They don't waste time. Higher prices for Milwaukee next year

[Z28]

This is a two sided coin. You want he race but you don't want to pay such high prices. My thought was Andretti was big timing people by asking for renewals 11 months early, Indy is the only place that even comes close to asking for renewals that quickly.

The big problem is for Saturday you only get the one race, which doesn't last 2 hours and there's not even a lights race for that price. That's just too steep. For comparison my top row main grandstand seats were $64 now $79, this week at Iowa top row tall grandstand $60. Almost the top of the NE Vista for the 500, $85.

The Garage, Paddock and pit pass all together is the same as the two separate this year, and if it includes GA Friday that's the only bargain. The big bump on Friday is not going to help at all. Like most people here said, there are a lot of fests in Wisconsin and this is double what any others cost. Everybody patted Michael on the back for having the Fest in the infield but I didn't think it was the best idea to put it there and thinking that people will be willing to pay for that again is a mistake. If he simply had it outside the track, charged everyone $5 or even $10 to get on the grounds Friday he'd do better.

Like everything else in INDYCAR, if you jump on the bandwagon and praise someone to high heaven right off the bat, that praise is short lived.


Those of you who want to complain about ISC, ask yourselves what you paid for Chicagoland tickets to the last race there and believe me when I tell you the last race at MIS I bought tickets that Friday night in Jackson from the trailer the track had there for $25. And they paid the sanctioning fee.

[Ganassifan]

My seat was $49.00 this year, next year the same seat is $65.00. I purchased 2 seats so that's $32.00 more. I'd say that's a sizable increase.

About 30 percentish. That's huge.

[Unzerdog]

maybe he made the mistake of giving them away cheap the first time.

[Hitokiri]

That's why Bulls fans that can't afford season tickets at the United Center get Bucs tickets for when the Bulls come into town. A drive to Milwaukee isn't much different driving time than negotiating downtown Chicago. Besides depending on your cup of tea you can stop off for some Wisconsin cheese, get some groceries at Woodmans or hit the adult book store along the way,,,,lol.

Haha...forget Bulls fans how about Cubs fans. :P

Great point though and thanks for backing me up.

[Chaparral4]

Haha...forget Bulls fans how about Cubs fans. :P

Great point though and thanks for backing me up.

No worries, I know we are just FIBs to you cheese heads but it's cool,,,lol. I looked for you at the track but never saw you. I did see our friend who said he would be wearing a Team Penske Marlboro crew shirt. I just didn't know he posted here until I got home Friday night and read his post. I would've said hi had I known.

[fenderless]

$34 to $84 for a reserved grandstand seat seems reasonable to me.

Seems reasonable to this poster as well- minor-league prices for a major-league experience.

[Chaparral4]

Seems reasonable to this poster as well- minor-league prices for a major-league experience.

Z28 does make a good point though. Only one race for the day. In years past Indy lights also ran the same day, often before the big boys go. Granted this year they ran on Friday and only 13 cars took to the grid but you still get more bang for the buck if both races are the same day.

[Mearsfan53081]

If they're going to increase the price....they should increase the race distance.

[catchme@241]

If they're going to increase the price....they should increase the race distance.

There will be more on track activity next year.

[stnkypete]

If they're going to increase the price....they should increase the race distance.

Do they increase the size of a gallon of milk when they increase the price?

[rappel]

Wait. They know whoever buys tickets now is the hardcore fan, so they can raise them on those people.

[Mearsfan53081]

Do they increase the size of a gallon of milk when they increase the price?

No, but Pick N Save does run a coupon in the paper for a sale, and Milk doesn't jump 30% on a year to year basis. I guess think about the cost of entertainment.

Concert - $75 ish for usually the Headliner and 2 opening acts for a big show
$45 for an up and coming Headliner with 2 opening acts
3+ hours of entertainment

Movie - $15 for an average movie
90-130 minuites of entertainment

Summerfest - $16
Unlimited entertainment on 11 stages ALL DAY

Brewers game - $16 thru $65 dollar for tickets
3 hours of entertainment

Packer football game - $65 to $95 face value
3 hours of entertainment

Badger football game - $35 to $55 face value
3 hours of entertainment

Indianapolis 500 - $85 NWV
3 to 4 hours of entertainment

NHRA Race at Joliet - $75
ALL DAY Enteretainment

Indycar race at the Mile - $25 to $85
1.5 hours of entertainment


See the point?

Like I said...I'll pay whatever it takes to get it because I'm a die hard......it's the tag alongs and possibles that I worry about.

[Somberlain56]

If anyone expected to be able to see big-time racing for $24 from now on, you're dreaming. That's USAC pricing. The choices look pretty fair to me.

[ZUL8TR]

Friday could be quals plus Star Mazada, USF2000.
Saturday could be Indy Lights followed by IndyCar.

More racing and the grandstand ticket is good for both days.

[midtown]

Friday could be quals plus Star Mazada, USF2000.
Saturday could be Indy Lights followed by IndyCar.

More racing and the grandstand ticket is good for both days.

Good point. If that's the case, then Andretti better be advertising that now.

[TexManZero]

If anyone expected to be able to see big-time racing for $24 from now on, you're dreaming. That's USAC pricing. The choices look pretty fair to me.

You can do that at Texas still. Hell, even had a GRC show!

[stnkypete]

See the point?

Like I said...I'll pay whatever it takes to get it because I'm a die hard......it's the tag alongs and possibles that I worry about.

No. Movies used to routinely be over two hours and cost less than five bucks. The bottom line is prices increase. Yes, this price increase is shockingly high but the tickets this year were priced artificially low. But the notion they should add race laps just because they are upping the price is ridiculous, thus my equally ridicuous reply.

Now, if you want to say that there is a value problem with the IICS oval product because the current race distance doesn't justify the hassle of going to the track, buying tickets and all the other stuff, I will agree with you. But IMO, ticket price is a fairly small component of that.

[dwaldrep51]

If anyone expected to be able to see big-time racing for $24 from now on, you're dreaming. That's USAC pricing. The choices look pretty fair to me.

I don't put the family in the car for 14 hours during a weekend to go to a USAC race.

[AFColt]

I'll probably do North Terrace again. $29 for high in T4 for two days works for me.

[millrace]

Do they increase the size of a gallon of milk when they increase the price?

No, but trust me when I tell you that people need milk a bit more than Indycar.

[Mearsfan53081]

No. Movies used to routinely be over two hours and cost less than five bucks. The bottom line is prices increase. Yes, this price increase is shockingly high but the tickets this year were priced artificially low. But the notion they should add race laps just because they are upping the price is ridiculous, thus my equally ridicuous reply.

Now, if you want to say that there is a value problem with the IICS oval product because the current race distance doesn't justify the hassle of going to the track, buying tickets and all the other stuff, I will agree with you. But IMO, ticket price is a fairly small component of that.

Ha...a movie hasn't costed $5 in 10+ years! Anything on that list that I posted has NEVER gone up 30% in one year. The Brewers won the darn divison, had 40+ sellouts and raised their ticket prices less than 10% on a year they clearly could've capitalized more. This is about knowing your market...and giving people what they think is a "Deal". If you're going to increase the cost 30% over a year, you have to make the fan think they're getting more. Is that 25 more laps? 2 more support races? 50 more laps?

It's hard for me to put it into perspective, because like I said, I'll pay it. I spent alot of money to make Saturday fun for the 9 of us that went....especially for a guy who lives 3 miles from the track. Who knows, maybe I'm kidding myself....but as a Packers Season ticket holder, and a Brewers Season ticket holder, and a guy who goes to 3 races a year......I don't see more people showing up at those prices without providing "More" something......

[Somberlain56]

I don't put the family in the car for 14 hours during a weekend to go to a USAC race.

So why do you expect to pay the same?

[millrace]

Friday could be quals plus Star Mazada, USF2000.
Saturday could be Indy Lights followed by IndyCar.

More racing and the grandstand ticket is good for both days.

And this would be great. I think they will attempt to line some of this up if possible. Probably better to indicate the price jump now than 10 months from now.

[tb]

Friday could be quals plus Star Mazada, USF2000.
Saturday could be Indy Lights followed by IndyCar.

More racing and the grandstand ticket is good for both days.

Also don't forget that Silver Crown and Midgets could also be availible, with the late announcement of the race USAC may have had their schedule set for this year.
tb

[TCar]

Only 2 people in this entire thread got it.
There was no sanctioning fee that Andretti had to pay this year. Next year he does.
Thats 1.5 mil additional to come up with. Hence the ticket price increase.
Not that hard to figure out why the tix price increase.

Want higher attendance? Put the race on SUNDAY, where its supposed to be.
MLB set a one day attendance record yesterday. So the argument about " dont run it on Fathers Day" doesnt hold water.

[TimmyZ1]

.

[Hitokiri]

If anyone expected to be able to see big-time racing for $24 from now on, you're dreaming. That's USAC pricing. The choices look pretty fair to me.

That's easy to say but hard to do as fans mostly if you're from Milwaukee. As I said, Milwaukee was big when it was held after Indy, free tickets were given out by sponsors, and prices were cheap. When you come from this kind of things its hard to think any other way. Want to know why this past race was a success? Because it had 2 out of 3 of these things. Free Friday and cheap tickets.

I understand the ticket price increases and sanctioning fees but if Andretti wants people to come he better start promoting earlier and further away from Milwaukee. I would suggest to him to promote as far as Indy, Detroit, and Iowa. Promoting the race at Road America (if all possible) would be great too as well as Brewers and Bucks games.

[dwaldrep51]

So why do you expect to pay the same?

I didn't pay the same, my cost to go to Milwaukee is way more than just the ticket. An increase in ticket price makes the entire trip more expensive, in this case it's almost a tank of gas more expensive and that's not considering other increases to the cost of making that trip next year.

[Bullwinkle]

There are a couple ways to look at this.

1) This was a resuscitation attempt this year: "Let's drop the prices and see if we can get some fans in the stands." Worked OK. Better than I though it would. Maybe they had some help from Indycar in the way of sanctioning fee break. It was also Michael's first foray into promotion without the Savoree organization. No reason to complain on my part.

2) Next year, they have to make money and pay indycar more, probably. If they increase the prices, perhaps they can afford to do some advertising in Chicago and fill up the place. Even with the higher prices I bet their Break-even is somewhere around 30,000-35,000.

3) if you look at the stands from Saturday, which areas were full? The expensive seats. Up high. So people are willing to pay the money for the good seats. So why not raise the price? If you want to pay the same as you paid this year, you just have to move your butt into a less expensive neighborhood. That translates to lower and further away from Start-Finish. Those are not BAD seats by any stretch of the imagination. I bought "300" seats, went down to get lunch and then watched most of the race from the 200s because we were too lazy to walk back up. IF I buy 200s next year, I'm OK financially and still have a fine view, with less of a climb.

4) Compared to other Major League sports events, next year's event is priced quite reasonably. Either the ALMS race or the Indycar race at Road America will cost more. And "stick and Ball" prices are much higher.

5) There will be plenty of affordable ways to attend this race next year. Really.

[ColdSpiderGT]

as has been said, it all goes back to the sanction fee. Indycars fee is just too high but their might not be much anyone can do about it. they have to be that high. If your average crowd size is going to be in the low 30k range, ticket prices then have to be high to cover the cost of the fee. ill bet you,even with the 30 or so percent hike in prices next year and a bigger crowd, that race has trouble breaking even. the math just doesnt work, even with a sponsor.