Riverhead Raceway and failing economy

[Lugnuts]

With the failing economy and many families affected by this and the racing season rapidly approaching I recently read that, I believe it was Spencer Speedway, has lowered its gate prices for both adults and children.

My thoughts are that Riverhead management may want to consider also lowering there gate prices and lower there food prices as well. My thoughts are that with the current state of the economy this idea may help to attract additional fans being that many people may opt to save money and not travel off the island this summer for vacation or other entertainment. Lower prices does not always equal less money, it may be exactly opposite that. With additional people through the gate and people opting to possibly spending money on food at lower prices at the speedway (rather than bring their nap sacks, Wendys or Subway from outside the track) equals increased profits through volume.

It seems as if the repeat visitors each year to the speedway seem to be fewer and fewer, that being obvious with emptier stands. The dedicated fans I'm sure will probably keep coming, however if the management continues to rely on that and keeps increases fees full circle to keep the boat afloat, so to speak, eventually as with the economy, that boat may soon sink as well.

As a race fan that has spent time as an adolescent visiting Freeport Speedway for many years until its demise and has spent time working as a crew member at Riverhead and now visits Riverhead on a fairly frequent basis as a spectator, I for one would hate to see racing on Long Island gone.

As with everything else in life, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[DriveitinDeep]

a very good thought. Let's hope the powers at be have the same idea or at least read the Jam for input from racers and fans. One can only hope

[mrhotrod]

Bowman Gray Stadium NC, which seats five times what the 'head can hold, has a $1 dollar ladies night four times a year and they pack the place well beyond their normally great crowds. Regular weekly admission is $10. and admission for a Mod tour race ? Ten bucks!

Gosh, I love the Stadium; it's the closest you can come to re-living the Islip days!

[Lugnuts]

I've never been to Bowman Gray, however my brother lives 5 minutes from there. He tells me its quite the place. I hope to get there this year. Also, as to what you stated about ladies night. I believe last year, don't remember the magazine or issue but someone had a great article of the place, I believe it was ladies night. The photos proved that lower prices bring people, there was standing room only.

[Fat Albert]

a very good thought. Let's hope the powers at be have the same idea or at least read the Jam for input from racers and fans. One can only hope

Lee Speedways is making some changes, maybe Riverhead should try.
http://www.leeusaspeedway.com/Home/tabid/37/ctl/ArticleView/mid/367/articleId/40/Big-changes-in-2009-At-Lee-USA-Speedway.aspx



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[SuperShafts]

Things are different in other places.... RR might not be able to lower prices, they have ins, prop taxes, payroll...that alone may be a huge bill..


Keep in mind they are open 28 days a year....


In 28 days they need to pay 365 days worth of property tax.

Write to RHT, ask why they discriminate against the track and make it so hard for them to make money, ask them what other business they hold to a 28 day operation...

[The Bullfather]

I'm down with ladies night!!!

[SuperShafts]

Nothing against ladies night.....

[tstiles]

well put man .hope they hear ya. .
With the failing economy and many families affected by this and the racing season rapidly approaching I recently read that, I believe it was Spencer Speedway, has lowered its gate prices for both adults and children.

My thoughts are that Riverhead management may want to consider also lowering there gate prices and lower there food prices as well. My thoughts are that with the current state of the economy this idea may help to attract additional fans being that many people may opt to save money and not travel off the island this summer for vacation or other entertainment. Lower prices does not always equal less money, it may be exactly opposite that. With additional people through the gate and people opting to possibly spending money on food at lower prices at the speedway (rather than bring their nap sacks, Wendys or Subway from outside the track) equals increased profits through volume.

It seems as if the repeat visitors each year to the speedway seem to be fewer and fewer, that being obvious with emptier stands. The dedicated fans I'm sure will probably keep coming, however if the management continues to rely on that and keeps increases fees full circle to keep the boat afloat, so to speak, eventually as with the economy, that boat may soon sink as well.

As a race fan that has spent time as an adolescent visiting Freeport Speedway for many years until its demise and has spent time working as a crew member at Riverhead and now visits Riverhead on a fairly frequent basis as a spectator, I for one would hate to see racing on Long Island gone.

As with everything else in life, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[spikeybabe22]

Things are different in other places.... RR might not be able to lower prices, they have ins, prop taxes, payroll...that alone may be a huge bill..


Keep in mind they are open 28 days a year....


In 28 days they need to pay 365 days worth of property tax.

Write to RHT, ask why they discriminate against the track and make it so hard for them to make money, ask them what other business they hold to a 28 day operation...

POSTED BY BETCHA618: (forgot to log in under my name.

But if you charge $20.00 and get 200 fans your making less than if you charge $10 and because of the lower prices get 5 or 600 fans.

[SuperShafts]

POSTED BY BETCHA618: (forgot to log in under my name.

But if you charge $20.00 and get 200 fans your making less than if you charge $10 and because of the lower prices get 5 or 600 fans.



So you think if you lower it to $10 you'll get more fans in....just based on $10..

So now you charge $10.00 get in the same amount of people and made less, or you charged $10.00 filled the stands and made half, can't pay the property tax, sales tax, ent tax, payroll tax, everything becomes a burden along with insurance and everything else.... More people used the bathrooms, that have to be cleaned....More people need to drink and eat and at half the rate they can afford to buy the product....

If You ran your shop for 28 days a year paying the same property tax and at half price you could let me know how you made out by smoke signal when you can't afford internet service, and if i could read smoke signal....

[bryan1283]

Things are different in other places.... RR might not be able to lower prices, they have ins, prop taxes, payroll...that alone may be a huge bill..


Keep in mind they are open 28 days a year....


In 28 days they need to pay 365 days worth of property tax.

Write to RHT, ask why they discriminate against the track and make it so hard for them to make money, ask them what other business they hold to a 28 day operation...

There is one place on long island that is held to the same restrictions as RR, that is the boardy barn though it may be a different genre of business but as they can tell you is lower prices equals more ppl. and bigger profits, payroll, ins., prop taxes, and upkeep are going to be there whether you attract 100 ppl or 1,000. Its just smart business. I can tell you first hand that because of the boardy barns cheap prices there is not a day that they are not at capacity, Therefore they can actually turn a profit on being open less days than RR. more ppl through the gate means more chance for selling your high margin products such as concessions, beer, T-shirts, checkered flags, and programs.As a loyal RR spectator I don't mind the prices but, what I do mind is seeing empty seats.

[catfish]

There is no possible way to compare a Gin Mill like Boardy Barn and Riverhead Raceway, they are as different as night and day. the fact of the matter is you will not pack Riverhead Raceway at $1.00 a ticket. Now i have not always agreed with Supershafts posts in the past but if you look at it logically his is the most accurate post on this subject. I know i would never want to be responsible for the cost of doing business as Riverhead Raceway as it cannot be cheap and to think that anyone of us can tell them they need to reduce the entry fee without regard to there costs is ridiculous. Obviously they make money as they are still here, but to expect them reduce the entry fee may be going a bit to far. Just because the economy is bad taxes are not being reduced, insurance prices are certainly not going down, at the track everyone wants the purse increased, this all comes from the dollars collected at the gate.. Fixed costs are fixed cost regardless of the economy and if the Cromarty's are not allowed a return on their investment the track will cease to exist.

[maestri fan 1]

I would love to see lower prices. unfortunately I doubt it will happen, but I already know that the 1st 2 practice days, I will be sitting in the grandstands for the 1st time in 5 years because I can't afford 2 extra weeks paying 30 bucks, if that is the price this year. I would assume it's up a little bit.

[Lugnuts]

For those of you that may have misunderstood my original post, I never said that the Cromartys should lower the price at the gate to $10.00. My intent of the post was an attempt to attract new fans, for one to say that even with lower prices it wouldn't make a difference, I beg to differ.

I agree that taxes and operating expenses don't ever go down in cost however, empty seats doesn't bring revenue to the track, period. I can tell you first hand as a spectator there has been a very noticeable change in attendance over the past 4-5 years. Tours shows don't even bring in the crowds that they once had.

I'm not asking anyone to lose money, however it appears to me that the Cromartys have consistently raised gate fees, pit fees, consession prices etc. I have also read and have heard drivers state that for many years there has not been any increase in purse money either. Put it all together and read between the lines, that tells me that fees are getting increased because attendance is down, car counts are down and I would say that consession sales are probably down as well. So I can't blame them for doing what they have to do to make ends meet, I would just hate to see things increased to the point where even the dedicated fan and racer won't pay the price any more.

I originally posted this thread not to cause any controversy but to throw an idea out there that is obviously going to be tried at other racing venues. I thought if tried, could possibly yield some positive results. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, mine was that it might work, others have disagreed. Remember, for those of you that disagreed and are Cup fans, In case you already forgot or were not aware Daytona lowered there backstretch ticket prices by 35-40 dollars weeks before the 500 for tickets that usually would have been sold out by then. Only then did those tickets get sold and with that only a day or two before race weekend. Those tickets probably would not have sold out for them not lowering the price.

As far as the ladies night subject. I think its a good idea, $1 to get in, no, but I think it might yield some positive results at a reduced price of $5 or $8 bucks.

My father taught me a long time ago, you'll never know unless you try.

[LongIslandJam]

Lower prices will usually equal more people (if promoted properly). However, the key is finding out the break-even point, the point where you maximize your dollars by meeting the right price with the right amount of people.

[Golf Guy]

Lower prices will usually equal more people (if promoted properly). However, the key is finding out the break-even point, the point where you maximize your dollars by meeting the right price with the right amount of people.

Exactly. But also sometimes promoting a discount during selected weeks (instead of a entire season) will get a customer for that week and hopefully they see and like and then return for more weeks. Or they also promote by good word of mouth which is better than advertising.

[Lugnuts]

Well put, I'm glad someone understood where I was going. ;)

[SuperShafts]

Exactly. But also sometimes promoting a discount during selected weeks (instead of a entire season) will get a customer for that week and hopefully they see and like and then return for more weeks. Or they also promote by good word of mouth which is better than advertising.



Promoting is always key.... But you need to have something.

The reason i started the call out on spec drags on my board and here was to bring attention and get new blood involved, you aren't getting new blood involved any easier then with a move that can get you in your car and out on the track...

Something everyone can be drawn into, no need for a "RACE CAR" just some good mouth racing and next, you have attention...

Grudges and opposites attract...

Everyone is trying to think above and out of the box...

Controversy between anything brings curiosity...

Tstiles truck can still line up his truck vs the jeep for that spanking if he can work it out with the track....

Just like Myself and Don, even the track gets into it, gives them a constant battle to talk up


I can tell you first hand as a spectator there has been a very noticeable change in attendance over the past 4-5 years. Tours shows don't even bring in the crowds that they once had.

I can tell you as a spectator and racer that this particulary has grown to be less a need/exciting to watch, follow the leader, oooppps a spin...umpteen 95,000 laps at 20 mph...while we wait and wait and wait...during tours/mods
This is what i hear and see from many, many of my friends, they all have the same exact complaints, they don't come to watch them anymore, they rather the lesser series as SD, endos, BB, CGR's, Demo, F-8's..
.

[SuperShafts]

With the failing economy and many families affected by this and the racing season rapidly approaching I recently read that, I believe it was Spencer Speedway, has lowered its gate prices for both adults and children.

My thoughts are that Riverhead management may want to consider also lowering there gate prices and lower there food prices as well.


For those of you that may have misunderstood my original post, I never said that the Cromartys should lower the price at the gate to $10.00. My intent of the post was an attempt to attract new fans, for one to say that even with lower prices it wouldn't make a difference, I beg to differ.

After re-reading what you said you were trying to convey...i didn't get that at all, i can't see how you expected us to get anything other then them to lower there prices... like compared to spencer...



My thoughts are that with the current state of the economy this idea may help to attract additional fans being that many people may opt to save money and not travel off the island this summer for vacation or other entertainment.




Here are my thoughts as to this theory or bad economy and money + entertainment......

Family vacation... (family size say 5 people)

5 people to go anywhere on Vacation whether you drive or fly just cost more then 2 outings at RR.. more like 10
If the economy is killer, like it is, im going to the closest form of entertainment I/we like...

This would increase RR spectators...

Now figure for me to go to Lebanon valley, just getting any of the car's there is = to going to RR with everyone and entering the Jeep 7 times....

Going to Watkins glen is = to going to RR with everyone and entering the Jeep all year long, which they don't run SD enough....

Going to Atco or NJMP is = to going to RR with everyone and entering the Jeep 4 times....

Granted the speeds and power is better going to other tracks... But then there is no going to RR at all...
So the theory of lowering prices isn't the answer..

I can go to Watkins, Lebanon, Atco, NJMP, once, one time, 1 or go to RR multiple times.... Kinda get more use at RR multiple times then going 1 time to any of the others... Is the speed and thrill better at the others, in my opinion since i am a speed freak, yes, but it would be 1 time and parked for everything the rest of the year in this economy....

Don't forget im only counting GETTING to those tracks, not entering and cost of use and tires and gas and oil and food or anything else, add in all that and i could run the Jeep every weekend at RR all year..


So where do you think most people would end up in a s**t economy?
If there not on the verge of losing there job or business, the closest form of entertainment they truly enjoy that they can afford...