Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 Race Track - Page 37

Mdlx · #**721** Posted **May 6, 2012, 11:45 PM**

From the Tilke website. More renderings of the tower and amphitheater.

http://www.tilke.de/en/3_0/3_1/1_0.p...projid=2180-01

hookem · #**722** Posted **May 7, 2012, 10:33 PM**

Here is a newer aerial from CoTA. It's got the second tunnel labeled in the picture, but it's still not buried. The esses appear to have the sealant treatment they are doing prior to paving/test paving. At least that's what I think it is.

This pic brings up a question, though. I know there is an entrance on Elroy Rd and the big one on FM 812. But what are the 2 dirt roads/paths that appear to be leaving from the left side of the track in this pic? Are they fire roads or something? Is that all on CoTA property?

BevoLJ · #**723** Posted **May 7, 2012, 11:32 PM**

• Video Link

turn1 · #**724** Posted **May 9, 2012, 11:16 PM**

So....TicketCity has put their USGP prices up.

Just a taste: Free Practice 1 & 2 General Admission = $221

http://www.ticketcity.com/austin-tic...s-tickets.html

ETA:

Montreal 2012 3-day GA is $123 from the track & TicketCity is charging $221.

USGP 3-day is $? from the track & TicketCity is charging $729.

Who's good with math?

Jdawgboy · #**725** Posted **May 9, 2012, 11:52 PM**

Well there goes my idea of going to an F1 race, Im not spending hundreds of dollars for a ticket like that. What about all the open grassy berms that can support well over 100,000 people? I don't care about an actual stadium seating just want to go see it.

hookem · #**726** Posted **May 10, 2012, 12:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Well there goes my idea of going to an F1 race, Im not spending hundreds of dollars for a ticket like that. What about all the open grassy berms that can support well over 100,000 people? I don't care about an actual stadium seating just want to go see it.

The prices and site listed above is a ticket broker. They are selling at a high price because they don't actually have the tickets (and don't know the cost themselves), but hope to capitalize on people who are desperate to lock in a ticket at any cost.

We still don't know the real ticket prices, because CoTA hasn't started selling them.

And when they do, for us locals, we'll be able to take advantage of prices AFTER sales have been going on for awhile. So unless it's a 120K sellout, you'll probably be able to get GA tickets at less than face value.

If it IS a 120K sellout, then it will be quite the success for F1 in Austin (and the USA for that matter), and that wouldn't be a bad thing either...

East7thStreet · #**727** Posted **May 10, 2012, 12:14 AM**

There is no way the general admission ticket to get in is 300+ dollars a pop. I thought the F1 races in Indy and Montreal were $99-125 for a GA ticket.

hookem · #**728** Posted **May 10, 2012, 12:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by East7thStreet

There is no way the general admission ticket to get in is 300+ dollars a pop. I thought the F1 races in Indy and Montreal were $99-125 for a GA ticket.

Again, ticket broker, not actual prices.

F1 Tommy · #**729** Posted **May 10, 2012, 1:21 AM**

General admission on practice day at Indy was $15.00 and I think it was $30.00 on qualifying if I remember correctly. That's how they got those large crowds. This will be one of the biggest money holes in Texas history no matter if they get it done or not. I love F1, but in the USA it just does not make any money.

Here is the view you could get $15.00 at Indy. I will be going to Canada this year and maybe New Jersey next year unless Austin prices come way down(that is if they run a race in 2013 at Austin).

http://www.cardatabase.net/search/ph...388&size=large

hookem · #**730** Posted **May 10, 2012, 1:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by F1 Tommy

General admission on practice day at Indy was $15.00 and I think it was $30.00 on qualifying if I remember correctly. That's how they got those large crowds. This will be one of the biggest money holes in Texas history no matter if they get it done or not. I love F1, but in the USA it just does not make any money.

Ticket prices have changed a lot in the past 10 years, as anyone who has gone to a big-name concert can attest to. Heck, $40 for a major touring act used to be typical if not high. Now it's $80+ minimum, plus ridiculous fees, premium shipping cost, etc.

And for a band with major middle-age appeal (think $$$), then it's $80-150 minimum. And they've learned about the "premium package" marketing, too; there are usually all kinds of VIP ticket packages available where the sky is the limit on prices. Basically, it's a very different market than it was 10 years ago.

F1 Tommy · #**731** Posted **May 10, 2012, 1:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hookem

Ticket prices have changed a lot in the past 10 years, as anyone who has gone to a big-name concert can attest to. Heck, $40 for a major touring act used to be typical if not high. Now it's $80+ minimum, plus ridiculous fees, premium shipping cost, etc.

And for a band with major middle-age appeal (think $$$), then it's $80-150 minimum. And they've learned about the "premium package" marketing, too; there are usually all kinds of VIP ticket packages available where the sky is the limit on prices. Basically, it's a very different market than it was 10 years ago.

This was 5 years ago and it really has not changed for F1 races. Indy was making a special deal to get larger crowds. Austin will do the same or be done after the first year.

turn1 · #**732** Posted **May 10, 2012, 1:59 AM**

The TicketCity prices are most certainly high compared to COTA's, but how much so?

2007 Indy USGP GA = $40/day, 3-day = $110

2012 Canadian GP 3-day GA = $123.

hookem · #**733** Posted **May 10, 2012, 2:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by F1 Tommy

This was 5 years ago and it really has not changed for F1 races. Indy was making a special deal to get larger crowds. Austin will do the same or be done after the first year.

I disagree, the whole concept of marketing tickets -- at least in the USA -- has changed significantly. And that will include F1 races. Indy was an antiquated model, and making special deals to draw crowds isn't good business. That's probably why they couldn't make the deal with Bernie, and they lost the race. It's just not a profitable thing the way Indy was doing it.

Now, marketers (thanks to Ticketmaster) have realized that tickets should not be a commodity. That's happened in most consumer industries. Commodity pricing is bad. You make money by selling an array of price points, from "value" to "premium". Most people will buy in the middle. The "value" product is essentially the commodity, and even with that you try to make money by charging a huge service fee -- so you can profit from the first sale of the commodity product. From then on, the commodity is worth it's face value, or usually less. Sometimes, in rare occasions, it's worth more. But essentially this technique ensures the maximum profit possible is obtained from the sales of tickets.

And honestly, if Austin didn't do it that way, they'd be out of business after year one. F1 is a terribly expensive sport, that's why most races (all?) are government subsidized. CoTA might be after year 1, but we don't know yet, so they really have to try to make a profit.

In the end, though, it's all supply and demand. If they don't sell their tickets, the price will come down one way or another. If they do sell, then they simply have established what the market will bear -- and that's what we'll have to pay. Totally fair, free-market stuff.

Jdawgboy · #**734** Posted **May 10, 2012, 6:38 AM**

I agree with you hookem. Besides, Austin is no Indianapolis, this is a purpose built track so fact is we will not have the same issues Indy had. Either way I want to go and plan on going, I will just wait till I see a good deal.

Jdawgboy · #**735** Posted **May 10, 2012, 6:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by F1 Tommy

I will be going to Canada this year and maybe New Jersey next year unless Austin prices come way down(that is if they run a race in 2013 at Austin).]

New Jersey will try but ive said it before and I will say it again, its a road course and I don't see it lasting that long there. Economically Austin is doing better than any other city in the nation and if we can't pull it off, nobody can...

F1 Tommy · #**736** Posted **May 10, 2012, 1:07 PM**

You guys have not figured this out it seems, but this will be a money loser no matter how they market it. Somebody sold Texas a pile of bs. The fact that they built a new track will make it an even biger loser, unless they build an oval somewhere in the facility so that they can run a NASCAR race. Indy wich is closer to more population bases than Austin did everything in their power to make it work and even they failed. Austin will really fail as a money maker. If they finish the track in time for the 2012 race(not sure they will) it will have a draw for the first year. After that the draw will go down in a major way every year. They will either give up right away or start trying to attract fans by lowering ticket prices at the gate and online due to unsold tickets.

Nothing has changed. There are not enough US F1 fans anymore. We don't even have a US driver in F1 anymore. F1 does not seem to realize what an important car market the USA is. If they did they would be assisting alot more than they are. This track should be partly owned and funded by F1. Without that F1 has nothing to lose by leaving in a year or two when its not making any money. It takes years to build a good fan base big enough for this kind of race.

New Jersey will be the last chance after Austin fails as it's in the middle of a very large population base. Only problem is the Canadian GP is not far and many go over the border every year to that race. On the flip side it could have helped build a fan base for NJ, but the huge east coast population will be the biggest part.

East7thStreet · #**737** Posted **May 10, 2012, 4:57 PM**

^^^^^^Mods- Can you change his username to "Sour Grapes" please?^^^^^^

F1 Tommy · #**738** Posted **May 10, 2012, 5:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by East7thStreet

^^^^^^Mods- Can you change his username to "Sour Grapes" please?^^^^^^

I am not from Indy and I do not care about what happened to Indy other than we lost an F1 race in the USA. I am stating a fact about F1 racing in the USA. You will see within 2 years what I am talking about, or you can read up on the failure of F1 racing in the US to understand why Austin will fail. I think the NJ race will also fail. This is all a real shame.

Maybe if some rich Texas oil company would pick up the tab for this Austin race it could survive for 10 years.

East7thStreet · #**739** Posted **May 10, 2012, 6:00 PM**

You come off as somewhat of a regionalist with some sour grapes.

There are no major "rich oil companys" in Austin as far as I know. The city is filled with tech companies mixed in with corporate headquarters like Whole Foods. Maybe you can "read up" on a place you have no idea about?

Jdawgboy · #**740** Posted **May 10, 2012, 6:22 PM**

I agree, you seem to somehow know Austin will fail when you likely know nothing about this city. Wether or not F1 succeeds or not will have to wait until its already happened one way or the other. To just say flat out it will fail is a bit pretentious. Besides you seem to not realize this track will be used 365 days a year with other races (Car, Bicycle, Running), there will be research in new auto technology, and there will be other uses such as a music venue. This track will not sit empty once the race is done it will continue to be used and that is a major advantage that Austin will have.