Could ordinary race fans own and manage an F1 team?

[itsnotagame]

The concepts of social ownership and mutualisation are starting to appear in other sports. Does anyone think these concepts would be applicable in F1; if the powers that be were to allow more that 12 teams to compete.

[alonso11]

I think Schneider, Mol and now Malaya are all ordinary race fans with extraordinary bank accounts.

[itsnotagame]

If enough people can get together surely it would be possible?
Demos Crasus

[Teretonga]

As in if we got enough race fans together and contribute some significant $$$$ we could own F1?

[rcarr]

No!

If you are just a race fan you still wouldn't cut it in the F1 paddock.

Think of how badly BAR did until Prodrive/David Richards sorted them out. Craig Pollock with Adrian Reynard, good on paper but useless in reality.

The main players in the F1 scene are either born to it, Sir Frank Williams, Ron Dennis or they are extraordinary business men like Flav.

People like Sir Frank and Uncle Ron have brought them teams into contention by working hard at it, through starting their own race teams or built up from being a mechanic in an F1 team. Uncle Ron is lucky that he didn't have to build up from a kart outfit and eventually got the backing of a major sponsor like Malboro.

I think, Jordan aka Midland, Spyker and Force India will improve because they have the right people in place again however its just seen as a play thing for billionaires and will never take it seriously, they won't throw themselves whole heartedly into the team. How often will Mr Malaya be seen at the factory? Whereas I think Mr Matasitsche (sp) sees his F1 teams as an investment and he makes sure he is seen with his team and drivers rather than just being a figure head.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

As in if we got enough race fans together and contribute some significant $$$$ we could own F1?

Something like this: www.myfootballclub.co.uk

But I don't think it will work.

[itsnotagame]

Isn't that myfootballclub concept working rather well, I don't think the club has lost a game since the fans took over. Wouldn't that be nice to see in F1.

[kipper]

Theoretically, I suspect that the idea is possible along the same lines of the Ebbsfleet Football club scenario, in that people can pool resources, recruit professional staff and run a team. However, owing to the vast sums of money involved, it would take such a huge amount of organisation in terms of the number of contributors required, that any decision making process would be exceedingly unwieldly. As such I don't think the practicalities of the scenario are feasible.

[Teretonga]

By FIRE

Something like this: www.myfootballclub.co.uk

But I don't think it will work.

I was only being provocative. I agree it wouldn't work by democracy because racing (and football) don't work like that in reality.

Fans could own it as shareholders but you'd need to hire a Dave Richards/Flavio Briatore/Bernie Ecclestone character to run it for you...

No no no....Not a Max Mosley character...that could never work.

[itsnotagame]

What would happen if you had the Peoples F1 team fronted and led by say a Dave Richards/Flavio Briatore/Bernie Ecclestone/Eddie Jordan? It strikes me that this would transform the idea into a robust and workable format.
What do you think?

[BeeJ]

Originally Posted by itsnotagame

What would happen if you had the Peoples F1 team fronted and led by say a Dave Richards/Flavio Briatore/Bernie Ecclestone/Eddie Jordan? It strikes me that this would transform the idea into a robust and workable format.
What do you think?

So what relationship do you have with ownthesport.com. It seems to me that from the previous thread that got locked and this one you are pushing the idea of the ownthesport.com's idea of running in F1 with some involvment with Eddie Jordan as team principle.

[itsnotagame]

Originally Posted by BeeJ

So what relationship do you have with ownthesport.com. It seems to me that from the previous thread that got locked and this one you are pushing the idea of the ownthesport.com's idea of running in F1 with some involvment with Eddie Jordan as team principle.

I am Managing Director of ownthesports.com and consequently have a vested interest in this, however far be it from me to push this idea what I am attempting to do is to start some informed debate on the subject of Fan Ownership of sport and as you have concluded this concept has gained some acknowledgement from the upper echelons of F1, negotiations continue.

[chillibowl]

its an interesting idea.
im thinking of the story about LH creating a company with himself being the major asset and primary shareholder and then using that company to collect all of his earnings. by selling/floating the shares in the open market he can collect now on potential future earned income. through this process you can effectively own a part of LH's future success. rather you can own part of your fav. athlete presumably effecting his decisions through the buying and selling of their shares.

this is of course nothing new for a publicly traded corporation, so my question is are you just talking about selling shares of an F1 team to fans or something more where the fans who own shares get to vote on either day to day or long range goals.

at the very least its an interesting idea on generating a vast amounts of start up capital with which to build a team.

[itsnotagame]

No this would be a mutualisation of the sport effectively letting race fans own and strategically manage an F1 team in conjunction with their chosen professionals. If you were a sponsor who would you prefer to endorse the Peoples team or that of a faceless corporation?

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by itsnotagame

If you were a sponsor who would you prefer to endorse the Peoples team or that of a faceless corporation?

If I were a sponsor I'd be looking to align myself with a successful team. Of course, it remains to be seen whether your team (or "The People's Team") would be successful.

[itsnotagame]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

If I were a sponsor I'd be looking to align myself with a successful team. Of course, it remains to be seen whether your team (or "The People's Team") would be successful.

At the end of the day is it not the sponsors money that allows the teams to buy the hardware and the talent. Sponsors are continually looking to get more media exposure to give them more bang for their buck. This premise would on the face of it give the media a unique hook - would it not?

[quantic]

"Is this the peoples front of F1?"
"F@*& off! This is the F1 peoples front.."

[BeeJ]

I think the idea of social ownership is a good idea in the right places, I am not sure whether F1 is one of those places but open minded. I will be following it with interest since I saw your post on the other thread.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by itsnotagame

At the end of the day is it not the sponsors money that allows the teams to buy the hardware and the talent. Sponsors are continually looking to get more media exposure to give them more bang for their buck. This premise would on the face of it give the media a unique hook - would it not?

It would, yes. But if I were in charge of marketing for a large multinational company, I'd be more likely to plump for a team with a proven track record, than a brand new team based on a completely untried-and-untested idea. With all due respect, there is the risk that it could turn into a farce. And what company wants to be associated with that?

[itsnotagame]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

It would, yes. But if I were in charge of marketing for a large multinational company, I'd be more likely to plump for a team with a proven track record, than a brand new team based on a completely untried-and-untested idea. With all due respect, there is the risk that it could turn into a farce. And what company wants to be associated with that?

Does any new team have a proven track record? Surely the credibility from a sponsors perspective comes from the racing professionals leading the new team. Would this not eliminate the risk of farce?

[Marbot]

What about if we all 'chip in' for this!

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=41439