Vegas attendance (1 Viewer)
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DrRocket
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Actually Mike, I thought your pre-edit babble was quite good.
Jeff
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I've noticed that many of the motorsports venues are having off years. I entertain clients at Houston supercross every year and I was amazed at the number of empty seats last weekend (I would say 40% or more of the seats were empty). I was also amazed at the pre and post effort the person who sells the suites/catering has put into the event. It's clearly a tough market right now for venues.
Last year Supercross was a near sell out and the Houston NHRA event a few weeks later was pretty well attended too. It will be interesting to see how HRP does this year assuming they have good weather (note the supercross is indoors ... except for the pits, which are very well attended too).
Looking forward to racing Norwalk over 4th of July .... it is one of the most talked about and recommended events when I ask new people we meet when we travel to the couple of long haul races we do every summer.
Last year Supercross was a near sell out and the Houston NHRA event a few weeks later was pretty well attended too. It will be interesting to see how HRP does this year assuming they have good weather (note the supercross is indoors ... except for the pits, which are very well attended too).
Looking forward to racing Norwalk over 4th of July .... it is one of the most talked about and recommended events when I ask new people we meet when we travel to the couple of long haul races we do every summer.
Toejam
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You didn't go to the Texas races when they doubled up did you? Crowds plummeted, Jon Asher is right, Vegas just cannot support 2 races!
my friends call me Zappy
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Sandy
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I completely agree although I really dont have a problem getting into the reserved section with a GA ticket. Dont tell on me
vegasnitro
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Both Vegas races have always been "destination" events, mostly supported by tourists. Vegas locals just don't go in numbers strong enough for the event to stand on it's own (same holds true for the NASCAR race). So it is all of the things we have always been talking about, the economy, ticket prices, airfare, secondary costs like hotels and food that are keeping people away.
LVMS should do more to interest locals, discounted tickets with Nevada ID or something similar, local TV and radio spots, billboards, high school programs, etc.
Greggo
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I know at least one southern Canadian that would have been there had it not been for the high air fares.
Travel costs are definitely impacting many events.
Oh - and no Cool Intentions ice cream???
Travel costs are definitely impacting many events.
Oh - and no Cool Intentions ice cream???
Gutter Brain
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I think this was at least the second year that the spring race was the same weekend as the country music awards. Why not try to do a little cross promotion kind of deal? Could expose some country singers/fans to racing and possibly expose some racers/fans to country music?
rckymtn3
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I think they tried that in some manner....I remember seeing a group of four guys that looked rock and roll, singing country in someone's pits during the coverage.
Country music hasn't been country for quite some time. It's now the Eagles, but with cowboy hats.
Gutter Brain
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I think that was in McMillen's pits. I am sure someone will correct me if I was wrong.
I agree with you about country music being pop country. Just thought that was a big base that could be drawn from. Get some to come into town a day or two early and check out the race.
Well it's been that way since around 1990 when guys like Travis Tritt and Clint Black were LITERALLY doing Eagles songs!!
Now it is leaning a little more... say, "rappish" in ways. But yeah, definitely not as it was.
.
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During that country concert gtg thing they had at the Fremont Street Experience, the overhead lightshow did scroll "Welcome race fans" over the length of the thing and had some race car stuff, except it was NASCAR stuff.
That place was slammed wall to wall with meat. TONS of country type people were in there. It was a hot sweaty meat market. TONS of T&A on display.
Sandy
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i agree with u too
Sandy
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it was Florida Georgia line they won best new artist
Jon Asher
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Okay, I’ll make a fool of myself (as I often do) and jump in here.
If the fall race in Vegas has ever been a complete sellout I’m unaware of it, and I’ve worked every one of them. There have always been some seats available, even on those weekends when the crowds were terrific.
While I do think TV can show you some great angles, there’s no way it can ever replicate the sights, sounds and smells of being there in person. In my opinion drag racing is probably the only form of motorsports that’s better live and in person than it is on television.
Sorry you’re complaining about the photographers, but you should be aware of the fact that NHRA has actually worked hard to limit the number of shooters. The suggestion that we should shoot from the ground behind the wall is ludicrous. It can’t be done the way you envision.
Regarding the parking situation, this is another area where I disagree with the poster. The main parking lot is right next to the pits and the walk is a heck of a lot less than a mile. More like a quarter mile at the very most.
The fall race and its relationship to the SEMA Show dates is no longer valid. The key factor in the race date is Nevada Day, a statewide holiday that includes the majority of people having the day off. That gives them ample opportunity to go to the track. The SEMA Show never produced a larger spectator turnout, although it has attracted more industry types, many of whom don’t buy tickets to begin with.
We can whine all we want about ticket prices, but I’ll wager NHRA is NEVER going back because they know that once someone buys a discounted ticket they will never again be willing to pay full price.
The theory of lowering ticket prices to engage a larger crowd has proven time and time again to be disastrous for the reason outlined above. As but one example, I have a friend who formerly worked in a struggling professional sports league. Some owners were desperate to try the ticket-price-lowering plan, which was strenuously argued against. My friend lost that argument and some teams offered lower prices on special promotions. It backfired because every team that lowered prices suffered additional losses.
It’s simple, really. You’re sitting there in your $60 seat and the guy next to you is bragging about how he got his ticket for $40. Unless you’re a hard core fan you’re going to be so ticked off that you might never come back. And that’s exactly what happened in this particular sports league.
Pay attention to Mike Larson’s answers about why some tracks pack the stands.
Paul Sapienza is also right. You will NOT be disappointed with Norwalk.
Cross promotions with the ACM Awards is a fine idea except for one thing. Drag racing needs them a helluva lot more than they need us. Heck, they don’t need us at all.
Kevin Knauer, if you’re speaking of Terry McMillen’s pits, there is so much more to this story. We’re looking into it now.
Jon Asher
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CompetitionPlus.com
If the fall race in Vegas has ever been a complete sellout I’m unaware of it, and I’ve worked every one of them. There have always been some seats available, even on those weekends when the crowds were terrific.
While I do think TV can show you some great angles, there’s no way it can ever replicate the sights, sounds and smells of being there in person. In my opinion drag racing is probably the only form of motorsports that’s better live and in person than it is on television.
Sorry you’re complaining about the photographers, but you should be aware of the fact that NHRA has actually worked hard to limit the number of shooters. The suggestion that we should shoot from the ground behind the wall is ludicrous. It can’t be done the way you envision.
Regarding the parking situation, this is another area where I disagree with the poster. The main parking lot is right next to the pits and the walk is a heck of a lot less than a mile. More like a quarter mile at the very most.
The fall race and its relationship to the SEMA Show dates is no longer valid. The key factor in the race date is Nevada Day, a statewide holiday that includes the majority of people having the day off. That gives them ample opportunity to go to the track. The SEMA Show never produced a larger spectator turnout, although it has attracted more industry types, many of whom don’t buy tickets to begin with.
We can whine all we want about ticket prices, but I’ll wager NHRA is NEVER going back because they know that once someone buys a discounted ticket they will never again be willing to pay full price.
The theory of lowering ticket prices to engage a larger crowd has proven time and time again to be disastrous for the reason outlined above. As but one example, I have a friend who formerly worked in a struggling professional sports league. Some owners were desperate to try the ticket-price-lowering plan, which was strenuously argued against. My friend lost that argument and some teams offered lower prices on special promotions. It backfired because every team that lowered prices suffered additional losses.
It’s simple, really. You’re sitting there in your $60 seat and the guy next to you is bragging about how he got his ticket for $40. Unless you’re a hard core fan you’re going to be so ticked off that you might never come back. And that’s exactly what happened in this particular sports league.
Pay attention to Mike Larson’s answers about why some tracks pack the stands.
Paul Sapienza is also right. You will NOT be disappointed with Norwalk.
Cross promotions with the ACM Awards is a fine idea except for one thing. Drag racing needs them a helluva lot more than they need us. Heck, they don’t need us at all.
Kevin Knauer, if you’re speaking of Terry McMillen’s pits, there is so much more to this story. We’re looking into it now.
Jon Asher
Senior Editor
CompetitionPlus.com
vegasnitro
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After having lived in Vegas for 20 years, I feel reasonably sure in saying "Nevada Day" does not have much of an impact on attendance. Every local is much more concerned with Halloween plans or what to do with the kids being out of school ... Not so much what is going on at LVMS. Most locals do not have any idea the race is even there. (I never had a job that recognized Nevada Day as a holiday, not many people do unless you work for a Bank or the School district/government)
Vegas 2 is better attended because it is the 2nd to last race of the season and is an easy sell for the fans traveling in for the race. Many guys back east and up north have wound down their racing season or enough time has passed since their local national event that it becomes viable to attend, the weather is usually good and there is PLENTY to keep the wife busy while he is at the track with the boys. If she comes along, Vegas is the best track amenity-wise (as has been discussed) that you won't have to worry or apologize or explain to the wife about concessions, restrooms, seating, parking etc.
It is not just drag racing ... The locals are apathetic about NASCAR too, people are not coming in for that race anymore like the past either. LVMS is desperate to move that race to the Chase, preferably taking Homestead's date as the season-ender to bundle it with the awards ceremony to pump up attendance for that race too.
EDIT: It will be interesting this year as Vegas 2 is October 24-27, Nevada day is Halloween. We shall see if there is an impact attendance-wise. I say there will be no discernible difference and the place will be packed as per usual. I can tell you for sure there will be 1 more person in attendance ... ME!!!
Vegas 2 is better attended because it is the 2nd to last race of the season and is an easy sell for the fans traveling in for the race. Many guys back east and up north have wound down their racing season or enough time has passed since their local national event that it becomes viable to attend, the weather is usually good and there is PLENTY to keep the wife busy while he is at the track with the boys. If she comes along, Vegas is the best track amenity-wise (as has been discussed) that you won't have to worry or apologize or explain to the wife about concessions, restrooms, seating, parking etc.
It is not just drag racing ... The locals are apathetic about NASCAR too, people are not coming in for that race anymore like the past either. LVMS is desperate to move that race to the Chase, preferably taking Homestead's date as the season-ender to bundle it with the awards ceremony to pump up attendance for that race too.
EDIT: It will be interesting this year as Vegas 2 is October 24-27, Nevada day is Halloween. We shall see if there is an impact attendance-wise. I say there will be no discernible difference and the place will be packed as per usual. I can tell you for sure there will be 1 more person in attendance ... ME!!!
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Bob
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I think Las Vegas is still viable as a two-national-events-per-year venue. The city is still a very popular vacation destination. Even with smaller crowds at the spring event, they are still putting plenty of butts in the seats. From my view from the tower, this year's crowd was what I'd call "decent", all things (especially the economy) considered.
If the April Las Vegas event was to be dropped from the schedule, what would replace it? Or, should the schedule just be shortened by one race? I can't think of any venue that would support a second event better than Las Vegas does now at this time of year, and I don't know of any venue that doesn't already have a national event that deserves to be added to the schedule.
If the April Las Vegas event was to be dropped from the schedule, what would replace it? Or, should the schedule just be shortened by one race? I can't think of any venue that would support a second event better than Las Vegas does now at this time of year, and I don't know of any venue that doesn't already have a national event that deserves to be added to the schedule.
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my friends call me Zappy
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I know in our sport you can't shoot from the ground, I said other sports do that so as to NOT block the ticket buying fan. For drag racing I suggest a platform above the grandstands, so I'm not in your way, and you're not in mine.
Todays photogs have lense the size of coffee cans and a foot and a half long, from the finish line they can tell if the driver has pierced ears, yet they stand 8 ft from the cars, WHY???
With all due respect Mr. Asher, the visual is better on TV. But I do have to give you the fact that the smells and sound isn't there.
As far as attendance goes the place wasn't exactly empty. I beleive NHRA made profit oh wait a minute NHRA is a non profit. What ticks me off is hardly anyone seats the clutch with the throttle anymore during warm ups. I know it is a tunning choice but I beleive it brought young fans in. After a double whap the fans would whoop it up pretty good now everone just walks away. ain't going to change but it should be a rule to seat the clutch with the throttle and crew cheifs could just figure it out.
