This is the Statt Mann Baby. It's time to Scatt a little bit.
We're approaching the halfway point in the racing season and this weekend I noticed a pattern emerging. No racing series is punching tickets with many racing fans.
NASCAR had vast numbers of empty seats in Michigan Sunday. Then I turn on the Indy Car race in Milwaukee and the same story; empty seat after empty seat.
I'm told the Formula Drift event at Wall Speedway in New Jersey was sold out and, if that's true, that might tell everyone something. Pomotions today are no longer about mass, mainstream or multiple demographic audiences.
Promotions today must be aimed at specific demographic groups. Success is almost based on a lifestyle promotion on any level. You can no longer open the door and expect the audience to be there blown over by the opportunity to eagerly give you their heard earned dollars.
Or maybe the seasons are too long with too many races that have little or nothing to do with a championshior some of ther prize at the end of the year long process.
It's easy to say the tickets are too expensive and that's why people are staying away. But I think that's the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the iceberg includes seasons that are too long, races that are too dull and the promoters are too hard headed to convince the audience the events are important enough for their undivided attention.
We might be way past the era of mass anything. The NFL will find that out this fall. And the NBA may learn this same lesson next winter.
Peace.