AMA Race Attendance

Bree used to do a great job when she was working with the Corona team as far as setting up meet and greets and autograph sessions at restaurants and/or bars local to the track.

Lots of signage and promotion, and then Matt Lynn and Jake Holden would just sit there while 2 or 3 people (maybe) paid attention to them. Jake and Matt were, from what I saw, good with crowds and fans, but there were just never that many fans there to accommodate. At least, that's what I saw in 08 when I was working with a team and we would go out to eat and happen to see one of the promotions in action. It wasn't for lack of effort, for sure. On their end, how much time, money and effort do you put into promotions like that and see (almost) zero results before you decide that the money is better spent elsewhere?

 

I've spent some time in the AMA paddock and the NJMP round is, by far, one of the best attended and fan-friendly.

And I'm going to call bullshit on anyone watching the DSB races who calls them boring. Best racing in years.

 

Just my .02


SX/MX is more popular because more kids are involved in it. They start riding dirt at age 3. When you go to a SX event you can see the whole race.(as in the whole track) It's promoted way better. There's way more money it. It's a show watching a bike flying 50 feet in the air.

How does roadracing tap into this? Get the kids on track at a young age. And that is a tough one right there.

 

and blimp seating!
You can see the entire track from the Omega seating at Willow Springs. 2.5miles of fun.
I think you can see the Entire track from the sunny seats at Fontana.
They took Fontana away from us this year :down:

 

We used to race midgets in lots of little towns all over the US. We would show up (all the teams) and unload the cars in town the day before the race. Have them sitting out on main street most of the time, or the town square. People would walk up all the time, ask questions, hell we would even let them climb in the cars. Every now and then we could get the local police to allow us the push start one down the main street. The whole town would usually come out when they heard a 320hp 4 cylinder fire up with no muffler.


What I am getting at is having a rider at a bar/restaurant or something like that is ok, Have the team transporter in the parking lot with the bikes out and even firing it up and doing a burnout or two is even better.

Also, no promotion and the sport dies. Then it doesn't matter where you spend the money.

 

Every track I've ever been to in England has.... a Pub. Races in England are packed :up:

 

Maybe get Cardenas to do a stunt show while you're at it.

 

He might have a hard time sitting on the tank doing a wheelie while looking over his shoulder. I kid. But why are you mocking the idea of showing the bikes and such? Is it because road racing is above it?

 

They have a pub because the races are packed...

 

Kurt, believe in Kevin Costner. If you build it...

 

There were 2 new guy's at AMA Infineon last weekend. 1 being myself & the other my buddy who was along for the ride and honestly there to check out the girls. He don't ride and never will.
I got free tickets thru Vesrah (gracias) spent less than $100 at the track but $2000 in flights, hotel, cab's, sushi, and way too much booze in Petaluma.
I'll take a pat on the back for stimulating the economy but I was shocked at the low attendance numbers, how tiny Benny Solis is, how mello & well prepared the teams
were.
Trackside commentary got quite excited at times but I felt like a blind man 'cus I could'nt see the intense action they were commenting on (from main grandstand)
I'd go again next time they're @ Infineon, won't drink so much, will have a longer range lens for better photo's (or obtain media pass if possible?) because at the end of the day I love motorcycle racing in any form and I wish I knew this sooner in life.

 

Saw this a lot in showbiz. People promoting to their existing fan base fail. People promoting to get new audience survive. If Dave Matthews stuck to playing little clubs for his adoring fans he'd still be in those same little clubs. (Maybe he should be but that's beside the point) There's all kinds of stuff from blood drives, sponsoring a walkathon, Larry Pegram in a dunk booth... Anything that says "sponsored by AMA Roadracing" and it doesn't have to be an expensive tv blitz.

 

I know the answer to all of this...but I'm not telling. I'm going to use it to make a fortune.

Remember this post.

 

...and you get to plop your ass down and watch the whole entire race - not just a couple of corners where you might see a few passes here and there.

 

Last year was my first experience at a ama event at that was njmp, and I had a great time.saw Josh Hayes after just finish qualifying taking pics with fans right after getting off his bike. Did the track walk after the races and that was awesome. Talking with a lot if the racers about a track you ride on...freaking awesome.

I had a great time!

 

I remember watching the races from the fan areas at Laguna and Fontana and thinking "what is going on?" continually. Half the PA systems are usually out, or don't reach, you can only see a few turns and I usually ended up watching the turns with no passing going on.

Some races you wouldn't even know who won until you could see the scoring tower (and tried to remember the numbers).

I know there's not enough money for the jumbotrons so you can watch the race, but without them it seems pretty tough to watch anything.

SX is in a little area where you can see every turn from your seat, pretty cool IMO.

 

Blame the track for that. At VIR if you can't see a jumbotron just tune into the track radio broadcast. Hope they still do that. Wish every track did.

 

Being at the race in person you see so much less than watching it on tv.

Other than sounds and smell I would much rather be riding my bike instead of watching a few turns.