why does daytona not promote FUSA races

[r6_philly]

was just browsing on Daytona International Speedway's website, and I am wonder why the track doesn't promote the FUSA races. It is not listed on the event page. If FUSA is a national series, and we would all like to see more people attend the races and help FUSA make more revenue and in turn get more into the limelight, what is it going to take to list the event on the track's website? They sell spectator passes, so wouldn't it benefit the track as well? If people don't find out the races are going on, they are not going to plan to attend, and even if they are down there, they may have other things to do, or NEVER find out we are racing.

what gives?

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

     I personally believe it comes down to the root of all evil, $money$. Our races are a drop in the bucket compared to other events held at Daytona. Most of the people at Daytona for Bike Week/Biketoberfest are not interested in our type of bikes or races. Spectators to our races don't pay the premiums that NASCAR spectators do, so adding more spectators means adding more staff to handle the crowds, which I would imagine just isn't profitable enough for DIS. Just my opinion, I might be wrong?

[WebCrush]

I think the issue (well, yea money) but the underlying and real reason is that F/USA is not designed to be a spectator based national series.

Similar to the WERA nationals, they are not attempting to gain the public attention and spotlight that AMA events already have.  Any spectators who would be lured in would surely be dissapointed in the show, or lack there of.  Fans want to come inside and see a big show, big rigs, big names, big posters, big camera.

The keyword being big.  If they pay money and don't see what they were expecting, they're definitely not going to come again, and overall, they are going to be somewhat jaded at the next M/C racing event that they might attend.

This would not only hurt any current or future F/USA event or plans, but MC racing as a whole.

I think F/USA is content, for the time being, in basically hosting what is essentially a national CCS event where top club racers from various regions can compete with one another and possibly win some bigger prizes.

Lets be real here--there are no professional racers in F/USA.  Well, ok thats not entirely true.  We have, what maybe 1 or 2 teams that might be considered quasi-professional, but 1 or 2 teams does not make a professional series.

Lastly, what is there for excitement at a F/USA race at Daytona that isn't already going to exist in a CCS race?  I can pretty much assure you that certain races are going to have the same exact top runners anyway.  If they were to try to promote the FUSA event, they might as well promote the CCS event, but that would be laughable.

In the end, its a shame that drag races can fill seats, and every local stock car and dirt track event can fill the seats nightly but grassroots MC racing is ignored.

Maybe the owners of the MC racing tracks and promoters should consider an alternative--rather than trying to charge 25-50 to watch a race, charge $5 per person and make the racing just another spectacle to watch.  Add value to coming inside--expos, sales, a carnival like atmosphere, etc.  Who knows, maybe they'll actually watch some of the racing, enjoy it, and start to demand more of it.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

Maybe the owners of the MC racing tracks and promoters should consider an alternative--rather than trying to charge 25-50 to watch a race, charge $5 per person and make the racing just another spectacle to watch.  Add value to coming inside--expos, sales, a carnival like atmosphere, etc.  Who knows, maybe they'll actually watch some of the racing, enjoy it, and start to demand more of it.

     I argued the cost of spectator entry to CCS events last year when there was talk of those costs going up. I personally feel the spectator costs are too high! I often have people ask me when I will be racing next at the local track (BHF) and when I tell them that the entry fee is $15 per person they quickly change their opinion of attending. Someone I work with recently said he wanted to bring his wife and 2 kids to watch the races this season at BHF and when I told him the cost he said he might come out once or twice with just 1 of his sons. Charging $60 for a family of 4 to spectate this level of racing is a very effective way to keep people from ever getting interested in this sport! He was thinking it would have been more like $7 or $8 each, which I totally agree with. At that cost he would have brought his whole family 2 or 3 times and him and his son(s) the remaining times.  :-/

[WebCrush]

yup, totally agree.  Gate fee at Loudon is $20 if you show on Sat, $10 if you show on Sun.  Basically its $10 per day per person but you don't get a discount if you only want to see Saturday.

IANARTO (I am not a race track owner) but it makes me wonder what the minimum they need to charge to cover insurance expenses.  Hell, if the friday night drags and circle jerk demolition derbies can do it, why can't we?

[Super Dave]

Yes, FUSA doesn't buy events at race tracks as a "spectator event."  First, to do so would cost more money which means that our entries would cost more.  I do believe that in NASCAR, an entry must be made for each car...so, if you're Matt Kennseth, and you have two cars (one a back-up), you'll need two entries.

I believe that several years ago, each entry was at least $32,000.

Next, look around the race paddock at the next motorcycle road race.  Do you see a bunch of "club racers" running around wearing jeans, t-shirts...no identifying marks, characteristics, etc?  What's there to see?  An enthusiaist blends right into the scene.

An organization doesn't make a racing series good.  The teams do.  Until FUSA racers take their programs seriously, you won't see people coming.  

Even the AMA...could be a lot bigger right?  Well, where in professional motorsports can a rider that was previously an amateur show up the next year at a professional level event?  Certainly, their program won't be developed for "the show".  It's just part of the sickness in the motorcycle industry.

[G 97]

Simple F-USA could really care less about increasing spectators.  Their one primary focus is racer entry fees.  Last time I check the grids at most CCS/FUSA events they were pretty full.  FUSA is not even a true national series.  It started out that way with a level of ambition, but currently it is nothing more than a regional event that has a few "national" teams show up.  In addition most racing at this level from a spectator point of view is rather boring.  

Why would DIS even bother with spending a dime to promote any form of motorcycle racing.  They get their money up-front and are content with that.  Why take on the added risk associated with marketing an event for a nominal return at best.  

[the_weggie_man]

So, once again we rehash the old "Why can't we get spectators/why doesn't (name the organization) promote the races/why are we the buttholes of motor racing?" argument.

People, Look at what is on the streets of the good old USA ....cars, cars and more cars and SUVs of gigantic proportion. On any sunny weekend you can count the bikes  on the road on one hand and most of them are Ugly-Davidsons on a huge tour of 2 miles or so to some bar.

The average American has no use for sport bikes or any other bikes, never has, never will. We are a four wheel society and all the promotion, begging, cajoling in the world will not bring flocks of spectators to our races.

When I was CCS Midwest race director I put up flyers all over the place.  Basically it was a waste of my time and money. Spectator turn out never changed. I asked then CCS owner Roger Edmondson to do more advertising. He flat out told me if I wanted to, out of my own pocket I could go ahead and do what I wanted but he would not waste his time or money. I did and quickly realized what he was talking about. It didn't make any difference and was a waste of money and resources.

Motorcycle roadracing will never in this country reach the heights it does in Europe or the Orient. People over there are raised riding bikes and continue to in large numbers throughout their lives. We as kids may ride for awhile (mostly on dirt bikes) or have a fling with a bike in high school then they are sold off to buy the life long dream of a bigger, better car.

Don't hold your breath waiting for the huge crowds of spectators because it's not going to happen. Period. Get over it and ride your bike. ;D ;D

[BC61]

I do believe that in NASCAR, an entry must be made for each car...so, if you're Matt Kennseth, and you have two cars (one a back-up), you'll need two entries.

no, one entry per event, back up cars are necesary/required and only permitted if primary car is damaged significantly.

I believe that several years ago, each entry was at least $32,000.

more in the neighborhood of $1500 per event
 
An organization doesn't make a racing series good.  The teams do.

An organization creates the series not the teams. NASCAR teams weren't getting the big corporate money until the series was in front of large TV audiences, thanks to the start up of cable and ESPN.
Look at CART, or what's left of it, and the AMA. Both struggling to have a top level racing series. As long as teams, sponsors and manufacturers have control in the decision making process of an orginization the series will always have serious problems and only cater to a select few.


Even the AMA...could be a lot bigger right?

sure could, first step would be to kick out the manufacturers

[WebCrush]

Yup, nobody wants to watch motorcycles.  Thats why MX, SX, FreeStyle MX, and such are huge.  Thats why Ricky Carmichael is almost a household name.

Nobody is saying that this needs to be as huge as it is in Europe, just that there is NO exposure to it for the public to know about.  When the AMA stopped coming to Loudon, and FUSA took over in 2002, the Laconia bikeweek people DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY WAS RACING STILL GOING ON!!  The AMA pulled out, took their PR machine with it and everyone but the raceers just assumed there was no more racing there.

The fact is whether or not people on the streets are into bikes--KIDS ARE.  Thats where the ads need to be focused on--sell it to the kids.  The kids will bug their parents to go, and blammo, we got people hoooked for life. :D  Its the same way McDonalds got started.  Parent would only go there cuz their kids would scream and yell until they did.  20 years later those kids are grown up and addicted.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

So, once again we rehash the old "Why can't we get spectators/why doesn't (name the organization) promote the races/why are we the buttholes of motor racing?" argument.

Don't hold your breath waiting for the huge crowds of spectators because it's not going to happen. Period. Get over it and ride your bike. ;D ;D

     I certainly was not going in that direction with my statement of the gate fees being too high for spectators! I personally am talking about the people that already want to spectate, but as described above don't want to pay that much to spectate this level of racing. If motorcycle roadracing organizations aren't interested in revenue from spectating at their events then why do they charge a gate fee at all? After all, we rent the track for our organizations use, so why the fee at the gate? When I was down at Barber for the CCS event last summer I had some people at a store ask me if I was racing at Barber. When I told them I was, they said they wished they could go and watch any type of races at that facility, but most all racing there was not open to the general public and they had been turned away at the gate in the past. They didn't care what the racing was, they just wanted to go enjoy watching some racing.

[Super_KC124]

Club level gate fees should be just that, Club Level! I have alot of family and friends that would like to come to the races, but aren't going to pay $25 plus each.  Not to mention the fact that we have to travel 6-14 hours to most races anyway. The last time I went to Gingerman (2002) they had a seperate 1-day only arm band for $10. My whole family could come for that price.  And aren't most gate fees collected by the track owner?