AMA Race Attendance

I hear what you're saying. But I want my employees promoting MY business, MY products. That's what I pay them for. If the AMA were to come to me with an offer of something in return then we would be glad to help. And by offer I mean a legit advertising plan. I mean I will hanger flyers up and shit like that but trying to sell people on going to the races? Dealers have more important shit to do.

This is a business man! I love racing I really do but the promoters need to get off their asses on this one. When JU says Daytona was embarrassing from an advertising point of view you gotta listen.

 

Yup, theres gotta be an incentive for shops to participate. Projecting or assuming fans will come in to buy bikes & parts will not work.
Have rider's do shop tours, autograph signings, photo ops and race bike displays brings potential buyers to the shop.
Could'nt the Eslick/Herrin incident also deter potential new riders from entering the sport? Fortunately no one was seriously injured but to have that incident used as a marketing snap shot of what can be expected may bring folks to watch the racing, but mommy & daddy may not be so accommodating when wee Johnny wants to go purchase his 1st sport bike.

 

Didn't read all the replies, but a few comments:

1) That's Supersport. The least watched of the three AMA Pro Roadracing classes.

2) This was West Coast Moto Jam. That means while road racing was occuring, there was also supermoto and dirt racing on other tracks at Infineon's complex. That means you can't watch all three types of racing at once, so you have to pick which races u want to watch.

3) The weather was not great. Rained off and on Sunday (the day the pic was taken). I'm sure locals know they don't run Infineon in the rain since it's unsafe. It's one thing to go to a track when it might be raining to watch a race in the rain. It's another to go to a track and then just go home when it's raining and they're not racing.

4) I wouldn't sit there: http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/rsxdc5/CRSX/NASA_Racing_11-8-08__11-9-08_269.jpg

 

Losing the Parts Unlimited tent hurt dealer participation a lot. The parts Unlimited deal was a win win for all involved. People at shops got free hospitality, they talked up the races. It would be wise for AMA to negotiate something similar with PARTS or Tucker Rockey. I always thought one of them would do well to support WERA also, there are a lot of shop people involved with WERA.

 

then those dealers are not interested or they did the math and figured it was not worth putting money into it. They do still have a cost associated with showing up at the track to set up a display. ( i know it's a minimal cost but it still takes employees, fuel, etc.)


It has to be presented to them as a good advertising solution for them to bite. That is why you need professional sales people with good info to target dealers.

We as racers all think it's a great advertising opportunity but the reality is Dealers don't. Most would rather spend on TV/Radio/Internet.

I just think the AMA needs to spend some serious money on advertising. Plain and simple.

 

I think a big part of the current racing problems are from itself.

I was talking to a old flat tracker, and someone who used to race pro less than 10 years ago. They were both dumbfounded when they learned how much it costs now to go racing, with absolutely no reward whats so ever.

They had orgs paying THEM to go to a race. The amount of money they could win every single weekend was huge. 2,3,4, hell even 5 thousand dollars a weekend with race payouts, and contingency's. Now orgs don't pay out, there is hardly contingency, why should people spend thousands to go race when that rabbit to chase isn't there?

People love to come watch that kind of stuff too, they love that people will ride there ever loving ass off to come home with that big check. They love the drama, they love seeing the big names, they love seeing a underdog once and awhile coming up.

Thats all gone, plain and simple. There are no more contingency chasers, people that are riding, and the people riding because they love it and don't want to do anything else. Which is awesome they are there. But man, if I knew the possibility was there to make some real bank, I would be that much more ready to push it to 11. People would come out and actually race if there is money to be won.

Some people say trackdays is hurting racing, I think it's the lack of reward vs risk and the reward has been going ever lower. I think it's hurt spectator attendance as well. You might as go watch a trackday for free if you want to watch bikes go around in a circle.

I'm probably wrong, and it's probably too big of a risk for promoters to add money races (when they are taking them away) but you might as well go and try and beat your buddys at a trackday for half or less of the cost.

 

You make some valid points!

 

Flattrack is a whole different beast. Comparing SX and MX and flattrack and all these other racing disciplines is a moot point. They are different. They are as different when compared to motorcycle roadracing as NASCAR is. Different strokes, different folks.

And club racing used to have quite a few headhunters who chased the checks. When that went away, so did they. However, for a guy who can just show up and win at the expert club level, there are still some pretty decent payouts to be had. Not like they used to be, but it's still there.

It's a catch 22; you're saying you need the money to bring the racers and the people, but you need the racers and the people to bring the money.

However, I will disagree with you on one point: racing and track days are very different. Both to watch and be a part of. Racers will race. If someone's goal is just to ride their motorcycle on a race track, track days will scratch that itch. In the past, they had to race because that was the only way to get on the track. Now, they have a choice, but racers will still race. It just isn't the same.

 

Oh yeah no doubt it's different. But when a guy was making a couple grand in a weekend in the 70's. And even back a few years ago top guys could make a lot of money every weekend.

I'll be out there racing, because that's what I want to do, I don't want to do trackdays, like you said, racers race. But what is the incentive for the non-diehards, or to even stay in the sport for very long? Not a whole lot really.

 

Excellent points and I agree. Those of us racing now are doing it because we love it. Plain and simple. For many people, that isn't enough.

One of the first things people ask when I tell them I race motorcycles (after I explain to them that it isn't on dirt and it isn't drag racing) is "you make any money doing that?".

There are those of us who love racing and will do it no matter what. Then there are many who "enjoy" racing, but not enough to spend thousands upon thousands without every getting (or at least being able to chase and have the potential to win) money for it.

Obviously the first response is going to be "ok, so where do we get the money from?". I don't have an answer to that question. It is a catch 22, there has to be money in order to offer purses/contingency.......but if there was purses and contingency, there would be many more racers (more money coming in).

Chicken or the egg.

 

Exactly. People who don't feel the same way about the sport just can't understand why we do it. And to be honest, I can't come up with a good explaination to give to them.

Rationally speaking, the money we spend doing this shit while getting absolutely nothing in return is ridiculous. So it is almost impossible to explain why we do it to the average (non-racer) individual.

 

Ha. There isn't one other than what's inside you. What was the incentive for the guys finishing outside the money to race back when the purses were insane? Same as it is now. They guy finishing 9th in a premier class isn't bringing home the big check, but he still shows up. He always did. And, for as long as he can, he will continue to show up. It's just more or less tough to do so.

Top guys are always going to make the money. (And I mean the money by whatever money is available.) It was more, then it was less, then it was more and now it is less again. So that loot is always going to go to the top guys. Always has and always will. So whatever made the rest of the pack show up will continue to do so, but in smaller numbers. It's all relative.

IMO, on a semi-related topic, too many racers make the jump to do "pro" events before they are ready for some of the same reasons. Maybe it's the glory, maybe it's the recognition, maybe it's something else. Everyone wants to go big show racing. AMA events are expensive and, in most cases, the racers would get more out of the club rounds than they would the pro events and for less money.

 

What I don't understand is why people even expect financial rewards in amateur racing. I think people have been spoiled for too long and have a hard time adjusting to the current reality. If you don't get paid to go to the gym, run triathlons, bowl or play basketball in your local league, why should you get paid to race motorcycles before you reach the professional leagues? Just because we chose an expensive hobby doesn't entitle us to a financial reward. If you want to make money, you should compete in national professional series.

Of course, that's not going to help grow the sport at the grassroots level. But like I said, it's an expensive hobby. I couldn't afford to race cars. I turned to something I could afford.

Just my opinion.

 

Potential...or opportunity...or "I have a chance to"...or "maybe I can".........is what made them show up.

It kinda goes back to the discussion about the purses for the Solo races. Sure, only the top few were making any money at it, but the potential was there. Everyone could justify it by thinking... "if I nail the launch, get into T1 with those guys, run well and have some tires left at the end of the race, i might can earn some cash......".

The money earned compared to the money spent (when you factor bike prep, tires, travel, fuel etc) is still nowhere near equal, but it was something. It was something to work towards, something to chase. Those guys finishing 9th may have never scored a big check, but the opportunity to score one was there...and that was enough.

 

That is a valid point.

Minor league baseball players make money as they are working towards going professional.
Golfers on the Nationwide tour make money as they are playing and working towards going professional.
Hell, even college football players make money .

For all intents and purposes, WERA/CCS/CMRA etc is essentially the "minor leagues" of racing...the place where people hone their skills before (hopefully) going professional. Earning money while doing so is a little different than expecting to get paid in a weekend softball tournament or for a pickup game of basketball.

Will all "minor league" racers go pro? Obviously not. Just like all minor league baseball players won't make it into the show. But there are many of them who have been n the minor leagues for years and years, earning money.

 

Exactly, if there is even a sliver of hope that you can come home with the big check (or even a check at all, just to show that you gained SOMETHING), people are going to be that much more into it, try that much harder.

 

I don't know much about baseball. When you say "minor leagues", are you referring to the league where MLB teams have affiliated teams? Like where Michael Jordan was playing. AAA, or something. If so, I think that's the equivalent of WERA Nationals, not regionals.