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While NASCAR is still wildly popular across the United States, it doesn’t appear to be doing much to appeal to its longtime fans.
Superstar driver Kyle Larson recently found himself in hot water after telling fans that they needed to temper their expectations for races.
Now, the series has again drawn the ire of fans after announcing that it was switching its ticketing partner from Tickets.com and SeatGeek to Ticketmaster.
.@NASCAR Holdings is switching ticketing partners to @LiveNation Entertainment’s @Ticketmaster starting next year, part of a move to get the racing circuit’s event operators onto the same platform to make the fan experience easier. https://t.co/Z6AwZsj6sI
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) September 26, 2024
“Ticketmaster will replace Tickets.com, which is currently NASCAR’s official ticketing partner, as well as SeatGeek, which has been NASCAR’s preferred secondary marketplace since ‘22,” Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal reports. “While the move aligns NASCAR’s two major track operators from a ticketing perspective, NASCAR said the deal came after it conducted a thorough RFP process. The NASCAR Tracks App will embed Ticketmaster’s Ignite mobile product, and Ticketmaster will give NASCAR a presence on its distribution network on social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat.”
NASCAR Fans And Drivers Call Out Sport For Ticketing Changes
NASCAR claims the move is meant to make the fan experience easier. Several NASCAR tracks are independently owned, so the ticket-buying process often varies from track to track.
That will no longer be the case moving forward.
But fans believe the move to ticketmaster will only lead to additional costs and fees. And even current drivers, such as Xfinity Series driver Brad Perez, expressed their concern.
i cannot hold my tongue this is the worst possible thing to ever happen https://t.co/bIU8cB8LMi
— bread perez (@bradxperez) September 26, 2024
A quick Google search could have told them this wasn’t a good move https://t.co/LkATNVaXiy pic.twitter.com/DmB51uVxX1
— 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝙊𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙨 (@ChrisOwens62) September 26, 2024
I get wanting/needing to streamline everything, but absolutely not convinced that having Ticketmaster as the source is the streamlining that will work for the fans😳😳 #NASCAR https://t.co/BvM8RsLYHZ
— Crash Gladys (@CrashGladys) September 26, 2024
The move comes at an already contentious time for the series. NASCAR is currently embroiled in a battle with team owners over its charter system. While a majority of owners have agreed to a future charter agreement, one notable hold out is Michael Jordan and his team, 23XI Racing.
As the sport looks to move forward and find new revenue streams, angering fans with countless fees feels like a bold move.