Privateers Cup and Naked Class?

[slowpoke]

Ya know right on up till yesterday I 100% agreed that advertising was the way to attract the crowds and the entrys.
That was before the Wings over Whenuapai happened.
People in their tens of thousands flocked to the event.
There was stuff all advertising for it relative to the event size.
But why?? Whats different? How did so many peoples imagination get captured?
-I wouldnt have a clue but might be worth figuring out.

Because the event is almost uniquely spectacular and tens of thousands of people have been to it in the past: they tell two friends...and those friends tell two friends etc.

Our events on the other hand attract hundreds of people not tens of thousands and the competitor numbers have been a bit down (although the racing itself was fuggin' awesome, at Manfeild anyway) so it doesn't self generate the same level of interest.

Red's ideas are great and his commitment is amazing. Basically he's our only representative in Oz at the moment, even if he is running convict offspring as a rider. I'll be watching his team a lot closer now that that lil' penny has dropped, good luck that team.

Like Dr Steve the only issue I have is with another class diluting things.

Speaking for myself I enquired with Vic Club about a Clubman's class at the Manfeild Nat's round, but it wasn't to be unfortunately, or I would have been all over it like white on rice.

Just to harp on about the cross entry rules, if I'd had a few more opportunities to actually get on track I could very well have felt comfortable enough to enter the Nat's class. Same goes for 2010, if I can get enough race time I'll be seriously considering fronting up to the back of the field at all the Nat's rounds I can get to (mongrel work commitments).

I understand that club's are damned if they do and damned if they don't with regards to the classes they run and this is in no way intended as a kick in the guts. You peoples make it all possible for us and I/we appreciate it no end. Just an idea: how's about a show of hands/emails in response to a poll of the club? Vic Club send out a flyer each month (I don't appear to be on the list but that's prolly my fault) so just attach a few options to gauge levels of interest. Once again, not a criticism, just a suggestion.

[GIXser]

You tryin to tell me that racers didn't know the National rounds were approaching? Doubt it.

ah... but its exactly what im saying Grasshoppa,, because many racers will be dissalusioned by the lack of promotion in recent years hence forth no sponsors because there has been no advertising/promotion..... therefore less money to go around.......therefore low race entries.....

[Drew]

Great ideas, provided mods aren't limited for privateer superbikes.

[sosman]

I like the idea of privateer's group in SBK class,then maybe i can get some race fairings etc for the 7friddy

[brads]

ah... but its exactly what im saying Grasshoppa,, because many racers will be dissalusioned by the lack of promotion in recent years hence forth no sponsors because there has been no advertising/promotion..... therefore less money to go around.......therefore low race entries.....

Can someone please answer why back in the late 90s early 00s,when the only form of advertising was posters plastered around town telling people that it was on(no tv ads,no nzsbk website,no coverage of any round on tv,riders got prize money thou)) there were strong numbers in all classes,decent crowds,yet today with what I think is a great job being done by Paul Stewart and his team over the past 3 years the numbers are falling away?
Is it really down to lack of promotion? or are people just not willing to spend there hard earned cash on there chosen hobbie?/sport?
My thoughts on the reds ideas,
Naked class- no,we cant even fill the classes we have now.
600sp,leave it as is.
SBK,Leave rules as is,however privateer class should have dumbed down rules,no motor mods at all,slip ons,brake lines,DR BOBS,pcs.Slicks.

[Tony.OK]

Can someone please answer why back in the late 90s early 00s,when the only form of advertising was posters plastered around town telling people that it was on(no tv ads,no nzsbk website,no coverage of any round on tv,riders got prize money thou)) there were strong numbers in all classes,decent crowds,yet today with what I think is a great job being done by Paul Stewart and his team over the past 3 years the numbers are falling away?
Is it really down to lack of promotion? or are people just not willing to spend there hard earned cash on there chosen hobbie?/sport?
My thoughts on the reds ideas,
Naked class- no,we cant even fill the classes we have now.
600sp,leave it as is.
SBK,Leave rules as is,however privateer class should have dumbed down rules,no motor mods at all,slip ons,brake lines,DR BOBS,pcs.Slicks.

Maybe you've just answered your own question..............was it the lack of promotion back then that has been a cause in sponsors being rare and spectators of a new generation not knowing it exists.

[Drew]

SBK,Leave rules as is,however privateer class should have dumbed down rules,no motor mods at all,slip ons,brake lines,DR BOBS,pcs.Slicks.

Then it's not Superbike, it's superstock, so it's another class.

Will they run in conjunction? Probably since there isn't enough time in the day now.

But will qualifying still be as it is now in the interest of safety those first few laps? Hardly a seperate class if they line up all mixed up as they most certainly would.

[CHOPPA]

Then it's not Superbike, it's superstock, so it's another class.

Will they run in conjunction? Probably since there isn't enough time in the day now.

But will qualifying still be as it is now in the interest of safety those first few laps? Hardly a seperate class if they line up all mixed up as they most certainly would.

They wont change rules for bikes that are already set up and exclude them because that defeats the purpose but they might put a limit on 09 bikes

[brads]

Then it's not Superbike, it's superstock, so it's another class.

Will they run in conjunction? Probably since there isn't enough time in the day now.

But will qualifying still be as it is now in the interest of safety those first few laps? Hardly a seperate class if they line up all mixed up as they most certainly would.

Yeah run with superbikes,lets face it,our tracks here are not that fast(excluding puke) so the difference between a sbk and stk is not that much when ridden well,Like red said maybe red backgrounds to show the difference,pro twins and f3 line up together and that seems to work.

[steveyb]

You taking the piss Steve??

I take offence to that..... actually, I'll take the gate as well.......

Don't you know it big boy!!!

[steveyb]

The Privateers Cup idea is not about new rules for building bikes, the rules for the bikes stay the same for everyone.
It is about being able to recognise the 'privateers' within each class over those with higher level technical etc support.
In NZ that means distributor support, like it does in Oz and the UK. In the UK in 2005/06 there was one Factory team, the Honda team, now there are about three I think (??) Honda, Ducati and Suzuki (not 100% sure), but there are good distributor and store supported teams.
They run a Privateers cup there in BSB, so if someone can dig up a set of their rules for who is one and who is not then that would be a good starting point.
So the upshot is, that it is possible for a Privateer to win both the NZSBK and the Privateers Cup titles.

I see no one has supported the Club Cup idea.

[wharfy]

Ya know right on up till yesterday I 100% agreed that advertising was the way to attract the crowds and the entrys.
That was before the Wings over Whenuapai happened.
People in their tens of thousands flocked to the event.
There was stuff all advertising for it relative to the event size.
But why?? Whats different? How did so many peoples imagination get captured?
-I wouldnt have a clue but might be worth figuring out.

I am pretty sure I saw an add or two on TV. Complete with action shots, explosions etc.

They have them in Wairarapa as well I went once, it was great except for the bloody crowd...

[brads]

Anyone know what the difference in bikes is between the white backgrounds and the red are in the Aussie sbk championship last year?
ie, what mods were done to Allertons Honda to Konskys?

[steveyb]

Ya know right on up till yesterday I 100% agreed that advertising was the way to attract the crowds and the entrys.
That was before the Wings over Whenuapai happened.
People in their tens of thousands flocked to the event.
There was stuff all advertising for it relative to the event size.
But why?? Whats different? How did so many peoples imagination get captured?
-I wouldnt have a clue but might be worth figuring out.

One reason is that the Wings thing is a complete show. There is not just some aircraft flying past the crowd, then landing and then another one, and then another one that looks a bit different, but is another aircraft, oh, and then another one, these look a bit different too, but they are bikes just like the other ones ......

Catch my drift?

They have a whole show with food stands, sideshows of a sort, related clubs doing stuff, things for the kids etc etc etc.

What do we do?

Bike racing and some shabby looking garages filled with some shabby and some flash looking bikes, shabby (on the whole) people and crap strewn from arsehole to breakfast.

Why, WHY would anyone who is not a bike nut want to pay money (at national level anyway) to come and see that when they have 2.5 kids and a missus who is not that keen to entertain at the same time?

Where are the retailers flogging off stuff?
Where are the distributors displaying bikes?
Where are the concession stands?
Where were the V8 simulators?
Where are the kids play areas?
Where is the decent, tasty, healthy food? Manfield is an utter disgrace in this regard!
Where are the smart teams and garages (like the RRR, Bernard and Team VB Racing setups)?

All these things add up to a show that people will want to come and be a part of, pay money for and tell their friends about.

"Oh there was some racing? Yeah it was fantastic, but did you see .......?"

I had a friend and her husband go to Manfield for NZSBK on my recommendation. They are self-confessed boguns, drive new Holdens and love motorsport. So are precisely the converts we are looking for.
Got to Manfield, put off coming in, right at the gate.
Managed that, wondered what was going on. No programme of events and times, just a little book with lists of names. No blurb, no preamble, no information about the history of NZSBK or anything.
No PA system.
Watched some races which they said were fantastic.
Wanted food, could only find pig-swill (my word), wanted to look at stuff and be informed and entertained, couldn't find anything.
Left after about 2 h.
Will not be coming back, nor recommending it to any friends.

There were issues with gear such as the PA. But you don't see the car people having the same issues do you. Preparation.

If we continue to do this only for ourselves then we will continue to get what we have always got.

If we decide to do it for the spectators and audiences AS WELL AS OURSELVES then we will grow the pie and more people and resources will flow.

Mindset change required.

It starts with the riders. ABSOLUTELY NO amount of money spent by organisers on advertising will change a fine product with crap packaging into a great product with fantastic packaging. (By packaging I mean all the stuff around the races themselves: team attire, bike presentation, garage presentation, deportment of riders and teams, banners, flags, concession stands, food, entertainment etc).

It is possible to grow any business and pay virtually nothing on advertising. Word of mouth and viral marketing do that for you. All you need to do is scrub up your offering and then acutally ask customers to recommend your offering to others. But if your offering is substandard (as our currently is) then it will not happen.

Enjoy.

[Shaun P]

Anyone know what the difference in bikes is between the white backgrounds and the red are in the Aussie sbk championship last year?
ie, what mods were done to Allertons Honda to Konskys?

White is superbike, red is superstock 1000

Superbike rules are a bit more open with datalogging, motec type ecu's traction control alot of engine modifaction, suspension etc

Superstock is basically just exhaust, pc, no engine mod and suspension