1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,160 Speaker 1: All right, emerging from the green room now is the 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:05,920 Speaker 1: Doug Bulls, the aforementioned man over at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: Good Tuesday morning, Doug, Welcome to the show and we 4 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:10,800 Speaker 1: are always happy to talk to you. How are things 5 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:12,800 Speaker 1: going in the quote unquote off season? 6 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 2: Well, we finally are in the off season. Finally. We 7 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 2: just had our last test on track yesterday. 8 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 3: And now we start winn rising and counting down for 9 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 3: the twenty twenty sixth season. 10 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 2: So but you know, the good news is we. 11 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 3: Get lots of great sports in Indiana to watch for 12 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 3: the next few months until we go racing again. 13 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: I still want to have a football game somewhere in 14 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 1: the infield. Is that even possible? 15 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 2: Anywhere? 16 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 3: You know, it would be possible to do for sure. 17 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 2: The challenge we have is the place is so big. 18 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 3: You would put this, you know, you put the field somewhere, 19 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 3: like if you put it in turn one, for example, 20 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 3: in the grass area in Turn one, you'd only have 21 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 3: a portion. 22 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 2: Of the track that can see it. 23 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 3: So while we have two hundred and thirty five thousand 24 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 3: permanent seats, not all of them would you know, would 25 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 3: get to see it. So that's the biggest challenge. You know, 26 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 3: we couldn't engage all of our seats, but I would 27 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 3: love like the Winner Classic or some cool football game. 28 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 3: You know, basketball came on the yard of bricks kind 29 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 3: of thing, if you build it. You know, we've we've 30 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 3: explored a lot of it. We just haven't found the 31 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 3: right the right thing yet. 32 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: Well, I like all the things that you tend to 33 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: come up with, they're always kind of fun. What are 34 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 1: you guys working on right now? What can you tell 35 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: us about where we're at the Speedway as we sit 36 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: here a few days before Halloween. 37 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 3: Well, we just, like I said, we just got done 38 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 3: with our last real test yesterday for the Indie Next cars, 39 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 3: which are those cars that are just below the Indy 40 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 3: Car cars. So we'll start winn rizing getting ready to go. 41 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 3: But our tickets go back on sale. So the biggest 42 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 3: time for tickets sales for us is in our renewal period. 43 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 3: So as soon as the checker flag falls and the 44 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 3: Indy five hundred got five hundred hours to renew, your 45 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 3: tickets are asked for an upgrade and then the team 46 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 3: goes through all that and once that's done. 47 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 2: Tickets go back on sale for folks that don't have them. 48 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 3: So today we go back on sale with tickets about 49 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 3: two hundred and eight days from the one hundred and 50 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 3: tenth running the eighty five hundred. So we'll start cranking 51 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 3: away and getting prepared for getting prepared for the spring. 52 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 4: The tearaway calendar. On the dusk the desk of Douglas. 53 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 5: He's going to say, give us some insight, Doug, as 54 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 5: to what that looks like for you. Do you have 55 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 5: like just like a big clock in your office that 56 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 5: lets you know by the second of when the next 57 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 5: eighty five hundred starts. 58 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 3: I do have a big clock in my office that 59 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 3: lets me know by the second win the five hundred starts. 60 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 2: But it's I. 61 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 3: I do. I do have a big it's a big 62 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 3: Miller like clock. So it reminds me that I need 63 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 3: to drink a beer. And by the way, it's two 64 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 3: hundred and eight days until the Indian APLS five hundred. 65 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 3: So today at two thirty, I'll switch to two hundred 66 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 3: and seven days and twenty three hours and you know, 67 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 3: fifty nine minutes. 68 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 2: But so yeah, so today's two hundred eight. But I've 69 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 2: done it. 70 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 3: I've done it so long now it's just in my head. 71 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 3: It's just one of those things that I just automatically 72 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:43,399 Speaker 3: count down. It's it's part of the fun. And yeah, 73 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 3: so it just it just is kind of there. 74 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:46,639 Speaker 1: Well, I have to ask you now, next year, when 75 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: we do our annual Miller Miller like Carb Day show 76 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: out there at the Speedway, you're gonna come by and 77 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: crack one with Kevin and James and I like we 78 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:55,679 Speaker 1: did last year. 79 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 3: I will one hundred percent any opportunity I have to 80 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 3: grab a beer at the Speedway and call it work. 81 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 3: I'm in so I'm happy to do that. It's uh 82 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 3: part part of the fun. In fact, my you know, 83 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 3: one of my favorite times the month of May is 84 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 3: the night before the five hundred, when you know, I 85 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 3: basically just stay up all night and what I end 86 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 3: up doing is is taking my tie off and walking 87 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:20,919 Speaker 3: out in the crowd in the coke lot or through 88 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 3: the neighborhoods. And I'll allow myself to have one beer 89 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 3: during the night, because I probably shouldn't drink a lot 90 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 3: the night before the five hundred. But part of the 91 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 3: fun is just is just hanging out with folks and 92 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 3: watching that and and I tend to end up with 93 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 3: a cors light instead of a Miller light, but the 94 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 3: same family, so it works well. 95 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 2: But that's that's kind of kind of where I am. 96 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 2: But happy to share a beer with you guys. 97 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 4: I think you and John maybe cheers last year in 98 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 4: the in the cokelat the night before the race. The 99 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 4: Great Doug bulls with us here on the Payloss Slickers hotline. Doug, 100 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 4: I think it's our first conversation since the news of Fox, 101 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 4: you know, buying a I guess a chunk of any 102 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 4: car and I MS, what do you envision as different? 103 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 4: What will that financial backing from your TV partner, which 104 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 4: is super unique in any sport, What will that do 105 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 4: for you guys? Maybe as early as twenty twenty six. 106 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 3: Well, I think the biggest thing is it's it's sort 107 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 3: of an endorsement that they see a lot of upside 108 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 3: in the in the IndyCar series as we go forward 109 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 3: it for them to invest in it, you know, they 110 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 3: obviously saw what we see, which is a lot of 111 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 3: upside and a lot of a lot of great things 112 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 3: on the horizon. 113 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 2: So that that's that's kind of the biggest thing for me, 114 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 2: is just that endorsement from them. 115 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 3: The Secondarily, I mean we saw it last year, just 116 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 3: the investment that they make, and they did it this 117 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,239 Speaker 3: past weekend during the IU game, you know, having Alex 118 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 3: plow down and really talking about the Indy five hundred, 119 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 3: so leveraging a lot of their other other sports properties 120 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 3: to really help grow the Indy five hundred and the series, 121 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 3: and then having some of the Fox creative folks, Eric 122 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 3: Shanksky and one on our board really helping us think 123 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 3: through how do we just continue to invest more in 124 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 3: the promotional side and grow the sport. I think that's 125 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 3: where we're going to see the biggest value. And in fact, 126 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 3: I sent a long note yesterday to Eric on some 127 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 3: of my thoughts in terms of how are we what 128 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:08,719 Speaker 3: are the pillars that we really should be growing the 129 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 3: series around, and how that we get after it and 130 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 3: how can we engage their help to get there. So 131 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 3: those are I mean, that's really what I think we'll 132 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 3: see is just some of the brain power that they 133 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:19,720 Speaker 3: that they bring along with it. And then, like I said, 134 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 3: it's just a great endorsement that somebody else sees the 135 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 3: value in the Indy Car Series, in the upside that 136 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 3: we have over the next few years. 137 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 4: Any clarity from a third party race control. Obviously we 138 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,280 Speaker 4: had all the inspection kind of drama from last year. 139 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 4: Any any clarity on that. 140 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think where we're going to end up with 141 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 3: that is we're going to end up having to really 142 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:42,600 Speaker 3: roll that announcement out here in the next couple of weeks. 143 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 3: We've gone through a lot of different options of ways 144 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 3: to get our officiating independent and independent in the sense 145 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 3: that it just removes any optics challenges of the owner 146 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 3: of the series and the owner of the speedway actually 147 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,280 Speaker 3: owning a team that competes in it. So we have 148 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 3: to build that firewall that allows the series and the 149 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 3: fans and our partners to feel comfortable that all decisions 150 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 3: that are being made are not being made in a 151 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 3: way that are benefiting the owner of the organization. So 152 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:15,720 Speaker 3: we've had several options that. 153 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 2: We've looked through. 154 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 3: I think we've narrowed it down to a couple right now. 155 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 3: We had a long meeting yesterday about really going through 156 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 3: the pros and cons of both. 157 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 2: So I think we're going to get to a situation in. 158 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 3: The next couple weeks where we'll be rolling that out 159 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 3: with the teams and then ultimately rolling that out to 160 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 3: the fans, but we're definitely committed to independent officiating in 161 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 3: beginning in twenty twenty six. 162 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: Doug, you got caught being a nice guy again. I 163 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: got a story from a listener this morning. You says 164 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: a great story about Doug. We were at the recent 165 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: sports car race at IMS. Doug was driving around in 166 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: his vintage nineteen twenties race car. He stopped around where 167 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: we were saw my five year old son looking at 168 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,280 Speaker 1: his car. Doug immediately signaled over to us told them 169 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: to climb in moment. My kid will never forget how 170 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: much fun was that, you know, one. 171 00:06:57,880 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 3: Of the biggest things for me. So I bought this 172 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 3: crazy night teen twenty four race car a year and 173 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 3: a half ago because it was in nineteen twenty four, 174 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 3: Chevy on firestones, all the things, and it was the 175 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 3: twenty twenty four eighty five hundred. I called my wife 176 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 3: and I said, hey, I want to buy this car. 177 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 2: She said, you don't need another car. I said, well, 178 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 2: I need this one. 179 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 3: And the reason it is is because it's not a 180 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 3: current IndyCar. 181 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 2: Obviously, it doesn't look like a current IndyCar. But what's so. 182 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 3: Cool about it is it does attract I mean, kids 183 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 3: love it so and the ability for me to just 184 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 3: step out of the car and let a kid get in. 185 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 2: The car and pretend they're driving. 186 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 3: You know, the most important thing any of us do 187 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 3: for our sports and the health of our sports long 188 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 3: term is engage kids so that their lifelong football, basketball, 189 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 3: racing fans, whatever it is. And so for me, it's 190 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 3: just a really cool opportunity to get a kid to 191 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 3: smile and frankly, get their parents to smile right when 192 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 3: they get a chance to get in the car. So 193 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 3: you know, there's nothing better than watching kids fall in 194 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 3: love with your sports. So that's really the purpose for 195 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 3: that tool. So I do that quite a bit with 196 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 3: that car. 197 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 2: So it's a lot of fun. 198 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 3: And the speedway police were nice enough to allow me 199 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 3: to license this so I can actually drive it down 200 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 3: main stream and you know, it's it's really a fun 201 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 3: little it's really a fun little car. 202 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: That's good stuff. Well, enjoy that. Back to work selling 203 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: tickets today, And what's the best way for people to 204 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: get tickets is to go online? 205 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 2: Or what do they do? 206 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, they can call the office, but you know anymore, 207 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 3: going online IMS dot com is the easiest way to 208 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 3: do it. You can always call three one seven four 209 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 3: nine two eighty five hundred if you want to talk 210 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 3: to a live person. I remind people that our ticket 211 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 3: team is literally in our office. We're not outsourcing it 212 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 3: to some tickets a ticket broker or some some ticket 213 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 3: call center somewhere, so they can if you want to 214 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 3: know what your seat's going to look like, they can 215 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 3: go out and. 216 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:33,719 Speaker 2: Take a picture of what the view would be like 217 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:36,320 Speaker 2: from your seat. And we we really take pride in 218 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 2: the way that we handle our customer service. So either 219 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 2: online or call them folks in the ticket office. 220 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,079 Speaker 1: Doug Bowles ims, thanks for checking in. We'll talk to 221 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: you soon. 222 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 2: Boddy, No no problem, guys, take care. Thanks