How to save the AMA...

I laugh every single time I read on a motorcycle forum that racing needs to 'go get the public' and 'appeal to the masses'

Do you guys realize that the number of registered motorcycle owners in the United States is around 8-9 million? Do you know how many people on average tune in to watch AMA races on TV and attend races in America?

Here you go:
9,000,000 registered motorcycles
100,000 average viewers per AMA race on TV
> 10,000 spectators (generous)

So 1.1% watch the races and 0.1% show up at the races


If 'we' the motorcycle industry can't even get our own MOTORCYCLE OWNERS interesting in motorcycle racing, WTF do you think Joe Public America will give a rats ass or why do you think you can market to them?

There is a metric ton of fish sitting in a barrel but folks are failing to load the gun.

 

Those fish aren't in the barrel. Just because someone owns a motorcycle doesn't mean they have any more potential to be a roadracing fan than anyone else.

Hell, I'd wager to say the majority of track day riders aren't hardcore roadracing fans.

 

+1

Most of the people I know who own motorcycles (well those that don't happen to be at the track already), know nothing about American road racing, and only a few have any knowledge of MotoGP even.

 

Uh actually yes they are in a barrel.

In marketing or sales you couldn't ask for more than a person who already is predisposed to what you are promoting or selling.

 

Sure, but it's not like NASCAR uses metrics based on "registered car owners". The entire issue is that there is a terrible lack or marketing, promotion, advertising, etc for the sport entirely. It has been mismanaged for years and the number of race fans continues to drop regardless of the number of registered motorcycle owners rising of falling.

A solid promoters group with an experienced background in experiential marketing and events promotion could do wonders if given the chance. Sadly, no one wants to invest time/money in trying to "fix" a broken product. There are some that are interested in building their own product independently though.

 

If every motorcycle owned in the US was a sportbike, perhaps you would have somewhat more of a point.

But they're not.

-jim

 

9,000,000 registered motorcycles or motorcyclists? If motorcycles, your percentages aren't accurate.
I'm sure quite a few of us know multi-bike owners and some with quite a few bikes in the stable.

 

M1 chased the 'event promotion and experiential marketing' myth and look where that got them. That's a false lead and not the best use of resources.

Actually NASCAR does use registered car owners as a marketing metric.

 

Ah, but how to get them interested? I think you have to tailor the product to the potential customer, not the other way around. Sell the sizzle, not the steak, right? Well DMG is barely able to sell the "sizzle" to die hard race fans. There's no way they'll be able to sell the "steak" to the uninitiated.

 

The AMA should hire a bunch of hot cheerleaders.....problem solved.

They could do some fancy shaking on the grid before the flag.....they could split the time between the cheerleaders and the racing.

It would be better than what we have now.

 

That's like saying you can only be a mx/supercross fan if you own a motorcross bike. Not a enduro, not a dual sport, not a trail bike, not a pit bike, JUST A MOTOCROSS/SX bike. Or you can only be a Formula 1, Sports Car, Indy, NASCAR fan if you own a performance car. Not a truck. Not a minivan. etc.

That line of thinking is so off-base it's not even funny.

Oh okay so make it 8,000,0000 then so we can factor in about 1,000,000 multi-bike owners. How about all the UNREGISTERED bikes out there? That'll buff your number back up.

 

Ok, what's the solution? And I disagree completely. They chased "organizing" an event. The promotion of said events to the public was lacking.

 

Speaking of off base, if what you were saying were true, there wouldn't be a problem to solve.

They just aren't interested and aren't more inclined to be interested because they own a motorcycle. No amount of advertising is going to sell something to someone that they simply don't want.

 

Already said enough. Want any more lessons we can work out a rate for my services.

 

I see what you're getting at, but that's akin to saying that everyone who owns some combination of pistol, rifle, and shotgun will be predisposed to watching and/or participating in 3Gun...and that ain't the case.

 

Yeah let's save the AMA. That way they can do more campaigns against helmet laws! w00t!

 

NASCAR is promoted heavily. So are the stick and ball sports. But I don't watch or follow any of them. How could that be?

Oh, right. Because I don't care. Billboards, ads, whatever isn't going to change that.

 

My 10+ years of direct experience would say otherwise.

I leave you with:
1) Most motorcycle owners don't even know motorcycle racing exists in America. This forum is NOT an accurate representation of the average motorcycle owner
2) Marketing as a whole exists to get you to buy something you don't think you want or need. Like the new iPhone.