It appears that biker bar Full Throttle Saloon, located off State Highway 34 in Sturgis, South Dakota is facing tough times, what with a massive hailstorm, interesting bartenders and a down and out economy. The owner, Mike Ballard, lamented his economic woes and was questioning the bar’s long term viability.
TruTV to the rescue! TV viewers of Atlanta-based TruTV may be the saving grace. An average of 1.3 million viewers took in the show’s first six episodes, cementing its chances for a second season. Although TruTV has not formally announced a renewal, show executive producer Jesse James Dupree is looking at the bright side.
“We knew we had something real America would connect with,” noted Dupree. “Luckily, it was validated.”
No doubt the show is good marketing for Full Throttle, pretty much ensuring increased attendance at the annual bike rally, and that translates to a greater chance for the saloon to make a profit. Dupree adds that people have come up to him and said they plan to go to Sturgis next year, adding that they never would have considered Full Throttle as a destination had they not seen the show.
Full Throttle is open only about 14 days a year so owner Mike Ballard has to focus on grabbing as much revenue as he can in such a small time frame. Anything that interrupts that window means less attendance and consequently less revenue. Which makes for bad business, but good dynamics for reality TV.