Taylor Swift helps U.S. Grand Prix to a record crowd

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Sunday's U.S. Formula One Grand Prix reversed a trend of declining audiences with its biggest crowd yet, according to organisers who said 269,889 attended over the three days at the Circuit of the Americas.

Taylor Swift helps U.S. Grand Prix to a record crowd

(Reuters)





The numbers were boosted by singer Taylor Swift holding her long-awaited first concert of the year on Saturday night after race qualifying, with some 80,000 watching.

The race, now in its fifth edition, reported a three-day crowd of 224,011 last year with the previous record of 265,499 set on its debut in 2012.

In 2013 and 2014 the official figures were 250,324 and 237,406 respectively.

Bad weather hit revenues significantly last year, with Saturday's final practice taking place behind closed doors due to flooded conditions and qualifying postponed to the Sunday.

That race turned out to be the title decider, with Britain's Lewis Hamilton taking his third world championship with Mercedes.

State subsidies, which the circuit needs to keep the race on the calendar, are based on a formula for calculating how much economic activity the grand prix generates for Texas and attendances play a big part in that.





(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Ian Chadband)


Share
1 min read

Published

Source: Reuters


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
Taylor Swift helps U.S. Grand Prix to a record crowd | SBS News