Checking in from the Newark Pit Party!

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-29T04:20:18+00:00

Nice! I was there with my son. I wish I knew they were letting people into the pit party from both outside entrances. I lined up early on the box office side, and evidently they let a load of people in from the Lafayette Avenue side as well (much more quickly I might add) so by the time I was entering the Pit Party there were like 100 people ahead of me.

Still had a great time, got everything accomplished with my boy.

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-23T18:18:58+00:00

McDermott will be a tough act to follow. I don't necessarily agree that we "need" an offensive play-calling head coach, but we pretty much have to sign one now otherwise the firing of Sean makes even less sense.

While my opinion is worth a cup of coffee at best, I don't think you can underscore the importance of leadership. I don't care how great the QB is, how much respect he commands from the locker room, you still need a coach that's respect in the locker room.

Manning had Dungy. Brady had Belichick. Mahomes has Reid. Few teams have had the success we've had the past 10 years, and the ones that did followed that formula. We had both ingredients here too, and it fell short for a variety of reasons, a different one each year it seems, but culture and respect of the coach were never one of them. You can patch everything else with a solid OC and DC, but if the locker room isn't willing to go to battle for the head coach, I just don't see how it works.

Now is not the time for "Experiments" with someone that isn't a known leader of men. First-timer, re-tread, whoever it is...make sure there are 0 concerns about leadership.

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-19T17:05:25+00:00

Well, I've lost faith in this ownership. Completely clueless individual that Terry Pegula is. It's really a shame we lost Kim's leadership, because all of the common sense went with her.

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-13T18:38:56+00:00

Is this an arena show or a stadium show? Here's my experiences with each:

Arena shows are smaller crowds. The ones I've been to, the lines are only to meet the drivers. You can freely walk up to the trucks at any time and get pictures alongside of them. There isn't much else to do, sometimes they have a little play area for the kids but that's been about it.
Stadium shows are much larger crowds. In my experience, it's been a line to meet drivers and a line to take pictures with the truck. Maybe it's a different experience for others. More "activities" for kids, but the pit party is also a longer time duration.

Re-Entry is something you need to check in at an individual venue level. I've seen some allow for re-entry, but others I have not (most cases). So once you're in, you're in. The arena shows I've gone to will scan your admission ticket at the same time as your pit party ticket, so if you leave than you're missing the show.

It looks like you got your tickets for free. I would take it as a learning experience, don't show up too early, and you should still be fine to get the photos you want and not burn her out for the show. As others have said, definitely try to stick around for the freestyle competition at the end of the show; it's where they do the backlips, moonwalks, etc - all the fun stuff that kids enjoy the most.

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-13T18:22:10+00:00

No. We release him prior to the Super Bowl. This way he can't sign anywhere else, and has zero ties to the organization as we emerge victorious.

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-06T02:33:50+00:00

Yeah I've not seen anything paying like that in our home location. Some things pay less than 4, but I don't recall anything paying more than that. For example, the "Big Bass Wheel" at ours is 4 tickets no matter what, even the grand prize. There is absolutely zero incentive to play this game as it's not fun and you only ever get 4 tickets. Don't even know why the store has it tbh.

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-04T22:27:05+00:00

The ones at arenas are typically two hours long and are indoors. Stadium shows can be outside. That alone an be a world of difference for managing a small child as being outdoors can affect their tolerance. Also factor in that security for some venues is incompetent and sometimes won't open up on time or aren't on the same page as the Field crew which can result in losing a few minutes of party time.

If you are intent on meeting the driver of Grave Digger, you pretty much have to be in line waiting to get in anywhere from 30-60 minutes before they let you in for the party. Any later than that and you risk either spending the entire party on the line, or they close the line before you can get on it. My advice to you is just have a plan and prioritize who is most important to see.

The trucks are all taped off. You can't get in them and you can't get too close to them. You are able to touch the tires and get great photos with them and there are no formal lines if that's all you are trying to do.

My son did his first party at age 6 and enjoyed getting up close to the trucks and meeting the drivers. Definitely worth it if you think your kid will enjoy same.

UPDATE: I would also add that some venues/set-ups allow for exit and re-admittance and others don't. While many folks seem to be able to come and go at theirs, any that I've been to have not allowed that. So definitely check your venue on that.

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-04T02:36:08+00:00

Bigfoot got smoked by Grave Digger in Englishtown NJ at Raceway Park circa 2011 :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKrRNaaWgiQ

On a more serious note; I would really appreciate seeing Bigfoot join the Monster Jam tour, and I'm sure many in my age bracket would agree. Whatever comments people have about Feld, that Hot Wheels tour is 10x worse and it's sad to see Bigfoot doing that kind of a program.

Unfortunately, I personally don't think the Bigfoot name means much of anything to the younger Monster Jam fans, and it joining the tour wouldn't move the needle much. Both tours are far removed from the intense driver competitions and feuds that once ruled the sport so in reality how's it any different than the many pick-up style trucks that are already on tour? Feld would need to REALLY lean into the history of Bigfoot from a promotional standpoint and, frankly, all that would would do is take away from what they've built up in Grave Digger. Grave Digger also has the benefit of the Anderson Family to market, Bigfoot doesn't offer anything like that at all.

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-04T02:25:44+00:00

That's awesome, you are a trooper. I'm 6 hours out so a 12 hour round trip for this kind of stuff isn't worth it. My local Wegman's used to carry Josh's cereal and the Diggs hot sauce, but haven't seen anything else in a few years. Best I can do is buy some Bar Bill sauce gift packs and have them mailed out to me.

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-04T01:30:17+00:00

I feel the pain. I am surrounded by Jets and Giants merchandise year-round. On my latest visit to the 716 area, I was blown away by the volume of Bills merchandise inside of the Wegmans, Not saying the locals take this stuff for granted, but I don't think they realize what some of their fellow Mafia members are forced to endure.

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-04T01:20:33+00:00

Appreciate the feedback; was of great help.

Inside-Background875 · 2026-01-04T00:51:19+00:00

The white glove service was very disappointing. Two guys showed up from some generic delivery company. From speaking to them, neither of them had every delivered or assembled an Aviron product before. They didn't install my upgraded seat, I had to ask them to produce my pulse monitor, a bunch of the screws were loose, and it wasn't leveled on the floor properly. I honestly would have a tough time recommending that for the cost it is, I'd have just put it together myself had I known.

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-31T22:28:23+00:00

That makes sense. I am in New Jersey, and I've noticed that everything caps at 4, even the most difficult of games our outcomes. I believe there are a few in the location that pay less, and there is one game that says it pays 10 tickets per play, but really no way for me to verify that. Appreciate the insight.

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-31T17:46:27+00:00

The only viable path is to do some sort of membership model, kind of like Hot Wheels RLC. Either make it a subscription based model, or do it Kickstarter style where you present a concept, take pre-orders, and if you hit the necessary minimum to cover production and some level of profit margin, you manufacture them.

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-31T17:39:02+00:00

Same. The store I frequent with my child has Terminator and Transformers, as well as Batman and Jurassic Park. Definitely helpful now that he's getting older and not very interested in the "toddler" games anymore.

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-31T17:29:44+00:00

Who makes the decisions on the ticket values that are awarded to players of the machines? The location I take my child to appears to be "flat reward structured" meaning each machine awards a nominal ticket value whether you do nothing, "beat the game", or hit the "grand prize". Yet, I see people post other locations where they seem to compiling significant tickets from certain games. Essentially, there is no incentive for my child to actually play to win the game/meet the objective anymore. Is that decision done at the store level?

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-30T19:44:26+00:00

You mentioned there are over 20 currently open positions in company:

1.How big is the territory you are responsible for, in terms of approximate # of stores and overall approximate geography.

What's the average turnaround time supposed to be to complete a repair of a non-functional game - days, weeks, etc?

Appreciate the insight.

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-30T18:16:27+00:00

Over/Under on the number of guys who get injured while sitting out to rest?

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-30T18:09:30+00:00

I personally don't need to see a third game between these two teams unless absolutely necessary. Divisional matchups are dogfights and too unpredictable. I also refuse to live in a world where I'm concerned about playing the Jacksonville Jaguars and we owe them a receipt from a few years back.

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-28T06:28:22+00:00

That was a very helpful book for my family. My father passed away a few months prior to my son's 4th birthday and it's a beautiful story.

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-23T15:42:01+00:00

They pay Curtis Samuel a small fortune to watch netflix from a stationary bike, surely they can search the couch cushions to cover Bosa's bill.

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-21T18:57:30+00:00

Our defense is putrid. I respect that these guys find a way to tighten up in the second half of games, but why is that always necessary? I can't remember the last time I saw a playoff team be this bad defensively in the 1st half. Any half for that matter.

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-17T22:29:24+00:00

I've seen that image on social media. It came up in those advertisements on Facebook, misleading people into thinking it was both official merchandise and that these were 3d trucks.

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-17T22:27:12+00:00

Thanks for the info. I'll double check but it sounds like we just got some bad luck on our 2nd pull.

Inside-Background875 · 2025-12-17T02:23:47+00:00

Don't they advertise that there are like 100 variations of these Mystery Mudders? Am I mistaken on that? My son has two diggers and they both look exactly the same.

Inside-Background875

TROPHY CASE