BRDC risk for British GP

[Adam43]

The BRDC has offered to take over the promotion of the British GP. This is by no means certain to make money. A lot of GP need to be subsidised or make huge losses. Can the BRDC make it work? They seem to be saying they have to for the future of the British GP.
http://www.sportinglife.com/others/n...O_British.html

BRDC
This offer has been made on terms that do not create a profit, and carry inherent commercial risk, for the BRDC.

However, in the interests of maintaining the British Grand Prix in the United Kingdom we are prepared as a club to make our contribution.

It is the club's hope for the sake of the sport and the industry in the United Kingdom that agreement can be reached.

At the centre of this, as ever, is Jackie. Autosport are running with his plee
http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.asp?id=39556&s=5

JYS
The BRDC has hosted the British Grand Prix for a great many years and we cannot afford to bankrupt the club – but we don't need to make a profit out of it...

Risky business this F1...

[Kicking-back]

I suspect they'll manage to get backing from somewhere.

There's always a lot of posturing in these situations.

What is positive is that the thing is now in the hands of people who care, like Jackie, rather than a faceless promoter who didn't care, like Interpublic.

[RWC]

It is greatly unfortunate that bernie is still the one who sets the price.He'll not give any discounts to anyone!!

Remember the trouble interpublic had?They were losing masses of money in promoting the race and all bernie could come up with is try to insult the BRDC into spending millions of $ on a pit complex that WASN'T needed and wasn't their responsibility under the terms of the lease.
What a pitifull man he is......

If the BRDC do get the promoters rights it will be a future disaster in waiting-as soon as something goes wrong there will be huge politicking involved.Prepare youself for endless irritaing press on the subject

[T0MAT01]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
The BRDC has offered to take over the promotion of the British GP.

Is this for 2005 and 2006?

[DSM]

Why is it a risk? Is it just because of what Bernie charges that makes it unprofitable?

[Sato san]

I really admire Jackie Stewart and the BRDC ....I really hope this works for them , and all us ( the race fans ) .

Hats off to them .

[Mike_Wooshy]

i agree sato san good look to them id rather have someone enthusiastic in racing premoting the race than someone who will just go after money.

[Sato san]

thats exactly right .....look at the effort in the past Jackie Stewart has made to to try and get a British F3 support race onto the schedule of the British GP at Silverstone ...he is doing that because he believes passionatly about the young talent that needs to been seen on the support bill of a F1 race in Great Britian ....there is no personal gain in it for him .

where as the whole issue mostly now in F1 in general is about personal financial gain , or that is how it seems most of the time anyway ..i dont see much about the good of the sport coming from the people that matter ..

I see the BRDC and Jackie Stewart as being the benchmark of what other people should try and live up to .

[garcon]

No doubt Bernie will be made out to be the evil one, once again. Note that Sir Jackie Stewart and the BRDC don't generally blame Bernie for all this? They may disagree with him on occasion, especially when he has a go at facilities and such, but they (unlike many fans) recognise what Bernie has achieved for F1. OK, he's made himself impossibly rich in the process, but (to coin a phrase) that doesn't make him a bad person.

I honestly believe this solution could be the best for all concerned. As everyone has said, the BRDC are racing enthusiasts who care deeply about the future of F1 in the UK, the British Grand Prix and Silverstone. It is quite plain (to me at least) that Silverstone is the only circuit in Britain capable of hosting an F1 GP as it is. Any others would require enormous redevelopment and investment. And the GP in London idea was and is a joke that was treated far too seriously by far too many people for far too long. Yes, Silverstone needs continued development to keep apace with the best venues worldwide. The work already done has transformed it already, but more work is being done now, and more still will be needed.

Who could be better positioned to oversee this and the promotion of the British Grand Prix to the benefit of all involved in F1 (particularly the fans) than the BRDC? It is an enormous risk for them, and it will test their ability to attract funding to the absolute limit if it is to work, but they will enjoy the backing of every true fan in the sport because we know their motives are genuine.

[Glen]

Bernie on Silverstone and the BRDC (from an interview with Five Live):
"We've put money into Silverstone, the government built the roads and things, and the owners (the British Racing Drivers' Club) have done virtually n..." he stops short of saying 'nothing', "very little, other than build themselves a nice clubhouse. They treat it as a gentlemans' club."

I find it difficult to empathise with the BRDC if this is their attitude. The simple fact is that the standard of GP venues is going sky-high (with all the new ones coming through), and the British GP ticket-buying public are not getting value from Silverstone.

[garcon]

That is partly true (on the face of it) and partly Bernie's way of trying to get some more from the BRDC. It wasn't the best possible piece of media relations for the BRDC to build themselves a nice new clubhouse before doing (or appearing to do) anything else.

However, if you've been to Silverstone this year, you can see for yourself that there is much work underway. Not entirely sure what they're doing, but it looks good...

[josvandeperre]

Interesting article I read earlier on the web that basically suggests Bernie gets at least USD 10 per race - each race costs about USD 10 to stage - gate receipts of about USD 20 if you are very lucky (figures in millions...) based on 120000 people paying an average of USD 150 (it may seem like millions here too but isn't...) - this is because essentially all advertising broadcasting hospitality etc etc etc etc money is effectively assigned to Bernie via Allsports

[Sato san]

Without just trying to make Bernie out to be the bad one , as he has done an awful lot for the sport in terms of worldwide profile ....but alot of the problems here are as a direct result of the type of buissness Bernie has made this sport into ...

isnt it true to say though , that it is as of a direct result of ( as josvandeperre says ) most of the money that circuits should be able to take in revenue from a GP goes more or less direct to Bernie ?...so how can the circuits make money ?

And for Bernie to to say that the British GP ticket-buying public are not getting value from Silverstone. , i actually see that as a direct result of the terms and conditions that Bernie ( and co ) have imposed to circuit owners and promoters that they have to charge us ( the race fans ) huge tickets prices we are forced to pay ...

which takes me back to people like Jackie Stewart ....they are really there for the good of the sport i believe ...

so the question needs to be asked ...Whats more important for the figure heads of F1 ..the Sport or huge Profit ?

[Glen]

Bit narrow-minded, Sato san. If it weren't for the big money/big profile then the big sponsors wouldn't be in there, or the car manufacturers. Bernie's strategy, which has been massively successful, has been to make F1 by far and away the most important and prestigious formula in motorsport - and not only that but ensure that it remains that way indefinitely.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Glen
the British GP ticket-buying public are not getting value from Silverstone.

Disagree. I have been to the British GP for the last 7 years, and this years was the best value for money so far.

The trouble for Silverstone is that no matter how much they seem to do, Bernie (and Max) always slate the place and the BRDC.

The Government weren't the only ones who paid for the roads, the BRDC had to put up £45 million too, and a great job has been done to relieve congestion in and out of the circuit. A whole new area around the main enterance has been built too, which makes things easier, especially one testing days (which remains free entry for all).

In hindsight, the BRDC complex was not a good move, but it wasn't the only thing they (the BRDC) have spent money on.

A couple of years ago, Rob Bain, head of Silverstone circuits really started turning things around, and following the 2001 race came in for massive unfair critism from Bernie and Max, and resigned from his job. I get the impression that Bernie wants Silverstone to fail, so he can take his GP somewhere else, and if it ever happens, it will be a very sad day for Formula 1.

[Sato san]

Originally posted by Glen
Bit narrow-minded, Sato san.

i dont think it is Glen ...your points on what Bernie has done with the sport and attracted big sponsorship is very valid....my point isnt about that ..

My point , is about the wealth that isnt getting put back into the sport when it should be ....

I actually agree that Bernie should be a very rich man with the work that he has done with F1 , but not at the expense of the sport , which i beleive it now has got to that situation .

Bernie has done a fantastic job with F1 , but i dont see him doing it for the Sport ( which is what the BRDC and Stewart are doing ) ...I see the masses of riches being made in F1 not really being put put back into it ..Otherwise i would see him seriously promoting British and world wide motorsport , rather than just going to any country where you can advertise cigarettes and knocking a country and an organisation ( like the BRDC ) for anything they try and do . ( for the record , i also agree that the clubhouse wasnt the best thing to build , but thats 1 issue not a catalogue of them .

[Glen]

Fair enough - I was rallying against what I see as a common knee-jerk critisism of Bernie, but I can see that your arguments are not that sheep-like.

As for value at Silverstone, MrV I was reciting what I thought was the majority view - I have neer been able to afford either the money or the time to go, so i can't properly comment in a personal way, only in a "picking-up on general opinion" way.

[Mr V]

Fair enough Glen. Hopefully one day you will be able to make it and we can discuss the world over a few 's

[Glen]

You buy me a ticket, I'll buy you a beer!

[Mr V]

Hmmm, not getting the good end of the bargain here am i

[garcon]

Mr V said
I get the impression that Bernie wants Silverstone to fail, so he can take his GP somewhere else, and if it ever happens, it will be a very sad day for Formula 1.

I honestly think Bernie's motives are quite the opposite. He desperately wants F1 to remain at Silverstone, he also desperately wants Silverstone to be one of the premiere F1 venues worldwide, a venue worthy of "the home of motorsport". It's just that his demands and expectations are at such a high level, on himself as much as anyone else (that's why he's a billionaire), that nothing the BRDC does is ever - in his eyes - "enough", and thus follows the criticism, not all of it fair.

Actually, I think BRDC promoting the race themselves may even be Bernie's favoured option - but he'll remain an extremely difficult customer.

[Mr V]

Hope your right Garcon.

Isn't Bernie something to do with Silverstone now? If so (and i'm not usually for 1 person dipping into their pockets but) why doesn't Bernie build it into the circuit he wants it to be, a place envied world wide?

If he did such a thing, he could stop moaning about it.

[darcym]

Sato San,

we may disagree on Takuma, but on this I'm %100 with you.

the BRDC are in it for racing, and with wise people like Stewart and until recently Brundle they cannot go far wrong.

Young drivers like Davidons, Carrol, Watts all owe part of their current positions to the BRDC, showing a real commitment to the future of the sport and Bristish tallent.

Shame other clubs...mentioning no-names are not as interested in the racers.

[Sato san]

thats exactly right ...The BRDC are very respected arnt they ....and that respect had been totally earned over the years .

[Sato san]

just reading on autosport http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.asp?id=39633&s=5

It seems Bernie isnt too interested in this offer ....it says "

Fears that the British Grand Prix may be dropped from the calendar next year heightened on Friday when Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone hinted that he was not willing to back down over his financial demands for the race.

Now at what point does this look to everyone that Bernie is talking about wealth and not the good of the sport ?