NASCAR race at Richmond that sold 112,000 tickets a decade ago is now struggling to fill 60,000 seat

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Continuing a theme from about a month two and a half months ago:

Nascar, Once a Cultural Icon, Hits the Skids; Stock-car racing's popularity declines

NASCAR race at Richmond that sold 112,000 tickets a decade ago is now struggling to fill 60,000 seats

By MICHAEL PHILLIPS Richmond Times-Dispatch 15 hrs ago

A thrilling day of side-by-side racing came down to the final laps, with several big-name drivers jockeying for a victory that ultimately went to Joey Logano. ... The only thing missing was the crowd.

A race that drew a sold-out grandstand of 112,029 just a decade ago mustered perhaps a quarter of that during Sunday’s running. NASCAR doesn’t release attendance figures, but the venue, which has been trimmed to around 60,000 seats, was half-full at its peak and far emptier when Logano crossed the finish line. ... “It’s 90 degrees and the coverage on TV is pretty excellent,” said Denny Hamlin, after the race.

Attendance issues aren’t just at RIR — many NASCAR tracks are battling declining attendance. But it’s a pressing concern for track president Dennis Bickmeier, who declared after the race that “everything’s on the table,” including a potential move back to night racing.
....

Hamlin took a long view, emphasizing that for hard-core race fans, being at the track doesn’t have the same appeal it has in the past. ... “Viewing sports is different now than what it’s ever been,” he said. “People with smartphones are watching races and games in the back of their car going up the highway. You don’t have to attend these races anymore to get a good experience. ... “We live in a different world now.”

[e-mail]

[phone]

Twitter: @michaelpRTD

[underpants]

1. RV's rolling out today

I must have seen at least so far.

Problems with NASCAR
Went mostly to Fix Sports 1 (and some NBC time) basically disappeared from the sports landscape. ESPN mentioned it in passing but little if no reporting. Sports radio barely mentions it.

Out priced their core audience which is dying anyway.

Over expanded.

They moved what was traditionally a Saturday night race in Richmond to Sunday afternoon. The day long "prep" and Sunday recovery/travel day is gone.

[MFM008]

2. The times

They are a changin.....

[ghostsinthemachine]

3. Going to get worse, much much worse

With Jr retiring. I haven't watched a race this year, not having my driver J Gordon racing really changed racing for me. Imagine fans of Jr aren't going to have an easy transition. The new guys, well Jimmy Johnson is cool,but my Grandma could contend with that crew. The racing is compelling, but more than any sport, racing is about life long personality connections with your driver.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

4. Might it be simply the aging of

the audience? That's a lot of what happened with horse racing.