Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I heard there may have been some grumbling about how much eldora charges to sell. This is one reason some have joined forces to sell out of one trailor. In light of the amount of money taken in at the KR it almost seems trivial to charge to sell especially when it adds to the event. I can see charging a vendor not connected to a car/driver.  

I agree 100%

I've thought for years that charging drivers/teams to sell T-shirts and such is a crock of bull----! That's why there are several that sell outside of the fairgrounds at the Knoxville Nationals. I also think charging is tough on the lesser funded teams. Those teams and drivers need every bit of income they can get to sometimes just keep going. Racing has become corporate minded in nearly every aspect. And in many ways, corporate mentality in racing just plain sucks!

I remember in years past part of the contract with WRG was platinum teams got to set up for $100 per event.  Maybe htat is no longer the case??  Don't know.

Given that the facility is there to make money, it's really their call on whether or not they charge the teams.  Is it fair to the other vendors if they don't charge everyone the same? 

So a non-driver t-shirt vendor should pay, a food vendor should pay but a team shouldn't?  See the problem here?  For one group to get preferential treatment may run off the other groups.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but hard to tell one person they have to pay and then give the primo locations to people that don't pay a dime.  Just my opinion though.

Since none of us on here know (unless someone on here is with a team), what is the fee?  $50, $500, $1000??  Isn't much on the Eldora website about it.

I've considered that arguement about what's fair when deciding who to charge. My thoughts on that have alway been this. Who is it that is attracting all the fans to the facility? The facilitie's event, and the drivers/teams of course. The other vendors whether it's food, souveniers or what ever are benefitting from the large gathering of potential customers because of the event and the popularity of the drivers and teams. So charging other vendors is only right. They should not get a free ride. They are not the attraction, follow me? There is a difference in who benefits from what, and why.

From a fan's perspective only, I can understand why the track would charge. Just like in any business, location location location. I can't speak for all tracks but at Knoxville there are plenty of other options as far as realestate to sell shirts, where you wouldn't have to pay the premium price of being on the fairgrounds. 

You see vendors, tee shirts and food, on the fairgrounds year after year so ask them if it's worth it. Obviously it would take a larger percentage of sales from the smaller guys. 

Like Vande said, you're going to charge the food vendors so why wouldn't you charge the trailers selling shirts, taking up the same amount of space? Selling shirts isn't a right, its a luxury, and if done right a team can make a nice chunk of change selling tee shirts.

Sell tee shirts out of the car hauler. If you're tight on money you probably shouldn't have a separate tee shirt trailer anyways. 

Keep It Real

The enormous difference between a food vendor and a driver is that the food vendor isn't your main source of entertainment for the evening. The drivers/teams supply the product by which the track can make cash off of. 

The simple math is the Kings Royal has for years generated a huge profit for the track, and to nickle and dime the racers who risk their lives in providing that, seems bush league to me. 

I think the Fairgrounds is the CHEAPEST real estate during the Nationals for food or t-shirt vendors. 

I think you also have to look at supply and demand.  There isn't a lot of supply when it comes to vendor space or parking at Eldora or Knoxville.  you have 20,000 fans looking for a place to park or camp with very limited supply.  That makes their real estate in higher demand than say a place that has 800 acres of flat land for parking but only has 500 fans coming to the race.

To some people, the racing is secondary, the vendors and atmosphere are the attraction (and that includes a variety of food vendors).  I know people that have come to the Nationals for YEARS and have yet to ever go inside and see the actual races.  They come for the parties, food and Dingus. 

From my understanding, the biggest issue with the Raceway vendor parking in years past were that not everyone was treated the same (or charged the same), and that changed last year.

Exactly

" I know people that have come to the Nationals for YEARS and have yet to ever go inside and see the actual races.  They come for the parties, food and Dingus.".... really???

Thats weird, they must lead boring lives otherwise. Are they coming with friends who are interested in the racing? That might make a little bit of sense, otherwise, just weird

     Weird yes, but probably no weirder than all those people that go to Sturgis for the party atmosphere.

I have always rather walked through the pits to the different drivers to get my shirts. Although obviously that doesn't work for everyone.

I only go to the Nationals to steal bicycles and beer while everyone else is at the races. It's getting harder and harder to find people dumb enough to leave their coolers and bikes unlocked these days. Nationals just isn't what it used to be. My free beer count drops every year.

Normally I wouldn't walk across the street for it, but a buddy called and had an xtra ticket for the push truck race(?) Wednesday. I'll ask one of the vendors what it costs to set up. 

I've never been to Sturgis, but I GUARANTEE its  a much wilder party than Knoxville!

Yep.  Some of those have come for 20+ years.

I know some that Camp in the North Campground and have for 15+ years and don't ever go to the races.

For some people it's about the social aspect, it's not about the racing at all.  And that includes many people that live in Knoxville as well.  The % of people that live in town that actually go to the races is very small.  Some have lived here for their entire lives and have never stepped foot on the fairgrounds.

I can confirm.... I also know people that don't go to the Nationals but go for the atmosphere, dingus, people etc. 

Keep It Real

I went to the truck race last nite & asked a couple vendors what it cost to set up.  $1500 + 15% for the trucks, $1200 + 10% for the KR and Ohio is the only state where they have to pay sales tax. I bought a opperman shirt off the guy I was talk.                                                 

I left after a couple heats & a pizza steak, it was awful. 

NHRA has done this for years.

I don't agree with it but, it is another way for tracks or the series to make money

Only thing I don't get is the % of sales.

There is no way anyone can prove what the sales are for sure.

The Iowa State Fair tried to implement a "fair dollars" program last year because they want more $$ from the food vendors and they are sure the food vendors are under-reporting their sales (they use the same system, flat fee and % of sales).

It was a collossal PR failure.