We've got a decent BTCC for 2001

[Carrie]

Now that everything's looking exciting for this years BTCC, is there any hope that we could have a decent official site. The dreaded purple site is worse than ever - the last time they even bothered to update their news was in November!!! Needs improving - fast!

[Sodemo]

I remember when that site used to have a forum too, where has that gone?
I think they need to look at the Champ car site http://www.cart.com to see how its done.

[Craig]

I would honestly think they have more important things to be concerned with right now, but I would expect a giant BMP site covering all their series in good time.

However, an official site is generally managed by a commercial company who have little, if any, interest in the series - it's just another product to them - they would be far better off commissioning a fan of the series to design and operate it for them. Mr Redshoes perhaps ? Or I could be persuaded

The site did indeed use to have a forum, but the guy running the site got the hump and closed it down because he didn't like people using the thingy where you could add a link to an external site on each post. He started deleting posts, people complained, he got upset and ranted, people laughed, and it was gone.

[redshoes]

To be fair the official site has only ever included TOCA's press releases and never any other news, gossip or comments. That's totally understandable and no different to many other similar sites.

What's strange is that there's been no press releases from TOCA for several months, and hence no updates to the site. Richard West was at the Peugeot press conference a couple of weeks back and announced the Donington date change amongst other things but I've seen nothing in the way of an official confirmation. Even the Nov calendar there wasn't issued through teh normal channels. I don't know if this is a sign that BMP are going to change their press agency but it's definately a bit suspect.

As for the design, colour and that annoying javascript error on the homepage - we'll I'll leave you to make up your own minds.

[Craig]

BMP recently appointed Jardine PR as their new press agency...

[Carrie]

I just think they should be looking upon the official site as an important area of promotion for the series. Okay, we know that many series have official sites that are not up to much. But right now, I'm sure there must have been fans who walked away from the BTCC as it was in 2000 because of the dwindling grid numbers etc. Now we've got 2001 fast approaching and showing all signs that we've got something to get excited about, however, look at the official site and what have we got - absolutely sod all happening in 2001 apparently.
Maybe the fault does lie in the fact that many official sites are produced by promotional companies who have no interest in that particular series, it's just another website. Each series has to have an official site and it seems that the thinking is just to jump on the bandwagon and get a site. Whether it's good, bad or even works properly doesn't seem to matter to them, but it should because it reflects badly on that particular series.
Shouldn't the official site be a powerful marketing tool for the revitalised BTCC??

[Craig]

Yes

[Larsen]

I believe the Redshoes website should be the official btcc website. I enjoy going to there website. If I want the latest news on touring cars, then you can guarantee that you will get some news, i noticed in this weeks Autosport Mag that it mentioned nothing about rydell signing a deal with volvo and his talks with Vauxhall.

[redshoes]

You can thank Johan for supplying both Rydell stories. Incedently I was talking to the guys at Vauxhall's PR office last week and they new absolutely nothing about the story or where it had come from.

[Carrie]

Well, right now the official site seems to have gone kaputt.
Wonder if it will re-emerge with a new look for 2001.