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

[daman69]

Now you guys are talking!

I think you guys are right on. There are quite a few classes and sometimes the race locations limit spectator feasibility. Some of the races on our schedule take place at great locations, but they are very far from any urban centers. I wonder if a well publicized event in a rural area would draw a crowd any bigger than an event held closer to an urban center with no publicity at all. More kids can ride their bikes less distance near urban centers than in rural ones.
Some serious logistical problems occur when attempting to obtain a race near an urban center. For example, the cost to rent a body of water and an adjacent facility to launch the boats for 2 days is already at the edge of our means. What if we added a shorter program to our circuits that could be held in the same spot a few times a year? Would it be more feasible to obtain a race sight for 2-3 hours near an urban center rather than obtaining a rural site for 2-3 days? If we could get a site like this then you could Write "HydroRacerTV" on the side of a boat and kids can go home and show their friends what they just saw!
I think from a spectator's perspective, a shorter program would be better. People in my region are very busy and constantly on the go, it would be very difficult to take 10 hours out of your weekend in order to watch a race and see your favorite classes.

Nice analogy

[sam]

The problem with a shorter program is that it requires nearly 100% advance sponsorship vs paid for by racers.

[MN1]

The best way to get more racers is to allow the spectators in the pits. I have personally been kicked out of a IOA race site pit area for not being a Mod member. And I was trying to get into Mod racing too. So much for racing Mod. It's tough if you don't know someone in Mod to help you out.
But, I do know lots of people in OPC and have been involved with OPC for around 37 years. I would also like OPC to keep their pits open (like the old days). It would really help with getting new blood.
If the NHRA can have open pits why can't the APBA.
Mark N

[Hutch06]

Open Pits

MN1:

I see your point and I can not agree more. How is a spectator going to have the chance to ask questions or check out equipment when they can't get near it?

I understand the liability issue with having an "open pits" and as an APBA member I completely see our insurance company's concerns.

From a kneeldown perspective (I am not as familiar with OPC or Inboards) I believe this will take much more volunteers than we currently have. It's very hard to have one person (let alone 2-3 people) commit their time to keeping a constant watch for wristbands on spectators and having to sign a liability form for the average spectator to be allowed in the hot pits.

Maybe there is a possibility that we can allow spectators into the pits during our 15-20 minute patrol breaks. I don't know how this would work with insurance but it may be worth investigating.

Just some thoughts.

[sam]

Most of the outboard races I go to the only area restricted to spectators is the "hot pits" where boats are being launched and recovered for testing and racing. I'm pretty sure the rest of the pits CAN be open to spectators at the discretion of the race committee.

[Fast Jack]

1 or 2 at a time

Today I sold a old hydro to a local guy with 2 boys. Thay went to Standish and now want to race. They are going to run a fishing motor at the lake this summer and show a reluctant Mom that this is a good family sport . Dad is already talking about a kit boat for a winter project, and was excited to see that with 1 boat they could run J AX and A . Perhaps trying to get new racers is best done 1 at a time rather than some grand marketing plan.. If we get 3 new drivers next season from this, the 3 hours it took to talk racing was worth it.

[Dave M]

Pit Pass

MN1, I could not agree more, if you let them into the pits you can wee dout the tire kickers from the mechanical types and focus your attention on them, as they have a potential to become racers or involved somehow. While I am an IOA member I know all to well the barriers to enter the pits. I see a lot of people wandering around outside the tape. I usually let them in regardless of the rules. Better to ask for forgivness than ask permission... becasue we know the answer to that one.

We are surrounded by regulations, and that is a barrier to entry, period.

Now, you are in IL. How about you coming and checkin gout the NBRA race in Centrallia IL ? It is the Nationals. You will see what a difference in the organizations is.

Me persoanlly, i have been to a couple OPC races, and I have to say, it is very hard to gain access to the hot pits. From a pure spectator point of view. I went to Trenton MI race once. It was very expensive to gain full access even though I had a J driver there to race. So I don't feel it is just the IOA and MOD, it is across the board. The real funny part was, I was walking around and not invited into the hot pit area at all even though I had my racing uniform on. But when I got up to the judges stand I was invited up to help time and count laps. Funny how that works.

[HRTV]

Read my reply to Jeff Yungen on the HRTV Facebook site its the post called Kyotei racing school

[MN1]

MN1, I could not agree more, if you let them into the pits you can wee dout the tire kickers from the mechanical types and focus your attention on them, as they have a potential to become racers or involved somehow. While I am an IOA member I know all to well the barriers to enter the pits. I see a lot of people wandering around outside the tape. I usually let them in regardless of the rules. Better to ask for forgivness than ask permission... becasue we know the answer to that one.

We are surrounded by regulations, and that is a barrier to entry, period.

Now, you are in IL. How about you coming and checkin gout the NBRA race in Centrallia IL ? It is the Nationals. You will see what a difference in the organizations is.

Me persoanlly, i have been to a couple OPC races, and I have to say, it is very hard to gain access to the hot pits. From a pure spectator point of view. I went to Trenton MI race once. It was very expensive to gain full access even though I had a J driver there to race. So I don't feel it is just the IOA and MOD, it is across the board. The real funny part was, I was walking around and not invited into the hot pit area at all even though I had my racing uniform on. But when I got up to the judges stand I was invited up to help time and count laps. Funny how that works.

Yes, OPC is bad with the closed pits too. I wish it would be changed. Perhaps APBA should make it mandatory for all pits to be open to spectators. If you go to a NHRA race you will see how they do it. Each racer has his own pit area roped off, but the public can still walk right up and talk to the drivers and crews. There is a lane for the cars to get from their pit area to the track and this is not closed to the public either.
Enough of being uppity big shot boat racers! Let the public really find out what boat racing is all about.
Mark N

[Raymond]

So what is the logic to closed pits?

I imagine it has something to do with safety? Breaking the pit concept down into two types of pits, one being the race team’s equipment parking and maintenance pit and then the other being the hot pits/launch site one can start to see the logic in the policy.

I contend that it would be wise to amend this policy to open up the general pit and restrict how deep into the hot pits a spectator can go. This would be purely for safety reasons and chaos prevention.

At the drag races your ticket is a pit pass and gives you access to the entire pit area minus team roped off areas and the staging lanes.

Let Go, Free Up The Pits! Its free exposure to the curious that may just need that extra…nudge to get into a boat.

[YankeeRacing]

I agree to an extent. Exposure is always good, and my team has also sold boats to spectators. But, who is going to pay for the stitches for the 6 year old who came into the pits, met another 6 year old and started running around the trailers while dad was talking racing-AND then ran into a prop and cut herself? Then who will pay for the plastic surgeon to fix it properly so that it doesn't interferre with the prom dress she will wear some day. Then who will pay for the psychologist bill for the mom who got so stressed out over the whole incident that she needs strong stress releivers, and the same kid gets so stressed from the whole mess she needs lifetime therapy, especially when she gets near any kind of boat.
That is what the insurance company invisualizes will happen and they don't want to pay for all that. Sad but true. And it is their regulations that keep spectators out of the pits. And we can't race without insurance.
Connie

[Tomtall]

Pit passes

Well as far as I know everyone is allowed into the hot pits as long as they see the race clubs "Risk Manager", gets an arm band and signs the release of liabilty waver from A.P.B.A. and K&K insurance. This way when dumb a** mom and dad are not watching little Timmy cut a main artery on that prop the parents cannot sue the club,event organizer,sponsors,A.P.B.A. or race team. We have started having two risk managers at the MHRA races this year and it has helped with non comforming spectators in the pits alot. First off if the race announcer does not remind spectators to see the "Risk Manager" for the arm band and signing the waver they have no clue they even need to.So annouce it on a regular bases AND have your "Risk Manager" personal area well maked so people can find them.If you have a second risk manager located in the hot pits as well they can stop people without arm bands and get them signed in right on the spot. This is a VERY important part for any club and it needs to be done so we do not have law suits pending over such miss haps. Race crews should also be a part of reminding spectators they see in the pits as well because if the club does get a lawsuit from a spectator I really don't think you will have a club much longer to race with.

I don't necessarily agree however with the public having access to a racers pit space. We have had items stolen from or pits and trailer in the past.

[Tomtall]

Fast Jake

Today I sold a old hydro to a local guy with 2 boys. Thay went to Standish and now want to race. They are going to run a fishing motor at the lake this summer and show a reluctant Mom that this is a good family sport . Dad is already talking about a kit boat for a winter project, and was excited to see that with 1 boat they could run J AX and A . Perhaps trying to get new racers is best done 1 at a time rather than some grand marketing plan.. If we get 3 new drivers next season from this, the 3 hours it took to talk racing was worth it.

That's awesome. Like I have said in the past. IF each member would get one new racer per year to join the sport our numbers would explode.

How many of you have invited a possible new member to the races this year stock outbord members? Out of the 80 plus members at our races I have probably seen 4 teams with new guests in tow. That's sad. And we wonder why our sport is dieing a slow death? It starts with you.No one else.

[Kev43V]

Well put Tom.
It looks like our drivers school for Rochelle has 8 newbies signed up and paid for.

[Raymond]

Well, as much as I don’t want to admit it, the risk of spectator injury is real however I don’t think we should let that be a deterrent to access of the pit experience. Where else can those on the outside looking in get a better view of what we do and who we are?

Isn’t the risk manager’s waiver that Tom talks about, designed to protect from just that? I agree 100%, it is our individual responsibly as club and team members to protect ourselves, the club and the sport by ensuring our guests (personally invited or walk ups) sign the waver before we invite them into or to stick around in our pits. Are there any actual cases where the wavier (a properly constructed and executed waver) did not hold up as protection?

Yea, I considered the ‘theft’ issue as a possible consideration but I think the odds of a thief targeting the pits are low. I also think a thief working on the inside will not last long in the sport so…

I buy into all the different views I have heard that will stimulate sport growth. I also believe that no single one of them are the end all solution to the barriers to entry. I thank each and every one who has participated in this dialogue and challenge those just reading to chime in.

I have a new idea up my sleeve that has the potential to expose what we do to a market of prospects (both new racers and supporters) that may be right in front of our eyes but we never realized was there. No; I’m not smoking anything and no, my glasses are not rose colored: I just very much believe that one way to reduce the barriers to entry (and support) is exposure and that we don’t do a good job in that area. More on my new idea to follow soon.