Three Things.....Plus One

Three things caught my attention as I was checking out racing info on social media this weekend.....

One

I have previously stated my stance on Pay Per View events and I continue to feel that they are, overall, damaging to the sport. This is not a popular stance, especially for those who enjoy being able to stay at home and watch a race live online whether that event is close by or far away and the primary argument from the other side is that those who are dialing in a PPV were not going to be going to that event anyway so at least in this way the track can still gain some revenue by getting their cut of the fee for the telecast.

My argument is that when race fans stay home to watch a race online it will hurt the track that said fan would have likely gone out and bought a ticket for if not for the PPV.

Proof of my stance came this Saturday when a fan on the Iowastockcars forum stated that he was not coming to West Liberty because he was hosting a Dream viewing party for he and his friends. So, let's assume that this viewing party had eight people at it. I don't know what the PPV price was but let's assume $25 and that Eldora gets a 20% cut of that fee. With these assumptions that means that these eight race fans generated a total of five dollars that actually went to a race track on Saturday. Now, if not for PPV, those same eight race fans might have gone out and bought a $10 ticket at their local track generating $80 in revenue for a race track not to mention money that they might have spent on concessions. Heck, if even one of those eight actually went to the races it would have doubled the amount of money that is going to a race track.

Does this help illustrate my argument as to how the proliferation of Pay Per View is hurting our sport?

Two

Hawkeye Downs put up a post on Facebook this week asking fans to no longer broadcast the racing there through Facebook Live.

This of course drew numerous comments of how wrong this is and how could Management be so stupid. One of the comments in general went something like this.....My nephew races at your track and we live in Des Moines so the only way to get updates on how he is doing is through Facebook live. He and his crew spend a lot of money at your track and to forbid this is ridiculous.

Really? What don't you understand about this request? Granted it will be nearly impossible to enforce without having security stationed throughout the grandstand, but how about Uncle Bunky and Aunt Nona hop in the car and make the two hour drive over to buy a ticket and actually watch their nephew race rather than relying on a crappy Facebook Live feed? And, if that is not going to work how about Mom or Dad just text them the results as the evening goes by?

Again, it is about lost revenue for the race track. I don't buy the argument that someone seeing something on Facebook Live makes them actually come to the races at a later date and, even if it does, I would firmly believe that more people stay home because of it instead resulting in a net loss for racing.

Besides all of you sitting there watching the race through your phones look rather silly to me since you actually paid for a ticket, but instead feel like you have to give it "live" to others who didn't.

Three

Over on 4m the argument over race formats was brought up in regard to the Dream, but in general it had to do with the theory of "let's qualify and start the fast guys up front". I have referred to this entry many times before so no need to elaborate on my feelings, but what jerked my chain was the reference that by doing even the least little bit of inverting it is somehow penalizing a fast driver.

No, it is called putting on a show so that the fans will continue to buy the tickets. Last I checked the majority of us still like to see some passing when we go to the races and the race format currently used by UMP, Lucas Oil, World of Outlaws, MLRA, etc. does not promote that.

I went to two USAC Indiana Midget Week events last week and they qualified and then inverted six in the heats with the top four to transfer. They then inverted six in the feature as well. The racers raced and the fans showed up in droves. Isn't that what we are all looking for?

And One More....

Uggh

This one is not racing related, but it really pissed me off this morning when Good Morning America teased their story on a fraternity member's death stating that Nancy Grace will join us after the break. How this woman can be considered an expert after she totally botched the Duke Lacrosse Team rape allegation analysis is beyond me. Watch the 30 On 30 Episode and you will share the same disgust when you see that face to the right.



Okay, that was therapeutic. There are several special events coming up over the next few days so turn off your computer, leave your phone in your pocket and go out and buy a ticket. That is what our sport needs!