NASCAR partners with Ticketmaster – what could go wrong

Darlington, South Carolina – May 13: Fans fill the stands at the Shriners NASCAR Xfinity Series Children’s Competition … (+) 200 on May 13, 2023 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo: David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Good news, NASCAR fans. From 2025, tickets for races at any track owned by NASCAR or Speedway Motorsports will be available for purchase through one unified platform.

And now the not-so-good news? This platform will be Ticketmaster.

Thursday’s announcement, issued with expected optimism, revealed that “NASCAR has named Ticketmaster its official ticketing partner, complementing Ticketmaster’s long-term partnership with Speedway Motorsports and further unifying ticketing for fans of the sport.” Essentially, NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports have decided to simplify the ticket purchasing process by outsourcing it to Ticketmaster, starting with the 2025 season.

Kari Gritton, senior vice president of consumer strategy for NASCAR, had high praise for Ticketmaster, stating: “We partnered with Ticketmaster for our new ticketing solution based on their advanced capabilities, deep industry knowledge and proven ticketing best practices in sports. Their knowledge and experience will be key to consolidating all of NASCAR’s racing events onto one efficient and accessible platform, streamlining our overall operations. If PR is to be believed, this partnership will benefit everyone, and NASCAR fans can expect a smoother and hassle-free ticket purchasing experience.

However, there is one glaring problem that fans will not be able to ignore: that platform is Ticketmaster.

Yes, Ticketmaster, the company that has gained a reputation as one of the most disliked ticketing services in the world. A company so associated with frustration, fees and technical issues that it’s basically the event-goer’s version of a visit to the DMV. Fans who have ever tried to purchase a concert ticket through Ticketmaster may have already felt a knot in their stomach.

While NASCAR is touting this partnership as a ticketing revolution, they failed to mention that Ticketmaster is carrying so much baggage that it will need the proverbial elephant in the room to carry it all. It all started in 2010, when Ticketmaster completed its merger with Live Nation, creating a powerhouse accused of monopolizing the event ticketing industry. Soon, fans noticed that Ticketmaster was free to charge all kinds of fees – convenience fees, service fees, and even fees for printing your own tickets at home.

WASHINGTON, DC – January 24: Amy Edwards and Parker Harrison demonstrate against live performances … (+) entertainment ticket industry outside the United States Capitol on January 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing this morning to examine whether the Live Nation and Ticketmaster merger stifled competition and harmed the consumer market. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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Then came the Taylor Swift debacle in 2022. Swift’s huge legion of fans, Swifties, have been eagerly waiting to buy tickets for her Eras Tour. However, as soon as tickets went on sale, the Ticketmaster website crashed, leaving fans unable to secure their seats. The problem wasn’t just technical glitches – bots stepped in, collecting tickets and reselling them at astronomical prices. Many fans were left with frustration and a bad taste in their mouths.

The consequences were so serious that the US Congress became involved. Hearings were held and the US Department of Justice opened an antitrust investigation into Ticketmaster and Live Nation. And just this year, the Department of Justice, along with 30 states, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against the company.

Fast forward to NASCAR’s announcement, and it’s no surprise that fans aren’t thrilled. Immediately afterward, the response was rapid. NASCAR fans took to social media to complain, including: “I don’t know of a worse company to work with“To”Fans will happily pay the $40 fee for a $60 ticket“, and always popular, “They hate us“

For now, NASCAR remains reserved. When asked for comment on fan reaction, they offered nothing. It’s an odd strategy, considering how passionate NASCAR fans can be and how loudly they criticize this new ticketing plan.

To be honest, Speedway Motorsports has been using Ticketmaster for years with seemingly no problem. Perhaps the problems Swift fans experienced were an isolated incident. Perhaps NASCAR fans will be the beneficiaries of a newly improved Ticketmaster, free from the problems that have plagued it in the past. Perhaps in 2025, purchasing tickets will be efficient and hassle-free.

Or maybe, just maybe, NASCAR fans will end up shelling out more than they paid for the ticket itself, waiting in endless online lines and continuing to chant, “They hate us,” as more and more seats are empty at the tracks.

Come this time next season, NASCAR fans will either be celebrating a successful ticketing system or looking back on this announcement as the day they felt their latest frustration.