Alonso gives back to the fans

[marzF1rocks]

After Criticisim from Bernie Eccelston, that Alonso does not give back to the sport... It seems to me Bernie may have got it wrong..

Than Again the promotion is in his homeland....

What Do The Rest of you think


http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=35989

[Dutton]

Demos are always cool.

With regards Alonso "doing enough/not enough"...well, in all honesty, I find that debate pointless. All he has to do is what is contract obliges him to. I don't expect him to do anything else, and I do not see why he should feel obliged to.

The drivers need never do anything for the public in the off-season as far as I am concerned, and on-season I don't think there is any need for them to do anything beyond their contractual obligations.

Sure, if they want to do stuff...well, great. I don't think they have any obligation to.

[Born Racer]

I agree that it's not the drivers responsibility to give anything back to the sport, whatever that means. Their entertainment should be what they do on the track.

The sport is so highly professional now in terms of training and dedication to the job that it is not surprising drivers would wish to spend their actual spare time doing something that instantly satisfies them.

I find Bernie's comments odd. Does Schumacher do more than Alonso in this regard anyway?

[Dutton]

Michael does his best to spend as much time as he can with his family, and thus avoiding the limelight as much as possible. At least, that is my understanding.

That is exactly what I would do in an F1 driver's situation.

[Knowlesy]

Yes. The way I see it, they have so little time to themselves that they have every right to do what they want. They do have families, friends, other interests to cater to.

The last thing they'll want to do is jet around the world to placate Bernie...

[Dutton]

Bernie comes to mind.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by Dutton

Michael does his best to spend as much time as he can with his family, and thus avoiding the limelight as much as possible. At least, that is my understanding.

That is exactly what I would do in an F1 driver's situation.

Yes, so would I.

Alonso just seems focused on the driving part of his career which is fine as far as I'm concerned. He stated recently in an interview that he has no desire for fame, and that ideally he would be unrecognisable away from the track. Hence why he rarely visits Spain, and why he drives around Oxford in a rather humble Renault Megane.

As long as he continues to entertain on the track, I'll be happy. I'm a fan, and I don't think he, or any other driver, owes me anything.

[Dutton]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

As long as he continues to entertain on the track, I'll be happy. I'm a fan, and I don't think he, or any other driver, owes me anything.

Absolutely. This is the crux of it, and other issues in F1, IMHO: there seems to be a dominant train of thought that suggests we, the public, the fan, are somehow owed something.

I just find it an insane proposal.

To me, I choose to watch a sport: my viewing is a side product of the event happening, as it is not, or at least should not be, created for the purpose of my entertainment.

A sport, or whatever, can go down that route if it decides that is what it wants to do...but it should not be seen as a duty to do so.

It comes down to a simple reality: if I don't like it, well, I can choose not watch it.

[littlefarny]

Originally Posted by Dutton

To me, I choose to watch a sport: my viewing is a side product of the event happening, as it is not, or at least should not be, created for the purpose of my entertainment.

What do you think a sport is, if not entertainment? All sports that are televised to people, or people going to watch them, are put on for entertainment purposes.
If noone watched football, do you really think there'd be any stadiums? Or any professional footballers at that?
Sport is a show, which we watch, and they put on. And they get a hella load of money for doing it.


I'm a dedicated fan, and don't feel owed anything, and I'd do what Shummie and Alonso do if I were up there....

....but, they do earn a huge paypacket from the sport, taking alot of money from sponsors etc. I think that perhaps he could do a little bit more to be an ambassador to the sport.
David Beckham has opened his soccer academy, Monty set up a golf academy, and the like.
I don't think they should do endless PR, but just a bit more to show that they actually acknowledge the support the fans give him.

All I've ever seen Alonso do is sign autographs (granted it was at the FOS...), and I got smacked in the head doing it.
[Best way to do it, walk along side him and just hold whatever you want signed in front of him. Quite easy than getting into the whole scrum when he stands still.]

[Dutton]

They are put on for the satisfaction of the participants. The fanbase comes after the fact.

If the fanbase wasn't there, do I think it would still happen? Yes. In the motor sport context it is club racing. With football it exists in some of the poorest areas on Earth.

I guess it just about perspective.

You see the sports are created for the entertainment of the fans, whereas I see the fans as a by-product of the sporting event.

[BootsOntheSide]

Alonso is the only one of the top drivers who is single and childless, as far as I'm aware, so he might have more free time than others, but even then it's not really his job to promote the sport. David Beckham does those Adidas ads for his own benefit, not for football.

[Knowlesy]

Largely agreed Dutton, but the importance of fans should not be underestimated I feel.

[ASCII Man]

The fanbase attracts big manufacturers and big sponsors, who in turn make it possible for the teams to pay enormous salaries to the drivers and other staff to race/promote their stuff so that we (the stupid mass) buy the aforementioned manufacturers/sponsors products/cars/whatever.

So in that sense, fans are vital to the survival of F1, because without the fans, F1 would not even be close to being the pinnacle of motorsports, because there would not be anyone they could impress with their high-tech cars, big name superstar drivers, or even their flashy new sunglasses + accompanying supermodel.

It's so fake anyway, only the lamest people would be hugely impressed with those things... (Chavs???)

I just want to see great racing, none of the glitter and glamour BS.

[Remus]

I thought FA did a grand job at Goodwood last year - he spent longer with the fans than most current F1 drivers seem to, (thinking back to a certain German non-world champion from a few years back...) and was happy to pose for photos, sign caps etc. He then stayed around to address the crowds at the prize giving on Sunday evening. For one so in demand I thought he did all he could.

Don't recall many recent champs doing anything any different, and I think Alonso comes across as a good ambassador and role model for the sport. Good on him I think.

[Dutton]

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

The fanbase attracts big manufacturers and big sponsors, who in turn make it possible for the teams to pay enormous salaries to the drivers and other staff to race/promote their stuff so that we (the stupid mass) buy the aforementioned manufacturers/sponsors products/cars/whatever.

Yes, true, but, also, it works the other way a bit.

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

So in that sense, fans are vital to the survival of F1, because without the fans, F1 would not even be close to being the pinnacle of motorsports, because there would not be anyone they could impress with their high-tech cars, big name superstar drivers, or even their flashy new sunglasses + accompanying supermodel.

Well, if we were to presume the fanbase gone in F1, well, then, the fanbase would have to be gone in other top-line categories (the same dynamics would have to apply). Therefore, the relative strengths would remain, largely, but it would just be at a much lower level.

The pinnacle would just be lower.

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

It's so fake anyway, only the lamest people would be hugely impressed with those things... (Chavs???)

Oh, yes, indeed, the "pretty people", or whatever other crap, I quite agree. However, it must work somewhere presumably.

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

I just want to see great racing, none of the glitter and glamour BS.

Absolutely, but then we just agreed that we are the cause? So we are getting what we don't want? Or, alternately, we are getting what works with other people?

****

I guess I should say that I am not saying the fanbase of F1, or sport, is not important. The higher up you go the more critical a part we play in the dynamics of it all.

HOWEVER, to me at least, the sport should not be designed around what is perceived by the Powers-That-Be to be what we want.

If you do that, well, you end up with a nasty, manufactured mess, and, by and large, what a lot of people don't want.

[bauble]

Must disagree with the majority view, The Formula 1 World Championship is what made Alonso famous, as many others before him. He owes the sport a lot and to say he does the job he is paid for is not good enough. There is a legacy to pass on to future champions and fans. It is a bit like polishing a trophy before handing it back, you should add something to the whole, maintain it's value and increase it's appeal. I am sorry, but once you set out to win a title then a part of you belongs to it and there is a duty to add lustre to the image.

If you stop and consider other sports and entertainments I am sure you will see plenty of examples of what I mean.

'at's wot I fink 'ny wye.

[chillibowl]

im of mixed feelings on this. while i agree with Bauble, that when someone gets so much from something they should give back it, but is that not something he should do once his racing career is over?
Maybe Bernie should be coming down on some of yester years greats and ask them to stop making so many bad/negative comments about the sport (of course not all do but some always make it a point to say things like, "that in their day things were better").
but as far as Alsono, or MS, or whoever goes, we have no idea of how much they give to charity, or how many sick kids they visit, etc, because the ones who do it dont make a point of bragging about it to the media, and if thats what Bernie wants maybe he is the one not doing enough.

[bauble]

Michael gave $10,000,000 to the Tsunami appeal.

Must disagree, again! Alonso and Villenueve and Schumacher have a DUTY to carry a high profile while still currently still racing. In retirement I will agree (!) ex champions and drivers should speak well of the current crop.