Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/news-multimedia/news/2020/06/26/ims-to-admit-fans-at-104th-indianapolis500-at-reduced-attendance

The speedway is reassigning seats to help spread out fans. Ticket buyers have the option to take their full alottment of tickets or they can decide to only take of portion of their tickets.. If fans give up tickets then they will get a credit for a future race.

Ask Frank

I have a feeling this is the way the Nationals are going to go as well.  Anyone else have that same feeling?

The report earlier this week was that Indy has sold 175,000 tickets tickets. I don't know how Indy is determiing capacity, but if capacity is based off of available reserved seating, that number is 257,000+ (according to Wikipedia). That would mean they would only be able to have a bit over 128,000 fans in attendance (based off of 50% of grandstand capacity). So I'd say IMS is banking on having several fans give up their race tickets for this year. Of course, Indy also has infield tickets which would not be counted in the grandstands or in the grandstand capacity.

If Knoxville offered to give refunds or a ticket credit for next year's race to anyone with a ticket that doesn't wish to attend, they could probably reassign seating and spread folks out at 50% capacity. But whether or not they would want to deal with the headache of reassigning seats and having people complain about not having the seat they originally purchased is another case completely. Indianapolis has decided to take that plunge and I'm sure they'll get an earful from fans. I've got tickets for both races and I put in the request to keep my ticket for the 500 just a little while ago. I know I probably won't have the same seat because I only have a few years of ticket buying senority, but I know I'll have a great time because there's nothing like being at the Indy 500. I'll feel the same way if this becomes the game plan for the Knoxville Nationals.

Ask Frank

You are correct-----it's going to be a nightmare to plan and reorganize.  I don't know what will happen should Knoxville decide to go the same route. I am in row 10 on the backstretch.  I don't want to be in row 2.  As a matter of fact, I would likely not attend if we got moved too much farther down the stands.  I would go as low as row 7 or 8 back there, but no lower.  It will be interesting to see how it's handled should they decide it's a go with reduced capacity.  

So, it's the Indy 250?

Yep.   I was thinking that even if they were allowed 100% capacity they probably wouldn't have anywhere near that.   Many people likely wouldn't chance it.   I drive up from Dallas for the Nationals, but how many people fly there?   Are those people willing to chance the Nationals and the flights to and from there?   I also know there are a good number of people from Australia there.   Are any of those people going to be able to get flights over here?   I think they're supposed to announce something next week, so we'll see I guess. 

Reassigning seats would be a nightmare, especially not knowing who's going to attend.  I was wondering if they would do something like letting in the upper tier ticket holders earlier to get the first choice seats, then the middle tier and finally the lower tier.  We have great seats near the top and, like you, if I get stuck on the bottom, I'll probably pass.  Then, if they do this, I can see a bunch of late arrivals squeezing into places near the top that they shouldn't be.  It'll be interesting to see how they handle it, personally I think it's going to be all general admission, first come, first served.  

Underrated comment right there 

would it be mean spirited to say that some of us think the Indy 500 has been running at 50% for a couple decades now....