Bristol holds up to 120,000 seats and that place is lucky if 15,000 are at today's race. I know the night race in the fall is more popular but, that's an embarrassing turnout. Lower ticket prices and more people would show. Bristol used to be one of the hardest tickets to buy.
Has NASCAR out priced its fan base
- Thread starter Wildcat22Fan
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Actually it holds 160,000 people. They took some the excitement out of Bristol a few years ago when the track was resurfaced.
I'm sure pricing has something to do with it. I would say the rain is a big part of today's problem.
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It is expensive, but I think you're also bad at estimating crowd sizes. (Plus it's raining)
I understand why they're relatively more expensive than other sports, though. Most tracks get one real shot at the big money and some get two, via Sprint Cup Races. Truck, Xfinity, Indy, ARCA aren't bringing in big dollars, so it's a limited window. The only thing that will change is if places that have two races start not selling enough and their races are given away to other tracks.
NFL gets 10 guaranteed full house events (including preseason). MLB gets 81, NHL and NBA get 41 to make their money.
I understand why they're relatively more expensive than other sports, though. Most tracks get one real shot at the big money and some get two, via Sprint Cup Races. Truck, Xfinity, Indy, ARCA aren't bringing in big dollars, so it's a limited window. The only thing that will change is if places that have two races start not selling enough and their races are given away to other tracks.
NFL gets 10 guaranteed full house events (including preseason). MLB gets 81, NHL and NBA get 41 to make their money.
I think they've out 'bored' themselves. I used to really enjoy NASCAR, but the years of altering rules to make all the cars exactly the same has left a product that is all too often just a game of follow the leader, with no real fireworks or excitement.
This post was edited on 4/19 4:59 PM by 3rex
This post was edited on 4/19 4:59 PM by 3rex
This is true! In the late '70's and early '80's, four of us went to five Daytona 500's ($50 for the best seat in the house), three Firecracker 400's, and a multitude of other tracks all over the south. Now, I haven't been to a racetrack in many, many years.
My interest in NASCAR has waned so much in the last five years, I haven't even watched one race on TV the last two years.
Agree with the boring part. I record the races and zip through the early laps, stop for the cautions to see what happened, then I'll watch the last 20 laps.
Joey Lagano won the XFINITY race last night. I haven't watched any of it, may have been exciting, but how does anyone lead all 300 laps at Bristol?
Joey Lagano won the XFINITY race last night. I haven't watched any of it, may have been exciting, but how does anyone lead all 300 laps at Bristol?
I've never been much of a NASCAR fan, but I've worked with several hard core racing fans over the years. Almost 100% of them have stopped following the sport.
These are the type of fans that grew up loving the sport. The type of fans NASCAR can't afford to lose.
Here are the 3 reasons I've heard from these guys as to why they are no longer fans.
1. The death of Dale Earnhardt. Love him or hate him, he was THE face of NASCAR. Earnhardt fans are every bit as devoted as the BBN. It's scary some of fanaticism I've witnessed from fans of the Black 3. His death had a huge negative impact on the sport.
2. Taking races away from the traditional Southern tracks and going to places like Chicago, Las Vegas, Phoenix, etc. Many fans were pissed beyond reason to see places like Rockingham and Darlington lose races.
3. The introduction of Toyota into NASCAR. Believe me, the old guard fanbase went apesh!t when that happened. It doesn't matter how American of a company Toyota is nowadays, the redneck portion of the NASCAR fanbase went ballistic.
Down here where I live, the week leading up to the Bristol races, there would be hundreds of campers, motor homes, RVs, etc. coming through on their way to Bristol. Hell, not sure I saw a single one come through last week.
These are the type of fans that grew up loving the sport. The type of fans NASCAR can't afford to lose.
Here are the 3 reasons I've heard from these guys as to why they are no longer fans.
1. The death of Dale Earnhardt. Love him or hate him, he was THE face of NASCAR. Earnhardt fans are every bit as devoted as the BBN. It's scary some of fanaticism I've witnessed from fans of the Black 3. His death had a huge negative impact on the sport.
2. Taking races away from the traditional Southern tracks and going to places like Chicago, Las Vegas, Phoenix, etc. Many fans were pissed beyond reason to see places like Rockingham and Darlington lose races.
3. The introduction of Toyota into NASCAR. Believe me, the old guard fanbase went apesh!t when that happened. It doesn't matter how American of a company Toyota is nowadays, the redneck portion of the NASCAR fanbase went ballistic.
Down here where I live, the week leading up to the Bristol races, there would be hundreds of campers, motor homes, RVs, etc. coming through on their way to Bristol. Hell, not sure I saw a single one come through last week.
Well, look who doesn't like something else that other people do! Shocking that you would chime in again ...
Watching paint dry is more exciting than a NASCAR race. The cars all look alike. The drivers whine and cry all the time. Announcers try to sound excited. Expansion to northern and western tracks took something away from it. Changing the WINSTON Cup to whatever the hell it is now.
John Wall is right on the money. I used to be as big a fan as they came. The following are my reasons for not watching anymore:
Death of Earnhardt
Ticket Prices way too high
Young generic drivers (no likeable personalities)
Punk drivers like Kyle Busch
NASCAR constantly throwing caution flags at the end of races to reset lineup
Green, white, checker Sucks especially at larger tracks, at talladega they are barely up to speed in 2 laps
A biggie for many ex-fans is Toyoda involvement, i will never pull for any driver in a Turd, hopefully our chevy teams will keep Tyoda from ever winning a championship, so far so good
The Chase, i dont even know where to begin, lets just say its awful
Too many regulations for the cars, might as well turn NASCAR into the old IROC series, let one company build all the cars then stick a driver in them
Far too many boring tracks, especially in chase time, and i hate to say it but KY speedway is one of the worst, every race there is boring, and look at each race run their so far, no passing, every winner has come from the front starting row, but also throw in Chicago, Texas, Kansas, Vegas, Homestead, Phoenix
The Waltrips both made their money in NASCAR driving chevys, now they are both Toyota sellouts, so they are on the list
Death of Earnhardt
Ticket Prices way too high
Young generic drivers (no likeable personalities)
Punk drivers like Kyle Busch
NASCAR constantly throwing caution flags at the end of races to reset lineup
Green, white, checker Sucks especially at larger tracks, at talladega they are barely up to speed in 2 laps
A biggie for many ex-fans is Toyoda involvement, i will never pull for any driver in a Turd, hopefully our chevy teams will keep Tyoda from ever winning a championship, so far so good
The Chase, i dont even know where to begin, lets just say its awful
Too many regulations for the cars, might as well turn NASCAR into the old IROC series, let one company build all the cars then stick a driver in them
Far too many boring tracks, especially in chase time, and i hate to say it but KY speedway is one of the worst, every race there is boring, and look at each race run their so far, no passing, every winner has come from the front starting row, but also throw in Chicago, Texas, Kansas, Vegas, Homestead, Phoenix
The Waltrips both made their money in NASCAR driving chevys, now they are both Toyota sellouts, so they are on the list
I think some of you overvalue the death of Dale Earnhardt. NASCAR was huge after his death for quite a few years. If anything, it was more popular nationally after he died.
Some of you guys are just old and don't like change.
Also, if you don't like Toyota in the sport, then you're a xenophobe and possibly racist. There's really no other explanation for it.
Some of you guys are just old and don't like change.
Also, if you don't like Toyota in the sport, then you're a xenophobe and possibly racist. There's really no other explanation for it.
I am not a fan. But having the race in Bristol, about "out in the middle of nowhere" as you can get, can't help.
If it rained, I'm sure that contributed, although being in Bristol if people traveled to watch it they would probably go rain or not.
If it rained, I'm sure that contributed, although being in Bristol if people traveled to watch it they would probably go rain or not.
Funky, I think you're jumping to conclusions on the reasons fans don't like Toyota in nascar. The hardcore nascar fans are guys that like to tinker on cars at home, either when they were younger or currently. Nobody tinkers on toyotas here in the states by and large trying to make a muscle car.
Also, nascar was built by the big 3, North American StockCAR, Toyota is not seen by many as fitting that bill, and more as a foreign car company trying to takeover an American sport.
Also, nascar was built by the big 3, North American StockCAR, Toyota is not seen by many as fitting that bill, and more as a foreign car company trying to takeover an American sport.
That is the defintion of xenophobia, or if not the definition, at least a top 5 example.
And what is the reason that no one 'tinkers' on Toyotas? See the example above.
Bristol used to be one of the best races on the circuit. Agree with 1LJ regarding KY Speedway. Race itself is terrible, but still a good weekend of drinking and grilling.
Dale Sr. has been dead 14 years and Toyota has been in racing for how many years? Might be the reason for some, but I think the main reason is the races just plain suck. The tracks are all pretty much the same which equals boring races. Guessing Bristol night race won't look that deserted.
I quit watching mostly when 5 car stables (Hendrick racing) ,or 3-4 team stables (Rousch) would gang up, share technology, and dominate the sport. Small two man, or single (extinct)racing teams Nascar was built on do not stand a chance. Most fans who stopped going /watching did so when Jimmy Johnson won like 5 straight. He would get caught cheating at least once a year, slap on the wrist (can't piss Lowe's off). That and corporate sponsorship got more important than driver personalities. That is the reason NASCAR lost a fan base. part of it can be blamed on getting cocky and raising prices (supply and demand), but this was the wrong sport to try that on, and of course adding the cookie cutter mile and a half tracks (Chicago, KC, Phoenix, KY, Texas).
The 2,18,4 (Kevin Harvick), and a few other drivers tried to bring rivals back, but too many clean cut guys wearing all of those damn sponsor patches and when a mic is put in their face, no cussing or bad mouthing a guy, it was "I would like to thank the Lowe's, Coca Cola, Planters, Tampax, Viagra, blah ,blah, blah, Chevrolet it was a great car, but I got spun out and crashed etc etc etc.
The 2,18,4 (Kevin Harvick), and a few other drivers tried to bring rivals back, but too many clean cut guys wearing all of those damn sponsor patches and when a mic is put in their face, no cussing or bad mouthing a guy, it was "I would like to thank the Lowe's, Coca Cola, Planters, Tampax, Viagra, blah ,blah, blah, Chevrolet it was a great car, but I got spun out and crashed etc etc etc.
They're pissed because quite a few Toyota drivers have won races by stretching out a tank of gas at the end of a race because of the better gas mileage.
I'm chill. You just play the same role in nearly every thread. "There's something other people like. I'm gonna go in and **** on it! Yay me for being different!!!"Originally posted by Pope John Wall II:
Chill bruh. That stereotype largely exists for a reason.
There's a fine line between being a hipster contrarian douche and being a nascar/disney hating douche, and I like to think I strongly fall on the latter side.
Funky I was commenting mostly about the racist comment of yours. Nobody tinkers on toyotas because there are no Toyota muscle cars from the 60's and 70's. t
That's probably the biggest reason nascar has lost fans in the last 10-15 years. The average person no longer fools around in the garage kicking around a hot rod. Or even working on their own car. Times have changed, cars are built better today.
That's probably the biggest reason nascar has lost fans in the last 10-15 years. The average person no longer fools around in the garage kicking around a hot rod. Or even working on their own car. Times have changed, cars are built better today.
I understand that, and you're right about people not working on their cars as much, but I don't think that's why they have lost fans.
Some other guys have hit it on the head with the 1.5 mile tracks and price increases. The thread got off topic and I caused a lot of that. My bad.
I still stand by my Toyota comments. If you don't like NASCAR anymore because of a Japanese car manufacturer, then that's a you problem, not NASCAR.
There have been some lame reasons. The death of Dale Earnhardt? Please. Ratings and attendance were fine for years after him.
Toyota?
But really, "punk drivers"? That could not be any more false. Every sport needs villains. If NASCAR didn't have rivalries and hated drivers, then it would be far less entertaining. A huge segment LOVED Earnhardt Sr. But many hated him too - he was a punk in his own right. He had no problem knocking someone out of the way. He did it..."that's racing". Busch does it - " what a punk!"
Nothing "stock" about North American StockCAR anymore. The cars they race are nothing close to anything you buy off the lot. Same cars just slap a different auto manufacture badge on it.
You peel the bowtie off of the Chevy SS and you will find an Australian made Holden.
Ford Fusion till recently was made in Mexico.
Toyota Camry is one the top "american" made vehicles on the road.
I watched a race at the KY speedway and found after 20 laps I was ready to go. Maybe I would like the product better at a road course like Watkin's Glen.
But I enjoy going up Mid-Ohio and Virginia International and watch the amateurs with their real stock cars with the back seat removed and racing tires slapped on.
I compare NASCAR a lot to the NHL. I do not understand the rules, strategies, etc. In person, its cool to watch. On television, its as boring as boring gets. Prices are too high and its really hard to get any motivation to go to a race or game.
I agree with the poster who said they took the redneck out of the sport. NASCAR got greedy with the ratings and money they were getting during their popularity boom and after it wore off with their new "fan base" they made more changes than the hardcore fan could stand. In some ways, the hardcore fans felt NASCAR sold out. My uncle is as old and hardcore as they get and he has said this time and time again several years now.
I agree with the poster who said they took the redneck out of the sport. NASCAR got greedy with the ratings and money they were getting during their popularity boom and after it wore off with their new "fan base" they made more changes than the hardcore fan could stand. In some ways, the hardcore fans felt NASCAR sold out. My uncle is as old and hardcore as they get and he has said this time and time again several years now.
You're right, the cars aren't stock anymore which is part of the problem. I don't think Earnhardt dying was the issue as much as he was the last of the old style put you in a wall type racer. The racers for the most part now are all vanilla, with Jimmy Johnson being just God awful.
People want to see someone racing for their supper, puts it all on the line. Then throw in the terrible tracks, and it all seems prefabricated now.
People want to see someone racing for their supper, puts it all on the line. Then throw in the terrible tracks, and it all seems prefabricated now.