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

You're lucky - Mizzou must not have figured out that they can create more revenue by charging yet (pretty much everyone in the Big12 charges to park for football (and I'd venture to say most of the SEC does as well)) including those teams that are HORRIBLE (KU for example) - I don't believe anyone charges to park for basketball because it's a "winter" sport and if it's snowing and -20 outside, who is gonna be able to hold the $$ and count it.  Iowa State charges $10 per car in the tailgating lots and you have to be a DONOR to park in the paved lots near the football stadium (been that way since I started going to games 25 years ago).

As far as your business 101 example, yes, that is true that more people = more $$, however you also have to use your average attendance #'s when putting together a business plan.  You can't just open the gates, not charge to park and expect more people to show up (you have to advertise to get them there).

In order to entice NON-racefans or casual fans to the facility you have to advertise (and that costs $$$).  If the # of people in the stands today doesn't cover expenses, where is the $$ going to come from to advertise and get more people to attend (the facts are that the fanbase of RACING (not just Knoxville) is getting older and dying off and the # of butts in the seats gets less and less every year from the die-hard fans because they are no longer alive).  The "casual fans" have to be catered to and your facility has to meet THEIR standards (restrooms, WiFi, Twitter, Apps for phones, etc.) in order to get them to come back on a regular basis.

Even the die-hards expect and DEMAND upgrades but don't think that it costs $$$ to pay for them.  They announce an expansion project that can BRING IN REVENUE (rent for a resaurant, suites that people are willing to pay to use TODAY (but there aren't there to rent) to offset expenses yet most people are on Facebook complaining that they need a new JumboTron that brings in ZERO revenue because they can't see it from section AA.

People @ the North Campgrounds wanted nicer restrooms/showers, yet COMPLAIN about camping going up $100 for the season (yet they didn't raise camping rates for 10 years in a row).  People in the stands want a better sound system and nicer restrooms (unless they raise ticket prices to pay for the upgrades where is the $$ gonna come from??).

Like it or not, Knoxville Raceway is a BUSINESS.  it's not a Fair Association putting on stock car races, it is a BUSINESS that pays taxes just like every other business (sales tax, payroll taxes, etc., etc..).  For every $1 you give them for your ticket to get in, they give $.05 to the state, $.01 to the schools (tax added by the state of IA a few years ago) and $.01 for the Local Option Sales Tax (it's Marion County Wide).  Same goes for their prepared food sales in the concession stand, beer sales at the beer stand and so forth.

I've got another newsflash for you, If you are paying $15 to get in every week than you aren't taking advantage of the programs the raceway has put together to save you $$$$$.  Spend $50 at Casey's the week of the race (on one receipt) and bring the receipt to the ticket window and you can get 2/$20 on tickets (even if you pay $5 to park, that still is $5 less than paying full price) and they put you in a drawing to win a prize (Casey's fuel card was a prize EVERY WEEK last season).  I don't know ANYONE that doesn't spend $50 on a gas everytime they fill up these days.

If they charged to park at any PA track, they would burn the place down...

Shoot, I wish that they would charge $1.00 more for GA and put that money into the weekly purse but I also know that, that in and of itself would start a riot... 

Opinions may vary...

You must not get out much.  EVERYONE charges to park.  I-Cubs, Iowa Events Center, Iowa Speedway (instead of charging you seperate, it's part of your ticket cost).

If you've ever been to a MAJOR event (Superbowl, Daytona 500, Indy 500) you'd probably keel over at what it costs to park.

I went to the 50th Daytona 500 a few years back.  Parking was $100 per car (or $100 per spot your vehicle took up) to park in the Mall and you may walk a mile or more to get to the grandstand.  My ticket to the race was $99 so it costs more to park than to attend the actual event.  Closest free parking was 6 MILES from the venue.

You can park for FREE on the city streets in Knoxville (I've never parked more than 2 blocks from the racetrack in my life and that includes the Nationals) and have never once paid to park.

I wish people could read,,never said I parked at the door, but reading wasn't a finer point in Oklahoma.

They also aren't charging you to park 6 blocks away.  You are complaining that parking right next to the facility isn't free.  Well you can't get free parking right next to any facility.  You are paying for the convenience of not having to walk.  You are the one that can't make up your mind of what you want to complain about.  You said that you can go to a game at MU or STL and not have to pay to park.  The same thing applies to Knoxville.  But just like those places if you want to park close you will pay.  My reading comprehension is just fine it's your argument that is off.

But yet you're complaining that they are charging to park on the grounds (which is essentially the door at any other venue).

People are going to complain whenever any change takes place. They will always find something to complain about. 

Im just thankful that the track is able to make it without having to run fendered cars weekly!

I get out plenty...Iowa Cubs...like I said before you have got to be kidding. I don`t care where you have been or think you have been, I`m talking about home town dirt track racing...there are more people out there that are pissed about this than just me. It goes back to my question about other tracks and there weekly shows.

Missouri Football Parking fees for the public - $25 and link for proof.  http://www.mutigers.com/gameday/getting-here-single-public.html

And like anything (including your concerts) very rarely can you go to an event, and there is not a premium price for parking close. Yes you can find free parking, as I normally do for all events. But then again I'm not afraid to walk a good distance.

Lets talk about business 101 - The point of a business is to make money. From your example, I would take option A, as in this weak example Option A makes more money than option B. Maybe you should have added 1 more car to your example for you to get your point across.  But again this is the real world, you cant guarentee that you will get 3-4 more cars of ticket buyers by not charging for parking.

Maybe the old system wasnt working, they were not getting those additional 3-4 cars, so they needed to find a way to increase revenue. Please note, running a business is not as easy as snarky business scenarios. You have to actually look at the black and white facts of the current business model including revenue versus expenses.

People fail to realize that Hyvee makes money every week for selling parking, the lot fills in and people utilize it, what is the harm in charging for parking - Please remember there is still free parking on the fairgrounds (just not as much).

ok,,now the campgrounds bathrooms,,not improved or cleaned any better last year after the additional fees. Will wait and see this year. And you are so out of date on not raising the rates in 10 years. You don't camp out there and don't have a clue what really goes on there unless someone tells you, so don't get involved in the campground.

Spend 50.00 in gas in a week,, no way,,drive a Honda,,40 mpg and that's driving to Knoxville every week.

This whole conversation started by someone asking a simple conversation about charging to park. I agree I don't think they should. When they nickel and dime me enough I will spend my entertainment money else where.

You may pull your taxes and expenses on someone that may not have a clue, but I retired early from running a successful service dept at a car dealership,  by figuring out ways to attract more customers in the door than by trying to get every nickel and dime out of someone every time they come in.

business is about getting more "butts" in your place of business, The more that is there the more chance you have of getting more money out of shirt sales, concessions, etc. I will bet those 6 extra people will spend more than the 10 dollars you were ahead to start with.

http://www.mutigers.com/gameday/getting-here-maps-directions.html link to free parking at MU games..but like you said,,don't mind walking a little

If you are talking about Knoxville the guy in charge has even said he would rather not have weekly shows just special events though out the year...so there goes the sprint cars on a weekly basis

If I was in charge of a business, and my responsibility was to insure profitability, I would look at every answer.

We know the weekly shows lose money. If he ran no weekly shows and only specials, the fairgrounds profitability would more than likely go up. But I'm sure the impact on Knoxville's economy as a whole would be too great.

+1

Nobody here is going to argue that we want Knoxville to survive, but at times we are going to question their thoughts, even if it is on here.

I spend 8 hours on the road almost every week to attend weekly shows at Knoxville for the simple reason that I love sprint car racing at that track...I have been all over this country just to watch sprint cars because they are not in my area...call it bad business or greed that closed my local tracks, myself and alot of other fans around Knoxville are upset with this "pay to park "

Then don't pay it.  If nobody pays to park there and finds another place to park and they start losing money they will reevaluate their stance on it.  As long as people are going to pay $5 for the convenience of not walking a block or two they will be there to collect their money for that convenience.  Its not like there is paid parking and thats it.  If you dont like to pay for parking then find a free spot that works for you.  Nobody is forcing you to park in those spots.

I will not pay to park...I have talked to people around the campground and they said the same thing as me but it only takes a few to keep this thing at the race track going {pay to park}.....With all this said I will walk and have walked to the track...but it still doesn`t answer my question is this something normal at other tracks across the country ????

as far as paid parking at local tracks goes, i would say it all depends on your area and track. in my area some do charge and some don't. been that way for years.

also as some people have said, k-ville has had paid parking areas for years, yet you seem to think it is something new.

if you don't like paying to park and you think it is not right, then make the choice to show your displeasure by not going at all and let the track know why.

just a note, if less people refuse to park and pay in the pay to park areas one or two things will happen....or both.

the rates will rise in the pay to park section, or the pay to park sections will grow. or they will just raise the rates and everyone parking on the grounds will pay.

you see it is their game in their sand box.

so you might say if people don't go they won't have a game. that is true, but then you just cut your own thoat.

to indy and beyond!!

In Ca.,not all Fairgrounds Tracks charge for Parking!!...but i'm thinking the majority do!!....The Pas' (Perris) had charged $5.- up until 2yrs. ago,when it WENT UP to $8.-??!!....lota noise was made bout the increase,but it hasn'nt changed a thing!!...stil $8 bucks.!!......just added cost ($$$$) to travel from Phx.!!.....

________________

Brucer'(Brewskis') 

 And no parking fee's at any of our dirt tracks here in AZ.

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true.