Concerned about our future

Started by GSXR RACER MIKE, January 21, 2003, 06:47:53 PM

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the_weggie_man

Soon there will be nothing left of this dead horse to beat on any longer.......... people, this is a car oriented society we live in and I don't care if you had $2 gate fees the stands would still be empty. The street squids don't care and the rest only know NASQUEER.

As for CCS gate fees, it all comes down to insurance and track rentals. They go up, your gate fees go up, end of story except for this.... when the track raises their cut of the gate fee $1-$2 per person to CCS, don't be surprised if CCS doesn't just cover their expense but makes it $5 on your end and comes up with a good deal more profit.  As an ex race director, I saw it happen more than once.

Super Dave

Bam!

Great stuff, Gordy...

Shall we share what entry fees were years ago with everyone?

It comes down to insurance and rental.  I know way too much about that.

Stop people from getting money for having no common sense, maybe insurance costs will come down....

As for the AMA, WERA, CCS, etc. being "responsible" for advertising...

I think it is too much for them to get that done.  Sure, there are things that they could do...

But who is this for anyway?

First, CCS and WERA racing are sportsman event's.  It's not a pro event, but there isn't a good differentiation between pro's and not pro's...  In ways, that benefits the guys that are doing local stuff.  It doesn't take too much, compared to other motorsports, to have a pro machine, and some pro's compete in local sportsman events.

In 1991, I was interviewed by a TV station for my road racing and the up coming AMA national at Heartland Park Topeka.  I did that, not the AMA, not anyone else.  That was good for me, and the AMA.

Self promotion, although self serving, is the best way to do this.  

Do you type out anything for your sponsors after a race?  No.  Gotta do it.  

Send anything to a newspaper?  Go to a school's career day?  Whatever...

We grow by building our own programs, not by the AMA, CCS, WERA, AHRMA, CRA, OMRRA, AFM, etc. doing anything.

People would much rather watch YOU race than a bunch of other people they don't know.

You go to watch Nicky or Eric, not the AMA Superbikes.

It's all about personalities.  NASCAR. as much as some don't like them, understands that it's about personalities.

Here's my pet peeve...  CCS, WERA, AMA ads in mags that have pictures of riders with no caption with a name.  Who does that help.

Would you rather watch some nameless guy ride a bike or Rossi on anything.  
Super Dave

ecumike

#26
Right on Dave!

So.. as a matter of fact.. I can get you an article written on a local newspaper's Web site, and printed in the actual newspaper... it depends on how many I get. I can almost guarantee
it on the Web site, instantly. The paper?...  The Carolina Breeze, www.carolinabreeze.com

How can I do that... welll.. I'm the Webmaster. Send me photos and articles. Bruce Wilkins is the editor, in case you've seen him, he posts alot on the 'other' org's site.

I'll talk to him tomorrow about making a special 'racer' section, since 'tis the season, where maybe we can post little bio's and photos of us.
Yea.. sounds like a good idea to me. His paper is growing and now he's gearing up for the racing season, trying to get some articles going.

Actually FUSA has an example of what I want to do....
http://www.formulausa.com/roadrace/riders.asp
Since they always seem to be struggling with their site, I figure we can put them on the newspaper's site.

So 3 things I'm looking to discuss with Bruce are
1.  Getting articles from you/us/racers about racing, experiences, etc.
2.  Making a 'riders profiles' section
3.  Posting photos

Actually... SEND ME PHOTOS NOW. I can post those in the photo gallery w/o talking to bruce, he LOVES PHOTOS. Let's set it at max of 2 per person. (just so we don't get swarmed with em)

When you send me a photo, also send a 20-25 word caption to go along with it.


Hey, I know it's no Washington Post, but it's exposure and something to show sponsors, & people.

STAY TUNED!

GSXR RACER MIKE

     I feel like I started an out of control wild-fire here, not quite what I was expecting for responses. I like the whole idea of a local volunteer to each track doing the leg work for CCS, it would take the responsibility off of them having to promote regular events. I do disagree with the concept that this racing is put on for us to simply meet a need to race and not for any other reason. CCS is a business and is in this to make money (not that this is wrong) and I strongly believe they would not be interested in racing if it was non-for-profit. The suggestions I have been making are from this point of view and not as much from the racers point of view.
Smites are a cowards way of feeling brave!   :jerkoff:
Mike Williams - 2 GSXR 750's
Former MW Region Expert #58
Racing exclusively with CCS since '96
MODERATOR

Xian_13

"Super" Dave
 Do you teach self promotion in your school also? and if not why not?
CCS/ASRA Midwest #140
Secondary Highway & Swift Molly's Motor Circus
facebook.com/SwiftMolly
Michelin • STT

Bernie

QuoteHey, I know it's no Washington Post

Thank God!  One Washington Post is one too many! ;)

ecumike

QuoteThank God!  One Washington Post is one too many! ;)


Haha, yea that's actually what Bruce is trying to do with the paper.. not make it a typical boring, news, opinion, politics, same-'ol-shlt newspaper. There's enough of those. I think he's trying to go for the alternative, up-to-date, 'new style' sports, interesting newspaper.

stickman

We do not live in a motorcycle friendly society. I doubt if we ever will, here in the US of A cars rule. Take a look at Europe. I would guess just as many people have rode motorcycles as drove cars. They are more accepting and knowledgable of motorcycles. Thus, they get 75,000 spectators at the track watching motorcycle races.

Second, motorcycle roadracing is not really a spectator friendly sport. The track is too big and the bikes are too small. It's difficult to follow the action. This is why I think motocross is more popular, much easier to watch in person. NASCAR is the execption, but those people are just idiots :)

And finally, why do you want our sport to be more popular anyway? Better sponsorships? Bigger purses? More money? Maybe. But if that ever happened, most of us wouldn't have the money to race anymore. It would become too complicated. The fun factor would be deminished, as often happens when money is involved. I enjoy the family-like atmosphere we currently have, I'm not sure that would remain if things changed.

One last thing. Gate fees suck. Especially for the racers, we're already paying enough to race. I've never paid a gate fee at a track day. And I'm sure a race weekend brings in more revenue than a track day.

GSXR RACER MIKE

     The direction I was coming from with more involvement by more people was that it should help to lower costs, not increase them. I suppose that if greed jumped into play on behalf of CCS then it could go the other way. In theory the more people attending an event the more the profit margin goes up for CCS and in return SHOULD result in lower entry fees and more cash winnings for the racers (and still increase CCS's take - which is what any business wants - profit).
     On the other hand I suppose if we keep our racing hidden for the most part from the general public as we have in the past we can help to preserve the tightly knit racing community we all have come to enjoy so much. The concern I have with this is that we all bear the brunt of increases then, instead of spreading it out amongst a larger group of people, strength generally comes in numbers.
     I still don't know which would be better? Mabey the "don't fix it if it ain't broke" statement applies here. But then again I sure wish that I didn't have to pay that extra $500+ this year to race.
Smites are a cowards way of feeling brave!   :jerkoff:
Mike Williams - 2 GSXR 750's
Former MW Region Expert #58
Racing exclusively with CCS since '96
MODERATOR

schpreck

OK I've scanned in that flyer.. I'll start a new thread with it so everyone can find it easily.

Where is that thread?  I don't see it.  I want to talk to the printer to get prices.  I think I'm also going to make up some bumperstickers that say (something like) "support your local motorcycle roadracer" or something.

schpreck


Super Dave

Quote"Super" Dave
 Do you teach self promotion in your school also? and if not why not?

During the school?  No.

It costs enough to pay for the time on the track, etc.  But I am happy to work with my students afterwards.  That's always what I've done.  I don't know everything, but since I've done this for so long, and I'm a sponsor with fuel to some people in various form of motorsports with Power Mist Racing Fuels, I get to see some good and better ideas.  
Super Dave