This is just about the most moronic comment that has ever been posted on this site.
Nitromater
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NHRA Laying off some people??
- Thread starter Toejam
- Start date
This is just about the most moronic comment that has ever been posted on this site.
Cymon Sez
Nitro Member
The economy didn't stop me from going it was the cutback to 1000' and with all the other crap going on in the world of the WWhra, I don't know that I will ever attend another race.
Dont get me wrong I love racing just not what the nhra is calling a race. I am more than content attending the PSCA or Nostalgia Races. Hell even Thursday night @ Irwindale is better than the crap they are selling.
Dont get me wrong I love racing just not what the nhra is calling a race. I am more than content attending the PSCA or Nostalgia Races. Hell even Thursday night @ Irwindale is better than the crap they are selling.
Doug in the woods
Nitro Member
IMHO the 1000 foot racing is better as the races are closer, more nail bitting
Check your timing. The change to 1000 feet took place before the big economic crash last year.
Jim
Thanks.
However, IMO, blaming the drop in attendance on 1,000 foot racing is moronic.
Jim
"Dr. Dirt"
Nitro Member
Excellent post! The fact is it works. I just organized my high school's reunion. I kept things simple and was able to put on a two night affair at a four star hotel's convention center for $25. per person. Took place just three weeks ago and we had 270+ in attendance. What a party!
My wife's school's reunion was last evening. Same quality hotel (three miles away from mine) but they charged $125. per person. 31 Students came. They struggled to make expenses for hers while I had money left over. I was able to provide a DVD of the evening's events for over 500 classmates including postage due solely to the numbers!
This is not rocket science but even basic economics escapes some organizations - especially when preserving their golden parachutes.
clwill
Nitro Member
If you went to the average NHRA event and asked 100 people about the change to 1000', I'm betting the responses would approximate:
10 would be vehemently opposed and want 1320 back
10 would be OK with it
20 would be aware that something has changed, but they're not sure what
60 wouldn't have any idea what you were talking about
And of course, another 5 wouldn't be there because they're boycotting 1000'.
IMHO, you're asking people to spend $100 a head (ticket, travel, parking, food, souvenirs, etc.) to see a bunch of really loud cars go really fast. Most who come aren't following racers or the championship chase (like they might in MLB, NFL, or NBA) in a large part because they don't see it on TV or in the newspaper everyday. Maybe they know a couple names like John Force or Don Prudhomme. And they know there are some long skinny ones, and some with bodies that flip up, and some with doors.
But they're not there to see who wins, or what class is what, or how far down the track they go. They want loud and fast, and to see the cars up close, and maybe catch a fireball or two. $100 a head is a lot to ask in this economy for that show.
10 would be vehemently opposed and want 1320 back
10 would be OK with it
20 would be aware that something has changed, but they're not sure what
60 wouldn't have any idea what you were talking about
And of course, another 5 wouldn't be there because they're boycotting 1000'.
IMHO, you're asking people to spend $100 a head (ticket, travel, parking, food, souvenirs, etc.) to see a bunch of really loud cars go really fast. Most who come aren't following racers or the championship chase (like they might in MLB, NFL, or NBA) in a large part because they don't see it on TV or in the newspaper everyday. Maybe they know a couple names like John Force or Don Prudhomme. And they know there are some long skinny ones, and some with bodies that flip up, and some with doors.
But they're not there to see who wins, or what class is what, or how far down the track they go. They want loud and fast, and to see the cars up close, and maybe catch a fireball or two. $100 a head is a lot to ask in this economy for that show.
clwill
Nitro Member
Wow, there weren't 270 in my whole high school... But that's another story.
You're so right. They can/should keep the Top Eliminator (or whatever) at the price they want, because some can/will pay that. But cut most tickets by a bunch (25%, 35%, more?), and give a $5 or $10 coupon for the Nitro Mall with every ticket . That'll get them in there where they'll spend 10x that. And even have a few thousand special "door busters" tickets at $10 or $20 (without the coupon).
As someone said "lose a little on each one, and make it up in volume"
T.Smith
Nitro Member
Jim, it's like being in a knife fight...why even bother.
NHRADeuce
Nitro Member
The number of people who care so much about 1320 vs 1000 is so tiny in comparison to the number of people who attend racing events, it would surprise me if the number is even high enough to fill a school bus at a single event. Sorry, you're just not that important to NHRA.
I've talked to some friends from NHRA about the cuts, and I can confirm that it was around 18 positions cut this time. I can also say that the honchos have said that they are taking a second pay cut. I have no reason to believe otherwise - the big time salaries are all a matter of public record once the tax forms are filed, so we'd know if they took pay cuts or not.
What pisses me off, and this is the same complaint I have about corporate America in general, is that the cuts should come from the top before a single peon is cut. The cuts at the top should be deep and painful in order to save the jobs of the people who make the organization work. Take a look at the NHRA staff page. There are no less than 9 vice presidents, 1 president, and 2 board members that do not hold positions in NHRA. We all know what type salaries the people at the top make and in all seriousness, what difference does it make whether you make $650k or $350k? For that matter, would you really be hurting if you went from $300k to $200k until the economy picks back up? I've never made $300k, but I would bet that I could get by on $200k.
AIG got in trouble and had to be bailed out. The CEO is taking a $1 salary retroactive back to 2008 through 2009 as one of the cost saving measures they are instituting. At Nvidia, one of the largest electronic hardware companies in the world, the entire senior executive staff has taken pay cuts to $1 for 2009 in order to save jobs. Just sayin'.
Who knows, maybe the NHRA brass has taken deep cuts. If they have, then I will be the first to applaud their efforts. We'll see when the taxes are filed.
I've talked to some friends from NHRA about the cuts, and I can confirm that it was around 18 positions cut this time. I can also say that the honchos have said that they are taking a second pay cut. I have no reason to believe otherwise - the big time salaries are all a matter of public record once the tax forms are filed, so we'd know if they took pay cuts or not.
What pisses me off, and this is the same complaint I have about corporate America in general, is that the cuts should come from the top before a single peon is cut. The cuts at the top should be deep and painful in order to save the jobs of the people who make the organization work. Take a look at the NHRA staff page. There are no less than 9 vice presidents, 1 president, and 2 board members that do not hold positions in NHRA. We all know what type salaries the people at the top make and in all seriousness, what difference does it make whether you make $650k or $350k? For that matter, would you really be hurting if you went from $300k to $200k until the economy picks back up? I've never made $300k, but I would bet that I could get by on $200k.
AIG got in trouble and had to be bailed out. The CEO is taking a $1 salary retroactive back to 2008 through 2009 as one of the cost saving measures they are instituting. At Nvidia, one of the largest electronic hardware companies in the world, the entire senior executive staff has taken pay cuts to $1 for 2009 in order to save jobs. Just sayin'.
Who knows, maybe the NHRA brass has taken deep cuts. If they have, then I will be the first to applaud their efforts. We'll see when the taxes are filed.
NHRADeuce
Nitro Member
I'm not sure if it's appropriate to name names, but I can tell you that none of the people with VP in front of their name were on the list.I didn't see an answer to my question:
Does anyone have a list of the people who were laid off?
mike
Nitro Member
that's probably true...but IMO it's equally moronic ignoring it as a factor
As a fan I know of a LOT of fans bugged by the 1000', how many are staying home is disputable but it is certainly more of a factor than people think.
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
I do not dispute that 1000ft racing and the Countdown are keeping some fans away. What I am disputing is that it is keeping enough fans away that NHRA would have to lay off employees. The economy is keeping them away at a rate of AT LEAST 25 to 1.
It's not just drag racing, did you see the stands at the NASCAR race last night? The Cincinnati Bengals are on track for only their second winning season in a decade and they can't sell out home games so they are blacked out in the local market. Ticket sales to movies are down. They are giving away rooms and meals on the Strip here in Vegas Sunday-Thursday and MGM-Mirage has cut 1500 employees TWICE this year. But I guess 1000ft drag racing is to blame for all that too.
It's not just drag racing, did you see the stands at the NASCAR race last night? The Cincinnati Bengals are on track for only their second winning season in a decade and they can't sell out home games so they are blacked out in the local market. Ticket sales to movies are down. They are giving away rooms and meals on the Strip here in Vegas Sunday-Thursday and MGM-Mirage has cut 1500 employees TWICE this year. But I guess 1000ft drag racing is to blame for all that too.
Does anyone have a list of the people who were laid off?
I sent you the names I know in a private message.
Jim
SundayNiagara
Nitro Member
I will be at the Gators next March in my usual top row TEC seat. I've been going to drag races since 1959, or '60 and I'm here to tell you that THOUSAND FOOT racing SUCKS!
I am not saying i am for or against anything the NHRA is doing but as far as the ticket prices go an organization that i am a member of had to raise our dues by $10 a year, after the usual griping and grumbling one of our members stood up and said guys your talking about one cup of coffee a month, got quiet after that, if you want to go to the drag races you can throw your loose change in a jar every day, you would be surprised how quickly that adds up, probably more than enough money for the entire weekend
clwill
Nitro Member
If you choose to spend your loose change money on the drag races. Some people are clearly choosing to spend it on other, perhaps less expensive entertainment, or maybe even rent, groceries, and gas...
mick
Nitro Member
.........or nostalgia races
think i had more fun watching the bang-shift feed over the weekend than
the last few years at BIR.
if a nost. event and nhra nat. event were held annually and were equal distance
driving and equal ticket price.......and i could ony go to one, not both.......
the nost. event would win hands down.
