Ok...Here's something I don't understand. ClearChannel Entertainment is the parent company of CCS, right? right.
CCE owns dozens of radio stations nationwide. Why aren't they promoting CCS racing events, or for that matter any of the racing events that fall under CCE's ownership. You think it would be easy if CCE passed down a bunch of ad's to the local stations and said "here..play these".
The only reason I could think that they wouldn't do that was that the spots were taking away from paying customers. Is CCE not interested in CCS being successful?
Not a sermon, just a thought...
???
Will,
Not a silly question at all. Clear Channel would be glad to charge CCS for ads :o, just as they do for any of their venues or operations, such as Nissan Pavillion, monster trucks, etc, etc. ::)
Art,
There must be some politics there I am not privy to.
Why they wouldn't want a subsidiary to do well i don't understand. Why couldn't clearchannel send one of their DJ's out to do their show from Summit on a Friday . It's all money that's coming back to CCE in the end or not as the case might be.
shrug..It just doesn't make sense.
QuoteArt,
There must be some politics there I am not privy to.
Why they wouldn't want a subsidiary to do well i don't understand. Why couldn't clearchannel send one of their DJ's out to do their show from Summit on a Friday . It's all money that's coming back to CCE in the end or not as the case might be.
shrug..It just doesn't make sense.
Who says CCS is not doing well. Last time I looked the grids at most races in all classes were quite full. Here in the Midwest they even run three different regions that run about %80 of the same schedule. A marketing plan designed to obtain more race entries while at the same time utilizing basically the same region and same race tracks.
Clear Channel's support for CCS has very little to do with a desire to obtain spectators. It's all about race entry fees. From what I see the number of racers have steadily increased over the years so why would Clear Channel want to spend any money on promoting events. I question whether they would get any additional spectators anyway, as those who are interested in motorcycle racing are in the know and are already attending the events.
Garth...that's not true at all! Most motorcycle enthusiasts have no idea that we are racing a certain weekend...how would they? At my new job, there are 7 guys that ride all the time, and another few that ride occasionally. Until I started racing, they had no idea they could go to a road race a few hours away. ;)
I agree. Sure, the hardcore enthusiasts are going to seek out the racing on their own. But if there are radio spots etc., you never know if it might pique the curiosity of someone who just hasn't been exposed to roadracing. It's the same concept behind all the impulse items in the checkout lane of a grocery store. Put the product in front of people and they just might buy something they didn't know they were in the market for.
I dunno...
maybe I think too much..maybe I am over-simplifying things but you'd think that CCE would want to do everything they could to make CCS and their other motorsport events as profitable as possible.
So what if Summit takes half the gate. If an extra 1000 people come because of the radio ads wouldn't that be worth it??
CCS races are considered a "club" event while F-USA weekends are considered spectator events, and get the benefit of some promotion. As far as the reasoning? Couldn't tell ya. Ask Kevin Elliott.
We didn't even know CCS existed until we went to Road America's cycle fest last August just because it was a "bike thing". We were just big fans of AMA racing and bikes in general. Stumpy learned that this was a way for average people to get involved in racing without having to be a hardcore AMA racer--and now we are up to our neck in it!
At that race, Stumpy talked to several CCS guys about getting started and they were all so helpful. He found his own race bike the next week and the rest is history.
(I've heard from a CCE employee that CCS is the "redheaded stepchild of CCE"--take it however you'd like.)
Each business is it's own entity and has it's own accounting, projections and budgets to work with. CCE charges CCS just like any other bussiness, CCS determines if it is worth it to them to spend the cash. If CCE doesn't charge CCS they aren't making any money. The money CCS might make in spectator revenue will never be seen by CCE. CCS is club racing, if CCE was trying to make a play in the pro racing arena against the AMA then they might have an incentive.
Mightyduck, since your friends know about racing in the area, do they attend as spectators on a regular basis?
Actually, I have brought many new people to the track so far this year, and am gonna bring in a few new racers by the end of this year or the beginning of next as well. The people at my work are planning on attending at least two of the four remaining rounds this year.
QuoteEach business is it's own entity and has it's own accounting, projections and budgets to work with. CCE charges CCS just like any other bussiness, CCS determines if it is worth it to them to spend the cash. If CCE doesn't charge CCS they aren't making any money. The money CCS might make in spectator revenue will never be seen by CCE. CCS is club racing, if CCE was trying to make a play in the pro racing arena against the AMA then they might have an incentive.
Mightyduck, since your friends know about racing in the area, do they attend as spectators on a regular basis?
BC,
All very good points. But what was CCE's motivation to take over CCS and the other motorsports? Take a look at CCE Motorsports Division web page:
http://www.clearchannel.com/entertainment/div_motor.php
They talk about attendance being up xx% at a particular indoor motocross event. Of course they care about attendence and spectators. There has to be a reason that CCE bought in. They also talk about acquiring the IHRA. I hope that CCE didn't just 'gobble' up CCS in an effort to corner the market on certain motorsports.
.
Maybe someday they will try to compete against AMA superbikes but for now CCS is club racing not a pro spectator sport.
My dad was racing cars when I was born, and quit when I was 20. I started corner working for the cars so I could keep going to the track for free. The car club provided the corner workers for AMA at Road America, and it was there that I met CCS corner workers and discovered CCS. I was 32 at that point. I had been riding sport bikes on the street since 20 years old, and even worked part time at bike shops. In 32 years of involvement with racing and motorcycles, I never knew that club racing for motorcycles existed until I met those CCS workers. Oh the wasted years...
Pretty stupid, huh? If they couldn't reach me all those years, how is Joe average going to find them?
Quote.
Worth reposting.
What motivation does CCE have to promote local, beginning level races? They are making their return on the racers themselves.
Yes, I brought some friends and associates to the races. Did they continue to come on their own? NO.
I will also say for the most part spectating CCS races is rather boring. Most of us race so we do not notice. But ask yourself truthfully if you were not racing or if you did not have a significant other or a good friend would you, yourself, spectate every CCS race? I say doubtful. So why should the general public have an interest.
Face it motorcycling itself is a niche market. Now take that market and drill down further to motorcycle racing. It gets continually fragmented and the segment gets smaller. Hell, I even know roadracers who have no interest in going to watch AMA roadraces or the Peoria TT or the Springfield Mile, which are some of the best racing in the world and they are racers and avid motorcyclist. Why should we expect more from the general public?
QuoteI was 32 at that point. I had been riding sport bikes on the street since 20 years old, and even worked part time at bike shops. In 32 years of involvement with racing and motorcycles, I never knew that club racing for motorcycles existed until I met those CCS workers. Oh the wasted years...
Pretty stupid, huh? If they couldn't reach me all those years, how is Joe average going to find them?
That always burned my butt too! I didn't even know that club racing existed just 30 minutes from where I live! I only found out after I had a street rider freind ask me to go to Road America for the AMA Superbikes event in '94. After going to that event and expressing my enjoyment of the sport, he HAPPENED to mention that there was racing right near our hometown at BHF. After going to CCS events at BHF for a year and a half I saw 1 of the Learning Curves road racing school fliers explaining how to get involved. I was happy and angry at the same time, having found this out at the age of 25. Oh the years lost of racing due to not knowing how easy it was to get involved! (and that it was so close to me all those years)
QuoteOh the years lost of racing due to not knowing how easy it was to get involved! (and that it was so close to me all those years)
Stumpy and I feel the same way. We always thought you had to be "born" into it--and someday Stumpy Junior will be.
Just goes to show you have to make the most of the time you have!!!
Once people start bringing their scanners to the track like the NASCAR people do they'll get a whole new level of enjoyment out of it.
I can remember when I was a spectator and asking a MARRC worker what the scanner freqcy was. It was so much better watching and listening as opposed to just hearing the announcer.
I can see it now. Bill Scott will be renting scanners..lol ::) ::)
QuoteOnce people start bringing their scanners to the track like the NASCAR people do they'll get a whole new level of enjoyment out of it.
This is very true! Stumpy's dad wears his scanner 24/7 at the track with a little earphone. If he knows practice has started before he gets there from the hotel, he puts it on then. It's especially important for him while Stumpy's on the track, but he pays close attention to that thing.
Ask Dad if he's ever heard this one on the corner net:
Sometimes a racer
Sometimes a worker
Sometimes debris
It's Chris Onwiler on bike 333!!!!
Sometimes I think it would be better if the corner workers didn't all know me...
I guess I should consider myself lucky that I found out about this club racing thing when I was 15, eh? :)
Stumpy or his wife, when will the RR debut?
You are *very* lucky to start young! Be happy!
The RR is quite naked at the moment, but it is the proud new owner of a Hindle exhaust. Parts just started coming in yesturday so we'll see. He may bring it to the next BHF to run during practice. We also have to arrange to get it to the dyno for break in and stuff. Hopefully bodywork will be in today so he can get going on that. I've been busying myself selling all the stock stuff on ebay. I'm getting pretty good with the bubble wrap!!!