Tony Cochrane retires as Chairman

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

You dont recall TC carrying on like a two year old when the street race idea got binned and his response was to state publicly that he would stage a race elsewhere on the same date in order to take away the channel 10 coverage on Sunday afternoon.

I had forgotten that part of it for sure - he got into a ****ing contest with the state govt major events people which was most definitely not his finest hour. He has a dark side, no doubt about it and that time was not good, not good at all and I suspect impacted on any subsequent govt dealings.

[GTRMagic]

Remind me again, which CEO doesnt have a darkside?

Very few things in this whole world would ever get done without one..

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Remind me again, which CEO doesnt have a darkside?

Very few things in this whole world would ever get done without one..

Totally agree - TC ain't perfect but he's achieved a huge amount and got a great many things done - some eggs have definitely been broken to make the omelette but as you say, not that unusual for that to be the case.

[GTRMagic]

Mr McKay's view...

Story Here

Originally Posted by The Article

GOOD, THE BAD AND TONY

Since last week's announcement of Tony Cochrane's departure from the top post at V8 Supercars, there have been a number of eulogies. Never one for false humility, much of the praise came from the man himself. He is rightly pleased to finally attract other brands to join Holden and Ford in the series, but this result could have happened years ago if Cochrane had a more mature understanding of the Australian car market. Many of the reviews of Cochrane's lengthy tenure steering V8 Supercars have concentrated on his successes while conveniently overlooking the failures - the Canberra and Homebush street races, and the international catastrophes in Shanghai, Bahrain, and Hamilton. Cochrane always considered it an attribute that he could talk dumb politicians into signing off millions of taxpayers' money to help fund events such as Homebush.

Others might suggest our money could be better invested in permanent circuits where the sport benefits all year round. According to the Australian Financial Review, he has jumped before being elbowed out by the category's majority owner, the conservative Archer Capital. V8 Supercars Australia's next mighty challenge is to cement a television deal that brings some much-needed revenue while perhaps also giving many of the teams on the grid a positive story to take to potential sponsors.

The likely scenario is a handful of blue-chip races headed by the Bathurst 1000, Clipsal 500 and Sandown 500 will be reserved for the successful free-to-air bidder, with most of the other races to be shown on pay TV.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Remind me again, which CEO doesnt have a darkside?

Very few things in this whole world would ever get done without one..

But a public slanging match?

When do you see Demetriou, Gallop, John O'neill or even Ben Buckley for that matter entering into something like this?

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

But a public slanging match?

When do you see Demetriou, Gallop, John O'neill or even Ben Buckley for that matter entering into something like this?

Each one of the people you mention are/were answerable to a board who took the lead on the entrepreneurial spirit of their sporting code.

Mr Cochrane had to write his own rules to some extent because the thinking that had gone on before for this sporting code was comfortable playing to small crowds, with volunteer pit crews, with different teams showing up each week depending how far the event was from their front door..

There are a number of people in government & industry that are not fun to play with. In the ultimate strategy game, to some extent V8SA played their hand all in, because the bloke making the decisions was the one who was doing the negotiating.

In a traditional sales/marketing/relationship development way, it is usual for a multi-layered relationship approach to be formed, with a number of people in the V8SA organisation having an opposite number inside the partner organisation, such that the 'top to top' discussions are usually the public pleasantries on signoffs.

But it isnt/wasnt like that at V8SA. There was no roadmap. TC & friends wrote their own... and while in some cases it pushed the sport in different directions, they found some strong supporters in government, in industry, in the sport itself that were hitherto untapped.

Its very easy to chuck bricks, but you have to ask yourself.. could a David Gallop or Andrew Demetriou have gotten V8SA to the position it is in today with the resources that were at Mr Cochrane's disposal at the time, with the budgets available...

I am not sure they could have...

Anybody can tweak what is already there and make it shiny... the true test is taking something that isnt there, or is untapped, and making it your own

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

But a public slanging match?

When do you see Demetriou, Gallop, John O'neill or even Ben Buckley for that matter entering into something like this?

Demetriou has a long history of making threats and demands publicly to govts such as Tas, NSW, SA. Gallop more restrained but has had a number of public slanging matches with NRL teams. John O'Neill had public slanging matches with RWC organisers from memory. Ben Buckley leaves the slanging matches to Mr. Lowy.

[Umai Naa]

Anybody who discredits Mr Cochrane for the catagory's achievements must be an ingnoramus. Yeah, I despise him for his treatment of the other catagories, tracks, and the tax payer, but look at what we have now.

What and when was the biggest ATCC (regular season, not the enduros) grid before 1997?

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Demetriou has a long history of making threats and demands publicly to govts such as Tas, NSW, SA. Gallop more restrained but has had a number of public slanging matches with NRL teams. John O'Neill had public slanging matches with RWC organisers from memory. Ben Buckley leaves the slanging matches to Mr. Lowy.

In the case of Gallop - has he? I understand many clubs / people have had a crack at him but I disagree that anything he has said or done is on the same level as Tony Cochrane. TC instigated a lot of public attacks on government, other sporting organisations, tv stations, tv production companies and sports promoters to a level that I have never witnessed in professional sport.

To mention his name alongside other senior sports administrators as those listed above is extremely disrespectful

[one five five]

Originally Posted by Tourer

May surprise many to know that TC has for a very long time been a motor racing fan - it was one of the driving factors that got him involved in the first place - he saw great potential in a sport that he liked.

Such a fan that he is quoted in the book "V8Supercars - The Whole Story" as having never set foot on Mt Panorama before the 1996 event, by which time he was already 'in the job' so to speak??

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

What and when was the biggest ATCC (regular season, not the enduros) grid before 1997?

In 1989 & 1990 you had Group A grids at ATCC rounds pushing 40 entries at most of the tracks

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

In the case of Gallop - has he? I understand many clubs / people have had a crack at him but I disagree that anything he has said or done is on the same level as Tony Cochrane. TC instigated a lot of public attacks on government, other sporting organisations, tv stations, tv production companies and sports promoters to a level that I have never witnessed in professional sport.

To mention his name alongside other senior sports administrators as those listed above is extremely disrespectful

It was of course you who brought up those other names in comparison to TC. They all have gone public with demands / attacks when it suits them - I'd add in others such as John Coates publicly haranguing the govt over relative lack of olympic funding too.

I do think you're most likely right that TC has done it more often though as it feels that way to me too - mind you, if I paid as much attention to those other sports, was on forums about them etc then there may well be more cases I know of.

Originally Posted by one five five

Such a fan that he is quoted in the book "V8Supercars - The Whole Story" as having never set foot on Mt Panorama before the 1996 event, by which time he was already 'in the job' so to speak??

There are other forms of motor sport to be a fan of without setting foot on the mountain. There are a number of posters on here who haven't been there physically but don't miss it on TV - are you saying that they are not fans?

One thing that people do forget about TC is that he took over a basket case of an event that was about to die - Gold Coast Indy & turned it around and gave it great strength long before he got involved in V8s.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Tourer

It was of course you who brought up those other names in comparison to TC.

Yes very true - I was going for the lack of comparison angle.

Originally Posted by Tourer

They all have gone public with demands / attacks when it suits them - I'd add in others such as John Coates publicly haranguing the govt over relative lack of olympic funding too.

I have no problem putting Coates and Cochrane in the same sentence.

[one five five]

Originally Posted by Tourer

There are other forms of motor sport to be a fan of without setting foot on the mountain. There are a number of posters on here who haven't been there physically but don't miss it on TV - are you saying that they are not fans?

What forms of motorsport were they? Please give us some insight so we can understand abit more.

Given the hostility he arrived on the V8 scene with, the wedges he drove into Australian motorsport, the "you either follow MY vision or your the enemy" attitude, didn't seem like an enthusiasts attitude to me... his was given the position of running the 'face' of Australian motorsport, the ATCC/V8SCS. he had all the power & high ground to stand on from the get go

The thing was it was always all about him..... he even continued blowing his own trumpet right through to his retirement letter... it seems people didn't need to know that "V8Supercars became a success", people needed to know that "I, Tony Cochrane, made V8Supercars a success"

He has certainly made V8Supercars and their stakeholders alot of money, no one is denying that

Originally Posted by Tourer

One thing that people do forget about TC is that he took over a basket case of an event that was about to die - Gold Coast Indy & turned it around and gave it great strength long before he got involved in V8s.

I don't think anyone forgets that, he certainly did do a good job getting the Gold Coast race back on track

[Downoz]

The question is leave or pushed.

[Tourer]

one five five, I completely agree about TCs ego - I reckon Sherpa Tensing would struggle to climb over it. No argument from me in that respect - as I've said earlier, like all of us he ain't perfect.

I'd struggle to give you a complete list of his motor sport interests but can drop in a few examples: he followed MotoGP for a long time - IMG were brought in to promote at least one of the Eastern Creek Moto GP rounds which suited him.

He and his brother Peter (a classic rally competitor) have often talked about spending the whole day watching Bathurst on TV as kids.

Beyond that, I've heard him talking quite knowledgeably and passionately about F1 on a number of occasions.

[mountainstar]

In my life experience I have found to get things done, you are not always going to be a popular person, sometimes passionately so by those that oppose you or your decisions.

When it came down to it he got it done. How professional it is now compared to even 10 years ago is incredible.

There were a few times I did not agree with him, but he acknowledged mistakes when they happened and keep pushing forward making changes as needed.

[formerf1champ]

Originally Posted by Tourer

I've had a lot of dealings and conversations over the years direct with TC...like many others who work in the paddock, get to see a very different person at times from the public persona.

I won't dispute this. It's common for this to occur to anyone who is considered a ********.

Originally Posted by Tourer

Bear in mind that Super Touring were also ****canning the V8s

Come on, Man!

Originally Posted by Tourer

One thing that people do forget about TC is that he took over a basket case of an event that was about to die - Gold Coast Indy & turned it around and gave it great strength long before he got involved in V8s.

Gold Coast "Indy", as Mark Larkham likes to refer it as, is still a basket case that is about to die.

Originally Posted by Tourer

He and his brother Peter (a classic rally competitor) have often talked about spending the whole day watching Bathurst on TV as kids.

I'm sure Peter enjoyed it. Tony, on the other hand, was probably forced into watching it after Video Smash Hits finished.

Originally Posted by Tourer

Beyond that, I've heard him talking quite knowledgeably and passionately about F1 on a number of occasions.

He loves George Harrison's "Master of going faster"

Sorry Tourer, I'm going to have to come across my own evidence that TC is a motorpsort fan. It's far too hard for me to believe atm.

Originally Posted by mountainstar

How professional it is now compared to even 10 years ago is incredible.
.

The supposed professinalism is overrated. It does, however, make everything many times more expensive. It's laughable that NZ have been able to create the same V8 series, at a fraction of the cost.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

Gold Coast "Indy", as Mark Larkham likes to refer it as, is still a basket case that is about to die.

Sorry Tourer, I'm going to have to come across my own evidence that TC is a motorpsort fan. It's far too hard for me to believe atm.

That's fine mate, no probs. One thing from above though - I was talking about Indy BEFORE TC got involved with V8s. He was chairman there and genuinely turned the event around after the first couple of years when it was in very real trouble. I'm not yet convinced on the new version - has its moments but just not quite right I reckon.

[eduardo1]

Originally Posted by Tourer

That's fine mate, no probs. One thing from above though - I was talking about Indy BEFORE TC got involved with V8s. He was chairman there and genuinely turned the event around after the first couple of years when it was in very real trouble. I'm not yet convinced on the new version - has its moments but just not quite right I reckon.

Agreed, it's not quite right. Mostly because it's a hybrid solution of requiring an 'international' element to justify the expenditure by the Qld Govt. They won't sign off a V8s only event - even though that is what's running.

The late-90s were the best days, back when IndyCar was awesome and grids of superstars came here. I went to the 95 event because I was sure it was going to be the last.

Then went to the 99 and 2000 events because it was the best motorsport event (in Australia) to go to at the time.

[bazil]

Dictator? perhaps, Egomaniac? probably, Motor racing tragic? not really......
Has he united, developed, grown, professionalized,improved, profitized, raised the bar of the premier motor racing category in Australia and dragged it kiicking and screaming to show the world..... ?


Abso*******loutley.

Great job TC, the sport owes you thanks.

[FAS33]

like him, hate him, love him?...The guy single handedly (ok with some help) made this Category into the best racing Series and the Number 1 Touring car Championship on the planet!

kudos to TC, you da bomb diggity!

[formerf1champ]

Just listening to Will Hagon on ABC radio right now. He reminded me of something I saw on the weekend. Tony sitting next to Skaife on the previous winner's parade. There you go right there! It's not about the sport. It's all about him! What an absolute, classless spanner! A parade for the previous winner's, and he plonked himself in the middle of it! He will suffer relevance deprivation next year.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

Just listening to Will Hagon on ABC radio right now. He reminded me of something I saw on the weekend. Tony sitting next to Skaife on the previous winner's parade. There you go right there! It's not about the sport. It's all about him! What an absolute, classless spanner! A parade for the previous winner's, and he plonked himself in the middle of it! He will suffer relevance deprivation next year.

you're a bitter, bitter man

and the telstra grid girls, whats your opinion on them?

although maybe i have been harsh here, maybe what you are saying is that TC deserved his own lap by himself. So the crowd can applaud him

[GTRMagic]

Mr Cochrane did not seem comfortable sitting next to Mr Skaife on his parade lap. The parade was for former Bathurst winners, so I bet that Mr Skaife pulled Mr Cochrane into the car to show him off.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by bazil

Has he united

Really?

Originally Posted by FAS33

this Category into the best racing Series and the Number 1 Touring car Championship on the planet!

Really?

Keen to see some measures of effectiveness to support this.

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

I bet that Mr Skaife pulled Mr Cochrane into the car to show him off.

Really?