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F1 teams question Bernie re high ticket prices


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#1 HuddersfieldTerrier1986

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 12:36

From Autosport: http://www.autosport...t.php/id/115879



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#2 Lotus53B

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 12:52

And Bernie will probably say that if the teams want the megabucks that they get from the Concorde Agreement, the price has to remain high - drop the ticket price 30%, and the prize money drops 20%, and they'd all go broke.

 

I know that wee Ecc is notoriously cagey on how much wonga is raised, but does anyone have any idea how much money comes from circuit fees versus media fees?



#3 pdac

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 12:56

Questionning the pricing and also emphasiing the need to be at 'traditional' venues. Don't they know, Bernie knows best. Maybe Bernie should tell them that if they want lower ticket prices then he will have to charge the circuits less money and as a result he'll have to pay the teams less.

 

It's such hypocracy when the teams all were happy to hand over the commercial right to Bernie and were happy to take the extra money he brought to them, but now when they see the results they make a little rumble.

 

They need to tell Bernie in no uncertain terms that it's got to change and they are prepared to take whatever measures are necessary to achieve that.



#4 ardbeg

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 13:02

A decent ticket cost €350 -700 for a weekend and that is of course too much for most families, specially since you must add travel and accommodation to it. Still, the best tickets are usually sold out so Bernie wont care.



#5 pdac

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 13:07

A decent ticket cost €350 -700 for a weekend and that is of course too much for most families, specially since you must add travel and accommodation to it. Still, the best tickets are usually sold out so Bernie wont care.

 

Bernie won't really care if none of the tickets are sold. It's the promoter that will care.



#6 Kobasmashi

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 13:12

Surely if they drop the prices the increased volume of spectators would at least partially recoup the money lost?



#7 Jamiednm

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 13:37

Surely if they drop the prices the increased volume of spectators would at least partially recoup the money lost?

 

Yep, you'd think so. And the circuits would make a lot more money through more merchandise and food & drink sales.

 

There is also too big a disparity between prices at different venues. I'm not going to bother with Silverstone until their ticket prices are addressed. It's actually better value for me to go to a foreign venue like Spa or Barcelona.

 

I'm going to Singapore this week and I must say, the ticket prices there are very reasonable.



#8 Zoetrope

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 13:49

Surely if they drop the prices the increased volume of spectators would at least partially recoup the money lost?

Maybe partially is the key word. Why please the fans when you can optimise profit. And if you have to pay the ridiculous hosting fee to Bernie, you really better optimise your finances.



#9 johnmhinds

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 13:56

You know what, MAYBE they should have done some of this "market research" before they started voting all the new dumb rules over the last year...

 

Up until a few weeks ago they were all pulling the corporate line saying the double points, sparks and the standing restarts, etc.. were going to draw in more fans? Why the change of tune this week?

 

 

Yep, you'd think so. And the circuits would make a lot more money through more merchandise and food & drink sales.

 

There is also too big a disparity between prices at different venues. I'm not going to bother with Silverstone until their ticket prices are addressed. It's actually better value for me to go to a foreign venue like Spa or Barcelona.

 

I'm going to Singapore this week and I must say, the ticket prices there are very reasonable.

 

 

Because the race is heavily subsidised by the Singapore government.



#10 HuddersfieldTerrier1986

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 14:01

Another issue in a sense is that tracks have to make money otherwise they'll go belly up, and with the escalator put into every contract, realistically it's a case of them having to constantly increase prices just so they can hopefully try and make a bit of money as well as being able to afford the yearly increase in hosting fees.



#11 Buttoneer

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 14:17

Dieter Rencken was on the case two years ago.

 

http://plus.autospor...2082.1406540498 (subscriber article)

 

...a ticket for a reasonable three-day seat panned out at over £300, meaning a family father-of-four would need to shell out £1200 for a weekend's entertainment, and there can't be 30,000 fathers with both sufficient interest in F1 and sufficient wedge in Germany in this day and age. In Germany, Georg Seiler, the Hockenheim CEO, told this column that he would be prepared to drop ticket prices to, say, €200 (£150), "but nobody can guarantee me we would have a full-house under those circumstances…"

 

The thrust of the article is actually that even if Bernie were to reduce the hosting fees, and the circuit followed suit, hotels would still boost prices for the GP weekend by 200%, food would still be 4x what one might expect for a burger or a bottle of water, taxi's charging double-rate and the local fiscal authorities would still charge a 'Grand Prix tax' on all accommodation etc for the weekend.

 

I just don't think the teams have got the right target.



#12 MikeV1987

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 14:26

Good, the prices are stupid compared to Indy Car, but its not just the tickets, its literally everything else too, so unless you live in the area you are going to pay big money to attend a race weekend. Even if i wanted to spend a weekend in Montreal for the gp, it would still cost me less to go on vacation in the carribean for a whole week!


Edited by MikeV1987, 15 September 2014 - 14:29.


#13 Gorma

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 14:27

I think there is more money to be earned in F1. The business model is just outdated and decline in earnings has nothing to do what is happening in the races. Lack of internet presence and free content is what is killing the sport. You don't make addicts by limiting the supply. People either quit or look for black market sources and that's what has happened. Only die hard fans stay and you are not getting anymore. People can afford rising ticket prices, but if they are not into the sport there is no way of attracting them. 



#14 Lotus53B

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 14:32

The taxi I got with friends from Spa to Francorchamps on the morning of the race was surprisingly reasonable, even if did think we were never going to get there when he shot past a police checkpoint at somewhat north of 110kmh, yelling a cheerful "Bonjour" to the cops...

 

Actually, having been back on non-GP weekends, I don't think prices actually went up at all (the campsite "Parc de Source" was exactly the same price in September the following year), so I think the Belgian scalpers claim fewer than most.

 

And after my niece told me how much food and drink were at the Leeds festival, I don't think that the prices at GPs are inflated relative to other, similar, events with captive audiences.

 

And living in Edinburgh, and watching the prices for everything rocket for the three weeks of the Festival and Fringe (the Ibis hotel near my work went from £59 per night to £239), it looks to me like standard practice.

 

The ticket prices, however, are, in my opinion, a wee bit ludicrous.


Edited by Lotus53B, 15 September 2014 - 14:33.


#15 johnmhinds

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 14:32

Dieter Rencken was on the case two years ago.

 

http://plus.autospor...2082.1406540498 (subscriber article)

 

 

 

The thrust of the article is actually that even if Bernie were to reduce the hosting fees, and the circuit followed suit, hotels would still boost prices for the GP weekend by 200%, food would still be 4x what one might expect for a burger or a bottle of water, taxi's charging double-rate and the local fiscal authorities would still charge a 'Grand Prix tax' on all accommodation etc for the weekend.

 

I just don't think the teams have got the right target.

 

 

Sure, but reducing the entry ticket prices by £600 for a family of 4 would make a huge difference for people who want to bring their families or even just their kids to watch a race.

 

At the moment the crowds who attend a grand prix are largely made up of 20-50 year old guys with their friends, there needs to be more focus on getting a wider range of people to attend races.


Edited by johnmhinds, 15 September 2014 - 14:33.


#16 Jon83

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 14:52

I didn't find ticket prices especially high on either of my two visits to Monza (2010 and 2011 and decent seats both times) but obviously if you throw all the additional costs on top of it, its a very expensive weekend. For me, the experiences of both will live with me forever as the greatest sporting experiences I have ever had, so I was willing to pay what I needed to do to make that happen.



#17 MikeV1987

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 15:00

out of curiosity, how much have you guys spent over a gp weekend? tickets, hotel, etc



#18 PlatenGlass

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 15:14

Wolff said that they'd "dared" to discuss ticket prices. Come on - you're adults. If you give the impression that you're all scared of him, then it's just going to go to his head even more. The whole situation regarding the teams and Bernie is pathetic.

#19 Exb

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 15:23

out of curiosity, how much have you guys spent over a gp weekend? tickets, hotel, etc

For me to go to Monza (including everything - flights from UK, hotel (Thurs-Mon), transport to the circuit, transport to and from airports (both in UK and Italy), food and tickets (pit straight bleachers)) was just a shade under €600. 



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#20 Clatter

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 15:25

Surely if they drop the prices the increased volume of spectators would at least partially recoup the money lost?

Only at circuits that don't currently get near their capacity. Well attended GP's would be worse off.

 

Dieter Rencken was on the case two years ago.

 

http://plus.autospor...2082.1406540498 (subscriber article)

 

 

 

 

The thrust of the article is actually that even if Bernie were to reduce the hosting fees, and the circuit followed suit, hotels would still boost prices for the GP weekend by 200%, food would still be 4x what one might expect for a burger or a bottle of water, taxi's charging double-rate and the local fiscal authorities would still charge a 'Grand Prix tax' on all accommodation etc for the weekend.

 

I just don't think the teams have got the right target.

It's the best possible place to start though. 

 

I've been going to Silverstone for years and the only cost to me is the entrance fee. I live out of the car in the car park, take all my own food and drink and spend nothing on the overpriced merchandise. 


Edited by Clatter, 15 September 2014 - 15:28.


#21 Nonesuch

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 15:27

Surely if they drop the prices the increased volume of spectators would at least partially recoup the money lost?

 

Partially, perhaps, but that depends on a lot of additional factors. Lowering the tickets to increase the number of spectators seems fine, but where are all those extra spectators going to stay the night? How will they get to the circuit? Will hotels, camping sites and perhaps even airlines adjust their pricing?

 

More importantly perhaps; the tickets is only a part of the total cost, and things like travel, food, drinks, possible merchandise etc. isn't something about which the tracks themselves have much say. Visiting an F1 race isn't suddenly going to become WEC-levels of cheap because ticket prices on the Turn 3 stand are dropped by 10%. :p



#22 bourbon

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 15:44

out of curiosity, how much have you guys spent over a gp weekend? tickets, hotel, etc


$8,000.00 at COTA for 2. Inagraul race; but never go again. Cheaper to attend in Europe.

#23 Jon83

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 15:57

out of curiosity, how much have you guys spent over a gp weekend? tickets, hotel, etc

 

I was about 300 euros for my weekend tickets. 200 euros return flights (Scotland - Italy) and several hundred euros for my hotel stay in the centre of Milan. I found the city itself to be very expensive for eating in though cheap to get around.

 

I can't remember the exact amount but all in, it was probably around 1200 euros give or take and might even have been a bit more.

 

I dare say it could be done cheaper.

 

These prices were only for me. My Dad was with me and his costs were obviously pretty much the same.



#24 Kristian

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 16:06

The thing is, ticket's aren't that bad value for money if you take into consideration what you get... 

 

Usually for a 3-day ticket (based on my experiences in Melbourne, Montreal and Monza) I've paid around £150 for the cheaper end of grandstand seats. For that I get... 

 

4hrs of F1 practice

1hr of F1 qualifying

1.5hrs of F1 race

 

Then you add in the support races - this varies from venue to venue but you get around 2.5hrs of support action per day on average, so let's say 7.5hrs overall.

 

THEN you add in other entertainments around the venue, which makes for a jolly good day out. And at all the races I've been to there has been the open pit day for fans too, but anybody can turn up to those usually so I won't include that in the ticket price.

 

So overall, you get 14 hours of racing action for £150 in my case, or even £300 if you want to go to a better corner (but I don't really mind, as all grandstands tend to have screens now). That is £10.71 per hour of action on the cheap, or £21.43 per hour of action on the more expensive tickets. And you get all day access to everything else for that. Then if you get general admission, then those costs go down even more. 

 

Compare that to a Premier League ticket - the cheapest matchday ticket to see Chelsea is £41, or £27.33 per hour of match time. 

 

OK F1 is different in that the cost of getting to the venue is more, accommodation is needed, etc. so that pushes it up for the fans (unless they are lucky enough to live in the city it takes place), but overall I don't think the value for money is too bad. 

 

However, if you want to take the family it is blooming expensive, so there should definitely be better family options available, as that would bring up the numbers maybe. 



#25 Kristian

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 16:10

I was about 300 euros for my weekend tickets. 200 euros return flights (Scotland - Italy) and several hundred euros for my hotel stay in the centre of Milan. I found the city itself to be very expensive for eating in though cheap to get around.

 

I can't remember the exact amount but all in, it was probably around 1200 euros give or take and might even have been a bit more.

 

I dare say it could be done cheaper.

 

These prices were only for me. My Dad was with me and his costs were obviously pretty much the same.

 

When i went to Monza, i did it amazingly cheap...

 

- My ticket was 130 Euros for a 3-day grandstand on the run up to the Parabolica (in 2009, that was £113). 

- I got flights to Milan return for £2 with Ryanair; add in £13 for return bus to the airport though in Italy, and £5 return to Liverpool.  

- I couchsurfed with an F1 fan for free, who also provided me with food. I spent around £10 on a gift for her. 

- The rest of my expenses were on beer and wine, but I spend that anyway in the UK

 

So overall it cost me £143 for a whole F1 weekend experience! (minus booze). 



#26 Buttoneer

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 16:37

When i went to Monza, i did it amazingly cheap...

 

- I got flights to Milan return for £2 with Ryanair; add in £13 for return bus to the airport though in Italy, and £5 return to Liverpool.  

 

Plus air passenger duty.



#27 garagetinkerer

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 17:02

I didn't find ticket prices especially high on either of my two visits to Monza (2010 and 2011 and decent seats both times) but obviously if you throw all the additional costs on top of it, its a very expensive weekend. For me, the experiences of both will live with me forever as the greatest sporting experiences I have ever had, so I was willing to pay what I needed to do to make that happen.

Courageous chap... may be i would have done so when i was single :p

 

note: just noticed your other post... that's not half bad i say. Why? Look below for an explanation!

 

$8,000.00 at COTA for 2. Inagraul race; but never go again. Cheaper to attend in Europe.

Yep... i was planning to go last year, and then i looked at the prices (overall including flights etc.)... i would rather spend that sort of money on something else. Ahem, a nice pair of speakers and other gear, and still have some change left.



#28 redreni

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 17:14


Because the race is heavily subsidised by the Singapore government.

 

Exactly. It doesn't happen in the EU anymore which, at the risk of upsetting Ensign, is one of many benefits of EU membership as far as taxpayers in member states are concerned. However there's nothing stopping Ecclestone chasing higher hosting fees outside the EU by getting corrupt regimes to compel their citizenry to subsidise the events whether they're interested in motor racing or not. Except pressure from the manufacturers to have a strong presence in their biggest market in which F1 is popular and promoting their brand through F1 has the biggest positive impact on their market share, namely Europe. In a way, it shouldn't matter where the races are held because Europeans are still watching on television, but full grandstands containing knowledgable fans definitely makes a difference to how the sport comes across on television.

 

As to Ron Dennis' question about why nobody turns up to Hockenheim, Wolff is German and it's clear from what he says that he knows the answer. Germans are used to tickets for elite sport and entertainment being reasonably priced. If the ticket's aren't reasonably priced, most Germans don't go, it's as simple as that. I don't know what scientific experiement he wants to do to find out why Hockenheim doesn't sell as many tickets as it used to. Before Schumacher came to dominate, they used to get very big crowds there, but the tickets were cheaper. The tickets were still cheaper than now when Schumacher was at his peak. When Vettel was at the peak of his recent run of success they struggled to sell out. Why? It's not the lack of a hero driver, Ron, it's the ticket prices. And even if it is the lack of a hero driver, you can't pull another Michael Schumacher out of thin air, you've still got to pitch the tickets at a price where they will sell in today's market.



#29 Jon83

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 17:16

Courageous chap... may be i would have done so when i was single :p

 

note: just noticed your other post... that's not half bad i say. Why? Look below for an explanation!

 

Yep... i was planning to go last year, and then i looked at the prices (overall including flights etc.)... i would rather spend that sort of money on something else. Ahem, a nice pair of speakers and other gear, and still have some change left.

 

I didn't find things bad money-wise. Milan itself was pricey and the hotel especially but it was opposite Centrale so it was never going to be cheap. 

 

I didn't pay more for anything than I expected, Put it this way, the experience for me, was worth every penny. It is the most spectacular and thrilling sporting event I could ever imagine attending. 



#30 johnmhinds

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 17:20

Does anyone have have any historical prices of tickets for the european races?

 

How much was a ticket to Hockenheim 5-10 years ago vs what it was this year?



#31 Dolph

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 17:28

$8,000.00 at COTA for 2. Inagraul race; but never go again. Cheaper to attend in Europe.

 

8000 USD ??? Are you serious!? That's the price of half a new car...

 

I paid 1000 EUR for grandstand tickets for two in Silverstone 2013 + parking ~100 euros + car rent and hotel. But 8000 USD!?!?!? Jesus, did you get a paddock pass?
 



#32 JHSingo

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 18:24

Find it rather funny that some countries are only just recovering from the global financial meltdown, and F1 teams have finally realised that tickets are way too expensive. Good job. :up:

 

Never let it be said that F1 is detached from reality. :lol:



#33 loki

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 18:27

8000 USD ??? Are you serious!? That's the price of half a new car...

 

I paid 1000 EUR for grandstand tickets for two in Silverstone 2013 + parking ~100 euros + car rent and hotel. But 8000 USD!?!?!? Jesus, did you get a paddock pass?
 

You can't get much of a new car in the US for $16k.  You're looking at 20-25 for anything that's not a stripped down economy model.  One part lost on some from that side of the Atlantic is the flight over to the US.  It's the same for us to go over there.  We've looked at coming over for a few races and the costs are between US$5-7k for a week for two.  And that is doing it economically.   About US$4400 in travel and lodging, plus food, race tix, ground transport and incidentals.  There isn't much to be saved by going over just for the races.  In fact depending on the flights it could cost a bit more.  Getting a tour package for the event only is a bit less expensive but the flights and accomodations are limited in dates and times and can't be changed.  We don't want to travel all that way and just spend 3 days.



#34 KWSN - DSM

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 18:36

Seems that the teams more and more are suggesting the same solutions this Forum have been suggesting for past 10 years. Still not agreeing to this as any kind of voice of reason, is the rearrangement of deckchairs if anything.

 

Solution to most of F1's ill's and woe's can still be handled through an application of common sense, which is in short supply with teams, commercial rights holder and international federation.

 

:cool:



#35 bourbon

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 18:37

8000 USD ??? Are you serious!? That's the price of half a new car...

 

I paid 1000 EUR for grandstand tickets for two in Silverstone 2013 + parking ~100 euros + car rent and hotel. But 8000 USD!?!?!? Jesus, did you get a paddock pass?
 

 

Not any car I would buy :p   

 

It was crazy high for a GP vacation.  The GS (bar level) COTA tickets were $1,200 each (1 time since I was out of state and we bought early), plus it was a vacation too, so we stayed 7 days in a nice hotel, rented a car and restaurant prices were nicely jacked up for the 2 meals + tapas/drinks each day.  Combined with the flight and other trivia (including team gear at the race), it came to a little over 8k.   No paddock pass, but because it was year 1 and COTA security was at best, confused, we walked in RBR gear into the driver parking lot and met all the drivers and took pictures with them, then walked the rear paddock, so all in all cool for a 1 time thing.

 

When I lived in Europe, we could do a vacation at the Barca race for 1/5 of that price.  Even now, including the flight from the USA booked in advance, it would only be 1/2 that.  Of course you don't get the paddock and driver access, but you also don't get cleaned out for 8k.


Edited by bourbon, 15 September 2014 - 18:38.


#36 otbevo

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 20:14

It was crazy high for a GP vacation.  The GS (bar level) COTA tickets were $1,200 each (1 time since I was out of state and we bought early), plus it was a vacation too, so we stayed 7 days in a nice hotel, rented a car and restaurant prices were nicely jacked up for the 2 meals + tapas/drinks each day.  Combined with the flight and other trivia (including team gear at the race), it came to a little over 8k.   No paddock pass, but because it was year 1 and COTA security was at best, confused, we walked in RBR gear into the driver parking lot and met all the drivers and took pictures with them, then walked the rear paddock, so all in all cool for a 1 time thing.

 

When I lived in Europe, we could do a vacation at the Barca race for 1/5 of that price.  Even now, including the flight from the USA booked in advance, it would only be 1/2 that.  Of course you don't get the paddock and driver access, but you also don't get cleaned out for 8k.

 

That's crazy man... I went to the 2012 race also and had a blast, but at roughly a 10th of your cost for everything.  General admission tickets at COTA are where it's at IMHO... nobody was closer to the cars in T1 at the start than me, and then I just walked around to different places over the course of the race.  Not a bad vantage point from almost anywhere.  Bought the GA tickets again for me and the wife this year and with onsite parking it was around $600.



#37 garagetinkerer

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 21:12

That's crazy man... I went to the 2012 race also and had a blast, but at roughly a 10th of your cost for everything.  General admission tickets at COTA are where it's at IMHO... nobody was closer to the cars in T1 at the start than me, and then I just walked around to different places over the course of the race.  Not a bad vantage point from almost anywhere.  Bought the GA tickets again for me and the wife this year and with onsite parking it was around $600.

You must live within driving distance... flights, hotel and whatever else have you will bring it up. Even if i were to share some expense with a friend who's planning a similar trip, it still will be more expensive. easily about 3k. Again, good-great speakers, plus other gear, plus change for pizza + beer!



#38 otbevo

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 21:39

You must live within driving distance... flights, hotel and whatever else have you will bring it up. Even if i were to share some expense with a friend who's planning a similar trip, it still will be more expensive. easily about 3k. Again, good-great speakers, plus other gear, plus change for pizza + beer!

 

I live in New Mexico, but we fly into Austin.  Only expense we didn't have was hotel (stayed with some friends).  Depending on the hotel, that's a pretty penny at the race time rates though... just depends on the amenities  :)



#39 Kristian

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 22:04

Plus air passenger duty.

 

Nope, it was an all-in promo. 

 

I remember some friends got flights to Dublin for 1p each way all-in! (the even showed me the transaction printout as I couldn't believe it). But this was a few years ago... 



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#40 pdac

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 22:11

$8,000.00 at COTA for 2. Inagraul race; but never go again. Cheaper to attend in Europe.

 

I could get 20 years of Sky Sports for that (not that I would).



#41 chunder27

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 13:34

GP racing has long since been banished to the world of non attendance for me. Last time I went was a freebi in 1999 to watch qualifying as guest of my emplyer at the time, and I left after a few hours, was bored senseless.

 

When you think people were saying that 30 or so quid to watch testing the week after the race was good value, then you know things have gone out of control. I could do 3 clubbies for that, countless other events that are free.

 

It seems people think it perfectly acceptable to pay over 200 pounds to watch sport.

 

I don't and never will.

 

It's greed, always has been and for those that pay it you are only allowing the common man and and the man with sense to royally take the mickey out of you, as you are not really getting value for money.



#42 V8 Fireworks

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 13:43

out of curiosity, how much have you guys spent over a gp weekend? tickets, hotel, etc

 

But why should it be more expensive than 10 quid to go see British GT & F3, with 8 pounds for some meat pies and cold warm beer?  Plus a few quid in petrol to drive there and park in the car park for free.

 

[Can you tell I am Australian and am trying to British-ise it for you. V8 supercars is nearly as bad!]


Edited by V8 Fireworks, 16 September 2014 - 13:44.


#43 V8 Fireworks

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 13:49

You can't get much of a new car in the US for $16k.  You're looking at 20-25 for anything that's not a stripped down economy model. 

 

Bullsh*t...  Americans can buy a very zippy Civic SI for around $21-22k...  Economy model!?  It has a blind spot camera for crying out loud, how fancy is that! :D

 

They are not popular so are discounted heavily, Australians pay around $36-40k+ for similar cars (Golf GTI, focus st etc)... Americans may want their BMW M3 for $55k, but they don't need it (it's more like $130k here in Aussie land! ;) ).



#44 Tsarwash

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 14:23

Does anyone have have any historical prices of tickets for the european races?

 

How much was a ticket to Hockenheim 5-10 years ago vs what it was this year?

The cheap, cheap seats at monte Carlo used to be 100 or 200 francs. Obviously that was quite a while ago. 



#45 Collombin

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 14:28

Does anyone have have any historical prices of tickets for the european races?


You really don't want to know.

#46 MrMan

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 14:54

I had a brief conversation with my father in law earlier this year about wanting to attend Silverstone next year and mentioned how expensive I thought the tickets were (£175 for general admission). He said that he went to a GP at some point in the 60's or 70's and that the ticket prices adjusted to todays prices were roughly similar. I couldn't believe it myself, I thought it would have been much cheaper in those days.



#47 Lotus53B

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 15:00

In 1998 I paid £190 for weekend tickets at Spa, stand Silver #1* - this year, tickets for the same stand were £310 for the weekend.

 

It's now called Silver #1, then it was Silver #2



#48 johnmhinds

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 15:54

In 1998 I paid £190 for weekend tickets at Spa, stand Silver #1* - this year, tickets for the same stand were £310 for the weekend.

 

It's now called Silver #1, then it was Silver #2

 

That seems to be pretty much in line with inflation.



#49 king_crud

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 16:04

I paid something like $300 AUD for gold grandstand at Adelaide and Melbourne in the mid 90s, no idea what it costs now though



#50 CrushedDreams

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 16:17

I have commented on this before (in the COTA threads). Like I have said before: If 'they' can not get me to buy tickets this year, 'they' are in trouble. Our group went from 11 tickets last year, to 2 this year (I am not one of the 2).

 

I feel that overly expensive tickets (along with the deteriorated at the track experience) will eventually destroy the fan base.

 

It doesn't have to be cheap, but it needs to be priced for families to be able see the cars and teams, and many of those children will begin to dream about them. This will foster the next generation of F1 fans. Fans that will someday want to bring their families to have the same experience. The same tickets we had last year were being sold for about $660.00 each, $200.00 for a parking pass, plus .. $$.  It adds up, and when you remove Fanvison and most of the support races what do you have?

 

The current environment is about maximizing every dollar possible right now. Does Bernie think that a corporate customer, getting a freebie ticket, will lead to a new fan? That they will be someone who will want to spend their time and treasure to follow the sport, let alone bring their families to a race? Maybe.

 

The typical race fan used to be marketing gold because they were incredibly passionate and loyal.

 

This is not just an F1 problem, it is happening in other sports as well.