rckymtn3
Nitro Member
There's a trend in all sports venues that is eating up more general admission areas to allow the big money people to sprawl out. That's great for them, and their associates, and business partners, but it doesn't grow the fan base of the sport, it steals from it. It kills off the passionate fans by steering focus to the casual fan with deep pockets.
Case in point. This is a photo of an F1 Grand Prix, where they plow under a whole bunch of cheap seats (the only cheap ones) to make room for a giant paddock club for these folks who want to be seen at a race, not really watch the race. Tickets for this deal is north of ten thousand dollars (you can bet lodging is extra...a BIG extra). While the race is going on a mere 15 ft from them, they sit on leather lounges, sipping champagne watching a giant TV of the race. Granted, F1 was made for these types of folks, but this is basically who the sports marketing people are targeting in all sports. the people that really don't care about it, and will probably go to two or three races their entire lives, while they supplant hundreds, even thousands of potential lifetime fans from ever getting the "bug"
The trend is to lure fans to come to a race, and enjoy everything under the sun that has nothing to do with racing. There was a thread not too long ago about making kid zones and all the other stuff like amusements and, well, diluting the racing experience with non-racing types. Listen, I think it's great you want to entertain your kids. If a race isn't going to do it, I guess you go see Cars III and watch Mater do something silly.
When I was being taken to the races by my father, even when I was VERY young, I jumped at it. I wanted to see the cars. Hear the loud machines. See them roar by. I was a kid into racing. I'm sure if I wasn't, dad would have taken me to something else eventually, basically, kid zones, but it just worked out perfect for us. He got to go more often (and we went A LOT) because it was considered family time by mom
My point is, focus on the racing fans, and the actual racing, that's the product. It's not a mega mall (which it has basically become).
Case in point. This is a photo of an F1 Grand Prix, where they plow under a whole bunch of cheap seats (the only cheap ones) to make room for a giant paddock club for these folks who want to be seen at a race, not really watch the race. Tickets for this deal is north of ten thousand dollars (you can bet lodging is extra...a BIG extra). While the race is going on a mere 15 ft from them, they sit on leather lounges, sipping champagne watching a giant TV of the race. Granted, F1 was made for these types of folks, but this is basically who the sports marketing people are targeting in all sports. the people that really don't care about it, and will probably go to two or three races their entire lives, while they supplant hundreds, even thousands of potential lifetime fans from ever getting the "bug"
The trend is to lure fans to come to a race, and enjoy everything under the sun that has nothing to do with racing. There was a thread not too long ago about making kid zones and all the other stuff like amusements and, well, diluting the racing experience with non-racing types. Listen, I think it's great you want to entertain your kids. If a race isn't going to do it, I guess you go see Cars III and watch Mater do something silly.
When I was being taken to the races by my father, even when I was VERY young, I jumped at it. I wanted to see the cars. Hear the loud machines. See them roar by. I was a kid into racing. I'm sure if I wasn't, dad would have taken me to something else eventually, basically, kid zones, but it just worked out perfect for us. He got to go more often (and we went A LOT) because it was considered family time by mom
My point is, focus on the racing fans, and the actual racing, that's the product. It's not a mega mall (which it has basically become).
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