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

Pay per view revenue. Any other questions?

I wish I knew how to make all the words different colors. ;)

It's my understanding, that the WoO are puting this race on, not Knoxville Raceway.

Per the information provided to media. This event is 100% a WoO show. They are renting the facility and putting the show on themselves providing the purse money. Knoxville is not paying any sanction fees or purse money. Knoxville receives none of the Pay per view money from this event. 

The truth is the purse can't be covered .     This model of racing without fans in the stands is not sustainable.  If the Outlaws are renting the track then that shows that a track can't afford to have a race without fans.  Because the Outlaws aren't going to wave or lower the sanction fees for tracks.   The Outlaws have a business model and they need revenue to maintain that business.

Simple math will tell you that PPV will not bring enough money to sustain the model of fan less races.

Just to make the math simple.  Assume 5000 fans at $30 a ticket which is $150000.  So to equal that much revenue 5000 people would need to purchase the PPV for $30.  And it might have that many people buying right now because people want to see racing. But how many are going to spend $20 to $30  per race?  I would say not many of us.  Why do all the services offer a yearly plan because it is a better value for the consumers.    So in my opinion it is not a workable plan to assume fans will spend $20 to $30 when a yearly package is what $5 or less per race.     And what stops one friend from buying the race and their friends come to the house and watch the race.    The only way fan less racing works is 5000 people at the track are the same 5000 that individually buy the race.

I think we all know (well I hope most know) that this is not going to be sustainable or that it will be the new normal. I think this is a move to just get something on the track anyway they can. 

The reality is the month of May is basically a no go for having fans in the stands at any scheduled tracks or in any sprintcar hotbeds. Considering they are talking about NFL & college football games being played without fans in 2020, it might be writing on the wall it will be the same for racing. This move is more of trying to keep WoO moving anyway possible. Does that mean break even or operate at a loss? Only they can answer that. I'm sure they are & everyone are itching to get people back in the stands but a lot of that is out of everyones hands so we have to make adjustments as best as possible

A shame they can't have fans. Knoxville is the one track in the country that has enough grand stand capacity to seat thousands of people 6' apart and still no fans?

 
 
 
They don't even know how to spell sprint car 
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com

Exactly,  a weekly show at Knoxville  (in the stands) front stretch  and I think back is closed... is social distancing 101.

My guess is that Knoxville opens to fans as currently planned on May 16.   

I believe that this a test run to prove to state and county officials that this part of the show can happen safely....it is the toughest part of the whole deal.   

I agree this would be the best place to give it a shot.  The problem is getting all of the average fan to listen once they are in the facility.  I think the average American is so dumb right now, they would screw it up on the first try.  

WTF difference does it make.  Theyre racing, and if you want to see more, Id suggest supporting the PPV.. I will/

Freedom is the first thing that comes to mind to me, watch all the ppv  you choose however explain how 4 or 5 people working on a race car is safer than let's say 3000 people in a 20,000 seat stadium . 

It’s not. It’s rediculous. But it is what is allowed right now. So let’s keep moving forward with what we can. 

" I think the average American is so dumb right now"   Wow..... think much of yourself?

Once again, I think George Carlin said it best.

If anyone has Floracing and watched the first of three nights of no fans in the stands Late Model racing last night they saw an interesting twist.  Sponsors were literally calling in donating to a front row challenge that grew to over $25k with each donation announced in real time.  There are a lot of sponsors, businesses and individuals all over the US wanting to help jump start racing right now.  While I don't expect the Outlaw race to take on the appearance of a telethon like that Late Model race did I'd guess that there must be an avenue for those wanting to come on board and help make this event happen.

That is the kind of cooperation and support it's going to take for the short term to get things going again.  I believe that the business model of offering multiple races at a low cost aka package deals like fast pass work against the PPV only situation.  None of us know the bottom line of any of the parties involved but we can all surmise that money is tight right now and they have to be innovative and think outside the box.  

Stan Meissner

That LM race last night was entertaining with all the last minute call in's pledging money, it was heartwarming to see signs of life in the racing industry!    The actual racing had it's moments too,   I am pretty sure that I have never before heard the phrase "Is he going to open a White Castle and throw a slider?"

But it shouldn't be called the Front Row Challenge,   TMac (rightfully) pointed out on Twitter that it is a registered trademark....and with everybody calling in and offering cash bonus's on their own terms, it turned into the Top 4 Challenge.   

I don't think Knoxville or anywhere else is going to be able to open until there are plans in place for proper social distancing.  Everyone is focused on spreading out the crowd in the stands, but the focus needs to be placed on the concession stand, beer stand, bathrooms, enetering the facility etc.  Once there is a realistic policy in place for that along with seating in the stands that is realistically able to be enfroced you'll see more stuff open.  That is the same issue for movies and other entertainment venues. 

Let me give you an example:

In my wonderful state of Illinois, our Governor has made it illegal to be in a place of business without a mask---effective today.  So, agree, or disagree, these businesses must abide by the rule/law.  So, this morning my daughter has to go to work at the local gas station and is mortified of the response she is going to get as her boss has already told her not to serve anyone not wearing a mask.

So, this morning Facebook is blown up with people being told they will not be served at various businesses all over the county.  They are never going back, can't believe this is America, ripping on the employees who told them the policy, on and on and on and on. 

So, yes, the average American is dumb right now.  Why rip on employees that are doing what they are told by their boss?  Why ban Menards because of their policy following the health officials guidelines?  And, even worse, the employees trying to take home a paycheck?

To be real honest, I don't think the masks will do shit.  But, I'm going to wear one, because it's the law and I don't want to put some of those hard-working people in a bad spot.

So, let's translate this to the race track.  You're going to take these same idiots who have no regard, or respect for any type of authority or people just doing their jobs, and put them in the stands at a race?  And expect them to do the right thing?  No.  They're too dumb at this point.  The first race with fans would likely be the last because they wouldn't be able to put away their pride for 3 hours and not ruin it for everyone else.  

I would not be one of the "average."  I would follow the guidelines----so, I do think much of myself. 

I think you would be surprised about how many people want to watch racing on PPV right now. Last week Speedshift had DDOS protection kick in when the PPV started because so many people were attempting to log in at once that their site security thought they were under attack. That stuff does not happen unless there is an absolutely massive increase over the highest amount of traffic the system expected. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that more than 10,000 people watched that race on Speedshift. I don't know their numbers and I could be way off but when I saw that site security shutting everything down I knew it was going to be a good night (financially) for those guys.

The demand may die off a little bit once NASCAR is back, as I had friends who watched the Speedshift race who don't even care about dirt racing. They just wanted to see some type of race live and this was pretty much the only one happening world wide. None the less I think it is very possible for tracks to make money as long as they don't flood the market. Once 20-30 tracks attempt to run with PPV you will see things slow down for each one to the point of being not sustainable.