. If its not with ticket prices, then where? Just want NHRA teams to see the $$ that boring Nascar gets easily.

A buddy of mine lives in Hueytown, Alabama. I mentioned I wanted to attend a race at Talladega. He knows I’m a drag racing fan and said he would never go back to Talladega after his only visit. He said the stands were full of obnoxious drunks.
I’ve never had such a problem at any drag race I’ve ever attended.
There might be a multitude of mulletude at the drag races but they generally don’t get stupid.
They are fun to laugh at, though.

 

[DanTheFan]

Friday crowd?
Bring back 2 rounds of Pro Qualifying and you'll see my fannies in the seats.
Friday was ALWAYS my favorite day- You got to see every car TWICE and the evening session was often filled with record-setting performances.

Amen. Friday always meant easier access to the teams and night racing which is awesome (plus maybe fireworks, jet stuff etc.). Friday attendance at Pomona was pathetic. And in general, attendance is way down everywhere. Does this signal the end of drag racing popularity? It can’t be covid. There’s so much entertainment pent up demand everywhere else. Concerts are full, restaurants are overbooked, flights are full, traffic and stores are pretty much back to normal.

 

[DanTheFan]

Want to increase attendance at NHRA events? Here's one way: Have clean, comfortable, brightly lit restrooms. There are a couple of tracks that consistently get good attendance for events, with a lot of the spectators being families. Norwalk is one of those tracks and Norwalk is a track that has clean, comfortable, brightly lit restrooms. When you have families come to the track, that includes women.
Women are more aware of restroom conditions. Cleanliness matters more to them because they can't stand in front of a urinal as men can.

Yeah I like high end facilities. Vegas baby. Look, I can pee on trees with the best of them, but I remember my first trip to the strip at Vegas and went WOW at the bathroom setup. And wasn’t it Maple Grove that had the blue box attendants that cleaned them after each use for a tip? Gladly pay a buck not to sit in someone’s urine. Also, may of us are older now and they have the best handicap setup with lots of easy golf cart rides to the lots etc. when my brother got less mobile, had to quit going to many tracks. So I pretty much stick to Norwalk and Vegas now.

 

[Tony Dee]

Yeah I like high end facilities. Vegas baby. Look, I can pee on trees with the best of them, but I remember my first trip to the strip at Vegas and went WOW at the bathroom setup. And wasn’t it Maple Grove that had the blue box attendants that cleaned them after each use for a tip? Gladly pay a buck not to sit in someone’s urine. Also, may of us are older now and they have the best handicap setup with lots of easy golf cart rides to the lots etc. when my brother got less mobile, had to quit going to many tracks. So I pretty much stick to Norwalk and Vegas now.

If Nhra really wanted to increase excitement & fill the stands they need to go back to 1/4 for pro cars , think of how many people said they hated when Nhra went to 1000’ and they wouldnt come back. And track owners do more of what Dallas did. pay outs for #1 qualifer on friday nights. More night time qualifying cooler air & mine shaft corrected altitude, heck then just skip sunday. Lol Just the way i see it.

 

[Dragracer]

If Nhra really wanted to increase excitement & fill the stands they need to go back to 1/4 for pro cars , think of how many people said they hated when Nhra went to 1000’ and they wouldnt come back. And track owners do more of what Dallas did. pay outs for #1 qualifer on friday nights. More night time qualifying cooler air & mine shaft corrected altitude, heck then just skip sunday. Lol Just the way i see it.

The thought of going back to 1320 is a dead issue. Can't happen without a huge amount of rule changes that would have to happen in both classes to slow down the cars. You can't run today's speed at 1320 at many tracks as the shut down is not long enough and those tracks don't have the room to lengthen the track.