DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Even in this business, it remains possible to be just a plain old race fan, the kind who buys a ticket. It’s always been important to me to be a paying customer every so often.
Credentials indeed offer you access to racers and officials, but buying a ticket puts you on the ground with the people who ultimately pay the bills in motorsports. Without fans, nothing happens. That brings me to my topic.
My birthday present this year was a Medicare card and a supplemental plan. I’m officially a senior citizen. I’m semiretired, so I have more time to explore new speedways and to develop an appreciation, intended or otherwise, for the accommodations they offer people like me, whose legs and backs don’t function like they did when A.J. Foyt was winning Indy car races.
At one recent late-season event, my fiancée and I saw designated disabled parking and shuttles from the lot to the ticket window.
That’s very good stuff for people like me. And there ought to be more of it. Hear me out because I’m going to propose something here.
Let’s say you’ve just turned 65 like me. How much would you like it if your local track not only offered ample disabled parking, but either positioned it right next to the ticket line or like the speedway we visited, routinely provided shuttles?
Let’s take the logic further: What if the track offered suite-like seating for those willing to pay for it, especially older fans, allowing refuge from frigid winds at either end of the season and a respite from the dust and clods copious at dirt shows — especially in the bottom rows where older and disabled people usually go? And then staffed it with people who would actually do your concession shopping for you?
Crazy, huh?
Well, listen: A couple of miles from my place, the minor-league Daytona Tortugas, a low class-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, plays home games in the historic, gorgeously manicured ballpark where Jackie Robinson played his first professional baseball. For another two bucks over your ticket price, seniors — the Tortugas call them Silver Sluggers — get reserved box seats right on the foul line with concierge-type service for food and drinks.
Paved disabled parking is right at the ballpark gate. You take your seat, a team staffer takes your beer and hot dog order. He or she brings it to you. The staffer gets a nice tip. Everyone’s happy.
Regrettably, this doesn’t happen in auto racing, especially the local variety, nearly as often as it should. That’s interesting, especially when you consider that according to every piece of demographic data I’ve seen, people over age 55 have enormous discretionary buying power in this society.
Seniors have juice and they’re willing to spend it on an enjoyable, comfortable experience. Movie theaters are starting to recognize this by offering premium, concierge-type services to filmgoers of every age. People will pay to be pampered.
Some promoters already recognize this. Auto Racing Promoter of the Year honoree Howard Commander has been doing something like this at New York’s Lebanon Valley Speedway for decades. Pull up to the gate and one can — usually — buy a ticket for indoor seating with the appropriate amenities in Lebanon Valley’s tower.
Commander says the tower capacity, including the rooftop, is about 400 and ordinarily sells out, especially at major events.
“Creature comforts are always appreciated by those who don’t mind paying extra,” he said. “The new phrase in the business is going to be ‘trick your track.’ That’s a trick that only me and a few other promoters have done. Will people pay for it? Yeah, if you don’t charge them too much. For us, it’s five bucks extra.
“If you had a waiter or waitress who was willing to take care of those people, they could probably make a lot in tips. People would rather give it to a waiter and maybe make the price for a ticket a little bit more,” Commander continued. “We’ve been doing it at the Valley for 29 years. At a big race, charging people $20 more might be fair. I’ve made most of my money by being very fair with my pricing. In our tower, it’s a mix of hardcore fans and senior citizens. The problem is that a lot of tracks don’t have the margin to do this.”
How much would you be willing to pay at a track to be indoors, clean and comfortable, maybe in a cargo container repurposed as an air-conditioned accessible suite with concierge service, live TV and nearby parking? Ten bucks more? Twenty?
I know I’d dig deep for the privilege. To paraphrase Charles Barkley, I might be nuts, but I doubt it.