Taking our sport to the "Next Level"
02-23-2007 | 11:28 AM
#121
Allergic to Nonsense
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 5,007
Likes: 21
From: Granite Quarry, NC
There are simple facts that we have learned (some at great expense)from our own sport and related racing series over the past years:
- The less classes the better (K.I.S.S.)
- Open cockpits are far more dangerous than closed canopy cockpit safety systems.
- Spec engines reduce costs and levelize performance
- Fans recognize vee bottoms and catamarans and not much else.
- Fans relate to racer personalities, talent, and charisma, far more than they do to the race vehicle they drive.
- Factory support trucks simplify racer maintenance and reduce overall spare parts inventories for individual racers
- Many of the sports biggest owners are short term players and leave little benefit in their wake upon departure other than corrupted rules that enure to their own benefit.
- Sponsors want a proper R.O.I. and television
- Marine Industry sponsors will seek to bend the sport's rules around their marketing plan. Non marine related, Fortune 500 sponsors (American Express, Geico, Nextel, etc) will not, but will demand simplicity and consistent positive media ratings.
- Spectator visability is important, but, like in all major sports, television reaches a much greater fan base than live attendees...... and will make or break you.
- Developmental classes are a necessity, but do not warrant television.
- Savvy communities have profited from putting on race venues, but only in close cooperation with sanctioning bodies (Key West, Sarasota).
- Being drunk, stupid and happy has no value in promoting any motorsport
- You can't please everyone
Take all of the above simple rules ( and very few more), mix well, add a dash of common sense, a dedicated leadership team, experience and some capital...and you have a recipe for success.
T2x
02-23-2007 | 11:43 AM
#122
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: St. Petersburg, FL
Fountain1fan....I have to disagree with you.
In my opinion, the most exciting tv, was watching the battle of the factory 1 and factory 2 boats. and they only ran 80 and 90mph respectively.
I welcome you to jump in a 90mph boat in race conditions and see how boring it is. If the racing is deck to deck, it doesnt matter if they are going 80 mph or 180 mph. Hell, look at P-5 class . they put on a great show last year. and they only ran 70-75mph
I also agree with most of what is being said here and think that Mike A coming on sheds some light on things as well.
Thanks Mike.
However, with all do respect, I must also say, that while Offshore, during the Mike A era was some of the best Ive seen in recent years, we dont really know what was going on behind the scenes.
Without going into detail, because of hearsay, some venues had problems with APBA offshore and so did Speedvision.
Again hearsay....
One that comes to mind, was Daytona of 03, when Daytona threatened to cancell the race because of insurance issues. Another was Milwaukee, and also Orange Beach. I dont know all the deatils, but remember some negative talk from people involved with those venues.
Mike, do you care to comment on these?
I would love nothing more than to see everyone racing under 1 flag. And I like to think it will happen in the not to distant future.
Please take this as a positive post...no bashing. If we admit our mistakes and shortcomings, maybe we can move forward in a more positive direction.
Feel free to delete if I am out of line.
Thanks
keep the ideas coming
In my opinion, the most exciting tv, was watching the battle of the factory 1 and factory 2 boats. and they only ran 80 and 90mph respectively.
I welcome you to jump in a 90mph boat in race conditions and see how boring it is. If the racing is deck to deck, it doesnt matter if they are going 80 mph or 180 mph. Hell, look at P-5 class . they put on a great show last year. and they only ran 70-75mph
I also agree with most of what is being said here and think that Mike A coming on sheds some light on things as well.
Thanks Mike.
However, with all do respect, I must also say, that while Offshore, during the Mike A era was some of the best Ive seen in recent years, we dont really know what was going on behind the scenes.
Without going into detail, because of hearsay, some venues had problems with APBA offshore and so did Speedvision.
Again hearsay....
One that comes to mind, was Daytona of 03, when Daytona threatened to cancell the race because of insurance issues. Another was Milwaukee, and also Orange Beach. I dont know all the deatils, but remember some negative talk from people involved with those venues.
Mike, do you care to comment on these?
I would love nothing more than to see everyone racing under 1 flag. And I like to think it will happen in the not to distant future.
Please take this as a positive post...no bashing. If we admit our mistakes and shortcomings, maybe we can move forward in a more positive direction.
Feel free to delete if I am out of line.
Thanks
keep the ideas coming
Not sure what you mean by Daytona '03 insurance problems.
Since Orange Beach remains an active venue I will not say anything except they were really mad at us by the end of the week for some admittedly hardball tactics regarding prize money demands. In the end, they stepped up and did a good thing for the participants.
With respect to the end of the LLC in general, some outstanding bills could have been challenged, and some claims which the LLC had could have been pursued as well but again there were no resources available to do so and no reason to do so since the LLC was going out of business and had no profit history to justify its own lawsuits.
The LLC members had invested a small fortune into the business and probably would have continued to do so - and therefore left no outstanding corporate debts - but for the boycott. There was no reason to do so after that because there was no business justification or incentive to operate a fractured sport.
Bottomline is the year end boycott by Billy et al. ended the LLC. Make no mistake about that.
I have no interest in reliving the past or engaging in the brutal politics of OSO. I will answer questions and provide opinions and perspectives if asked. I am not here to revise history or glorify the LLC years. The fact is we wasted and lost a ton of money, I made a lot of really bad business decisions and the LLC ultimately failed. Period.
Hope that helps.
02-23-2007 | 12:04 PM
#124
Registered
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,143
Likes: 1
From: Cajun Country
From the perspective as a business owner there needs to be some changes.
A race of any kind is a "show". The race itself is only part of the show. Whether the boat owners have their motorcycles, motorhomes, sports cars, etc on display this is all part of the show. Even the trailers selling funnel cakes, hot dogs, beer, etc are part of the show.
As a race vender, to some degree, I like to see this atmosphere. It also needs to be profitable for any vendor to go to the races. If a vendor pays $500 for booth space they need to sell much more than that in product to make it worth their while.
It was worth our time, effort and money to attend the APBA LLC races. There were always lots of boats there. We were always busy with customers in the pits at these races.
I believe Mike A. understood this, he never kicked us out of the pits. Thanks, Mike.
From a business vendor perspective things have only gone downhill since the end of the LLC. I notice there are fewer vendors at the race sites now because it's not cost effective for a business to go due to the lower boat counts and fewer spectators walking around the pits.
To make it profitable boat racing needs to be bigger than the boat race. How many racers really go to Key West for the SOLE PURPOSE of racing? The Key West Worlds are bigger than the race and that's what makes it such a big success.
Matt
A race of any kind is a "show". The race itself is only part of the show. Whether the boat owners have their motorcycles, motorhomes, sports cars, etc on display this is all part of the show. Even the trailers selling funnel cakes, hot dogs, beer, etc are part of the show.
As a race vender, to some degree, I like to see this atmosphere. It also needs to be profitable for any vendor to go to the races. If a vendor pays $500 for booth space they need to sell much more than that in product to make it worth their while.
It was worth our time, effort and money to attend the APBA LLC races. There were always lots of boats there. We were always busy with customers in the pits at these races.
I believe Mike A. understood this, he never kicked us out of the pits. Thanks, Mike.
From a business vendor perspective things have only gone downhill since the end of the LLC. I notice there are fewer vendors at the race sites now because it's not cost effective for a business to go due to the lower boat counts and fewer spectators walking around the pits.
To make it profitable boat racing needs to be bigger than the boat race. How many racers really go to Key West for the SOLE PURPOSE of racing? The Key West Worlds are bigger than the race and that's what makes it such a big success.
Matt
02-23-2007 | 12:11 PM
#125
www.weismann.net
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 2
From: newport beach,ca
Here is a thought.
Saturday stock (busch) factory type boats vee and cat
Sunday (nascar) Open vee and cat
4 races a year only in "big league" 1 Florida area/ 1 Texas area/ 1 California area /1 great lakes area. Add/sustitute Seatle / NY/NJ/AZ/NV who ever wants it more.
Local races qualify for big leagues.
There are only 52 weeks in the year and a lot of other competition for the weekends.
Worlds needs to have any boat to run qualify at 2 Big League events during the year.
pat W
Saturday stock (busch) factory type boats vee and cat
Sunday (nascar) Open vee and cat
4 races a year only in "big league" 1 Florida area/ 1 Texas area/ 1 California area /1 great lakes area. Add/sustitute Seatle / NY/NJ/AZ/NV who ever wants it more.
Local races qualify for big leagues.
There are only 52 weeks in the year and a lot of other competition for the weekends.
Worlds needs to have any boat to run qualify at 2 Big League events during the year.
pat W
02-23-2007 | 12:52 PM
#126
Allergic to Nonsense
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 5,007
Likes: 21
From: Granite Quarry, NC
02-23-2007 | 01:39 PM
#129
Thread Starter
Registered
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,710
Likes: 6
From: Kansas & LOTO
Now we need to move forward and put some of these things in place!
I look at it like this; we need to start somewhere and (borrowing a little from my 2year old that is here at work with me today) Start with baby steps.
Us "P class" racers need to get the rules uniform in both the SBI and OPA, so it is easier for the fans to watch and relate to, and easier for the racers to race wherever they like. I'll bring back an older thread we had on it. Let's keep this going on a positive note!!
02-23-2007 | 02:59 PM
#130
Registered
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 2
From: Palm Coast,Florida
From the perspective as a business owner there needs to be some changes.
A race of any kind is a "show". The race itself is only part of the show. Whether the boat owners have their motorcycles, motorhomes, sports cars, etc on display this is all part of the show. Even the trailers selling funnel cakes, hot dogs, beer, etc are part of the show.
As a race vender, to some degree, I like to see this atmosphere. It also needs to be profitable for any vendor to go to the races. If a vendor pays $500 for booth space they need to sell much more than that in product to make it worth their while.
It was worth our time, effort and money to attend the APBA LLC races. There were always lots of boats there. We were always busy with customers in the pits at these races.
I believe Mike A. understood this, he never kicked us out of the pits. Thanks, Mike.
From a business vendor perspective things have only gone downhill since the end of the LLC. I notice there are fewer vendors at the race sites now because it's not cost effective for a business to go due to the lower boat counts and fewer spectators walking around the pits.
To make it profitable boat racing needs to be bigger than the boat race. How many racers really go to Key West for the SOLE PURPOSE of racing? The Key West Worlds are bigger than the race and that's what makes it such a big success.
Matt
A race of any kind is a "show". The race itself is only part of the show. Whether the boat owners have their motorcycles, motorhomes, sports cars, etc on display this is all part of the show. Even the trailers selling funnel cakes, hot dogs, beer, etc are part of the show.
As a race vender, to some degree, I like to see this atmosphere. It also needs to be profitable for any vendor to go to the races. If a vendor pays $500 for booth space they need to sell much more than that in product to make it worth their while.
It was worth our time, effort and money to attend the APBA LLC races. There were always lots of boats there. We were always busy with customers in the pits at these races.
I believe Mike A. understood this, he never kicked us out of the pits. Thanks, Mike.
From a business vendor perspective things have only gone downhill since the end of the LLC. I notice there are fewer vendors at the race sites now because it's not cost effective for a business to go due to the lower boat counts and fewer spectators walking around the pits.
To make it profitable boat racing needs to be bigger than the boat race. How many racers really go to Key West for the SOLE PURPOSE of racing? The Key West Worlds are bigger than the race and that's what makes it such a big success.
Matt
With you being a "vendor" what would entice you to come to every race. Instead of maybe a flat fee for vendor space in the beginning maybe a small percentage of the vendors sales? Then once it becomes a total show go back to the flat fee. Would this be a possibilty?
Trent
