It seems like the world of racing has never been more elite, or more exclusive, than when the Thermal Club announced their special event—a made-for-TV extravaganza. The winner of this private race, to be held on 24 March, will walk away a cool million dollars richer. The kicker? Access to this behind-the-scenes spectacle comes with a hefty price tag. Absent of any fanfare or announcement, tickets went on sale on 20 October for a cool $2,000 each (minus pesky fees, of course). Quite a stir, indeed.
Understandably, this caused an uproar. A limited ticket release for an exclusive event naturally raised questions and sparked intense reactions among fans. The tickets, still very much for sale online, provide buyers with a three-day VIP experience, including prime seating, access to food trucks, and even onsite parking.
Despite all these perks, many fans and spectators are calling this segregation—economic, to be precise. With a chuckling disregard for the controversy, IndyCar CEO Mark Miles defended this new approach to bringing racing to a more “private” audience.
“We really haven’t done a great job of positioning and explaining this,” confessed Miles during an interview with autosport.com. Appearances can be deceiving—Miles argues that this is “really a private test,” an intimate setting for IndyCar teams to foster relationships, not a typical race—it just happens to be on TV.
Miles continues, “And we know it’s not accessible for our fans, which is part of the reason that it’s not a championship points race; it’s a made-for-TV more private event.”
The outcry among racing fans over this development shows a clear divide over the future of intimately curated events like these. However, Miles reasserted, fans will still get a piece of the action—at least on screen. Considering the mixed reviews and hefty entrance fee, be sure to catch the unconventional event on NBC.
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