View Poll Results: What the sport of Offshore needs
I think the sport needs unity and a simplified, fan friendly format
115
78.23%
I want to continue with numerous "exotic classes" and constant bickering between the groups.
13
8.84%
I want things shoved down my throat
3
2.04%
I have no opinion, but I will ask someone and get back to you.
16
10.88%
Voters: 147. You may not vote on this poll
The Poll game cuts both ways
08-11-2006, 07:42 AM
#51
Charter Member
08-11-2006, 07:55 AM
#52
Registered
Re: The Poll game cuts both ways
Originally Posted by T2x
The earlier points about the JERZY Boys being colorful are, in fact, valid. The problem is that, once again, they race in a mind dizzying array of classes........... and that is a good place to begin.
For the record, before I begin what I hope is an objective critique, let me say I love these guys, many of them are my friends, and they represent grass roots racing at its best.
They are, no doubt, enthusiastic racers, with good souls, trying to do the "right thing", with a love of the sport, and an interesting sponsor in AMF........They race...often in the ocean...on larger courses....in open cockpits...If you enjoy "Old school" racing.
However, they are producing an unmarketable product. It is not an entertaining attraction for the casual, or even frequent, motorsports fan. They race at both APBA and OSS events and try to maintain "independence" .... thereby assuring a continuation of fan confusion regarding sanctioning bodies and national/world championships...
Bottom line, if this sport is to not only survive, but flourish, it needs a single national sanctioning body, very few classes, and a unity of spirit. Right now we have too many people spending good money, and creating races, with differing agendas and visions, pulling the core sport to pieces.
In truth...in the old days.... there were 4 classes.....with one (Open).... getting the (deserved) media coverage (including ABC). It worked then...and the race fleets exceeded 100 at national events....50 at regional events.... everybody was after the same set of points...and large foreign fleets came over for our World Championships. If you had a Turbine....you couldn't race...but you could afford an Open Boat. If you had a boat manufacturing company... you were welcome...but you had to conform to the class rules...not vice versa.
The main point in this poll, for me, is that simplification and unification....can make this sport something special, and marketable for all concerned.
T2x
For the record, before I begin what I hope is an objective critique, let me say I love these guys, many of them are my friends, and they represent grass roots racing at its best.
They are, no doubt, enthusiastic racers, with good souls, trying to do the "right thing", with a love of the sport, and an interesting sponsor in AMF........They race...often in the ocean...on larger courses....in open cockpits...If you enjoy "Old school" racing.
However, they are producing an unmarketable product. It is not an entertaining attraction for the casual, or even frequent, motorsports fan. They race at both APBA and OSS events and try to maintain "independence" .... thereby assuring a continuation of fan confusion regarding sanctioning bodies and national/world championships...
Bottom line, if this sport is to not only survive, but flourish, it needs a single national sanctioning body, very few classes, and a unity of spirit. Right now we have too many people spending good money, and creating races, with differing agendas and visions, pulling the core sport to pieces.
In truth...in the old days.... there were 4 classes.....with one (Open).... getting the (deserved) media coverage (including ABC). It worked then...and the race fleets exceeded 100 at national events....50 at regional events.... everybody was after the same set of points...and large foreign fleets came over for our World Championships. If you had a Turbine....you couldn't race...but you could afford an Open Boat. If you had a boat manufacturing company... you were welcome...but you had to conform to the class rules...not vice versa.
The main point in this poll, for me, is that simplification and unification....can make this sport something special, and marketable for all concerned.
T2x
08-11-2006, 11:50 AM
#53
Easily Distracted
Platinum Member
Re: The Poll game cuts both ways
Originally Posted by T2x
The earlier points about the JERZY Boys being colorful are, in fact, valid. The problem is that, once again, they race in a mind dizzying array of classes........... and that is a good place to begin.
Originally Posted by T2x
However, they are producing an unmarketable product. It is not an entertaining attraction for the casual, or even frequent, motorsports fan. They race at both APBA and OSS events and try to maintain "independence" .... thereby assuring a continuation of fan confusion regarding sanctioning bodies and national/world championships....
The product is still very much marketable ... there just needs to be somebody with a good attitude to do it.
Originally Posted by T2X
Bottom line, if this sport is to not only survive, but flourish, it needs a single national sanctioning body, very few classes, and a unity of spirit. Right now we have too many people spending good money, and creating races, with differing agendas and visions, pulling the core sport to pieces.
Just a thought ....
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Bad Girls Make Good Company
Bad Girls Make Good Company
08-11-2006, 11:57 AM
#54
Registered
Re: The Poll game cuts both ways
I and my girlfriend attended the recent St.Clair OSS/OPA races. We watched the first race. It was obvious she had seen enough so we left.
On the way out we walked through the dry pits. Different story. She was very interested in the boats, crews, equipment and my attempt to explain the boats capabilities.
I've always told people the races are more a show of color, equipment and noise vs. side by side racing.
I know I'm going against the grain but if you expect fans to come to these races they need to be on short viewable courses. I've never understood why the offshores don't run on the short unlimited gold cup course in the Detroit River.
ed
On the way out we walked through the dry pits. Different story. She was very interested in the boats, crews, equipment and my attempt to explain the boats capabilities.
I've always told people the races are more a show of color, equipment and noise vs. side by side racing.
I know I'm going against the grain but if you expect fans to come to these races they need to be on short viewable courses. I've never understood why the offshores don't run on the short unlimited gold cup course in the Detroit River.
ed
08-11-2006, 12:53 PM
#55
Enjoy the show
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Re: The Poll game cuts both ways
Just my two cents.
If we could all just come together for a unified World Championship race in Key West each November it would be more that anyone could ask. Remember 2004? The bickering was almost non existant since we all knew we'd be in KW racing together. After that race people had hope for more joint races, but things went the other way.
Fans asking for unification is like hamburger munchers demanding that McDonalds sells out to Burger King.
Can't we be happy with Offshore the way it is? At least Race Girl seems to have enjoyed the show along with a few thousand other people that lined the shores of the St Clair River.
If we could all just come together for a unified World Championship race in Key West each November it would be more that anyone could ask. Remember 2004? The bickering was almost non existant since we all knew we'd be in KW racing together. After that race people had hope for more joint races, but things went the other way.
Fans asking for unification is like hamburger munchers demanding that McDonalds sells out to Burger King.
Can't we be happy with Offshore the way it is? At least Race Girl seems to have enjoyed the show along with a few thousand other people that lined the shores of the St Clair River.
08-11-2006, 01:01 PM
#56
Allergic to Nonsense
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Re: The Poll game cuts both ways
Originally Posted by Racegirl3
Why does the unity HAVE to come with one set of initials? Why cant there still be unity with 4 sanctioning bodies?
Just a thought ....
Just a thought ....
This has gone on between every set of initials since the first set (OPT) broke off from the APBA........
I , personally, don't care which set is the eventual single body, but I have never seen any two sets of initials do anything but compete for a limited market of boats, sponsors, race locations, and spectators.....and there just aren't enough of any of those resources today to support (and comprehend) more than one group.
In the past 25 years...... Nordskog pulled POPBRA out of the National series.....Carbonell pulled OPT out..... various northeasterners...... created a number of Alphabet groups due to dissent..... OPT went bankrupt....SBR went bankrupt...
APBA caved in to the LLC..... OSS pulled out of APBA.... SBI merged with APBA..... Racers fled to OSS.....
After all that crap........ and more. The only shot...is unity.
T2x
08-11-2006, 01:28 PM
#57
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Re: The Poll game cuts both ways
Originally Posted by Ron P
.
Fans asking for unification is like hamburger munchers demanding that McDonalds sells out to Burger King.
Can't we be happy with Offshore the way it is? At least Race Girl seems to have enjoyed the show along with a few thousand other people that lined the shores of the St Clair River.
Fans asking for unification is like hamburger munchers demanding that McDonalds sells out to Burger King.
Can't we be happy with Offshore the way it is? At least Race Girl seems to have enjoyed the show along with a few thousand other people that lined the shores of the St Clair River.
There is an ever expanding appetite for Hamburgers....There is an ever declining market for Offshore racing....
When markets decline....businesses consolidate.
The St Clair race was great.....That is creating momentum and an appetite for more..... This is a chance to build on a common positive trajectory.... not send shots off in multiple directions.
T2x
08-11-2006, 01:50 PM
#58
Registered
Re: The Poll game cuts both ways
Unity......... this is all very similar to the IRL/CART mess and the various bodies that have sanctioned road racing.
Offshore needs a NASCAR type leadership.
Offshore needs a NASCAR type leadership.
08-11-2006, 04:11 PM
#59
Easily Distracted
Platinum Member
Re: The Poll game cuts both ways
Originally Posted by T2x
With separate initials comes competition between the initials...and loyalty to specific initials...and not every loyal member is a gentleman or lady or, for that matter, very knowledgeable...and that leads to misunderstandings about other initials...which leads to finger pointing towards other initials.....which is where we are today.
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Bad Girls Make Good Company
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08-11-2006, 04:54 PM
#60
Registered
Re: The Poll game cuts both ways
I think I see where RG was going with this.
I hate doing this, but everyone try's to compare this to NASCAR, and now I will too.
Ok, let's do it this way:
SBI = Roush Racing
APBA = Hendrick Motorsports
OSS = DEI
AMF = etc....
(don't take any of those as comparisons to the organizations, just an example).
And they all race under the same "National" platform - TBDO (To Be Determined Offshore).
Dawn, don't mean to paraphrase - if I'm off base, feel free to correct me.
I still think it would be cool to watch a race from the blimp
I hate doing this, but everyone try's to compare this to NASCAR, and now I will too.
Ok, let's do it this way:
SBI = Roush Racing
APBA = Hendrick Motorsports
OSS = DEI
AMF = etc....
(don't take any of those as comparisons to the organizations, just an example).
And they all race under the same "National" platform - TBDO (To Be Determined Offshore).
Dawn, don't mean to paraphrase - if I'm off base, feel free to correct me.
I still think it would be cool to watch a race from the blimp
