The decline started when the economy was good and all the corporations were buying up the tickets and handing em out to whomever wanted ...Stands were just filled with corporate shirted people who showed up 10 laps after the start and leave 50 laps before the finish and spent most time in between running to get beer, food or take'n a leak...Stands have been slowly filling back up with diehard fans for the past 4 years... Not sure of the increases in overall price but its around $75 a seat and you can bring in enough beer and food in to supply yerself for a 200 lap event which is hella cheaper than snowmachine'n...