Before anyone takes this too literally, this isn't true in every single case, it isn't an attack on any person, track, group, class, anything. Just general opinions - some just gut feelings, and like they say - everyone's got one. Here's mine. That's it. I don't expect you to agree nor do I expect anyone to do anything about it nor do they have to.
- Your opinion is not shared by the majority of the racing community, and they don't share my opinion either.
There's an incredible choice for the race fan. But, with that we've become incredibly fractured. Niches within niches. Not racing forums, but Sprint, Late Model, Track...we're all isolated in our little niche, our specific allegiance, and not one niche alone represents the majority of fans in the stands. There's roughly half a dozen types of late models, more types of sprints (if you don't just include 'full size' cars). There's DIRT modifieds, IMCA Mods, SportMods... Who, 20 years ago in the age of Camaros, Chevelles and Novas would've thought we'd be racing "Gutless" Cutlasses, Monte Carlos and Buick Regals? Racing a four cylinder - who would have seen that coming?!? But look at where we are. It's becoming a tougher job for the promoter to please them all.
- I'd love to see pit stops/tire changes/work areas banished completely.
- Proper equipment and training for the safety crew should come before the first hot dog is ever bought.
If you can't afford this for safety, you can't afford to open the gate. There's no excuse whatsoever.
- More cars does not mean a better show. There's a balance between show quality vs. just freakin' monotonous. Here's my take:
- The class costing the promoter the most money is the "feature" class, regardless of what's on the sign.
- There is no such thing as the "racing business"
You provide goods or services. The racers, the promoters, are a subset of the entertainment business, a service. You are the same as pro athletes and movie actors. You compete with the theme park, the DVD, the Xbox, HDTV, the iPod and the Movie Theater.
- In this era of nearly infinite methods of communication, tracks are putting out less and less information about themselves - and it's hurting them.
My feeling is despite all these new methods of communication: web sites, MySpace/Facebook, Twitter, message boards, text, etc. etc. there is less and less information. What people don't realize is that all these new media are BLANK canvases. You still have to put something on them, and the goal is not to be "present" but the one and only goal: GET MORE CUSTOMERS TO YOUR BUSINESS. That said, seeing some of these track websites (from all over the country) in the past few years - I wouldn't want to send people to them either. Yikes... When I hear about the paper not reporting - well, did you tell them anything? The newspaper industry is in SERIOUS peril. Most papers can barely put a warm body on the local teams, much less follow what's up at your track (especially when you don't say anything about it). Your track should be doing a WEEKLY, text, press release - web, paper, TV, radio - email, social networks, etc. etc.
- Why is it that I see "ads" that are just a copy and paste from the track schedule on local, niche-oriented message boards and the promoter thinks it's "advertising?"
If you want an online presence, there is one very important thing: content needs to be FRESH and UPDATED OFTEN. Your interview with people you know is good that week - where's the next one and what if you have to work to chase people down? The quick cut generation demands to be constantly stimulated. New content, new information. But I think the problem is this: nobody's paying for someone to do this for them, or think it's worth it, or can't fit it in to their part-time running of the track. In this era of tight budgets, the one thing that's always cut (foolishly) is advertising. And, the person doing it, for free, will only give you the work they're willing to put in - what's the motive? You get what you pay for.
- Why is it that I see "ads" that are just a copy and paste from the track schedule on local, niche-oriented message boards and the promoter thinks it's "advertising?"
If you want an online presence, there is one very important thing: content needs to be FRESH and UPDATED OFTEN. Your interview with people you know is good that week - where's the next one and what if you have to work to chase people down? The quick cut generation demands to be constantly stimulated. New content, new information. But I think the problem is this: nobody's paying for someone to do this for them, or think it's worth it, or can't fit it in to their part-time running of the track. In this era of tight budgets, the one thing that's always cut (foolishly) is advertising. And, the person doing it, for free, will only give you the work they're willing to put in - what's the motive? You get what you pay for.
- Reduced admission is a marketing tool, not a gift and certainly not the weekly solution. You don't "make it up on hot dogs and beer"
As I said in a previous editorial. A promoter told me during his giveaway nights, the average fan spent $3/person, LESS than a previous, regular-priced night of $4.00/person! That doesn't make up for the discount. People who are too cheap to go to your show are too cheap to buy more beer.
- He who lives by the back gate dies by the back gate.
He who lives by the front gate has the back gate to fall back on. Giving away a barren front gate is like skin off the nose (to a point). I'm reminded of the quote: "It doesn't cost anything to give away an empty seat." Giving away back gate is like losing a limb because that seat (or pit stall) wasn't empty. You certainly can't do both for long, but given skin or a limb which one will die first?
- There is often hidden information about your program if you take the time to read between the lines.
A message board discussion recently is a great example of this. The initial reaction is to dismiss it out of hand as "just more bitching." But read closer - you have DIE HARD race fans and racers (who else is posting?) give some between the lines insights: races are too long for their tastes, lineups are slow coming, something needed to be done about spinouts, the track isn't ready on time. BUT the track was wise and saw that as well, and accounts afterward showed they moved the show along and got over at a reasonable hour.The seasoned promoter can filter the BS from the valuable information. Sometimes, the people give you what you need.
*which was borrowed from the film, "Thirty-two Short Films about Glenn Gould." I have no interest in the film, but unlike the Simpsons episode, I actually have 22 observations.
*which was borrowed from the film, "Thirty-two Short Films about Glenn Gould." I have no interest in the film, but unlike the Simpsons episode, I actually have 22 observations.
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