(Off topic) except KF was there.

[Hawk68]

I recorded the last round of the Open today and added extra time in case it went into a playoff. I noticed a car race was on after and it was in Iowa.
I guess it was the second day of the races and listening; it sounded like Hy-Vee dumped whole lot of money into the track and promoting it. They had four A-list talents there (Underwood, Sheeran, Zack Brown and Chesney) who would draw 40k in most places each. KF talked a little and commanded the engine start. A couple of jets even came from Washington.

What I am wondering is why the stands were only half-full? Did they charge extra for the concerts or did the people just not give a damn? Might there have been another reason? Thanks for any responses.

 

[hawkcub]

I kind of wondered what people were getting with these concerts. Is it 20 minute deal or a full concert.

RAGBRAI started today. Auto racing in general isn't as popular as when the track was built. Definitely doesn't have the this is a new attraction to it.

 

[WildTurk]

Meh

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

I recorded the last round of the Open today and added extra time in case it went into a playoff. I noticed a car race was on after and it was in Iowa.
I guess it was the second day of the races and listening; it sounded like Hy-Vee dumped whole lot of money into the track and promoting it. They had four A-list talents there (Underwood, Sheeran, Zack Brown and Chesney) who would draw 40k in most places each. KF talked a little and commanded the engine start. A couple of jets even came from Washington.

What I am wondering is why the stands were only half-full? Did they charge extra for the concerts or did the people just not give a damn? Might there have been another reason? Thanks for any responses.

The location was a terrible choice to begin with.

Iowans are also notoriously bad at attending big attraction events that would otherwise draw a lot of people in other states that consider Iowa a flyover state.

In other words, there are way too many people that do their part in keeping Iowa in the flyover state status in the eyes of outsiders, and those people need to be drug out of their homes and shot (note I didn't say by what with what and where................. )

And in actuality, Iowa should be the state people live in and merely visit these other "destination states".

 

[Stephen Hawk King]

What I am wondering is why the stands were only half-full? Did they charge extra for the concerts or did the people just not give a damn? Might there have been another reason? Thanks for any responses.

First off tickets weren't cheap, $100 for the worst seats I think. Then on top of that it was an extra $200 if you wanted access to the general admission pit for the concerts. I would've loved to have seen Ed Sheeran, but I don't enjoy racing or Ed enough to justify spending $300. If my girlfriend and I were to go we're looking at $700-800 combined for a day of entertainment. That's a lot for most Iowans.

 

[Hawkeyes4Life247]

Wasn't it Indy racing? I don't know anyone that watches Indy outside of the 500 each year. Had it been NASCAR it probably would have done better.

 

[jonesy5960]

Wasn't it Indy racing? I don't know anyone that watches Indy outside of the 500 each year. Had it been NASCAR it probably would have done better.

Especially in Iowa.

 

[Iron Doc]

The only problem with racing is they keep going around in ovals, endlessly, in the heat/bugs.

 

[Hawkstate1]

I was there on Saturday, Caitlin Clark started the drivers. I had never been to a race in my life. I went for the Kenny Chesney concert. It was a good day, the race was more fun than I expected. But I have to say that was the worst venue for a concert that I have ever been to in my life. For starters, the fence/cage to protect audiences during the race, blocked the view of the concert, much worse than a baseball backstop. Unless you were directly in front of the stage and up high, it would have been difficult to see the acts. The crowd was pretty full during the race, but drifted off during both concerts.

 

[Hawkstate1]

I was there on Saturday, Caitlin Clark started the drivers. I had never been to a race in my life. I went for the Kenny Chesney concert. It was a good day, the race was more fun than I expected. But I have to say that was the worst venue for a concert that I have ever been to in my life. For starters, the fence/cage to protect audiences during the race, blocked the view of the concert, much worse than a baseball backstop. Unless you were directly in front of the stage and up high, it would have been difficult to see the acts. The crowd was pretty full during the race, but drifted off during both concerts.

Just to add, I think that it was sold out, people would go back and forth under the grandstand, where they had tables and concessions. At any given time I think a third of the crowd were escaping to the shade.....It was f'ing hot out in the seats.

 

[BonzoFury]

The only problem with racing is they keep going around in ovals, endlessly, in the heat/bugs.

I don't question that a great deal of technical skill goes into racing and it's a physically demanding sport. (despite the fact that it is in essence, operating a machine).

But as a spectator sport? Bore me to death.

 

[Chucksizzle1]

Wasn't it Indy racing? I don't know anyone that watches Indy outside of the 500 each year. Had it been NASCAR it probably would have done better.

Place would have been packed if it was a tractor pull

 

[cecilB]

I recorded the last round of the Open today and added extra time in case it went into a playoff. I noticed a car race was on after and it was in Iowa.
I guess it was the second day of the races and listening; it sounded like Hy-Vee dumped whole lot of money into the track and promoting it. They had four A-list talents there (Underwood, Sheeran, Zack Brown and Chesney) who would draw 40k in most places each. KF talked a little and commanded the engine start. A couple of jets even came from Washington.

What I am wondering is why the stands were only half-full? Did they charge extra for the concerts or did the people just not give a damn? Might there have been another reason? Thanks for any responses.

It was hot, it’s boring, and the overwhelming majority of Americans wouldn’t walk across the street to watch with free tickets in hand

 

[uihawk82]

I don't question that a great deal of technical skill goes into racing and it's a physically demanding sport. (despite the fact that it is in essence, operating a machine).

But as a spectator sport? Bore me to death.

The Indy 500 is special because the cars can go 3 wide across the track and sometimes 4 wide. It makes for a lot of passing as does the long straight aways which give drivers behind another car the time to get that draft 'pull' and then pass.

I watched a lot of racing in the 60's and 70's, even nascar. Nascar bumping and grinding is boring.

What people do not understand about Indy and other open wheel racing is that there cant be bumping and grinding, the drivers have to be extremely exact, almost any contact with a wall or another car is a crash.

I love watching the Inday 500 and other oval races but with F1 and the rest of Indy I just watch YouTube highlight packages.

The Michigan 500 was also always good but I dont think it is run anymore.

 

[uihawk82]

Oh and I forgot to add that it was hot.