Dismal New Numbers for Sinking NASCAR Hall of Fame

Just in.... I really don't want it to fail. but...............

During fiscal 2011, which ended June 30, ticket revenue at the NASCAR Hall of Fame totaled $4.1 million, 64 percent below budget estimates.

More attendance woes for NASCAR Hall of Fame

Date: Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 11:26am EDT

Erik Spanberg
Senior Staff Writer - Charlotte Business Journal
Attendance at the NASCAR Hall of Fame fell by 35 percent in July from a year earlier, continuing a trend of declining results.

The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, operator of the $200 million publicly funded stock-car museum, reported the figures at its board meeting Wednesday. In July 2010, 33,452 people visited the hall of fame. Attendance declined to 21,910 in July 2011, the first month of the new fiscal year.

July marked the third month of attendance slips of 30 percent or more in year-over-year comparisons. Those figures offer a barometer of interest in the hall of fame, which opened in May 2010. For May 2011, attendance was 30 percent below the previous year (25,034 visitors compared with 35,090 in May 2010). In June 2011, crowds dropped by 39 percent to 17,604 visitors for the month.

Visitors authority board members didnt discuss the hall of fame results during their meeting. A recent update to City Council included questions and discussion of whether ticket prices could be hurting attendance.

Gross operating deficits for the hall of fame were $188,000 for July, and, after a reimbursement from taxes designated for maintenance, the net loss was $144,000. Both figures were less than the losses forecast in the budget.

During fiscal 2011, which ended June 30, ticket revenue at the hall of fame was $4.1 million, 64 percent below budget estimates.

Charlotte Checkers draw 12,000-14,000 for a good weekend game, but average just over 6,000. Checkers' season attendance is about the same as HOF.

Final 2010-2011 AHL Attendance
(Complete through Sunday, April 10th)

Team Yesterday Total Games Average
Hershey 10,435 392,005 40 9,800
Manitoba 0 336,156 40 8,404
Chicago 10,091 298,117 40 7,453
Providence 9,550 292,970 40 7,324
Grand Rapids 0 289,646 40 7,241
Lake Erie 0 262,735 40 6,568
San Antonio 9,909 256,433 40 6,411
W-B/Scranton 7,161 254,411 40 6,360
Houston 11,519 253,021 40 6,326
Charlotte 0 252,486 40 6,312
Milwaukee 6,523 231,839 40 5,796
Connecticut 4,825 227,792 40 5,695
Manchester 0 218,444 40 5,461
Texas 0 213,584 40 5,340
Peoria 0 207,852 40 5,196
Syracuse 0 206,158 40 5,154
Toronto 6,815 187,741 40 4,694
Portland 7,051 186,192 40 4,655
Norfolk 0 179,609 40 4,490
Rockford 0 174,418 40 4,360
Hamilton 0 170,292 40 4,257
Oklahoma City 0 166,195 40 4,155
Bridgeport 7,205 165,609 40 4,140
Worcester 0 162,728 40 4,068
Rochester 4,471 154,890 40 3,872
Abbotsford 0 152,272 40 3,807
Springfield 0 148,695 40 3,717
Binghamton 0 146,097 40 3,652
Adirondack 0 143,001 40 3,575
Albany 0 124,563 40 3,114

League 95,555 6,455,951 1,200 5,380

I've been to the HOF and I was impressed and truely enjoyed my visit. I purchased a yearly pass but haven't been back but my son has returned 3 times since our first visit. What is the problem? Where are the fans? What should we expect for attendance? Tough questions with no easy answers.

The problem, as I see it. is shared by several issues. The first in my eyes is the location. I hate drivingon congested streets with limited parking. I understand that it was important to have the HOF in an area with lots of foot and auto traffic, but that is one of the reasons I haven't been back. The cost of the ticket is another thing I see as a deterrent. Another thing is the limit of material to rotate and place on display.A majority of the items on display will be there for many, many years or maybe forever. I have very fond memories of the many stops at the Joe Weatherly SCM at Darlington. It shared many of the same issues as the HOF, but when I was much younger I could stop there every year on my way to the beach, and did. I loved looking at the same Olcars and uniforms, the photos and the many racing items. The difference between the two locations are many. The HOF, Downtown Charlotte. JWSCM, beside Darlington Raceway. Parking at the HOF is chaotic and intimidating, and costly. At the JWSCM the parking is free and right in front of the racetrack.

Let me asure everyone that I love the NASCAR Hall of Fame and I will return. I just don't have the tug to return many times each year. I plan to go once each year to see the Ring of Honor and soak up the history of this great sport. Should we expect more from most fans, I don't think so.

That was an excellent post. I also have not visited the HOF for much the same reasons as you. Our heroes are not there, or lets say, VERY few of them. I also think that statistics would prove that fans over 50-60 years of age would have much more disposable income to splurge on a downtown trip to the HOF. If it were really a hallowed Hall, would we fight the traffic and aggravation. Heck yeah!!

I can attest to one thing, the loyalty of race fans is second to none. They have not and will not ever forget the men who paved the way and pioneered the sport. Men who suffered through the blood, sweat and tears, just to race and compete. Men whodidn't make muchmoney but sacrificed because it was a passion with them. Race fans haven't forgotten those times and they can't get enough info on their hero, whoever that may be. Fans lined up for hours and hours and hours at the Legend affairs that have been held. That should tell somebody something.

In my honest opinion, the City of Charlotte, NC is the ideal place for the HOF. It's right smack dab in the middle of racing country. I understand that the HOF is a fabulous facility. I have a feeling that if someone gets smart and turns it into a REAL Hall of Fame, it would be just fine and do well. If that happens, you drive to Greenville and we'll go together.

I don't know how to say some of the things on my mind as I read your comments on the HOF. I certainly don't want to offend any ofmy RR friends because I value their opinions and hope they value mine. That said, here goes!

While I agree with you, PK, on several of your comments on the HOF and I understand Mrs. Frank's as well. But, I want to encourage you to make the drive up to Charlotte and invest in a day at the HOF. I say day because it will take all day, and then someif you look at things as closely as I, to see everything.

There ARE some things that really don't interest me like some of the interactive stuff like changing a tire or driving a current day simulator but there are many other things there to keep my attention. As you walk the halls and aisles of the HOF with your mind open to the memories of days long gone, the photos,trophies, uniforms, helmets, shirts & gloves worn by the true pioneers of the sport wiil transport you back to those wonderful days and people who made us what we are today. Fans of the sport we love.

I too believe there should have been more consideration given to the real pioneeers of the sport but I also understand the thought process behind what is done there. I have spoken to some of the folks at the HOF more than once andunderstand theyfeel the same as we about those already inducted and those passed over during the first two classes. I think they should have divided the inductees into classes such as drivers, owners, mechanics, crew chiefs,modified, sportsman, track owners/operators and media and even with that many "divisions", I'm sure there wouldbe someone left out. The France's should not have been on a ballot. That they should have gone in is a given. But with all the negatives we find aside, the artifacts,film and photos alone made my trips worthwhile. I can't tell you how much time I spent looking over Frances Flock's scrapbooks hoping to find a mention or photo of my daddy and some of the articles in her books and other exhibitsbring back stories I have heard from past legends and family through the years. While the HOF isn't perfect (and you never know what changes may lie ahead), it "is-what-it-is". And while you won't find everything you hoped for in there now, it does cover a lot of history (and current events) in a wonderful way. Winston, Buz and the rest of the staff have an unbelieveable amount of respect for the history of out sport. They treasure the artifacts on permanent display or on loan as if they were their own.I don't really enjoy what we have now as an on-track product but I certainly appreciate the millions of dollars invested and the thousands of hours spent in giving us the opportunity to catch a glimpse of days gone by.

And to Dave, I too love to wander through the Weatherly/NAPA HOF in Darlington every time I get the chance. I'm an old-timer too and the folks enshrined there are a real link to the history of the sport and while somein that HOFhave found their way to the newer version in Charlotte, many deserving Weatherly HOF members will never make it to Charlotte. Those of us who go back a while know, appreciateand understand what is in the Weatherly museum. I appreciate both and will continue to make my donation at the door and enjoy what others before me have given to our sport. As far as the traffic, parking and ticket prices are concerned, I must have missed some of the things mentioned. I got off the John Belk, made a couple of turns and I was at the NASCAR HOF. I have been there mid-day, mid-week and weekend and never encountered the traffic situation some complain about. In fact I was disappointed there wasn't more traffic there to visit the HOF. Parking is $5.00 but if you spend an afternoon at the Winston-Salem Coliseum for a Wake Forest basketball game, you will pay 7 - 9 bucks to park. I know for us old folks on a fixed income we have to watch our pennies but all-in-all, $5.00 wasn't bad for the trip.

One final thought and I'll be quiet. We like to tell everyone on RR that we are getting along in years, our wisdom and how much we enjoyed the past during our time in racing . Let me remind you that while every day is important and special to us, we may not have that many left. I would hate to think I missed the chance to see some of the things I enjoyed at the HOF. While it ain't perfect, it IS a wonderful tributeto many of those gone on before us. Give it a chance or it (or you) may really go away before you get to see it.

PK! I agree with most of what you present as well and I do respect your opinion. I would just hate to see anyone misss the chance to see what is there. Winston, Buz and the staff there have done a great job of working within the "box" handed them. I, like you, still can't get a handle on the limited number of inductees each year and the reasoning behind that. I'm going to venture that someone feels the limited number inducted makes it more "special" to be there. God forbid anything happeing to anyone but there are asome"in" that could have waited a couple of years to get some of the pioneers in. My opinion is that bykeeping that numberso low, it robs the opportunity of the current "fan" of the chance to seemore of those who helped shape the sport. The hall will probably never adopt some of the things I would like to see such as the "families" in the history of racing. Tim Flock will probably make itto the HOF butFonty, Bob andEthel probably won't.Glen Wood is a true pioneer of racing and helped shape much of what we relate to today and is deservingly "in" but Leonard, Delano and Clay may not make it and ther are many more including the Myers Brothers that deserve the honor of being there. In reality, the HOF isn't big enough to houseall of those who helped make the sport of stock car racing what it is. But to the creditof the staff there, many of those I mentioned have, and wll be in the future,honored through temporary exhibits, those photos and artifacts I described and in the clipping in the scrapbooks on display.

Go see it whenever you can and to "The Legend". PM me with that phone number and we'll do McDonalds and the HOF soon.