How do we increase the gate at meetings

[F1JordanUk]

Why not offer a couple of pounds off if you bring your ticket from the previous meeting with you???

[R59]

F1JordanUk, that's another idea thats too clever to be thought of by MSV or similar! Loyalty Bonus!!

As for the issue with children, what happens when they're racing in T-Cars? Or if it were a Kart meeting....

I understand the safety issues of having our junior pit crew running amok.
With a DVD player, and Sky TV (soon to be) available in the motorhome, hopefully I can keep mine happy and out of harms way.

I remember my wife getting an ear bashing for wishing to come over and wish me luck while I was in the assembly area at Thruxton. My daughter was firmly strapped into the push-chair. NO CHILDREN ALLOWED IN HERE! LEAVE NOW! It's a good job I managed to calm her down, she was fuming for ages.

Children and motorsport do not mix. Keep them as far away as possible, and they'll go to a football match instead, and never ever go to a circuit again as long as they live.

Do you detect some cynicism in my tone?

Last year, I suggested something completely evil, like setting up a creche or playgroup sort of affair at race meetings, which would attract the family. I think I received ONE negative comment from some old coffin dodger who probably hated children, and never was one at all ever.

Oi! Palmer! Get your act together. Fill up the grandstand, and ye shall reap the benefits of extra catering sales, etc... Get the local fun-fair to turn up and keep the offspring happy. I'm sure they won't charge you to set up shop! It works at Rockingham. Hey, that's not motor racing, it's roundy roundy's where the lap within fractions of a second of each other, and change places multiple times through a lap. Naaaah not racing at all.

Enough enough you cry!

I'll take my silly subversive ideas away and let the sport die in peace (or is that pieces?)

Rob.

[dtype38]

This thread is jam full of great ideas for making motorsport a crowd pulling weekend event for the whole family. What it is singularly lacking in is influence over the people who actually run club race events. Does anyone actually "know" someone who organises race events? Has anyone put any of these ideas to those people? If so, what did they say?? If not, then are we wasting a lot of effort here!

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by F1JordanUk

Why not offer a couple of pounds off if you bring your ticket from the previous meeting with you???

Not quite the same thing but I notice Silverstone are doing deals if you buy tickets for selected meetings.

Buy 2 LMES 1000kms tickets get F3/GT ticket free
Buy WSB ticket get £10 off BSB ticket
Buy FIA GT/WTCC ticket get £10 off BTCC ticket

They might be higher profile meeting rather than the club racing we are generally talking about here but it's a start.

[R59]

It's a start in the right direction, but a general loyalty scheme would surely generate a bigger gate. Say for example, a clubby day ticket get's you a 10% discount off of a BTCC type ticket. A BTCC ticket get's you a clubby day half price. Imagine, if 50% of the BTCC regulars took up the half price deal, that's a lot more people than usually go to a club meeting.

More chance of catching leperosy though.

Rob.

[Spectator]

I know it's from a different discipline but the BRDA Rallycross meeting on the 28th at Lydden will cost a tenner for adults and all children under 16 free. A crowd of several thousand is normal for this Bank Holiday meeting and everyone is free to wander round the paddock so long as children are supervised.
A good family day out.
Maybe its because it is only held twice a year there that the crowds turn up in those numbers.
Just a thought!

[djinvicta]

Brands should charge per car, not individually, say £10, with no extra to park on South Bank. Years ago, the early birds got the best spot and breakfast was served on a bbq; Memories.

[DougK]

Originally Posted by dtype38

This thread is jam full of great ideas for making motorsport a crowd pulling weekend event for the whole family. What it is singularly lacking in is influence over the people who actually run club race events. Does anyone actually "know" someone who organises race events? Has anyone put any of these ideas to those people? If so, what did they say?? If not, then are we wasting a lot of effort here!

Is my understanding wrong or as drivers are you not members of the various clubs which organise the meetings? Do you not vote on the makeup of the organisation?

I know as a marshal I can join - I choose not too as I can't afford to join them all and the ones i would 7050MC/MGCC etc don't have much of a say in the clubs.

Especially BARC members should have more impact as BARC own or run three circuits as well as organise the events.... perhaps memebers need to make things clear as the direction the clubs should take at their AGM's and if no notice is taking vote the current chairman etc out??????

BRDC members have the same power.

Unfortunately MSV is a commercial venture totally, but that said the clubs must have some say - even if its a case of this is how we want things done if you want us to hire your circuit........

[diz]

Originally Posted by DougK

Unfortunately MSV is a commercial venture totally, but that said the clubs must have some say - even if its a case of this is how we want things done if you want us to hire your circuit........

Most of us know the answer we would get.
"No problem, we'll just run more corporate and track day stuff. We still get as much income with far less hassle. So thanks for your past custom, see you around".

[HiRich]

Originally Posted by dtype38

This thread is jam full of great ideas for making motorsport a crowd pulling weekend event for the whole family. What it is singularly lacking in is influence over the people who actually run club race events. Does anyone actually "know" someone who organises race events? Has anyone put any of these ideas to those people? If so, what did they say?? If not, then are we wasting a lot of effort here!

Yes, I have presented my ideas to a few 'players'. As you can probably tell from my early posts, I have put a lot of thought into this. Starting from a small idea (how to convert trackday drivers into licence holders), I gradually saw how there were many related problems, and asociated solutions. I finally had a moment of clarity where all the pieces fell into place, and I could see the entire strategy necessary for the entire industry. I saw the opportunity to build a business around executing this strategy. That strategy isn't rocket science, it just requires you to get out the marketing text book and apply the basic rules of marketing:
- Establish the market you are in
- Understand the potential value
- Understand who your customers are, and what they require
- Methodically apply standard marketing practices to meet those requirements
What's more, the evidence is there that it works (Goodwood, Castle Combe, Rockingham, for example).

Whilst smaller groups were interested, I was disappointed by the reaction from those that could genuinely exert influence. Some could not understand why they should get involved, some could only see the problems, not the opportunity, some were mildly enthusiastic, but would let me assume all the risk while they could reap the benefits. In one case, I felt that this was not a person I would trust to do business with. I'm not naming names, but some of these are people you really would have thought would have been more enthusiastic.

You can easily dismiss my views as sour grapes (I'm not worried, I've walked away from it all). However, the one great stumbling block is a general attitude of looking inwards and an unwillingness to reconsider exactly how to go about business. I have extensive experience of similar work with major high street brands and usually get a positive reaction even when suggesting quite radical ideas - their minds are open to the potential opportunity.

The highly fragmented nature of the industry certainly doesn't help, but I would need to see a core group of similarly open-minded people with the influence to implement change before I can see the necessary sea-change in fortunes.

[SNH]

One point I'd like to make is, how do you expect people to watch the races when the competitors leave as soon as their race is over? If they don't think it's worth staying, how can you expect people to pay to watch?

[stroller]

Most spectators (at Club events) live within probably no more than an hours drive from the circuit.

Most competitors would probably have to travel far more than that to get home.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by SNH

One point I'd like to make is, how do you expect people to watch the races when the competitors leave as soon as their race is over? If they don't think it's worth staying, how can you expect people to pay to watch?

That competitor probably spent several hours driving to the circuit for a 7AM sign-on, & is faced with the same drive back home. That's in addition to having possibly spent every spare minute for the previous couple of weeks rebuilding the car at vast expense.

Competitors are, in any case, probably not very interested in watching other people race. Remember the old saying: 'Motor sport's like sex: once you've done it,it's no fun watching any more.'

[Al Weyman]

Competitors are, in any case, probably not very interested in watching other people race. Remember the old saying: 'Motor sport's like sex: once you've done it,it's no fun watching any more.'

I don't 100% subscribe to that view I have and will always enjoyed spectating some events even when racing on the day, not all though that is for sure. Mind you I don't go and pay to watch and confine my watching to TV at the moment so maybe that is the problem, too much on TV so why bother making the effort to watch a tenth of the race at the circuit when you can see the lot on TV.

[dtype38]

Originally Posted by HiRich

You can easily dismiss my views as sour grapes (I'm not worried, I've walked away from it all). However, the one great stumbling block is a general attitude of looking inwards and an unwillingness to reconsider exactly how to go about business.

Firstly, I think you have most of the best ideas and a proper business-like approach, so please don't think I was being in any way dismissive. My main concern is that if someone as clear thinking and motivated as yourself has put the solutions to the "powers that be" of club racing and got no-where, the I find it difficult to see a route forward. It could be that the lateral thinking may need to be aimed at the means of control of the sport rather than its promotion. Anyone know a billionaire who has a soft spot for club motorsport?

[HiRich]

It wasn't taken inappropriately at all, dtype. I have to recognise that maybe I tackled it the wrong way, or even that I'm spouting rubbish and got it totally wrong.

I still believe there is an opportunity there, and if my backers hadn't pulled the funding for the part that could run independently, I'd still be working on it. The funding is not ridiculous (5-figure), but it was not something I was going to be able to fund myself, and was seriously demotivated.

So on to Plan C for me, I'll build my own circuit. I've found the venue (excellent location, demographics & access, deep valley geography for an awesome track, no risk of noise troubles, and a stately home for the hotel and business park already there). Then I can build it the way it needs to be and damn the rest. Now all I need is that triple rollover win...

[SNH]

Whenever I have been racing I have always watched the other races unless working on the race car. As soon as a lot, (not all), of racers had packed up their car, they left.

[Al Weyman]

They used to hang around for the awards and a bit of a chat in the bar afterwards, then it became the norm to load up and hit the road ASAP. Could never understand that myself I mean I thought it was meant to be a dayout not just your 10 or 15 minute race then hightail it out as soon as you can.

[pitcrew]

i think it depends on the distance we have to travel back to the workshop if its tonnes of miles and a poor result we'll be making a move.