Ed Hearn Listen Up!

[Steve Johnson]

Exactly

The USTS promotes a 4 hour show and is successful at it.
I used to help promote an offshore race in Dubuque Iowa that had about 5 offshore boats. It was promoted as a "boat racing extravaganza". Tickets were sold and could be bought for $300 a week end or by segments of $100. Morning show, afternoon, evening. In the evenings there wasn't even any racing going on. Not much during the rest of the time either. The truth is, I never even saw a boat race that week end. But boy, was it a success. Why? Because it was promoted as a 3 day, all day and all night extravaganza. Now what really is an extravaganza? I have no idea, but I sure enjoyed what I thought it was.
There was a great announcer that was making the one boat at a time, exciting. Autographs were being given at certain times. There were a hundred food booths and 3 bands playing at all times. I think you even had to pay extra to look at one of the boats up close. I saw lots of people pay the extra because looking at an offshore boat up close was hyped up to be a pretty important accomplishment. Every young woman in the state of Iowa tried out to be the Princess of the Water Extravaganza.
My brother has a rodeo company called Worlds Toughest Rodeo. This isn't your ordinary rodeo. It is a 5 series rodeo playing places like Madison Square Garden, Houston Astrodome, etc. It is a 3 hour show and it isn't even real. It is a bunch of cowboys and horses doing a show. In between rides you have some professional clowns, some cowboy skits etc. The announcer makes it exciting and real. It really isn't even tough, it is just promoted as tough and the general public thinks it is the best rodeo they ever saw. Why? Because it was promoted as the Worlds Toughest Rodeo, of course.
My point is, why not use the 8-10 hour races and just promote them? Have other things going on at the same time. Get yourself a good announcer and have the racers sign autographs, visit the pits, etc.
Who is going to promote them is the next question? SORC? APBA? or the club who wants to stage the first stock extravaganza or Worlds Fastest boat race?
Hopefully it will be the club who wants to do it.
Connie

This is spot on! As well as most of the last 20 or so. We got the PROUDUCT tweek as needed and SELL IT. Carnivals and water festivels every weekend.ANCILLERY sp events. Connie , Lakeveiw, Spirit lake. They could give a **** if the show lasted 10 hours. Didn't care if the race had four boat heats. The best of both worlds . A crowd pleaser and just doing our own thing. PLUS Iowa girls @ Arnolds Park Previous post might seem harsher than intended. I'm just frustrated that our situation is so unique. All the water you could dream of. towns happy to have the noise. Plenty of races and no effort to have them. Most likely the highest per - capita number of Ex-racers than anywhere in the USA. Most still have equiptment . Tons of used Race stuff around. Are the few us of left such a$*holes that no one want's to play? Man we all seem to have a great time together. WHAT could it be? I lay awake nights puzzeling it. Did we just slip to such a low number of drivers that it just takes forever to gain any momentum? We are gaining, 2-3 a year

[Steve Johnson]

Sorry off topic

Had to vent a bit sorry way off topic

[AOFoffice]

But Steve......
We had the meeting to resurect Midwest Powerboat. Your solution was to go race with other clubs? How did that help resurrect Midwest?
I've put on several races with only a few trailers. It can be successful if you put your mind to it. Get the crowd involved. Run several heats, change the names. We had a race in Ravenswood WV once with about 5 trailers. Bobby Laws announced. It was cool and a success. Bobby had Kevin McAfee as a stripper from Las Vegas, Jim Homfeld a rock star, etc. Crowd never knew the difference but ate it up. Gave a couple of the queens from the festival rides and that was a hit. The TV personalitiies were given great stories. You just have to be inventive.
What I can't get over is that the resurrection meeting was well attended. Probably 20 people who were ready to actually resurrect Midwest Powerboat. I just don't know why we didn't when the club was offered free insurance and sanction. You are never going to attract new members to your club if you don't even have a club that puts on races.
We have a saying here in Iowa (region 8), it comes from the movie Field of Dreams...."build it and they will come."
Connie
Just to clear this up.....Steve and I are actually friends.

[AOFoffice]

Gosh Steve, I guess you have me venting too.
The resurection of Midwest was a lot like this thread. 43 different people have posted with great ideas about how to promote our sport. If I were Ed, I'd assign each of the people who have suggestions to send him a detailed report of how their suggestion could be accomplished. Don't let this enthusiasm and wealth of ideas slip away.
The resurection meeting had 20 interested parties in attendance ready to resurrect. Someone should have assigned each one a job. One person make flags, another find buoys, another make sure the pick up boat was in order. Each of us should have submitted a race site and have had them booked in one month.
We would have been taking a risk of low turnout, but you have to start somewhere.
But what did we do in that meeting? We decided to forget the resurection and go race with other clubs. And then we wonder why we are dead. I sure wondered why I travelled 5 hours to the meeting.
Same thing for this thread. If someone doesn't act upon the great suggestions then why even discuss them?
Connie