85 replies to this topic

[ARTGP]

To be fair, this comes against the backdrop of the COVID economy. Not that I doubt prices would have increased without COVID....but who do you think had to pay the hosting fees at those spectator-less GPs in 2020? 

Edited by ARTGP, 17 September 2022 - 15:55.

[Gareth]

I think there's been a post-covid bounce for "events" generally. People want to be at big events in person more than ever.

As well as F1's rising popularity, that's just massively increased demand. It was pretty incredible seeing the number of people that turned up on Friday and Saturday last year, for example.

[TomNokoe]

What are the "affordable" races to view these days?

Hungary?

Hungary is ludicrously expensive to fly to, I think because it's positioned on the calendar in the height of summer.

We did Barcelona this year, arrived Fri morning, left Mon morning. Even though it was a disaster organisationally, it was very cheap.

Weekend grandstand tix £230pp with exceedingly good views of T1,2,4,5,6.

3 nights hotel on La Rambla £110pp total

Flights to BCN £150pp

Metro/train pass for the weekend £15pp

This is roughly £500pp and it could be knocked down with "worse" seats, hotel and booking the flights well in advance.

Thankfully Barcelona isn't seen as a marquee race, so it's never *that* busy.

Edited by TomNokoe, 17 September 2022 - 16:18.

[monolulu]

Hungary is ludicrously expensive to fly to, I think because it's positioned on the calendar in the height of summer.

We did Barcelona this year, arrived Fri morning, left Mon morning. Even though it was a disaster organisationally, it was very cheap.

Weekend grandstand tix £230pp with exceedingly good views of T1,2,4,5,6.

3 nights hotel on La Rambla £110pp total

Flights to BCN £150pp

Metro/train pass for the weekend £15pp

This is roughly £500pp and it could be knocked down with "worse" seats, hotel and booking the flights well in advance.

Thankfully Barcelona isn't seen as a marquee race, so it's never *that* busy.

The great thing about Barcelona is that if you are over 60 you get tickets half price yay! 

[Clatter]

To be fair, this comes against the backdrop of the COVID economy. Not that I doubt prices would have increased without COVID....but who do you think had to pay the hosting fees at those spectator-less GPs in 2020? 

 

I thought the fee was waived. I seem to remember there was a bit of an argument as Silverstone wanted paying for the spectator fees as well. Don't know how that was resolved.

[Silverstone96]

So I’ve attended every British GP since 1996 (bar 2018 for birth of son and 2020 for obvious reasons), Silverstone has changed beyond recognition in that time.

I still love the place but as it’s so flat I’ve always felt a grandstand seat was essential, the audience has definitely changed though from glory hunters in 90’s chasing Mansell and then Hill, the leftovers of just Anoraks in the 00’s, patriotic brits enjoying Hamilton success the last 10 years and now things have changed again with DTS.

Noticed the change in the last couple of years with the real arrival of the Netflix crowd, mostly younger, less responsibilities, more disposal income.

But the demand now is bigger than ever, I used to always book my tickets well into the new year but that’s not longer possible. The pricing structure and new “dynamic” model is frankly bonkers but Silverstone will justify it by saying prices aren’t too high if it’s sold out every year.

And as someone else alluded to on here, many of those moaning are still buying tickets. Myself? I’ve decided the crazy rat race is no longer worth it and it might be a while until I do again, although not cheap the Silverstone classic is much better value so will be sticking with that.

[Alfisti]

Who goes to these events? They sound over crowded, under staffed, lack of food, water and toilets, general air of chaos and monumentally expensive. Couldn't pay me to go.

[Clatter]

So I’ve attended every British GP since 1996 (bar 2018 for birth of son and 2020 for obvious reasons), Silverstone has changed beyond recognition in that time.

I still love the place but as it’s so flat I’ve always felt a grandstand seat was essential, the audience has definitely changed though from glory hunters in 90’s chasing Mansell and then Hill, the leftovers of just Anoraks in the 00’s, patriotic brits enjoying Hamilton success the last 10 years and now things have changed again with DTS.

Noticed the change in the last couple of years with the real arrival of the Netflix crowd, mostly younger, less responsibilities, more disposal income.

But the demand now is bigger than ever, I used to always book my tickets well into the new year but that’s not longer possible. The pricing structure and new “dynamic” model is frankly bonkers but Silverstone will justify it by saying prices aren’t too high if it’s sold out every year.

And as someone else alluded to on here, many of those moaning are still buying tickets. Myself? I’ve decided the crazy rat race is no longer worth it and it might be a while until I do again, although not cheap the Silverstone classic is much better value so will be sticking with that.

 

They used to have an early bird offer for a period after the tickets became available. It was quite a good discount, and I always got mine as soon as they were available. That was a month or so after the GP for a long time, and then they started releasing them the weekend of the GP, so I would be sitting in the stand booking for the following year.

[JimmyClark]

Hungary is ludicrously expensive to fly to, I think because it's positioned on the calendar in the height of summer.

We did Barcelona this year, arrived Fri morning, left Mon morning. Even though it was a disaster organisationally, it was very cheap.

Weekend grandstand tix £230pp with exceedingly good views of T1,2,4,5,6.

3 nights hotel on La Rambla £110pp total

Flights to BCN £150pp

Metro/train pass for the weekend £15pp

This is roughly £500pp and it could be knocked down with "worse" seats, hotel and booking the flights well in advance.

Thankfully Barcelona isn't seen as a marquee race, so it's never *that* busy.

Is Barcelona still "dry" at the event?

[IrvTheSwerve]

Is Barcelona still "dry" at the event?

 

Sounded like it was difficult to even get water at the event...

[IrvTheSwerve]

I know 7 people who have decided not to go because of this fiasco, and that they feel the changing price is a total ripoff.

 

Yep. I won't bother looking for tickets the day after they release because I'd feel like I'm being ripped off.

 

I'm sorry but £359 literally for access to a race track is crazy, especially as the GA view at Silverstone is rubbish. And then they have to cheek to create GA+ sections where you pay even more.

 

I've loved my visits to the GP down the years, I really have...but Silverstone are seriously pushing my loyalty. I know it's a business and they are filling the place still, so they won't really care...but it is a shame. The unfortunate truth is they could probably price every grandstand seat at £1000 and still more or less fill the place.

[ARTGP]

I thought the fee was waived. I seem to remember there was a bit of an argument as Silverstone wanted paying for the spectator fees as well. Don't know how that was resolved.

 

True, it looks like they agreed to waive the hosting fees, but I don't think they got any of that expected revenues from spectators. Now I'm not saying BRDC isn't just being "capitalistic" seeing how much they can squeeze out of it, but they missed an entire year of spectators (not just F1, but motorsport activity in general in 2020 due to lockdowns and what not), and they are going to have to recoup that somehow. 

Edited by ARTGP, 18 September 2022 - 15:00.

[Clatter]

True, it looks like they agreed to waive the hosting fees, but I don't think they got any of that expected revenues from spectators. Now I'm not saying BRDC isn't just being "capitalistic" seeing how much they can squeeze out of it, but they missed an entire year of spectators (not just F1, but motorsport activity in general in 2020 due to lockdowns and what not), and they are going to have to recoup that somehow. 

 

I wonder how much they really need to recoup, and how much government support they received? I feel this is all just a sign of the greed within the sport.

[Silverstone96]

The thing is Silverstone are meeting the demand with supply and they will sell out. I also understand they are squeezed so much that they are passing on this squeezing to the fans but it’s clear Liberty are aiming for a different, more well off and affluent audience now.

I also checked my emails today for past bookings, I paid £190 for a seat in village A grandstand on race day in 2019…that same stand just for Sunday for 2023 is now £439!

Edited by Silverstone96, 18 September 2022 - 18:10.

[pjv1990]

Those prices gave me one hell of a shock. The last time I attended the British grand prix was in 2013 and I think I paid £189 for a 3-day ticket in the national pit straight grandstand (with a roving seat for Friday and Saturday). I had a Sunday general admission ticket in 2010 and that cost me £135 if I recall correctly. As much as I love F1 I have to admit that £319 for a weekend general admission ticket is a complete joke, and that's before you get to the £400-£700 one day grandstand seats. Yet if people are willing to pay and the race continues to sell out every year then nothing is going to change. Prices will keep going up. You have to ask 'how much is too much?'. If things keep going as they have been then we'll be looking at £500-£600 for a weekend general admission ticket before long.

 

Surely this isn't sustainable in the long run? How long will the madness continue before something breaks and the powers that be realise this isn't sustainable? 

 

If stricter budget caps were introduced and effectively policed then prize money should also be reduced. F1 should also work to reduce its overhead costs as much as possible. Perhaps then hosting fees could be renegotiated which should in theory lower ticket prices. Could this work in theory? Silverstone used to be able to host over 200,000 people on a race day (I think it's around 140,000 now) so perhaps an expansion of capacity could help mitigate the ticket price fiasco? 

 

What could be done to address ticket prices? Or do we have to accept that F1 and Silverstone don't want cheaper tickets, leaving only the elite and well off being able to afford to attend the British grand prix? 

[Sterzo]

I wonder how much they really need to recoup, and how much government support they received? I feel this is all just a sign of the greed within the sport.

Silverstone is owned and run by the BRDC. They have no government support. They are a club, who do not distribute a profit to shareholders. Greed has nothing to do with it.

[Clatter]

Silverstone is owned and run by the BRDC. They have no government support. They are a club, who do not distribute a profit to shareholders. Greed has nothing to do with it.

 

They are still a business, so would have expected they could get help during covid.

[Primo]

The thing is Silverstone are meeting the demand with supply and they will sell out. I also understand they are squeezed so much that they are passing on this squeezing to the fans but it’s clear Liberty are aiming for a different, more well off and affluent audience now.
 

I wonder how much that well off and affluent audience will appreciate GA at Silverstone though. Affluent people tend to not appreciate staring at someone else's neck for two hours.

[ARTGP]

Silverstone is owned and run by the BRDC. They have no government support. They are a club, who do not distribute a profit to shareholders. Greed has nothing to do with it.

I would have to think BRDC take their pay checks from the revenue of all activities at the circuit. Or is managing a circuit year round considered an unpaid hobby? That’s rough 😂

Edited by ARTGP, 18 September 2022 - 20:33.

[noikeee]

We did Barcelona this year, arrived Fri morning, left Mon morning. Even though it was a disaster organisationally, it was very cheap.

Weekend grandstand tix £230pp with exceedingly good views of T1,2,4,5,6.

3 nights hotel on La Rambla £110pp total

Flights to BCN £150pp

Metro/train pass for the weekend £15pp

This is roughly £500pp and it could be knocked down with "worse" seats, hotel and booking the flights well in advance.

Thankfully Barcelona isn't seen as a marquee race, so it's never *that* busy.

If you put it like this, you're making me quite tempted on Barcelona next year...

[Clatter]

Hungary is ludicrously expensive to fly to, I think because it's positioned on the calendar in the height of summer.

We did Barcelona this year, arrived Fri morning, left Mon morning. Even though it was a disaster organisationally, it was very cheap.

Weekend grandstand tix £230pp with exceedingly good views of T1,2,4,5,6.

3 nights hotel on La Rambla £110pp total

Flights to BCN £150pp

Metro/train pass for the weekend £15pp

This is roughly £500pp and it could be knocked down with "worse" seats, hotel and booking the flights well in advance.

Thankfully Barcelona isn't seen as a marquee race, so it's never *that* busy.

Are there camping grounds there?

[Silverstone96]

Those prices gave me one hell of a shock. The last time I attended the British grand prix was in 2013 and I think I paid £189 for a 3-day ticket in the national pit straight grandstand (with a roving seat for Friday and Saturday). I had a Sunday general admission ticket in 2010 and that cost me £135 if I recall correctly. As much as I love F1 I have to admit that £319 for a weekend general admission ticket is a complete joke, and that's before you get to the £400-£700 one day grandstand seats. Yet if people are willing to pay and the race continues to sell out every year then nothing is going to change. Prices will keep going up. You have to ask 'how much is too much?'. If things keep going as they have been then we'll be looking at £500-£600 for a weekend general admission ticket before long.

Surely this isn't sustainable in the long run? How long will the madness continue before something breaks and the powers that be realise this isn't sustainable?

If stricter budget caps were introduced and effectively policed then prize money should also be reduced. F1 should also work to reduce its overhead costs as much as possible. Perhaps then hosting fees could be renegotiated which should in theory lower ticket prices. Could this work in theory? Silverstone used to be able to host over 200,000 people on a race day (I think it's around 140,000 now) so perhaps an expansion of capacity could help mitigate the ticket price fiasco?

What could be done to address ticket prices? Or do we have to accept that F1 and Silverstone don't want cheaper tickets, leaving only the elite and well off being able to afford to attend the British grand prix?

I’m the same as you, somewhere you have to draw the line on these silly prices and it’s impossible to justify the expense. The problem is that even if f1 expenses are less for teams with things like cost caps they will not pass those savings onto the tracks and fans, it’s not in their mindset especially whilst they are maximising the current popularity.

I may be wrong but I don’t think Silverstone has ever managed to hold 200k on one day, certainly in my time going since the mid 90’s it’s always been a steady 80-100k on race day until the last 5 years when they increased it to 140k due to Hamilton factor.

And having experienced last 2 years and how crowded it was to even move around on the perimeter of the track I really can’t see how Silverstone could cope with increasing capacity yet further, maybe 150k at a push but that’s it.

[IrvTheSwerve]

Silverstone could probably do with another 2 or 3 grandstands really. It’s a matter of time until they build one on the Club GA area. 

[Silverstone96]

Silverstone could probably do with another 2 or 3 grandstands really. It’s a matter of time until they build one on the Club GA area.

There isn’t much GA area left there as it is. Cant think of any other tracks that have grandstands on every single corner.

[TennisUK]

Yeah hadn’t been to a GP since 2019. Used to do two a year for much of the previous decade so get a bit odd watching from home.

Total chaos for Silverstone tickets this year. In the end opted to got hospitality with my brother in law as a: I had been trying for two days to buy a ticket with no luck (kept being kicked off the queue) and b: the prices appear to have gone up quite ridiculously for some tickets.

As another poster pointed out offline, we’re going to have to quaff a LOT of champagne given what we’ve paid (and no doubt we will try our best) but we’ll try and remember what will hopefully be a very memorable day (my brother in law’s 40th, too)

[BRG]

I’m the same as you, somewhere you have to draw the line on these silly prices and it’s impossible to justify the expense

Simple law of supply and demand - basic O level economics.  If there are more people who want tickets than there are tickets available, you raise the price until you have one ticket left unsold.  It's how almost everything is priced but you don't usually see it so overtly.  The airlines do it of course, so thank Stelios and O'Leary for that.  But even Corn Flakes or socks are priced in the same way.  

[Silverstone96]

Simple law of supply and demand - basic O level economics. If there are more people who want tickets than there are tickets available, you raise the price until you have one ticket left unsold. It's how almost everything is priced but you don't usually see it so overtly. The airlines do it of course, so thank Stelios and O'Leary for that. But even Corn Flakes or socks are priced in the same way.

Of course and I fully understand why Silverstone are milking the cow whilst it’s full of Netflix flavoured milk even if the dynamic pricing leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

I was referring to my own personal line, everyone is different with how much £ they can justify but after 25 plus years I can no longer justify these prices myself.

[JimmyClark]

Simple law of supply and demand - basic O level economics. If there are more people who want tickets than there are tickets available, you raise the price until you have one ticket left unsold. It's how almost everything is priced but you don't usually see it so overtly. The airlines do it of course, so thank Stelios and O'Leary for that. But even Corn Flakes or socks are priced in the same way.

You're right, of course. But at least with airlines you know if you plan 9 months in advance you will likely get a good deal (unless there's a big event or something on).

In the old days f1 tickets would have an early bird price, and then the full price. This dynamic pricing is just taking advantage, and is most detrimental to the grassroots fans most. More likely the place will be full of more "event seekers" than the fans who have been going for 20 years or so.

[BRG]

I thought that dynamic pricing was just that - as tickets ran out, so the price went up?  Same as Ryanair?

[loki]

I thought that dynamic pricing was just that - as tickets ran out, so the price went up?  Same as Ryanair?

It’s based on demand at that time irrespective of how many are left.  There have been instances of live event pricing where tickets were more for those in the first frenzy than those buying later for the same area.  It’s happened here a couple of times for some of the concert residencies.  

[Roadhouse]

Screw 'm, other events offer better racing for a fraction of the price while having full access.

[BRG]

It’s based on demand at that time irrespective of how many are left.  There have been instances of live event pricing where tickets were more for those in the first frenzy than those buying later for the same area.  It’s happened here a couple of times for some of the concert residencies.  

Ah, I see.  So probably better to try at 3am in the morning or something?  They are probably giving them away then!

[TomNokoe]

Are there camping grounds there?

Catalunya I don't think so, but it's so painfully easy to get to there's no need to camp.

The big camping races as far as I can tell are Silverstone, Austria, Hungary and Spa. We camped in Austria this year with a company called "GPTents" who did everything for us.

[Clatter]

Catalunya I don't think so, but it's so painfully easy to get to there's no need to camp.

The big camping races as far as I can tell are Silverstone, Austria, Hungary and Spa. We camped in Austria this year with a company called "GPTents" who did everything for us.

Was Austria a good event to attend?

[JimmyClark]

Was Austria a good event to attend?

 

Austria is brilliant, but I went a few years ago before it got super busy with the Dutch contingent, so I'm not sure if it's a bit more hassle now. But we camped there and had a great time, and spent our evenings visiting the nearby villages for food/drink. 

Edited by JimmyClark, 20 September 2022 - 15:07.

[loki]

Ah, I see.  So probably better to try at 3am in the morning or something?  They are probably giving them away then!

 There is a base price for each seat.  Ticketmaster is claiming comparatively few seats (12% or so IIRC) are sold at dynamically increased prices most of those being premium seats.  For example Roger Waters went on sale a few months back using dynamic pricing.  The floor sold fast at dynamically increased prices.  The gig is Oct 1 and there are still a couple thousand seats at face value.  Just not on the floor.  In the resale market those are $1000 plus.  Cheapest is $55, good seats in the 100 level are $225.  Both face value.