Kenny Wallace recently addressed the growing backlash surrounding NASCAR’s decision to partner with Ticketmaster starting in 2025. NASCAR aims to create a unified ticketing system for fans through this collaboration. Ticketmaster, which has long worked with Speedway Motorsports, is a well-known ticketing service, but it has received significant criticism from fans.
Ticketmaster’s unpopularity stems from its history of added fees and technical issues, which were most notably seen during Taylor Swift’s 2022 Eras Tour ticket release. Fans expressed concerns over NASCAR’s decision to work with Ticketmaster, given the platform’s negative reputation. Wallace, however, urged fans not to jump to conclusions and suggested that not every move made by NASCAR deserves criticism. He speculated that if the NFL made a similar announcement, the reaction might have been more understanding.
During his show, *The Kenny Wallace Show*, Wallace acknowledged the uproar from NASCAR fans. He said, “Drama beyond belief! NASCAR is announcing that they’re going to use Ticketmaster and the fans are losing their minds. I don’t know what to say because every sporting event and every concert event uses Ticketmaster right?” Wallace emphasized how common it is for major sporting events and concerts to use Ticketmaster, yet NASCAR is often singled out for criticism. He continued, “It seems like anything NASCAR does is bad, right? But if the NFL does it, it’s like, ‘Well, we’ll talk about it.'”
While Wallace admitted he didn’t know much about Ticketmaster’s services, he was puzzled by how the company continues to dominate the ticketing landscape despite its notoriety. He questioned how the platform manages to stay in business if it is so unpopular and why it remains the go-to choice for major events. He expressed his confusion, stating, “If Ticketmaster is so bad, then why does the US government allow them? How are they able to get away with this?”
Wallace also invited NASCAR fans to educate him further on the platform, expressing his surprise at the widespread disdain for the partnership and asking for insight into the deeper issues surrounding Ticketmaster.
In addition to this topic, Wallace backed Denny Hamlin’s stance on NASCAR’s ongoing short-track issues. Short-track racing, particularly in the Next Gen era, has faced challenges, with the recent Bristol Night Race drawing significant criticism. Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, suggested that overhauling the cars would bring significant costs, a point Wallace agreed with. He highlighted that NASCAR has delivered an impressive show throughout the season and that one subpar race should not lead to drastic changes.
Wallace expressed his views in a video posted on his YouTube channel, where he defended the sport against hasty criticism. He commented, “We have raced all year long and the races have been fantastic. We have one bad race at Bristol, and all of a sudden, ‘Let’s get rid of the car!'”
Wallace echoed Hamlin’s concerns about the financial burden that further changes to the cars would place on teams. Hamlin, who owns cars driven by Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, pointed out that teams can’t afford additional changes to the vehicles. Wallace agreed, calling the idea of revamping the entire car “stupid talk” and dismissed it as “bull****,” stating that such drastic alterations were unlikely to happen.
In conclusion, Wallace encouraged fans to have a broader perspective on NASCAR’s decisions and avoid overreacting to isolated events.
“If they’re bad, why does the US government allow them?” – Kenny Wallace questions NASCAR fans amid Ticketmaster drama
