World Rallycross R7 - Trois Rivieres, Canada

[SnoodyMcFlude]

Originally Posted by chunder

Money in such a tiny sport is not a good thing. It has always been there, but totally taking away the spot from even rich clubmen is a risk.

So you'd rather see a clubman championship of rich kids that aren't that good than decent drivers in big money teams with a handful of rich kids at the back? I get that the advertising thing is crap (the Monster watch, Ion Energy drink and Rebellion Camera etc.), but it's a necessary evil and is just a sad statement on the position of sport today. You get the same in football, rugby, athletics etc. etc.

Personally I prefer a championship with drivers of the calibre of Solberg & Ekstrom than to have it being a limited few of decent drivers and mostly just middle aged blokes that can afford the car.

[crossfades]

Many privateers in rallycross today fears that it will be too expensive to race in the future, some mean that it will only be manufacturers left.

Just looking at the tracks they use today tells that tracks with money is more important than proper rallycross tracks. Höljes for example have doubts about IMG and for them it is getting too expensive, and they had almost 40 000 visitors this year.

[chunder]

This stuff is not necessary.

The advertising is, but there really is no need to have the words rammed down your throat every available second, we can all read!

As for the series now, there is no legacy. That is my issue, there is no thought of future, only of maximising your profit from a tiny, underwhelming championship whose bark is far stronger than its bite.

If you chip away at the cracks you can see evidence of problems. National series are suffering all over the world, there is no evidence of drivers coming in from the places that buy roudns like Germany, Turkey, Canada, the new drivers are coming in from Eastern Europe who IMG have totally ignored in favour of places like bloddy Argentina! who pay more.

Rallycross at the top Supecar level has always been expensive, there is no getting away from that, but what you have now is DTM and WRC levels of budget required, which is great while there is tv and big backers. But as we are seeing in the USA, the interest cannot be sustained. If you keep taking the sport to new places, yes that is good idea initially, but surely the goal is you grow slowly from the base, not try and reach Everests peak without an oxygen tank in a day, which is what they are trying to do now. The racing is average, largely decided by contact. You really think Isachsen wouldn't still be winning? I rather think he would.

If you want a gameshow watch WWF. which this is basically with cars.

[bigted]

Now I don't like to find myself agreeing with Chunder, but something somewhere just doesn't feel right with WRX this year for me.

Don't know if the cars or the tracks (I include Holjes in that, not just temporary Circuits)

[Barrie]

I'll watch it, can't pinpoint it, but something isn't right.

[1975DCS]

The trouble or fear with super duper rich teams or manufacturers is that at a certain point they could leave and leave us with next to nothing. This has happened in other sports as well. What if Solberg leaves? And with manufacturers you end up with 3-5 cars, I prefer diversity and something you can brew at home and still surprise a few..

[chunder]

I think that is the biggest worry DC.

Right now things are great, IMG have put together an aggressive marketing campaign, they are finding people and countries who will gladly pay the hosting fees to have races in their country, and these poeple are also investing heavily in their tracks, Hockenheim, Turkey, Franciacorta. But unless they make money they will not want to keep hosting rounds. (which is why Poland, Hungary, Czecho did not take up their rounds in 13). So then the series might struggle to achieve WR status, and that is the biggest problem.

It is fine now, but the core of events and fan support is Europe, we don't really know if it is growing elsewhere.

The American thing seems to be dying a slow death and certainly will if Eriksson grows tired. They really should be putting their efforts behind a Scandinavian Cup or something, that is the area that already has grids, tracks. Start it there, make some personalities, increase the already good fanbase.

What they are doing is just launching into new territory, hoping it will stick and coaxing countries to host and pay for the privilege. It is likely far cheaper than SBK, WTCC or something, so you are marketing to a captive and receptive audience that does not need amazing safety specs and the like in thier tracks as they would for other world series. It is a relatively safe sell for IMG.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by bigted

Now I don't like to find myself agreeing with Chunder, but something somewhere just doesn't feel right with WRX this year for me.

Don't know if the cars or the tracks (I include Holjes in that, not just temporary Circuits)

Still have to watch a couple of rounds...so apparently I feel the same.

[1975DCS]

I have to watch most rounds too. Only could be bothered to watch Belgium, England, Sweden, Norway and France. Visit Belgium this year, only because England didn't had all support classes presented. Well this year Belgium has poor presentation as well, so I am out, no RX track is currently worth the travel. To bad as the 2014 Lydden round by IMG was awesome!