Promotion of meetings.

[garry]

Who's job is it to promote a meeting and why?

[DAVID PATERSON]

The promoter, it's his money on the line.

[Chris Y]

In this country - for club racing, I actually think it's the job of the circuit to promote the meeting. Presumably to the local population (?)

[AndyF]

I think everyone should promote it! Although it should be the circuit (or the race organiser BARC/BRSCC/BRDC etc), it should also be down to the individual championships and drivers to do a little too!

[Stephen Green]

It is normally the circuit as they take 100% of the gate money in normal circumstances. The organising clubs make their money through entry fees etc.

[Chris Y]

What Andy said though.. The circuits don't really need the gate money that much after getting all the money from the circuit hire, so they don't tend to publicise the meeting all that much. It's this aspect that should change - British motorsport doesn't get nearly as much public recognition as it should.

So, drivers, organisers, officials, marshals.. Anyone! should publicise meeting wherever possible

[Stephen Green]

Great idea Chris and what better medium than ten-tenths!

[DAVID PATERSON]

In Australia, the promoter gets the gate, ie. the track owner only gets the hire fee for the circuit, nothing else, unless of course they choose to promote the meeting, then they get everything.

[Rod Birley]

Just for the record I and some local supporters have been trying to get a sign on the A20 (there used to be one) to advertise forthcoming events at Brands. We have been trying for two and a half years,even getting a local councillor on side and suggesting a local signmaker. To date we are still waiting.... Yes I know they have spent all their money up at Silverstone.
Last month I ran a competition in a local newspaper and produced a poster.The crowd was 1500, slightly up on the corresponding meeting last year and the weather was not so good. However it was hard work and not a lot of thanks.
In reality most club racing is struggling from all angles;crowd attendance is often less than division 3 football, but as I said before it is no good keep charging drivers more and more. Maybe we can learn something from bikes or short circuit racing. BRISCA only runs four main categories and Formula two has 600 active drivers.

[Tony_Simpson]

I know that Mallory Park have a good system of advertising in all the local papers (not just the local town, but alot more) for all events. I do not know if other circuits do this, but it seems a logical thing to do. ok its only a small ad but at least it is there.

[Chris Y]

Knockhill has a sign advertising upcoming events - they seem to get good attendance..

[DAVID PATERSON]

Crash Test has started releasing event previews to all the local print media prior to every race meeting at Queensland Raceway. Good on him, I hope it works.

[JR Ewing]

In the UK the MSA has a belief that the general public will only attend four or so race meetings per year, and it generally the case that for the circuits that host major championships it is contrcatula that club meetings are NOT promoted.
Equally, to be precise, entrants/drivers/teams etc. that promote these meeting are in breach of contract. Note, promoting meetings, not promoting themselves.
There have been cases of action being threatened against individuals for this.

[DAVID PATERSON]

Unbelievable, how incredibly narrow minded, do they want the sport to grow or not? I know people who would happily attend 40 meetings a year, if they knew they were on.

[Tony_Simpson]

Since 1990 I have attended around 10 or more meetings a year (abit less now that i am at uni), and to be honest i raley go to the big 3 series meetings (BTTC, GT, F1) as i find the entry a bit expensive.

Thing is how much money does it cost each year to advertise in a local paper/radio each event, compared to the extra people who attend. This form of advertising should be done by the circuits themselves.

[josvandeperre]

JR - can you expand a little - not necessarily name names but just give us a longer version of this commercial reality - thanks Jos

[AndyF]

Thruxton advertise on several local radio stations, but don't see much in the press though!

[Stephen Green]

Rod, Jos et-al...

Brands hatch falls under the broadcasting reception area of Virgin radio, Capital Radio, Invicta Radio, Mercury radio, Radio Kent and a whole lot of others. If Octagon were to give each radio station lets say 200 tickets for competitions etc. I wouldn't mind betting that for every few dozen tickets they give away they sell a few as families need extra tickets for friends etc.

Even if they don't, the gate numbers go up and then they sell their commercial pitches. Traders will buy them because there are a reasonable number of spectators. If you are really lucky, having attended a race meeting once, the lucky winners may come back again!

Whatever happened to the Sun free race day, the Evening Standard free race day, Radio 1 days out etc etc etc?

[Rod Birley]

Well said Stephen but how do we make it happen. Believe me I have tried.

[Stephen Green]

Like you, I have suggested this to Brands Hatch in the past and have been met with little or no reply. They only give tickets away when advertising the big events like BTCC and WSB. Look what can be achieved by people like the CSMA who had close to 35,000 attendees at their meeting!

[Chris Y]

I've not heard anything about this 'breaching contract', concerning promoting meetings. I certainly haven't signed anything to that effect, so if I promote one of my next club meetings, I can't honestly see them threatening legal action against me - there's no way that sort of thing would stand up in court, etc.

I'd certainly like to see more information on this issue..

[Stephen Green]

Maybe we should write to the MSA and ask them?

[Peter Mallett]

I used to do it for the CSCC (as was) and never heard of the breach oif contract thing. The only time we couldn't promote was when the meeting was concessionary. The MG Car Club International meeting at Silverstone used to be one. They paid very little for the circuit and kept the gate money. It's organised differently now though and they can advertise.

The SUNBAC meeting (also at flatlands) was another. But the gate entry used to be free, now it costs so they can promote that too.

[JR Ewing]

Chris Y
I think you'll find this is covered in the membership rules of the clubs, BRSCC, BARC, 750MC et al. Individual racers realistically can only be expelled from the clubs, the clubs can be sanctioned by the MSA and/or circuit owners

[johneturbo]

hi just reading this and i must say you club racers do get a rough deal
the club gets £160 per car... with the mighty minis there are about 30 cars? then you have another say 5 championships that weekend all paying around £160 per car,
how much of that goes to the track owners?
i do think the gate money should go back to the club/drivers,
without club racers paying out, there wouldn't be any racing which would mean no income for the tracks??
so i think they should give back a little thas just my thoughts thou
cheers