Shedding some light on Kansas Speedway IRL ticket demand

[Racewriter]

Of course, everyone here knows that Kansas Speedway sells its tickets in "track packs," or season tickets, for IRL, Cup, BGN, and Truck races. These have been "sold out" since the first race at Kansas, thus meaning the IRL race is "sold out," too. Of course, a big chunk of "track packers" don't bother to show for the IRL, races, but the tix are still sold. The "faithful" have even claimed that the track pack might even hurt IRL attendance, since fans who only wanted IRL seats wouldn't have the opportunity to buy them, blah, blah, blah.

This year, however, something happened that really shed some light on demand for IRL seats in KC. A week and a half before the race, Jeff Boerger, President of Kansas Speedway, appeared on a sports radio show on 810 AM (the biggest sports radio station in town), and announced that there was a special, small quantity of seats available for the IRL and Truck races. His explanation was this: These were supposedly seats reserved for NASCAR/ISC brass, but since the Pepsi 400 was on the same weekend as the IRL race this year (usually, the Pepsi is on the weekend before the IRL race), the brass was staying in Daytona and not using these seats. Now, this didn't pass the smell test to me - who here thinks that NASCAR/ISC officials important enough to fly into Kansas for this race would be sitting in the stands, instead of in an air-conditioned suite in JULY? Still, the seats were available, starting at $35, limited quantity, only for 810 listeners.

Limited promotion.

I figured they would be snapped up quickly. HOWEVER, this "limited quantity" was again announced on the radio by Boerger last Monday. By Tuesday, the Speedway was running commercials on the radio for them. On Sunday morning, the radio announcers said there were still "a few" for walk up purchase.

I posted the availability on TF as soon as I heard about it, and also on a couple of local racing boards. Not as a troll, but to let people know they were available. Guess what? Nobody ever responded to any of the threads, and other seats listed on the local boards went begging.

My guess is that these were either sponsor blocks that went unsold, or turnbacks from track pack holders that wanted them re-sold. With that in mind, and remembering that seating capacity at KS is about 78K, I'm estimating attendance in the 45-50K range. I also estimate that the trucks outdrew the IRL - and precious few Truck fans stayed to watch the IPS on Saturday.

[devilmaster]

I posted the availability on TF as soon as I heard about it, and also on a couple of local racing boards. Not as a troll, but to let people know they were available. Guess what? Nobody ever responded to any of the threads, and other seats listed on the local boards went begging.


Oh, after this post, I think you're gonna get alot of responses now... :laugh:

Steve

[Napoleon]

The "faithful" have even claimed that the track pack might even hurt IRL attendance, since fans who only wanted IRL seats wouldn't have the opportunity to buy them, blah, blah, blah.


Apparently those fools have not heard of scalpers. Speaking of which RW do you know any scalpers in your parts who could tell you if there is an aftermarket demand for those tickets?

[Spicoli]

Well duh...they couldn't sell out Indy either. And the jacktards kept running ad after ad after ad.....The EARL Marketing Braintrust sucks. :shakehead

[Chaos]

Apparently those fools have not heard of scalpers. Speaking of which RW do you know any scalpers in your parts who could tell you if there is an aftermarket demand for those tickets?

pennies on the dollar probably.

[Steve99]

Over at TF they can't understand why the people that get IRL tickets in their package don't give them to someone who will use them. I know why. Nobody wants them!

[Brickman]

Sold my season Kansas seats to a NASCAR fan. I doubt he went to either race this past weekend.

The place is too damn hot in July and Kansas has the worst reputation for Track ****s anywhere. IF the IRL were smart they would race there at night. They should be very happy with 50% full since most want Cup tickets. I think a second Cup date would really ding the IRL attendance. Simply because they will have a NASCAR six pack and no one will buy IRL tickets. (See Fontana later this year)

[SteveH]

According to Curt Cavin:
"Kansas delivered its fourth consecutive IRL sellout, but only about 50,000 of the 80,000 seats were used. The event is part of the season ticket package that includes the NASCAR weekend in October.

http://www.indystar.com/articles/7/160019-3437-188.html

[Racewriter]

Apparently those fools have not heard of scalpers. Speaking of which RW do you know any scalpers in your parts who could tell you if there is an aftermarket demand for those tickets?

Not really a lot of "scalping" activity at Kansas, but there is one ticket agency that was able to tell me that the majority of their tickets went unsold.

[KobySon]

Sold my season Kansas seats to a NASCAR fan. I doubt he went to either race this past weekend.

The place is too damn hot in July and Kansas has the worst reputation for Track ****s anywhere. IF the IRL were smart they would race there at night. They should be very happy with 50% full since most want Cup tickets. I think a second Cup date would really ding the IRL attendance. Simply because they will have a NASCAR six pack and no one will buy IRL tickets. (See Fontana later this year)
:shakehead

of course. all races in the south should be after october, or before indy. that explains everything.

[Winston Wolfe]

My favorite part of that so-called Journalistic piece:

quote:

"Nunn can't explain the troubles that have plagued his team since the Japan race in April. But he knows a lot of it can be traced to Toyota's inability to match Honda when the 3.0-liter engine began being used at the Indianapolis 500 in May.

"It's the worst time in my career," said Nunn, who helped engineer championship-winning cars in CART at Ganassi Racing. "It's getting to the point, and I probably shouldn't say this, that I'd almost rather stay home and play golf."

Yup. Those were the days, Morris. :shakehead
Dont be such a yen whore, Mo' !

[Napoleon]

According to Curt Cavin:
"Kansas delivered its fourth consecutive IRL sellout, but only about 50,000 of the 80,000 seats were used. The event is part of the season ticket package that includes the NASCAR weekend in October.

No way there was more then 30k there or so from what I saw on the tv.

[DaveL]

No way there was more then 30k there or so from what I saw on the tv.

I'd agree. I watched bits and pieces. Whenever you can clearly see the color of the seats in the grandstands that means there aren't many people there.

Either way, when a race is a "sellout" and half the ticket holders don't bother to show up it should tell you something about the Earl. If it weren't for the Extortion Pack they'd be lucky to get 10,000 people.

[Mr. Vengeance]

Extortion Pack

"Extortion Pack"... Perfect.

So, don't NASCAR fans get a wee bit angry with having to pay a premium (over and above the price of a 'Cup ticket) just to see a race? Is the demand for NASCAR tickets so high that track owners think that it's OK to piss off customers?

Anyone know the difference (ballpark) between the price of an Extortion Pack vs. the face value of a comparable Nextel Cup ticket?

[Steve99]

Is the demand for NASCAR tickets so high that track owners think that it's OK to piss off customers?


Apparently it is, since they have a sellout each year.

[Sean O'Gorman]

Apparently it is, since they have a sellout each year.

I wonder how many IRL fans there are that bitch about having to buy NASCAR tickets to see the Indy race. :gomer: :laugh:

[Madmaxfan2]

This should be the last year for ISC "event welfare" with extortion season ticket packages. The old CART dead, OWRS is not seen as a threat to Nextel Cup, the IRL will no longer benefit from deals like Kansas City.

[Brickman]

I'd agree. I watched bits and pieces. Whenever you can clearly see the color of the seats in the grandstands that means there aren't many people there.

Either way, when a race is a "sellout" and half the ticket holders don't bother to show up it should tell you something about the Earl. If it weren't for the Extortion Pack they'd be lucky to get 10,000 people.

Extortion Pack, clever and true.

ISC has eliminated those from Phoenix and Fontana in 2004. I think Chicagoland and Kansas still have them. I'll know when renewal time comes.

[Chaos]

If a track can make more money by selling season tix knowing full well they'll sell out, all power and glory to them.

[JLMannin]

Extortion Pack, clever and true.

ISC has eliminated those from Phoenix and Fontana in 2004. I think Chicagoland and Kansas still have them. I'll know when renewal time comes.

Well, that will be two tracks the IRL will leave when the current contracts end.

Didn't they piggyback the Pheonix date on some big-time sprint car race to boost ticket sales?

[Brickman]

Well, that will be two tracks the IRL will leave when the current contracts end.

Didn't they piggyback the Pheonix date on some big-time sprint car race to boost ticket sales?

I doubt they will leave when current contracts end, it depends on what road courses they steal. It will be interesting to see though. Yes the IRL piggybacked onto the Copper World Classic. But the Classic's Saturday slipped more because the SouthWest Tour left.