dhlaw

Alot of bantering going on back and forth, some I which I join in, but what is the reason that Offshore cant unite or be run in a manner more consistant with professional sports?? Dont tell me ego, etc., but what are the real complaints that seem to never be cured?? I am really interested to hear what you long time guys, current or not, say are the 4 most pressing issues that the 3 organizations are failing to address. I am not asking for solutions just attempting to identify the problems in a clear and concise form. I know that I joke around with some of you but I am very serious about the responses. I have some outsiders that are asking me what the barrier to success seems to be and I want to see if my ideas are on point.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Fill in the blanks.....

Fast Shafts

1) Not enough boats to go around to support all sanctioning bodies
2) Rules inconsistent from sanctioning bodies
3) No entry level class-In order to competative in P5, one needs an F1 boat
4) Expense: if someone wants to give racing a try, 500 entry fee, 500 boat registration fee, 150 for each riding crew= $1,300.00 for one race, not counting travel expenses.

ScottB

What Bob Said

thedonz

I guess I am the newest to the arena and I have to agree with both Mark and Bob....

from my observation, it appears to be that the sanctioning bodies are competing over a small pie...........it is small because of the costs involved in racing......this part I am learning about quite rapidly....

I think we could all benefit from learning to market a racing team to potential sponsors effectively....we need to get Corporate America more involved with individual teams......

MANITIE

D-LAW,
In my view of this ...You are going into the biggest class for racing next year in SV...You need to find out what organization will best fit your team and your sponsors. This has been going on for years....Some teams want to race against the most boats in their class..some will race were they feel they have the best chance to win....some teams will race only in certain regions because of budgets....If your going to do this as a true perfessional team and a true perfessional class. The teams have to make the commitment in each class to ran a full schedule were the majority of the boats in that class will race.
For 2005 there will be aprox. 20 SV out racing. It would be great if 80% of the SV's would run a full schedule in 2 santioning bodys. That would be a aprox. avg. of 14 SV's. If this would happen:
1. It would draw more attention to the fans and TV
2. It would draw more teams to join into a class with 18 to 20 boats
3. If your going to do this right and be a professional team with Professional Sponsorship money you need to do it with 15 to 20 boats in your class and race on a 14 to 16 race season....only a very very small % of teams can get $75,000 TO $300,000 Sponsorship for racing against 4 or 5 boats in 6 or 7 races a year with limited TV coverage.......but till we the racers make that commitment it will be both tough on the races, sponsors and the santioning body's

Just my 2 cents....I hope we will be racing with you guys next year.....
Gino

Ron P

Racers can fix this sport without starting another group. Just speak with a unified voice and the rest will fall into place. Why can't all 20 SVL teams pick and choose between the 28 races and make up their own schedule? That would help the race producers to get a purse sponsor. Make up your own national series within what's available.

Keep diggin, now that 97 boats had a taste of what it can be like, maybe with all this talk, something can happen to make a difference.

Dlaw, just a question for you. Do you have to race with APBA or would you also be open to racing with SBI and/or OSS if the rest of the fleet was attending one of their races? Loyalty to a given series by racers is also a stumbling block. Someone has to give a little (or a lot) to make a compromise work. I forgot, your a lawyer, you know how this works.

A compromise only works if both parties are not completely happy with the outcome.

thedonz

WOW, I think I need to hit Pollo Tropical for more mula!!!



please everyone stop by your local Pollo Tropical and order a Tropichop meal!!!

dhlaw

I dont think that has ever been out of the question. I remember Bob Bull being on Biloxi prepared to run his SCL. I am more concerned about what issues (if corrected) would bring teams to an organization. Like amenities, treatment, facilities, costs, etc.

Qball

klaatu makes sense....

Ron P

BINGO!!!!!!!!