ICN Champion: New reservation system announcement

[INDYCAR Nation]

Hi all! More exciting news!

SPECIAL NOTICE
We are officially launching a brand new reservation system for special race weekend offers available to Champion members who will be attending the race. With this system, there will be a limited number of spaces available to reserve for pre-race access, pace car rides, pit/garage passes and other special events. You will log into your account after the designated time and reserve on a first come, first served basis.

RESERVATIONS BEGIN AT 11AM ET ON TUES, MAR. 22
FOR HONDA GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG
-35 Pre-Race/Driver Intro Passes
-10 Pit/Garage Passes
- 9 Pace Car Rides

Here's what you will do:
1. Log into your INDYCAR Nation Champion Account
2. Click on the "Member Experiences" button on the left side of the page
3. Select your product
4. Add your product to your cart (limit 1 per person)
5. Once you have reserved your item (if still available), you will receive a confirmation screen and a confirmation email with specific instructions.
6. For pit/garage passes and pace car rides, you will then be entered into our online credential system and receive a separate email explaining how to pick up these credentials.
7. For pre-race access, you will get specific instructions on what time and where to meet on race day.

Please note:
-We have increased the number of members who can attend pre-race driver introductions. However, please note that it is not open to your guests. This special access is available only to Champion members.
-Unless otherwise specified, all items on the reservation system are one per person with no guest passes available at this time.
-Please make sure you have venue tickets for the specific day the item is offered. For example, do not redeem for Pace Car rides that take place on Thursday if you aren't available to be there on that day.

[Twinpop]

Thank You Liza! It would have been nicer if we had this info a few weeks sooner....... but better late than never....
BTW.... the weather on race day is forecast to be mid eighties with loads of sunshine! bring your sunscreen!!!

[open wheeler]

Hi all! More exciting news!

SPECIAL NOTICE
We are officially launching a brand new reservation system for special race weekend offers available to Champion members who will be attending the race. With this system, there will be a limited number of spaces available to reserve for pre-race access, pace car rides, pit/garage passes and other special events. You will log into your account after the designated time and reserve on a first come, first served basis.

RESERVATIONS BEGIN AT 11AM ET ON TUES, MAR. 22
FOR HONDA GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG
-35 Pre-Race/Driver Intro Passes
-10 Pit/Garage Passes
- 9 Pace Car Rides

Here's what you will do:
1. Log into your INDYCAR Nation Champion Account
2. Click on the "Member Experiences" button on the left side of the page
3. Select your product
4. Add your product to your cart (limit 1 per person)
5. Once you have reserved your item (if still available), you will receive a confirmation screen and a confirmation email with specific instructions.
6. For pit/garage passes and pace car rides, you will then be entered into our online credential system and receive a separate email explaining how to pick up these credentials.
7. For pre-race access, you will get specific instructions on what time and where to meet on race day.

Please note:
-We have increased the number of members who can attend pre-race driver introductions. However, please note that it is not open to your guests. This special access is available only to Champion members.
-Unless otherwise specified, all items on the reservation system are one per person with no guest passes available at this time.
-Please make sure you have venue tickets for the specific day the item is offered. For example, do not redeem for Pace Car rides that take place on Thursday if you aren't available to be there on that day.

Yes, thanks Liza. It sounds as if you have gotten some good perks for Champion members for St. Pete. I unfortunately will not be there. But, my concern is for the future that by implementing the program in this fashion will not be fair to all members especially, if they don't have access to a computer. And, that members that do and have high speed internet or are more citified than rural will have a distinct advantage. I can understand things like pace car rides, two seater rides. meet and greets etc. having a limit on participants and this is a route to accomplish that. Again, not sure if it is completely fair. It might be more fair that discounts are offered for things like garage/paddock passes especially if the fan base is to grow. I mean what are you going to do if you have 1,000 Champions vying for 10 garage paddock passes. But, having said that, and realizing that we are in the formulation stages we will wait to see how this pans out this weekend. I will start a thread in the Champions group after the weekend for Champions to comment on their experience. It really sounds like it will be a fun weekend and for those of you going have a great time and good luck in the lottery.

[INDYCAR Nation]

Thanks for the feedback! We do agree with those points. In some cases, I can see that we'll be giving away a few at pre-race parties or Fan Villlage events, as opposed to putting all of our allotment up for reservation.

We would LOVE and prefer to do discounts on paddock passes, but unfortunately that is out of our control...the tracks get to decide the discounts and ticket packages. We do suggest to the tracks what we'd like to offer for Champion members...so we'll keep pushing that for every race market.

But you are right...it is a work in progress...this whole year will be a progression. We welcome all feedback!

[INDYCAR Nation]

Thank You Liza! It would have been nicer if we had this info a few weeks sooner....... but better late than never....
BTW.... the weather on race day is forecast to be mid eighties with loads of sunshine! bring your sunscreen!!!

"Better late than never" should be my personal tagline...I'll make T-shirts! And coffee mugs!

Very excited about that weather forecast, my friend...you have no idea how much that's needed.

[open wheeler]

Thanks for the feedback! We do agree with those points. In some cases, I can see that we'll be giving away a few at pre-race parties or Fan Villlage events, as opposed to putting all of our allotment up for reservation.

We would LOVE and prefer to do discounts on paddock passes, but unfortunately that is out of our control...the tracks get to decide the discounts and ticket packages. We do suggest to the tracks what we'd like to offer for Champion members...so we'll keep pushing that for every race market.

But you are right...it is a work in progress...this whole year will be a progression. We welcome all feedback!

Thanks for the reply. Nice to know there is a real person on the other side actually doing something. I do realize that tracks set policy on tickets and such. I guess my point is that in order for this to work we need to think big. If we can't offer fair perks for the Champion members we have now how are we going to grow and this all could be a fruitless effort. However, having said that I would consider it inherently unfair to put the monkey on your back. Supposedly, there are influential people on this forum and for the series, venues, and fans to prosper I think it is imperative that we work as a coalition to accomplish this. We are in a much stronger positon that way so, I challenge anyone to step up and make this the best series and fanclub by doing anything you can. I'm sure Liza would appreciate the help. Now, all we have to do is come up with a secret handshake. Good luck this weekend and have fun in the sun.

[skyfan]

Another thought--will you vary the times items go up for reservation?? Some of us who work, teach, etc. do not have computer access during the day and would thus always be excluded from these opportunities!

[open wheeler]

Actually, the more I think about it the fan experience issue could be solved by not doing a reservation system. What I mean is put your effort into fan parties and meet and greets, Q&A sesions with swag. You could have certain times for certain participation. Seven to nine for everyone (families) and nine to green flag for the hard core. At the event you would draw from the Champions there for garage/paddock passes, pace car rides, pre-race access etc. That would assure you that the winners were there. The fan parties would offer buffet and drink. Rookies and guests would be allowed for a nominal fee with a paid member. No swag or perks but, they could be entered into any of the drawings with a provided ticket and therefore could win a prize and maybe it could be a perk. Maybe even a local band. See where I'm going with this. Sounds like a hoot to me and sounds pretty fair for everyone. Wadda ya think?

[skyfan]

^^^ I like your ideas open wheeler! Having the opportunity to intereact with other dedicated fans and to meet drivers and all the other folks involved in the series makes the races we attend all the more exciting and interesting. I've made some nice friends over the years. Expanding on the old fan party model sound very good to me--create a real gathering place for the Champions group.

[RV]

Hi all! More exciting news!

SPECIAL NOTICE
We are officially launching a brand new reservation system for special race weekend offers available to Champion members who will be attending the race. With this system, there will be a limited number of spaces available to reserve for pre-race access, pace car rides, pit/garage passes and other special events. You will log into your account after the designated time and reserve on a first come, first served basis.

RESERVATIONS BEGIN AT 11AM ET ON TUES, MAR. 22
FOR HONDA GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG
-35 Pre-Race/Driver Intro Passes
-10 Pit/Garage Passes
- 9 Pace Car Rides

Here's what you will do:
1. Log into your INDYCAR Nation Champion Account
2. Click on the "Member Experiences" button on the left side of the page
3. Select your product
4. Add your product to your cart (limit 1 per person)
5. Once you have reserved your item (if still available), you will receive a confirmation screen and a confirmation email with specific instructions.
6. For pit/garage passes and pace car rides, you will then be entered into our online credential system and receive a separate email explaining how to pick up these credentials.
7. For pre-race access, you will get specific instructions on what time and where to meet on race day.

Please note:
-We have increased the number of members who can attend pre-race driver introductions. However, please note that it is not open to your guests. This special access is available only to Champion members.
-Unless otherwise specified, all items on the reservation system are one per person with no guest passes available at this time.
-Please make sure you have venue tickets for the specific day the item is offered. For example, do not redeem for Pace Car rides that take place on Thursday if you aren't available to be there on that day.

OK, so if I buy my wife a Champion membership and one of us gets selected the other can't go to the driver pre-race or garage pass? That isn't going to work for me so there would be no reason to buy her a membership. I guess that makes my decision for me.
We live north of Seattle and are attending only the Vegas race, tickets are already purchased.
Not concerned with pace car rides.

[INDYCAR Nation]

Another thought--will you vary the times items go up for reservation?? Some of us who work, teach, etc. do not have computer access during the day and would thus always be excluded from these opportunities!

YES, for sure! We plan on it.

[INDYCAR Nation]

Actually, the more I think about it the fan experience issue could be solved by not doing a reservation system. What I mean is put your effort into fan parties and meet and greets, Q&A sesions with swag. You could have certain times for certain participation. Seven to nine for everyone (families) and nine to green flag for the hard core. At the event you would draw from the Champions there for garage/paddock passes, pace car rides, pre-race access etc. That would assure you that the winners were there. The fan parties would offer buffet and drink. Rookies and guests would be allowed for a nominal fee with a paid member. No swag or perks but, they could be entered into any of the drawings with a provided ticket and therefore could win a prize and maybe it could be a perk. Maybe even a local band. See where I'm going with this. Sounds like a hoot to me and sounds pretty fair for everyone. Wadda ya think?

I like all of these ideas! As we gather steam in the next couple of months, we'll be doing some of these things, yes. But it's always budgets and manpower behind the scenes. Tracks charge for space and food, etc. Lots of factors to consider. But we'll be doing lots of events at the Fan Village, Q&A's, etc. You can count on it! We already have three for St. Pete. Good stuff! Just need some swag...that's always a tough one. ;-)

[open wheeler]

I like all of these ideas! As we gather steam in the next couple of months, we'll be doing some of these things, yes. But it's always budgets and manpower behind the scenes. Tracks charge for space and food, etc. Lots of factors to consider. But we'll be doing lots of events at the Fan Village, Q&A's, etc. You can count on it! We already have three for St. Pete. Good stuff! Just need some swag...that's always a tough one. ;-)

Having promoted some club related things, if you find an establishment (local) alot of times if you can guaruntee a certain number they will give you the room for free for the cost of the buffet and if you have an open bar then that is where they make their money. Local bands might play for minimal cost if not for food if they are looking for exposure. You could always contact the track PR for suggestions. Band is responsible for themselves, usually most clubs have a modest stage and minimal sound equipment. You are not restricted by track rules. Bus trips could make it a destination from the hotel. It really doesn't take alot of people to pull this together. I know. What it does take is time and research and I sure that is something that you have tons of. As far as swag check the IMS museum. I'm sure they have tons of it. And, most impotantly, thanks for listening!

[FullThrottle]

YES, for sure! We plan on it.

Will we always know the times? I think that was a good idea to announce the time. That way we can all plan something out if we are interested in the offerings.

[INDYCAR Nation]

Will we always know the times? I think that was a good idea to announce the time. That way we can all plan something out if we are interested in the offerings.

Yep! The goal will be to notify within 48 hours or more...via email, website and TrackForum.