Lesa France Kennedy says new ticket prices attracting many new buyers
While the economy’s outlook is still bleak on the surface and NASCAR’s attendance is still on a slight drop after the 2009 NASCAR season, the race tracks have spent much of this year, and the offseason, lowering ticket prices, among other things, to help boost attendance and fan interaction.
- Lesa France Kennedy. (Photo by NASCAR)
Lesa France Kennedy, CEO and Vice Chairwoman of the International Speedway Corporation, was a speaker at the inaugural Motor Sport Business Forum North America on Wednesday and addressed the issues that has faced ISC over the past two years and how the company has handled them.
From a company-wide standpoint, France Kennedy said that ISC has re-priced over a million of their race tracks’ tickets for this season. This coupled with a new array of bundles in which to purchase tickets was a somewhat obvious way to deal with an economic downturn. However, it has not only kept attendance in the Sprint Cup Series to a level just under that of years before, it has brought some new fans to the stands. In fact, two out of every three fans that purchased a ticket this year were a new customer to ISC tracks.
“First of all, there’s no doubt that all businesses have been challenged by the economy and we are not immune to it,” France Kennedy said. “Whenever there is a situation like this, it has also provided an opportunity for us. We’ve taken over a half a million of our tickets and re-priced or restructured them. We’ve taken some of the tickets that were previously bundled and created new packages where the bundling wasn’t as prominent. We find that about 2/3 of the people that are buying our newly structured tickets are brand-new buyers.”
From there, the tracks rely on the hope, and research, that if you go to one NASCAR event you have to go to another one. However, the challenge is getting a fan to that first event.
“Our history tells us that if we can get them to that one event, that the product sells itself,” France Kennedy said. “Our challenge is getting them to that first event, and then it goes from there. We’re accomplishing that through different opportunities and value pricing.”
Prices aren’t the only way these tracks are trying to attract a new breed of fan. Things such as social networking and creating a “green” initiative around the track and the sport are cause for keeping attendance just below average even in these rough economic times.
Many of the ISC tracks have accounts across the most popular social networks in the United States, such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. With tracks placing more interest on the younger demographic, social content has become a key marketing strategy and a cause for their overall success.
“People are consuming our sport in different ways now, like NASCAR.com for instance,” France Kennedy said. “Social media, I know especially for the younger folks, that is how they communicate. All of our tracks now have social media outlets where they communicate with potential fans and new fans, as well as the younger audience. We always have to be refilling the pipeline.”
A Chinook helicopter flies in the pace car driven by Lt. Col. Doug Hurley during prerace ceremonies prior to the start of the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 8, 2009. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
It’s not just ISC tracks that are making these changes, however. Speedway Motorsports Inc. tracks have to keep up as well. While SMI and ISC have both done similar things, Texas Motor Speedway’s Eddie Gossage, who was also at the motorsports forum on Wednesday, said that while track promoters can’t guarantee the race will always be a nail-bitter, they have to ensure their events are surrounded with activity, such as pre-race festivities at the track.
“The race is the race, and it could be an extremely close nail-biter,” Gossage said. “Or it could be a runaway and it falls on us as promoters to make the day exciting before the green flag drops and perhaps for awhile after the checkered flag drops. We try to do those kinds of things, our pre-race show for our Cup race was an hour-long concert by ZZ Top, we had a Chinook helicopter land on the front straightaway and in the pace car was a season ticket holder who was also the pilot of the Space Shuttle back in July. The fans loved that. So it’s giving them the ‘wow’ factor long before the green flag drops.”
ZZ Top performs prior to the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 8, 2009. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey)
With the recent approval of a casino being built near to Kansas Speedway, the ISC is looking forward to new chances to raise ticket sales within their company. Nonetheless, France Kennedy and the ISC knows it’s going to be a slow process to get back where they were pre-recession period.
“We’re going to be braced for a slow recovery but we’re also looking at some new opportunities,” France Kennedy said. “At Kansas, next to the Kansas Speedway, we’re looking at building a casino and a hotel with our gaming partner. It’s a little bit of a departure from our core business, but it’s also an enhancement if you look at the fans coming to the Kansas Speedway and extending their stay. It becomes more of a destination, bringing more tourists in than it already does. We’re doing the same in Daytona, where we’re looking at some other guest amenities across the street that would be complementary to the track. Over time we would like to develop some retail and dining.”
Regardless of the roughly nine-percent attendance drop this season, NASCAR is still considered America’s No. 1 spectator sport, with many events drawing upwards of a 120,000 people or more. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events claim 17 of the nation’s top-20 most attended events every year.
The ISC operates Auto Club Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Daytona International Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Phoenix International Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway and Watkins Glen International. SMI owns eight tracks: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.
Martin Realistic After Johnson’s Debacle At Texas
Despite gaining 111 points on defending champion Jimmie Johnson in Sprint Cup points after the Dickies 500 at Texas, Mark Martin isn’t expecting his Hendrick Motorsports teammate to gift-wrap the title based on one poor performance.
Rather, the one they call “The Kid” is expecting a fight in the final two races just to stay a bridesmaid.
“I still have got my hands full for the top-six positions with all those guys — two guys that knocked me out of championships are breathing down my neck, so the race is still on,” Martin, 50, told the media after the race, in which he finished fourth. “I don’t know why everybody tries to cap this thing out and doesn’t just wait and watch. There are still two races to go and still things that can happen.”
- Mark Martin, driver of the #5 Pop Tarts/CARQUEST Chevrolet, stands next to his car on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 21, 2009 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
One of those things happened to Johnson early in the race, after Sam Hornish Jr. sent him into the wall before the race was five minutes old. Losing dozens of laps while in the garage for repairs, Johnson returned to the track to finish 38th.
What had been a gimme championship, considering Johnson’s track record over the past few years, is now slightly more interesting.
True, Martin left 35 points on the table by failing to win and/or lead the most laps at Texas; the No. 5 car didn’t see the lead all day. A 38-point difference is much easier to overcome than one of 73 points – in the former scenario, were Martin to win at Phoenix, Johnson would lose the lead by finishing outside of the top five. In reality, Johnson only needs to crack the top 15, something that he has never failed to do at Phoenix.
That’s right. Johnson’s worst Phoenix finish is 15th, which occurred both in the fall of 2002 and the spring of 2005.
When a driver accrues as many strong finishes as Johnson has over the past few Chases, it’s easy and realistic for a driver to concede the title a few weeks early. But if any driver can challenge Johnson, it’s going to have to be Martin, who is the only driver within two figures of the three-time champ heading into the final two races of the season.
But while anything can happen (or has happened) to knock challengers out of title contention, even the almighty Jimmie Johnson is not immune to misfortune.
So while Martin can talk about Johnson’s track record all he wants, there’s nothing to say that the same exact thing won’t happen next weekend at Phoenix. Being realistic is a positive, but resigning oneself to a bridesmaid?
Considering the way that 1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002 worked for him, it seems that second-place finishes are being realistic for NASCAR’s elder statesman.
Sprint Cup Series Events Moving To Earlier, Uniform Start Times For 2010 Season
NASCAR PR
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Continuing the sport’s “back to basics” approach, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and its television broadcast partners today announced earlier, uniform start times for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in 2010.
NASCAR worked closely with FOX, Turner, ESPN/ABC and the tracks on this project for the fans. The race start times for NASCAR Sprint Cup races in 2010 in the Eastern and Central regions of the country will begin at 1 p.m. ET, West Coast events will begin at 3 p.m. ET, and night races will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET. (The one exception is NASCAR’s longest night race, the Coca-Cola 600, which will have the same 5:45 p.m. ET start time.) Following the invocation and national anthem, the green flag will drop at approximately 15-20 minutes past the hour after each listed race start time.
“NASCAR fans have been asking for earlier and more consistent start times, and we are making this change for our fans, beginning with the Daytona 500 next February,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “We are revisiting our sport’s tradition of earlier green flags, and the added consistency will make it easier for fans to know exactly when the races are being televised. Additionally, the new start times will help track operators get fans in and out of the track earlier in the evening. Many fans heading home from the race earlier will be able to eliminate the costs of an extra travel day.”
A total of 28 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in 2010 will be held at an earlier time compared to 2009, with 20 races moved to 1 p.m. ET, including the Daytona 500. Moving up the start of “The Great American Race” two-and-a-half hours will produce the earliest start time for the Daytona 500 since 2003, when the race was also scheduled for 1 p.m. Five races move earlier to a 3 p.m. ET start and three races start earlier at 7:30 p.m. ET.
In making the decision for earlier, more uniform start times, NASCAR consulted its Fan Council, comprised of 12,000 avid fans who serve as a sounding board on important topics. Half of NASCAR avid fans said they are often unclear about what time NASCAR races actually start. When given the chance to choose a start time, more than two-thirds of avid NASCAR fans preferred early Sunday afternoon.
“It’s become clear to us that traditional, early Sunday afternoon, start times are favored by NASCAR fans who both attend races and watch on television,” said FOX Sports Chairman David Hill. “NASCAR, perhaps more than any other sport, belongs to the generations of fans who have passed on their passion, father to son, mother to daughter, so whatever we can do to make them feel better connected to the sport they love should be done.”
“Many fans have been interested in standard start times for NASCAR’s television partners. In the long term, we believe this change will make the viewing experience better for everyone,” said David Levy, president of Turner Broadcasting’s distribution, sales and sports. “NASCAR races continue to deliver solid, consistent ratings for TNT. When you combine TV ratings with the number of people who visit NASCAR.COM, the sport clearly remains very healthy and popular.”
“We enthusiastically support consistent start times and are happy to have worked with NASCAR on this move,” said John Skipper, ESPN’s executive vice president, content. “We are thrilled about our position with NASCAR and bullish about the long-term prospects.”
“An earlier starting time for the Daytona 500 is great news for our race fans,” Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig said. “In recent years, race fans made their desire very clear for an earlier starting time. With the help of our partners in the sport at NASCAR and FOX Sports, we’re proud to deliver an earlier starting time for the 2010 Daytona 500.”
“This is a very positive move for our fans,” said Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager for New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “For example, it allows us another hour of daylight to run our races and to get traffic out before nightfall. Based on the letters I receive from fans, I know they will appreciate NASCAR making this change. For years, the NFL has been very successful with its standardized start times of 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. You never have to guess when their games start on Sunday. I think that same template will help our sport as well.”
“We believe this will be well-received by NASCAR fans who attend races in Dover, especially those traveling long distances,” said Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of Dover Motorsports, Inc. “A large percentage of our fans come from the Northeast, and some drive great distances to get here. Consistent, earlier start times is great news for both fans headed to the track and those watching at home.”
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races will be seen on either FOX, TNT, ESPN or ABC. The 2010 television schedule for points races is below.
2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule With Start Times (All Times Eastern)
Date Day RaceSite Network Start Time
Feb 14 Sun. Daytona 500 FOX 1:00 PM
Feb 21 Sun. Auto Club Speedway FOX 3:00 PM
Feb 28 Sun. Las Vegas Motor Speedway FOX 3:00 PM
Mar 7 Sun. Atlanta Motor Speedway FOX 1:00 PM
Mar 21 Sun. Bristol Motor Speedway FOX 1:00 PM
Mar 28 Sun. Martinsville Speedway FOX 1:00 PM
Apr 10 Sat. Phoenix International Raceway FOX 7:30 PM
Apr 18 Sun. Texas Motor Speedway FOX 1:00 PM
Apr 25 Sun. Talladega Superspeedway FOX 1:00 PM
May 1 Sat. Richmond International Raceway FOX 7:30 PM
May 8 Sat. Darlington Raceway FOX 7:30 PM
May 16 Sun. Dover International Speedway FOX 1:00 PM
May 30 Sun. Lowe’s Motor Speedway FOX 5:45 PM
Jun 6 Sun. Pocono Raceway TNT 1:00 PM
Jun 13 Sun. Michigan International Speedway TNT 1:00 PM
Jun 20 Sun. Infineon Raceway TNT 3:00 PM
Jun 27 Sun. New Hampshire Motor Speedway TNT 1:00 PM
Jul 3 Sat. Daytona International Speedway TNT 7:30 PM
Jul 10 Sat. Chicagoland Speedway TNT 7:30 PM
Jul 25 Sun. Indianapolis Motor Speedway ESPN 1:00 PM
Aug 1 Sun. Pocono Raceway ESPN 1:00 PM
Aug 8 Sun. Watkins Glen International ESPN 1:00 PM
Aug 15 Sun. Michigan International Speedway ESPN 1:00 PM
Aug 21 Sat. Bristol Motor Speedway ESPN 7:30 PM
Sep 5 Sun. Atlanta Motor Speedway ESPN 7:30 PM
Sep 11 Sat. Richmond International Raceway ABC 7:30 PM
Sep 19 Sun. New Hampshire Motor Speedway ABC 1:00 PM
Sep 26 Sun. Dover International Speedway ABC 1:00 PM
Oct 3 Sun. Kansas Speedway ABC 1:00 PM
Oct 10 Sun. Auto Club Speedway ABC 3:00 PM
Oct 16 Sat. Lowe’s Motor Speedway ABC 7:30 PM
Oct 24 Sun. Martinsville Speedway ABC 1:00 PM
Oct 31 Sun. Talladega Superspeedway ABC 1:00 PM
Nov 7 Sun. Texas Motor Speedway ABC 1:00 PM
Nov 14 Sun. Phoenix International Raceway ABC 3:00 PM
Nov 21 Sun. Homestead-Miami Speedway ABC 1:00 PM
Special events give green flag to Championship Week in Miami
(IndyCar PR)
It’s a taste of Indy, the beach, fashion, food and fun as IZOD and Apex-Brasil, in partnership with the Indy Racing League, kick off IndyCar Series Championship Week with special events Oct. 2-3 in Miami that are free and open to the public.
The IndyCar Series championship and a whole lot more will be decided in the Firestone Indy 300 on Oct. 10 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
On Oct. 2, fans can mingle with IndyCar Series drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan, Raphael Matos, Vitor Meira and Mario Moraes from 6-7 p.m. at Macy’s at The Falls, located at 8888 SW 136th St. at U.S. 1 in Miami. Or get an autograph from Al Unser Jr. and Arie Luyendyk, who represent four Indianapolis 500 victories, and take a ride in the IndyCar Series street-legal two-seater (5-8 p.m.).
And check out these bonuses: The first 150 customers to make an IZOD apparel purchase of $50 or more will receive a complimentary IZOD/INDY baseball cap and autographed driver hero card. Also, the first 25 customers to purchase $20 of IZOD/INDY merchandise will receive two complimentary tickets to race day at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The hot-selling IZOD brand this year introduced a line of sportswear commemorating and drawing upon 100 years of racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The scene shifts Oct. 3 to scenic Miami Beach and the recently-opened luxury W Hotel for a full day/night of activity, including what should be a YouTube-worthy 3 p.m. beach volleyball competition between IndyCar Series drivers and lifeguards.
“Playing volleyball is great, especially when it is on the beach. That is my favorite place to be,” said HVM Racing driver and Miami resident E.J. Viso. “I’m really excited and I’m sure I will have a blast.”
Drivers will reconvene at the hotel at 6:30 p.m. for a remote water car competition – Mattel Hot Wheels cars that run on water. At 8 and 8:45 p.m. will be poolside fashion shows featuring IZOD attire and Brazilian swimwear and lingerie collections. In between, drivers will swap stories about the ’09 IndyCar Series season with Michael Young moderating.
The event will be capped with performances by Vince Mira, N.E.R.D. and Pharrell Williams. The W Hotel is located at 2201 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach.
