The 'Credit Crunch' and the Future of Club Motor Sport

[TIMELORD]

Did anyone else read Marcus Pye's thought-provoking column in this week's Autosport, relating to the credit crunch and how to reduce it's effect on club motor sport? It was sensibly suggested that clubs reduce the number of meetings by up to 25% in 2009, in order that competitors would not have to spend as much of their dwindling 'discretionary income' on their sport.

A long-term plan to safeguard the future of the sport would also include the willingness of circuit owners to avoid hiking circuit hire charges to compensate for the reduction in meetings (their loss of income possibly being countered by looking at other areas of revenue, such as track days), thus making less of a profit from clubs in 2009 so that there are still plentiful competitors around in 2010 and beyond.

Interestingly, Matt James' column in this week's MN was bemoaning the fact that the Race Championship Control Panel had sanctioned an increase in the number of championships to be run in the UK in 2009. He questioned the wisdom of having the panel of the RCCP made up of representatives from the leading organising clubs. He makes the point that, "You cannot ask clubs to be involved in this decision and limit their income. The decision needs to be taken out of their hands."

Should there be moves from the MSA (who should ensure that the decision-makers have only the good of the sport in general at heart) to make plans for the future prosperity of national motor sport? Is forcing a reduction in meetings the way to do this? Would competitors want this? It probably wouldn't mean less championships, just less rounds per championship.

What do people think?

[Mr.Jingles]

Speaking as someone who had to cut his season short for this very reason, I don't think dropping the number of rounds would have helped me much. I could either justify the spend (I was earning money) or, as is the case now, the money has dried up and I can't justify ANY spend.

[Justin Moran]

Its affecting us marshals too, I have had to cut the number of events I can do by some way this year and I'm having to be very selective for next season too, it will be interesting to see if any meetings are abandoned due to either a lack of competitors or a lack of marshals?

[Bob Pearson]

I too read Marcus Pye's column last Thursday, although I believe he speaks with good intentions, I don't think this initiative will work until the organizing clubs are staring bankruptcy in the face.
They are profit making companies, and will never take decisions which will detract from their profits. Before we see organising clubs taking steps for the good of the sport we will have to return to the situation of the seventies when events were organised by clubs staffed only by volunteers. The only volunteers left in the sport now are the marshals and the competitors.

[Eric Falce]

I think the whole situation is scary with the news coming out of the States this weekend,think there will be a lot of people taking stock and maybe having to cut back on a lot of social activity not just motor racing.

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by C9/89

Its affecting us marshals too, I have had to cut the number of events I can do by some way this year and I'm having to be very selective for next season too, it will be interesting to see if any meetings are abandoned due to either a lack of competitors or a lack of marshals?

If I had any spare money, I'd bet on cancelled meetings......not necessarily competitors, but marshals - simply through the cost of petrol preventing them getting to circuits.

[TIMELORD]

It is a valid point that the problem may prove to be more a lack of marshals than a lack of competitors (probably a bit of both).

It is also true that clubs will have their profit & loss figures in mind when deciding how many meetings they organise next year. This is precisely why clubs should be forced, by an independent body (operating under the auspices of the MSA), to reduce the number of meetings. This independent body should be looking to devise a plan to ensure the long-term health of our sport.

As Mark Hughes wrote in Autosport (Sep 13, 2007), "We are all custodians of this sport: fans, media, participants, governing body. With a duty to look after it. It doesn't really belong to any of us - it was around before any of us and might, with a bit of luck and careful management, be around after us - and just asks of us a bit of upkeep and regular maintenance."

Those that run the organising clubs in this country may need to do some serious soul-searching, then get together and choose the good of the sport above fiscal gain.

[grichie87]

Originally Posted by Eric Falce

I think the whole situation is scary with the news coming out of the States this weekend,think there will be a lot of people taking stock and maybe having to cut back on a lot of social activity not just motor racing.

You got more money than the Queen Eric!

[Tim Falce]

Is there genuinely less money available to spend or have we all been conned by the press? The only problem I can see at the moment is inflation probably closer to 20% rather than the 5% figure we are being fed by the govt and BoE.
If you have a job and are getting your wages each week/month then what's changed, if you haven't got a job then you won't be able to afford racing anyway.
Admittedly a few people in the city are now out of work or may be taking pay cuts but having entrusted my money with them and they have ****ed it up the wall I have little sympathy for them.
So is this hype or have some people been living beyond their means and it's now all come home to roost?
Graham, it's true, Eric has more money than quite a lot of queens.

[snett fan55]

Ihave to admit up front that I have not read Marcus Pye's article, but the thing that concerns me is where will the funding i.e sponsorship come from?Personally ,I do not want to see the return of the days when "he who had most money" took all the wins/plaudits etc.Then again, I DO want to see motorsport survive........
Snett fan55

[Bob Pearson]

Originally Posted by snett fan55

Ihave to admit up front that I have not read Marcus Pye's article, but the thing that concerns me is where will the funding i.e sponsorship come from?Personally ,I do not want to see the return of the days when "he who had most money" took all the wins/plaudits etc.Then again, I DO want to see motorsport survive........
Snett fan55

The reality is that sponsorship in club racing is very limited, a well funded driver at that level is almost always running on family, or a family business money.

[Robert Morris]

yep its all doom and gloom! Shall we stop now ? No lets spend the next 6 months pulling our country together and earn the money so we can go raceing and have some thing to look foward too! Perhaps circuit owners and organizing bodies have got to be like the rest and give value for money.

[Al Weyman]

yeah I will go along with that and the old threat 'Oh we will sell it off for housing land' won't cut so much ice now will it? They really need to make some substancial cuts now to encourage people back in, 200 quid for 10 laps of Silverstone club circuit (total of about 30 track miles if you include qually) which is what we paid last weekend in my book is appalling value for money.

[Bob Pearson]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

yeah I will go along with that and the old threat 'Oh we will sell it off for housing land' won't cut so much ice now will it? They really need to make some substancial cuts now to encourage people back in, 200 quid for 10 laps of Silverstone club circuit (total of about 30 track miles if you include qually) which is what we paid last weekend in my book is appalling value for money.

You're right Al, that is poor. I thought we were hard done by at the same event. At least we got 96miles for £410 and the use of the garages.

[Al Weyman]

Man what I would'nt have given for a garage last weekend!!!

[R59]

It's time for the circuits to start running and marketing the meetings, to get the punters through the gate, and make their money that way. Fill up the stands, even if it's a fiver a car, and people will use the facilities - adding to the take.

They can then reduce the entry fee's, get more cars out, and the circle is almost complete.

[The Hat]

I totally agree with R59, all the marketing goes into the big meetings but the club meetings which give excellent entertainment never get a mention.

As an aside, is there a minimum number of marshals that need to be on post for an event to take place? Preferably without resorting to counting trainees.

[Al Weyman]

I think we all agree with that Rob.

[G.Walker]

get real guys, half full grids, too many championships, strung out races. No average joe is going to bring his family to a clubbie.

unless you have stronger infrastructure, you are going to to continue get empty grandstands.

how do i know this? well i was the only guy stood at silversone clubbie the other weekend!

[Al Weyman]

But as Rob suggests if the entry fee was slashed to say 50 quid then maybe there wouldnt be half empty grids, someone has to make the first move here.

[Eddy V]

I've said it over and over again: admission fees are far too high in the UK. £10 to 15 for a smaller event, for that fee you can get into most big events on the continent.

There is a "minimum" for marshals on post, but I forgot. Nowadays there are only a few marshals per post anyhow, my last event at Brands there were 4 of us on a rather big post.
Yesterday I was at Spa for (part of) a 24 hour 2cv race and there were 152 marshals in total, 8 posts were left empty and even Blanchimont and the very top of Eau Rouge were left without marshals untill in the early afternoon.

But I agree with Rob and Al, get the price down and people will come. Same goes with public transport for that matter.

[Al Weyman]

I have a good friend, not skint by any means and has a car ready to go but he just refuses to cough up £200 for a clubbie 10 laps of Silverstone, he can afford it I am sure but he cannot justify it so he dont come out.

[Tim Falce]

I've gone the same way Al, I only do the best value races that also interest me.

[terence]

Problem is that the circuit owners need to start the ball rolling by dropping thier hire fee's,then[perhaps] the organisers will follow suit.Its an area that has needed looking at for a long while,admission/entry fee's are all way too high,as Eddy said,in europe the circuit owners are much more realistic which means the organisers dont need to charge so much on the gate.15 Euros for a whole weekends spectating at Spa,compare that with Silverstone Classic!

[Al Weyman]

Well there is no time like the present and as I said they aint gonna get the return selling them off for development now. There was a Texaco filling station opposite my shop, for the last year they have been building flats on the site, must have cost a fortune and thats what they are asking for the flats, up to £535,000 for a 2 bed!!! Guess what thay hav'nt sold a single unit.