Round 5 of NZ Superbikes may be canned?

[Teambwr47]

To those that weren't there at Paeroa, it was suggested by officials at the riders briefing that the last round of the Nationals at Pukekohe was currently NOT a viable meeting financially due to lack of entries.

I've not entered yet but will be tomorrow and anyone else that hasn't needs to.

If this meeting were to be cancelled it would be a very black day for National road racing in NZ.

[svs]

Hope they don't can it. My bikes already up there waiting for me. But either way with the track already booked and paid for they wouldn't loose much more by going ahead with the meeting anyway. Might make them think about next year tho....

Dunno if the vicclub broke even at round 4 - it would be a close run thing if they did.

I guess this is why there is no professional promoters willing to pick up anything other than the odd street race - there's certainly no profit in this game.

[Sketchy_Racer]

I think it's a bit late in the game for them to be implying things like that? Lots of people have already purchased tyres and consumables, booked accommodation and applied for leave.

Definitely not what we want to hear!

[gammaguy]

here we go again,the simple formula everyone seems to have trouble grasping.

to run a succesful meeting you NEED

1)spectators
2)riders
3)organisers
4)promotion
5)sponsors

these are mutually dependent.

without any single ONE of these ingredients the whole thing falls down.

WHEN THE HELL WILL MNZ LEARN???

****goes away to bang head against wall***

[Shaun P]

here we go again,the simple formula everyone seems to have trouble grasping.

to run a succesful meeting you NEED

1)spectators
2)riders
3)organisers
4)promotion
5)sponsors

these are mutually dependent.

without any single ONE of these ingredients the whole thing falls down.

WHEN THE HELL WILL MNZ LEARN???

****goes away to bang head against wall***

Exactly - well put I have been down this path many times there is actually a great pool of untapped talent that could be racing but chooses not to, it really does need some fresh thinking and is not an easy task.

Saying that though I will offer my services as a riders rep FOC to MNZ.

[gammaguy]

Exactly - well put I have been down this path many times there is actually a great pool of untapped talent that could be racing but chooses not to, it really does need some fresh thinking and is not an easy task.

Saying that though I will offer my services as a riders rep FOC to MNZ.

we need to make changes and we need to make them soon,otherwise the sport I and many others love will become no more notable than the local lawn bowls club championships.

if thats what we all want,(which i doubt)all we have to do is keep doing things the way we are now.the rest will take care of itself.

it starts at club level,we can all make a difference.

[cs363]

here we go again,the simple formula everyone seems to have trouble grasping.

to run a successful meeting you NEED

1)spectators
2)riders
3)organisers
4)promotion
5)sponsors

these are mutually dependent.

without any single ONE of these ingredients the whole thing falls down.

WHEN THE HELL WILL MNZ LEARN???

****goes away to bang head against wall***

Yes, some would argue that the seeming lack of 4) (above) is a major contributor to the lack of 1) & 5) at present as far as the Nationals go.
Not an entirely fair argument as the format itself is an attraction, but the street circuits seem to be better promoted as well as better supported by spectators. Is this purely coincidence? Just thinking out loud here.

I've lost touch with that side of it but is MNZ still acting as the promoter for the Nationals? And further, is this also the case with the street circuits or are they promoted by outside companies and/or the organising clubs?
Be interesting to hear the facts on the above and see if there are any other interesting musings to be drawn from the results!

[Gremlin]

There are currently 50 or 60 entries all up... (can't remember which)

Apparently, the word is... if the numbers aren't there, it doesn't go ahead... (words I heard on the grapevine).

[k14]

Talk about suck big time!! Already had organised flights, motel etc to come up from Alex for a while. Will be very annoyed if they cancel it!

[Maido]

Hope they give us a bucket load of notice. Our van is at mr Bagshaws (thanks Steve!!), air fares have already been purchased, as have tyres and hotels, I have time off work etc.
It is a long way to go from Invercargill to pick up a van, as well as this, I am currently involved in the best racing I have ever been involved in!

This meeting will not be called off. Isn't there some type of legal binding to being part of a national series. (PS they knew Beckham would be run at a loss and they still went ahead, now they are 1.7m in the hole!).

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

It is a shame there are not more entries - especially in the support classes. The organisers (the Clubs) do all the hard work for no return, all care and responsibility and financial risk (on the day MNZ run the meeting and have the last say). Yet it is really an amazing event with fantastic riding. I don't know enough to suggest what the solutions could be but I do know the Vic Club runs an excellent Actrix Winter Series and we were getting up to 225 bikes entering one round. Ok those numbers may drop off this year due to the economic downturn but time will tell.

[gammaguy]

i feel for all you racers,doing your best to support your sponsors and personally,by getting to this meeting.

i know first hand what all that costs

hopefully the AMCC (and MNZ)will do the right thing and run this meeting no matter what.

i wouldnt bank on it however.

[sidecar bob]

Im confused why the Taupo Roadrace Spectacular can get over 220 entries & the national champs can only attract 50 or 60 apparently.
Seriously, could some of you competitors shed some light on why you are more attracted to do one than the other.

[Billy]

here we go again,the simple formula everyone seems to have trouble grasping.

to run a succesful meeting you NEED

1)spectators
2)riders
3)organisers
4)promotion
5)sponsors

these are mutually dependent.

without any single ONE of these ingredients the whole thing falls down.

WHEN THE HELL WILL MNZ LEARN???

****goes away to bang head against wall***

How can it be entirely MNZs fault when no riders enter their National series,Is it promotion? I dont think so. All the riders knew the meetings were on but nobody entered,Paul Stewart was there and so were all the people who give up their time voluntarily too help organise and run the meetings on the day.Why would people want too sponsor people who dont support them in anyway,For example how many of the 200 plus riders that compete in the Actrix superbike series actually use Actrix as an internet provider???.I email a number of these competitors regularly and the only one other than myself that I have encountered is Phil Snowdon and he works there!!How can it be MNZs fault when they organise a meeting in the biggest population base in the country there are only 63 confirmed entries 2 weeks out?And I bet a large number of those are from the south island.How many spectators do reckon would turn up at the Wellington rugby sevens if there were only two teams playing or a rugby test if only 7 Allblacks were going too turn up.I read on this site after the 1st round at Teretonga,That MNZ had destroyed the F3 class cause there were only 8 entries.In 2005 there were only 11 entries at the same meeting the riders absent since then are Derek Hill(deceased),Andy Bolwell(retired)and Neil Smith(moved to protwins).SOoo how is that MNZs fault??Wake up and stop blaming the organisers,If you continue too do what you are (which appears too be nothing)Then youll always have what youve got.Which also appears too be nothing

[malcy25]

here we go again,the simple formula everyone seems to have trouble grasping.

to run a succesful meeting you NEED

1)spectators
2)riders
3)organisers
4)promotion
5)sponsors

these are mutually dependent.

without any single ONE of these ingredients the whole thing falls down.

WHEN THE HELL WILL MNZ LEARN???

****goes away to bang head against wall***

Spent some time talking to Club Prez Costello later last night. The meeting IS going ahead.

Believe it or not, 4 and 5 have been done. Remembering that 4 is primarily ainmed at # 1 and is paid for my #5 who have chipped in a lot of cash for TV and radio etc.

#3 has been working hard to make it happen

# 1 will be found out on the day and I hear last year was the biggest gate in a long time.

#2 is the only problem - too few entries. The support class I hear is about 1/3 of the total entries which is just pathetic given that this date and entry forms have been available for months. Hands up who haven't entered and tell why? If it's lack of cash / worried about your job, fair call. But at times the riders get what they support. Don't support the nationals, don't get a national Championship meeting or series.

My view is that if you have entered the meeting got cancelled don't take umbrage at the poor guys who stuck it on the line to make the event happen and then had to make a hard decision. Go talk to the riders who could have but didn't enter.

Costello also said that given the circumstances, entries are still being taken but there is a cut off for the programme so don't dawdle and there is a finite point sometime next week where they do really have to cut them off.

If you have entered and you know people who could but haven't, get on to them.