SuperCheapAuto.... de ja vu... and not checking with the kitchen...

[GTRMagic]

Its Groundhog Day here in V8Supercar-land.....

Interesting to read reports in AA today regarding the sponsorship situation between PWR and SuperCheap Autos.

It seems that well known commercial guru Mr Mark Roworth has left the PWR organisation... and that he was instrumental in putting together the multi year deal between PWR, and the SuperCheap organisation.

AA reports that SuperCheap has put the PWR team "on notice", where there is apparently a breach of contract by the release/removal/retirement (delete as appropriate) of Mr Roworth from the PWR team.

If we hark back to 2004... the SuperCheap organisation also put the SER operation "on notice" and requested that the brand be removed from the #31 car from the Indy round onwards.... which ultimately led to some unsavoury legal discussions...

Back to this scenario though... the way AA tells it, there is a replacement business manager on the way for the PWR team... AFTER discussions took place between Mr Thorn and Mr Weel about the state of play....

I would respectfully suggest that this may have been a tad late... and with Mr Thorn talking to the media (well AA anyway ) and suggesting that the he was significantly concerned about the way forward in maximising the exposure for the sponsor of the SuperCheap 1000 race, of the support of the race team, and how the promotional advertising would work in the lead up to all of that.

If the major sponsor is concerned... and it seems these concerns were not allayed until the sponsor actually intervened... you have to ask the question about the maintenance of the sponsorship, and understanding of the implications of all facets of the contract as signed by all parties.

It is not impossible that we may see the #50 and #51 cars appear as virgin white race cars should the contractual issue come to an impasse.....

The question is... is Mr Thorn impossible to deal with... or does he just hold people to their commitments???

[Razor]

SCA leaving PWR, is Super Cheap Auto going out of the V8's soon???

[GTRMagic]

As I understand it, the main premise behind the move to PWR by the SuperCheap group was to leverage the brand in cross merchandising opportunities on car, and in promotional catalogs and commercials.

The big media push seems to be behind the musclecar giveaway, which gave the buyer bonus chances to win if the purchaser watched the #10 telecast... and saw the logo in Murf's car....

... well #10 dont seem to switch to that car too often, as it has not been a reliable front runner this season.... and is well down in the points..

If they do go, I doubt anyone else will be able to entice them to their operation.....

[Ozfords]

Well I wouldn't mind if Super Cheap left the sport and with the money they saved actually bought some decent gear to flog in their stores.

[plonkey]

Originally Posted by Ozfords

Well I wouldn't mind if Super Cheap left the sport and with the money they saved actually bought some decent gear to flog in their stores.

I hope you don't feel the same about CAT , Autobahn, BWS, etc etc or there wont be anyone to sponsor the teams.

[Just Do It!]

I think you will find, GTR, that there is a lot more to this than meets the eye.

They won't be leaving anytime soon.

[Chubby1]

I doubt its Mr Thorn causing problems he stuck the SER through some bad times. The timing of going public with his concerns is a surprise right before the enduros. Sponser dramas are the last thing you would want to hear about if you were Murph I would think.

[Ozfords]

Originally Posted by plonkey

I hope you don't feel the same about CAT , Autobahn, BWS, etc etc or there wont be anyone to sponsor the teams.

I guess your right there Plonkey, but it'd be better to have a good quality store than a bad quality store sponsering a a V8 team. I don't know about yourself Plonkey but I value quality items and I'm just worried about Supercheap Auto surviving out there in the world of Auto-Ones and Repcos.

[GTRMagic]

With noise that Repco is not particularly enthused by GRM's performances of late, I think it introduces a worrying trend

[Uncle Cranker]

Originally Posted by Chubby1

I doubt its Mr Thorn causing problems he stuck the SER through some bad times. The timing of going public with his concerns is a surprise right before the enduros. Sponser dramas are the last thing you would want to hear about if you were Murph I would think.

All the signs are there, the cards are unfolding....


Greg can pick up Wayne Wakefields publicity siutcase and take it out to Preston, and the Murphy Harrop Murphy Ménage �* trois will be in place.

It has always been going to happen, Bob Thorn might just expediate the situation......


All he needs is some love from Stevo, and all will be well........

[Timu]

Repco should be looking at the sponsorship vacancy at Team Perkins for 2006, if they are to get better consistent results for their brand.

This would tie in nicely with Larrys arrangement with Automotive Components Limited (ACL) which is one of Repco's biggest automotive suppliers.....

Although the head office in Melbourne are keen on continuing the relationship with GRM.

[dynamik gal]

Super Cheap Auto wouldnt sign multi year deals as naming rights sponsors of the year's biggest event if they were not going to continue to support a team.

Whether the team in 2006 is PWR or another team, we will find out. Hopefully one day some consistency will rule the roost and we can worry about who to put a bet on at the TAB (or amongst mates) at bathurst and not the fate of some of the top drivers, teams and personnel in the country.

Although Murf & co are great blokes and hopefully they will be stuck by with their sponsor, I have a strange feeling that Super Cheap Auto might look to a Ford if they do move from PWR.

[Falcadore]

Bathurst sponsors have rarely been team sponsors in the past so I'm unsure what you mean there Dynamik Girl. In fact - going by the example Honda set in the early 00's, choosing event sponsorship over team sponsorship seems to be more than a relevant option.

Jason Bright, Peter Brock and Betta Electrical have all previously left PWR, some of them on a sour note, and it appear Mark Roworth left on less than ideal circumstances - is it Kees Weel who is difficult to deal with as much as Bob Thorn? Why should the thorns, pardon the pun, be unidirectional?

[Raglanparade]

The problem lays in why would a company want to sponsor a team that is always outside the top 10 ?

With the exception of 888, Stone Bros., HRT, and HSVDT, and maybe Perkins, how could u justify sponsoring teams such as BJR, DJR, and GRM which do not get the exposure.

[Uncle Cranker]

Originally Posted by jasonhill9884

The problem lays in why would a company want to sponsor a team that is always outside the top 10 ?

With the exception of 888, Stone Bros., HRT, and HSVDT, and maybe Perkins, how could u justify sponsoring teams such as BJR, DJR, and GRM which do not get the exposure.

Good point Jason, but when it comes to Air time on Ch Seriously, Mr Potato Head gets more than his fair share. He is almost the darling of RPM.

And the press releases come thick & fast too, albeit telling us how well PWR are going to go at the upcoming round.

[dynamik gal]

It's not just the exposure on tv that they are paying sponsorship dollars for, there is also all those thousands of people at the track, who get exposed to EVERY car, and all the merch that comes with it with the sponsors branding all over it.

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by Falcadore

Bathurst sponsors have rarely been team sponsors in the past so I'm unsure what you mean there Dynamik Girl. In fact - going by the example Honda set in the early 00's, choosing event sponsorship over team sponsorship seems to be more than a relevant option.

Jason Bright, Peter Brock and Betta Electrical have all previously left PWR, some of them on a sour note, and it appear Mark Roworth left on less than ideal circumstances - is it Kees Weel who is difficult to deal with as much as Bob Thorn? Why should the thorns, pardon the pun, be unidirectional?

Falcadore has a great point on this serious problem between SCA and PWR.

Why do all the good people leave on bad terms with Kees Weel (including almost all of the team members from 2004)? Weel is obviously a man who thinks he is always right and doesn't seem to play well with others regardless of how hard they contribute to his business. Bob Thorn does not seem the type of guy who takes poo from people like Weel and with Mark Roworth gone (on bad terms causing sponsor instability) I imagine that Weel is being prepared for a new PWR based livery for 2006.

I guess that is one way to ensure Paul retains his drive!!!

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Fuji

I guess that is one way to ensure Paul retains his drive!!!

Perhaps this too was a bone of contention between the sponsor and the team... with Richo available, and PWR likely a willing domicile for him... perhaps the son wasnt figuring in the plans of the blokes paying a goodly proportion of the bills....

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Perhaps this too was a bone of contention between the sponsor and the team... with Richo available, and PWR likely a willing domicile for him... perhaps the son wasnt figuring in the plans of the blokes paying a goodly proportion of the bills....

GTR - You may be right there. It must be hard for a group of sponsors having to pay big dollars to let a dad team owner pay for his sons driving ambitions.

If Super Cheap stay (highly unlikely from where I see things), how long can Paul Weel retain his drive given his poor performances over the past several years? Who would you replace him with???? - Owen Kelly, Dean Canto, Nathan Pretty, Steven Johnson, Warren Luff?????

[Razor]

Originally Posted by Fuji

I guess that is one way to ensure Paul retains his drive!!!

Didn't Paul and his dad make PWR up from scratch?

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Fuji

GTR - You may be right there. It must be hard for a group of sponsors having to pay big dollars to let a dad team owner pay for his sons driving ambitions.

Sadly you could say the same for quite a few teams in the series.

While Mr Weel Jr does not have a strong reputation for his driving and/or technical skills, he seems to do well enough to hit the top ten by season's end on most occasions...

... but he lives in that other forum topic, having been in the series for 7 years without a win