62 replies to this topic

[McGuire]

Originally posted by David M. Kane
Attendance was 28,000 a 30% increase over last year. In it's heyday they drew 40,000.

With the new main grandstand (2003) the actual seating capacity at Milwaukee is a bit under 38,000. The Turn 1 stand holds about 7100, the turn 4 stand around 5100, and the main grandstand accounts for the rest. (The new grandstand is larger.)

From what I saw this year's crowd "estimate" of 28,000 appears to be accurate-to-conservative, which is mildly surprising. Attendance claims are probably the biggest lies of the motorsports industry.

[David M. Kane]

I got the information from the Milwaukee newspaper website. :

[McGuire]

Originally posted by David M. Kane
I got the information from the Milwaukee newspaper website. :

There's attendance figures for you. Seldom do they bear much scrutiny.

Everyone lies about attendance, roughly in proportion to their ability to get away with it. Naturally, some venues are harder to validate than others, so you will find that in general, oval track numbers are fibs, road course numbers are lies, and street course numbers are utter fabrications. Local media are often willing accomplices in the charade -- they are enthusiastic civic boosters like everyone else.

While CART was habitually the worst, all racing series have been cooking their attendance numbers since time began. One of the more hilarious examples is NASCAR's annual tradition of claiming an "estimated 100,000" for the Watkins Glen Cup race.

That said... tracks, promoters, and series appear to be finally and slowly backing away from the time-honored tradition of lying about the gate. NASCAR doesn't lie much about its numbers; it doesn't have to. Meanwhile, sports event promotion has become a very professional business. It's not carny stuff anymore. You can't lie to your business partners; you'll get caught. You have to deliver the deliverables or you don't get paid.

[Ross Stonefeld]

I'd think it'd be very easy to audit. How many tickets did you sell. Sure a small % won't actually make it to the event but at the same time not everyone in the seats is paying attention to every logo on every car so in the grand scheme of their value receipts should be a fairly accurate measurement.

[McGuire]

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld
I'd think it'd be very easy to audit. How many tickets did you sell. Sure a small % won't actually make it to the event but at the same time not everyone in the seats is paying attention to every logo on every car so in the grand scheme of their value receipts should be a fairly accurate measurement.

Well sure, where some outside party has the authority to audit. Which historically is almost never, because that is the last thing the promoters have wanted. But in cases where there is outside auditing, for example Miami or Sportsman's Park, the real ticket sales numbers come in amazingly lower than the attendance claims. Like under 15,000, where the attendance claims were 30,000+.

But as time goes on you will see less and less of this monkey business, because the corporate and government entities that title-sponsor these events will not stand for it. They increasingly demand honesty and transparency when they lay down their bucks.

[David M. Kane]

The good news is that appears unification is drawing people back to open-wheel racing in the USA.

[Flat Black]

Hear, hear, Dave.

[pingu666]

dont they need tobe reasonably acurate for health and saftey?

[McGuire]

Originally posted by pingu666
dont they need tobe reasonably acurate for health and saftey?

Not an issue unless they undercount, which is not likely.

[McGuire]

Originally posted by David M. Kane
The good news is that appears unification is drawing people back to open-wheel racing in the USA.

Indeed. On to Texas.

Will be interesting to see the crowd and the response there. Texas is usually a pretty good reflection of whatever is going on at the moment. Gossage is an aggressive promoter.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Whats alarmingly amusing is that in the strongest OW fields we've seen really in a decade, Roth cars are 3rd and 15th in first practice.


What...the...hell

[Rob G]

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld
Whats alarmingly amusing is that in the strongest OW fields we've seen really in a decade, Roth cars are 3rd and 15th in first practice.


What...the...hell

Larry Curry must have fitted some special rear wings.

[Rob G]

Originally posted by David M. Kane
The good news is that appears unification is drawing people back to open-wheel racing in the USA.

I'm not convinced quite yet. I just wonder how much of it is an increase in interest, and how much is the fact that for spectators there are far fewer races from which to choose.