What Are The Barriers to Entry? The Simple Truth: Exposure.

[sam]

Economy check, Dave ... almost no one qualifies for that financing any more, its part of the 1995-2007 history, not the future.

[mdaspit]

Another thing to do is to be sure that you contact local news stations when you are hosting a race. It is a sporting event and a somewhat unique one, frequently they will come and cover it for the 5 & 11

Can local broadcasters go to the APBA Web Site and download a :05 sec. or a :10 sec broadcast quality, pre-edited, ready for broadcast segment?

Some boat racing footage, with voice over, that a News Editor can effortlessly slip into his schedule and not have to have his Producers do anything to it to make the air?

Then his On Air Talent only has to introduce the spot and go to it.

It can be provided with a voice over on the footage, or a pre-written script
that the News Talent can read, including venue, times, etc.

It could be painless for them, which of course would increase the odds of them running it...

[raceright]

Finance toys--not for me.
Last time APBA's numbers were above eight thousand what was different than now? My first guess would be ya could go into a engine dealer (probably merc) and buy a outboard right there.???? Any one have info on this.

[Raymond]

Nope, I am not a lawyer, just an average Joe with a passion. Thanks for your support and words of encouragement. There is nothing wrong with your words so there is no need to apologize.

I agree, no Oprah or Lifetime move channels. I will never argue against the notion that a well financed marketing campaign would improve our odds of success or speed up those results, however it is my contention though that we don’t have those kind of raw recourses so we must think outside box. I agree, if we know who is most likely to be attracted, we should seek them out. You won’t see me hanging any club event flyers in Sally’s Nail Salon (unless Sally is there)but you will see me hanging them in Ace Hardware, Radio Shack, the Local Hobby Shop and other more likely spots.

Raceright, you may be on to something there. Can you hook that motor vendor into club sponsorship?

Mrs. Blueskyracer, I am picking up what you are putting down with regards to using to news and sports pages to our benefit; my thoughts are paralleling yours/your actions. Thank you very much for sharing. Got any best practice methods to help get a foot in the news media's door and break the ice?

Dave, good point on the differences between ‘who the recruits’ really are’. I was one who lingered on the fringes for a while. However, with more exposure and the availably of a good mentor then, I am convinced I would have been here years ago.

I also whole hardly agree we need something that is easy to understand. To the inexperienced eye, all the classes look the same. Is there a comprehensive but concise (if that’s not an oxymoron) source of boat, motor and class information out there? No! The APBA web sites starts out in that direction but you need to read (and decipher) the rule book to answer all the questions it leaves you asking. MHRA’s 2009 Grass Lake program magazine did a nice job but it still did not get into enough detail. A few of the boat / kit builders have some outlines but they all, even when put together don’t answer fast enough the questions a prospect may have. I have an idea of a thread here on hydroracer for each category and class that is dedicated to completely outlining the boat, its specs, available motors and relative performance of each with plenty of pictures. Not a thread full of chatter, but clean factual and thoughtfully presented material.

Outside the box thinking is not crazy talk. It is more productive than you think. Ok, so talk about professionally marketing and selling boats may seem like a pipe dream without hitting the lotto but….what if we could get some racer friendly marina owner operators to hold one of our boats on display? Instead of burning that old boat what if we refinished it and donated it to such a cause; retirement to the show circuit if you will! This might be outside the box thinking but it is not crazy! Just add a small display board and flier that outlines the boat, sport and club and every water sports fan coming into the store for designer sunglasses, skis and tubes or other boating supply and maintenance needs will get exposed (or nearly exposed )to the sport and the local club. Ok, to seal the deal with the marina maybe we hang an ad banner for them at our race sites; sounds like win win to me.

Yea, I have a boat that will work for this type of duty and I have a racer friend who is tight with a…yea you know” I wonder if…one could pull off some savings on off season storage next year by getting a boat stored in the marinas showroom under the guise of club exposure? Why not?

Raymond

[Tomtall]

Ray

When was the last time a club had a fund raiser for one of their races and hired a local radio station to do a live broadcast? (about $800 nowadays) I bet they havn't. How many people do you think would be addressed by the local favorite station on a Friday morning broadcast telling people about the up and coming powerboat races happening at the lake/river in the town of _________. How intreaged people might get if their favorite DJ went out for three hot laps in a C hydroplane and came back to tell the listners what a rush it was. Or contacting the local newspapers to come out for Fridays press day to put the writers of the sports colume into a C runabout for a few laps around the course? These are things that can be done NOW to help expose the sport on a local level to draw people in as hopefull future members and racers. It has to start at the club level or a national campaign will never have an impact. Just my two cents.

[mdaspit]

When was the last time a club had a fund raiser for one of there races and hired a local radio station to do a live broadcast? (about $800 nowadays) I bet they havn't. How many people do you think would be addressed by the local favorite station on a Friday morning broadcast telling people about the up and coming powerboat races happing at the lake/river in the town of _________. How intreaged people might get if their favorite DJ went out for three hot laps in a C hydroplane and came back to tell the listners what a rush it was. Or contacting the local newspapers to come out for Fridays press day to put the writers of the sports colume into a C runabout for a few laps around the course? These are things that can be done NOW to help expose the sport on a local level to draw people in as hopefull future members and racers. It has to start at the club level or a national campaign will never have an impact. Just my two cents.

Exactly. Absolutely. NBRA did this very thing last year in Pineville. The club (thanks to "Burnin Vernon Barfield") Put together a local celebrity race. It was the local DJ, the Police Chief, the Mayor, and one other town big wig I believe. On race day, they each got in a loaner CSH had a couple of practice laps, and then back out for a bona fide, run for the clock 3 lap race.

It was great, and the good thing was the club got an on air interview with the DJ the day before. If I remember correctly, the newspaper covered it also.

[Dave M]

Happens Now

When was the last time a club had a fund raiser for one of their races and hired a local radio station to do a live broadcast? (about $800 nowadays) I bet they havn't. How many people do you think would be addressed by the local favorite station on a Friday morning broadcast telling people about the up and coming powerboat races happening at the lake/river in the town of _________. How intreaged people might get if their favorite DJ went out for three hot laps in a C hydroplane and came back to tell the listners what a rush it was. Or contacting the local newspapers to come out for Fridays press day to put the writers of the sports colume into a C runabout for a few laps around the course? These are things that can be done NOW to help expose the sport on a local level to draw people in as hopefull future members and racers. It has to start at the club level or a national campaign will never have an impact. Just my two cents.

NBRA's ODA does this at a few races. We put them in a hydro and let them go run around. In Shelbyville I think the Mayor and the DJ actually raced that weekend, can't remember 100%. It is good press.

To be clear I don't think any club should stop doing all they do to promote it, at any level.

[Dave M]

??

Economy check, Dave ... almost no one qualifies for that financing any more, its part of the 1995-2007 history, not the future.

And people wonder why others are turned off the sport, maybe a little less facts and a little more human interaction would be appropiate Sam.

And in my area it happens. Go ahead, check the internet,post some garble you find, or better yet, come to a race here and check it out for yourself. Walk into just about any marina and try to buy a Jet Ski or even a pleasure boat. You can applly for the loan on the spot. Most of the time, if the bank approves you you can sign and drive the same morning.

So I am saying iof we can get the Marinas to stock race boats that same jet ski owner could apply for a bank loan on the spot for a real race boat, a 750CCMH, or a 850CCMH, or any other class. Why is this so out of touch with reality ? I guess it takes someone to actually think it could work.

[Kev43V]

When was the last time a club had a fund raiser for one of their races and hired a local radio station to do a live broadcast? (about $800 nowadays) I bet they havn't. How many people do you think would be addressed by the local favorite station on a Friday morning broadcast telling people about the up and coming powerboat races happening at the lake/river in the town of _________. How intreaged people might get if their favorite DJ went out for three hot laps in a C hydroplane and came back to tell the listners what a rush it was. Or contacting the local newspapers to come out for Fridays press day to put the writers of the sports colume into a C runabout for a few laps around the course? These are things that can be done NOW to help expose the sport on a local level to draw people in as hopefull future members and racers. It has to start at the club level or a national campaign will never have an impact. Just my two cents.

MRC/BSOA did this at Candlewick 2 years ago. the locals really got into seeing "their" people racing against each other. they pumped it up a bit with the local TV station also
I think it is an idea that needs to be utilized at more of our local races

[Skoontz]

At Oroville the mayor raced some of the town councel in the Norcal boats. It was fun to watch

[bill boyes]

Yes, we have done this at our race in Marysville and Dobbins. In Dobbins we had the CAL FIRE (CDF) against the local Law Enforcement. Man these guys were great. We had a a Female EMT who really wanted to but she was on duty and could not. This year maybe. We now have four boats and will continue the program. BTW Tony Lombardo and Jason Williams started out in NOR CAL and they are in this years HOC.

[mdaspit]

So I am saying iof we can get the Marinas to stock race boats that same jet ski owner could apply for a bank loan on the spot for a real race boat, a 750CCMH, or a 850CCMH, or any other class. Why is this so out of touch with reality ? I guess it takes someone to actually think it could work.

Who knows Dave maybe... But, you've heard of "Share Of Market?" there is also a thing called "Share Of Wallet"

More than likely a potential Jet Ski buyer is also going to use his ski for general recreation... At the lake with his girlfriend on back. Or if he's married, the wife gets one of her own. (After he gets "Jucied" on driving a Jet Ski then he may decide to go race it.) He thinks "Great, I can justify this expense by telling my wife that buying this thing is for "Us". "Just think of the quality time we'll have together dear." Helps him to justify the purchase decision.

Imagine... "Oh no honey, there's plenty of room for you in the back of this MJR, and you are going to love running for the gas can when we go to races"

[sam]

There would also be the matter of who would finance the construction and freight of the thousands of boats.

Yamaha and BRP have a pretty good relationship with big financiers, MJR and Runne do not.

[Dave M]

Sam

I think I pointed that out in my earlier posts. It would take a builder to step up to the plate and front some cash. Not likley, but it is a start. It does not cost a lot of money to build a boat out of plywood and sitka. Especially the smaller classes like 20SSh, CSH, BMH, etc. When you add composites it gets more. Hmmm.

At any rate, Quincy did this in the past, it worked then, but times were different, boat racing was still popular with the public. Today it is outshined by ski boats and jet skis and how easy it is to purcahse one of these at the local dealer. You don't sell the total cost, you sell the monthly payment....

You are right about one thing though, I don't think it is going to happen. Why should I be worried, I can go buy a jet ski and play at the lake and see faster speeds than the best CSH in the country bar none. I might even get some buddies and race them at the local lake just for fun. We might even tinker on them to see who can make one go faster and get the bragging rights. I might put some decals on mine to customize it a little. Hmmm, sounds like grass roots boat racing to me. Only difference is I can go buy one at the local marina for a monthly payment and not shell out the 15K up front.

[B Walker]

Grassroots marketing for a grassroots sport

Grassroots marketing for a grassroots sport:

Here is little things everyone can do that have potential for very large impact.

Put a Hydroracer.net sticker on all your cars not just your tow vehicle. In this age of smartphones the dude sitting in the car next to you while your pumping gas could be looking at the site and ask you about it on the spot.

Get a small one boat trailer. like this one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=42709

and put your best looking boat on it and tow it whenever you go to any place that seems appropriate, ballgame, carshow etc....

And most importantly: Grab your neighbor down the street that usually comes over and yacks at ya when your working on your boat in the driveway and get him a ride. He will be hooked.

Consider setting up a dedicated "starter boat" just for giving rides.

BW

Paraphrasing Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams"...

"Get 'em a ride and they will come"