I know WERA revenue and increasing rider participation has been discussed to death on several occasions, but as far as the search function told me, there's never been a topic designated to boosting revenue through spectator attendance. It's certainly been brought up as a potential revenue source in the other threads mentioned, but since I'm probably sitting out most of this year, I'll be attending as a spectator instead, and probably hitting more WERA rounds than I ever did as a rider. Some of-the-top-of-my-head ideas that might increase spectator participation: - The ability to pre-purchase single event or multi-event (punch card?) passes online at a moddest discount. Should be a relatively simple thing to add to the website, and that gives you a place to hype the events. I realize that creates programming and maintenance work that will also potentially cost money. Independent of the execution costs, would that be desirable? - Discount/free entry to the track for spectators who ride to the event. As far as I'm concerned, those are all potential future racers. And the tracks can probably make some money selling them bottled water if they need convincing... - promotion at dealerships and bike nights. I understand that this would be regional, so you'd need help from racers willing to do the leg-work. Bike nights around here are HUGE. I've only gone a couple of times (I don't get it...), but there are literally 7,000+ bikes a week around here. If even 1% of those people are interested in WERA, that's 70 people. - referral cards. I get 5 referral cards with my race license. When NEW racers turn them in at registration, they get $25 off their license, and I get a $10 credit toward my next race. (or something. Obviously the numbers are flexible). The same could work for spectators. 2 free passes with my license makes things a lot more affordable for friends to come out and spectate. And I'd have 4 friends coming to watch instead of the 2 who showed up to Nelson last time. Again, I'm just asking if these things would be objectionable if they were otherwise free for WERA. I think volunteer labor could work well for some things. Even the website maintenance to promote events. Possibly even the site additions/redesign itself. I'm not qualified for the website design stuff, but I'd volunteer to update things and promote the local events when relevant.
I know this will be seen as me shooting down yet more ideas but that absolutely isn't true, I like the input and it does help. However, I will address what you're saying so you know what issues we're facing and why you don't see some of these things happening. 1 - most of the time tracks control the gate and the gate money so we can't sell gate passes at the track or ahead of time. We do VIP passes for sponsors but selling those would go against our contract with those tracks. 2 - same issues as 1, a lot of places we don't even set the gate fee. We have been doing discounts and 2 for 1's to military peeps and the like at places out west where we have more options and hope to do that more in the future. 3 - I'd love to - anyone interested in promoting WERA just email me and we'll send you whatever we have promotional material wise. I know postcard flyers, pens, and stickers go over well around here when I can get them out. 4 - we do this with some schools and I'll run this by Evelyne. Not sure it would matter too much since you guys are already junkies pushing your drug on all your friends Website stuff we have covered, we always have offers from riders to make it better but we're good with how it works and who is handling it right now. We are going to try something for the mid week Mid-Ohio event with upcharging on the first entry and giving out a couple wristbands. We'll have to see how that works out and I still have to get the boss to sort out exactly what she wants to do.
Spectators attend events that grab their interest. America worships autos over motorcycles and within the motorcycle arena, prefers M/X to road racing. You can't force people to come to an event they aren't in to but, people won't come to an event they are unaware of. When AMA comes to Barber's, there is an ad blitz and the crowds are there. VintageFest in October is also a jam packed event. I've seen more paying, non-participating spectators at the local 1/8 mile drag strip for the Thursday night "test and tune" than I saw at the GNF last year.
Um, for the NC events at least I don't think I've seen more than a few spectators that were n't related to a racer in some way (family, pit crew, etc).
Which is why I asked. I figured spectator attendance is added revenue without any significant additional expenses. I don't see your response as shooting the ideas down, just obstacles to making them workable. As far as promotion, I think printed materials would be the big expense, so something generic, like a basic "WERA" business card with blanks where the event location, date, and entry fee can be written in by hand. As far as website promotion, I was thinking along the lines of having a page with pictures of the venues. Action shots that promote motorcycle racing at the particular venue. Squid stuff, really. Burnouts, wheelies, and other things non-racers find impressive ("ooooooh. his knee is on the ground.") That's cheaper to change on a weekly basis than printing materials for each race. Maybe I'll experiment with a simple flier before the Mid-Ohio event and try to distribute them locally. Like I said, bike nights are stupid huge around me for some reason, and at least a third of the bikes are sportbikes.
That's the kind of stuff the next version of the site will have. Which reminds me, need to start collecting track maps and pix I can do a flyer easily and change it up per region/event. Have to get with the boss lady, we already have a post card size thing but not sure how many of them we have and I know Mid-O isn't on there so I wouldn't use it in the NC region.
<< hangs head in shame >> I've never been to a WERA event. Perhaps I should attend and cheer on Broome?? t
You should be hanging your head, that's just pitiful Making fun of Broome is way more fun but whatever works for you
what's the percentage of knuckleheads on this board that've never been to a WERA race? require a current WERA racer's license or proof of current year WERA race attendance to continue 'membership' on the WERA beeb. you know no one can quit the beeb so there's revenue right there.
I'm always telling my wife I'd be faster if I had a hot umbrella girl. For some reason she doesn't believe me.
Speaking from experience... effing with chaotic online is fun. But doing it in person is freaking awesome Wera could sell Tickets just for the chance to push chris buttons in person
I would pay to see metalheads first race if I cold get down south. Actually I don't care about the on track action, I just want to watch him in the pits.
