How do we increase the gate at meetings

[Andrew Hornsey]

After looking at the thread on the cost of putting on a meeting, I have started to think about how to make our sport more accessable to the viewing public.

How do we increase gates, which will benefit us all (greater reason for sponsors to put up money/more tv coverage etc).

It is down to us all to work on this. The ciruicts have a lot of work to do, not just because they receive the gate money, in makeing the facilities something that famalies are prepared to go to for a day out. I remember my first visits to Brands back in the 70's, where there was always something to do for an under 10 (AlthoughI always watched the racing - always been a petrol head).

The toilets need to be clean and modern, as does the catering.

Also, the cost of getting in needs to relect the disposable income of those that are not well off. I am not saying we should subsidise it, but the more that can affaord to come, the more that will!

We also need to look at what is on offer. The old racing ahead format was excellent for getting value for money, both for competitors and spectators.

We also need to promote it ourselves. I am sure we have all suggested to friends or relatives to come and see a good says racing, but how many find it difficult to get them to come. Either the cost of getting the whole family in puts them off, or if they have been once, a poorly subscribed set of races, couple with big gaps means they will not return.

It is a complex issue, and one that needs to be addressed.

If a group of men running around kicking a ball can attracted crouds of 1000's each weekend, why does a sport as exciting as motor racing get just a 1000 or so for a reasonable size meeting.

Lets get some new ideas together, and put them forward to the clubs, the circuits, and of course the MSA. Its not necessarily our problem to solve, but it will be our problem if we lose the venues to race

[Truckosaurus]

Even as a commited race goer with access to the internet, it is often hard to find out exactly what is happening at a given circuit on a given weekend. You normally have to cross reference several sites to get an idea as to what is on.

Joe Public would have no hope.

[josvandeperre]

Small point : Grand Prix apart most soccer matches are more expensive than race meetings - it just so happens that one is an urban pursuit and therefore more convenient for a larger local catchment the other is not

[ActiveMS]

Originally Posted by josvandeperre

Small point : Grand Prix apart most soccer matches are more expensive than race meetings - it just so happens that one is an urban pursuit and therefore more convenient for a larger local catchment the other is not

Very good point on cost.
So I suppose the real question is:

Why dont more people attend race meetings?

Answers on a postcard..........

[Andrew Gunnell]

The problem is that is a motorsport event good value for money compered to a rugby or football match.

With rugby and football your able to see all the action at the same time, you know that there will be the full number of players at the match and must grounds are in or around the cities or towns centres.

On the other hand motorsport you see only part of the track, you don't know if were will be full grids and must circuits are in the middle of nowhere.

So how can this be all sovled? Will the location of circuits can not be changed. Have more advice on where the best place to stand or sit is around the track. But the must importent is to increase grid sizes, by putting chanpionships together for example.

[HiRich]

The core issue is to perform a fundamental review of the marketing (not just advertising, but the basic principle of delivering the product to the market).

Step 1 is to understand the market:
- Catchment area
- Demographics
- Competing products (football, cricket, Alton Towers, Glastonbury, etc.)
- Where are they, where do they go, what do they read.

Step 2 is to develop a strategy that you can consider as a matrix:
- Two columns: Off-site, on-site
- Three rows: Recruit, retain, build loyalty

First row - Recruit:
- Mainly off-site (web, advertising, web will be key tools), although a decent hoarding by the circuit entrance will pick up passing traffic.
- Objectives are to create awareness, interest, and incentivise purchase
In short, tell people what's going on, show them why they should come along, and make the sale

Row 2 is to Retain the new customers (make them willing to come again):
- Mainly an on-site activity
- At its highest level, people want a good day out, at a good price
- Looking deeper, there are many areas to consider - good facilities, interesting racing, things to do (for all the family, perhaps). This is the trick area, to decide which initiatives to undertake, where to spend your money wisely. A good start, however would be to book tickets to Days Of Thunder and the Goodwood Revival, and look around you.
- As highlighted in the Combe thread, one technique is to, err, ask the paying public what they think (the posh phrase is Customer Relationship Management).
- Much of this comes down to the circuit management. Some it costs money. But some is dirt cheap, and the Clubs and competitors can play their part - decent briefing packs for commentators, talking to spectators when they are wandering the paddock. The list of opportunities is almost endless.
- There is also some off-site work to do. Do the local press print race reports (mentioning the next meeting)? Does local radio have a part to play? Are you using the web properly?

Row 3 - Build Loyalty
A longer term goal (compared to getting Recruitment and Retention up to scratch). Areas to consider are:
- Season tickets
- Email newsletters for customer/spectators
- Coupons. Add a half price/BOGOF stub for the next meeting to this meeting's ticket.

Step 3 is then a rolling review of tailoring the package to the customer. Marketing theory talks of the four Ps - product, place, price, promotion:
- Product - What type of racing (note that from a spectator point of view, this is a long way down the list; for competitors looking for value for money, this is more important)? What other activities are on? How do we package and brand it?
- Place - Well we can't do much about moving the circuits, but in a greater view, are we using the right retail channels?
- Price - Compared to say League football, a tenner is good value for an entire day. But a carload is £40. At a fiver, a car is just a bluey, £20, the price of a couple of rounds of beer. What about customers' spend during the day - call me old-fashioned, but £1 for a warm can of pop doesn't impress me (in fact it makes me bring my own, meaning no profit at all).
- Promotion - Continued assessment of the marketing mix and the effectiveness of different activities.

As you can probably tell, I've given this a lot of thought. This is just an executive summary of the strategy. It barely touches on the actual initiatives & ideas - many excellent ideas have been suggested previously on this forum. The point I want to get across is that it needs a clear marketing strategy to create the framework. Then you'll be able to see where each idea fits into the scheme of things, assess the problems with implementing, how it affects other ideas, and whether it should be done now or delayed whilst other actions are completed (either because they are more important, cost-effective, or form a necessary base for this new idea).

[Truckosaurus]

Good Post Rich!

Have we considered the possibility that the circuits perhaps don't want extra visitors as it might increase their problems with NIMBY neighbours?

[Andrew Hornsey]

Originally Posted by Guy Humpage

Have we considered the possibility that the circuits perhaps don't want extra visitors as it might increase their problems with NIMBY neighbours?

Whilst, having worked for Octagon in the past, I understand this issue, where does it leave the future of the sport for us? Are we to race behind closed doors to keep them happy. The loss of revenue to the circuit, both on the gate, and in catering and merchandising revenue, would mean that the cost to the competitor would have to increase, as circuits would have to put up their hire charges.

The other options for circuits is to run less, or no racing days, and just run corporate days in silenced cars - after all, the weekends should provide some good inccome for them.

[topwelshman]

This is very much the responsibility of every competitor NOT just the organisers or owners of the tracks. I wanted to race since I was a child and I feel very priviledged that I am able to fulfil that dream. None of us are F1 drivers and most of us pay for the racing oursleves but ask yourself this...Why would the paying public pay good money to come & watch someone else having fun if it's not much fun for them, they wouldn't come if your hobby was fishing would they!

My point is that we need to all understand and realise that those people coming through the gates are coming to watch US and be entertained and we all have a duty to make their day out one fun as well. This means full grids and close racing. merge those that don't have decent grids or can them. When we have a show worth promoting then we can start promoting.

[topwelshman]

Sorry, slipped with the return button!

[Steve Wilkinson]

At a lot of grass roots motor sport the organising club doesn't get any of the gate receipts. Therefore it is not financially worth the organising club advertisng in the local press or national publications like Motorsport News.

As I am on a championship organising committee I have tried to drum up interest with the local press up and down the country. I have met with an almost unified front where they are unwilling to carry any details of the event in advance. They seem to think I am after free advertising even though it is in the most part the circuit owners who would benefit. I have yet to find the solution to getting one's message across, however I am not giving up.

[MikeHoyer]

It takes money to make money, I think you'd have to do a lot of promotion, starting with local newspapers, leaflets, radio advertising etc., otherwise a lot of the public won't be interested, if it's not on TV.

Most club events I've been to, the racing has been much more exciting than major series, but you need to get that across to the public somehow, otherwise they won't be too excited at the thought of someone they've never heard of in a car they've never heard of.

To me, it's a no brainer, I'd rather pay a tenner, see plenty of action (even if the driving is some times less than professional, we all like the odd crash, let's be honest), be able to walk around and view from plenty of vantage points etc, go into the pits and paddock and so on, rather than spend upwards of a hundred pounds for a GP, just to sit in one place, watch a relatively processional race, and have no access to the paddock.

But some people don't see it that way, if it's famous then it must be better, which isn't necessarily the case.

But also, you can't force people to go. You could dish out a load of free tickets to a meeting, and you might get a few more people to turn up, but they might decide that it's not really for them, and may not go again, particularly if it isn't a particularly exciting meeting.

And people have other interests. If they like football, and it's a choice of going to a football match or a motor race, then they will go to a football match, you can't really stop that. Same as, most racing events are on Sundays, and people may have other plans, spending time with family etc., at more family oriented attractions.

It can be quite hard to attract families with children to racing events, small children may not have much interest in what's going on on the track, and there isn't a lot else for them there. Again, it all boils down to whether people are actually interested or not, as I said you can't force some one.

But still, whatever happens, I'll still turn up and watch you, if nobody else does!

[Andrew Hornsey]

Does anyone remember the Free Raceday the Sun used to promote (For those outside the UK - large tabloid newspaper).

The crouds for that were large, so even if 1% decided it was for them, and returned and paid at the gate, it was a start.

[soper]

Part of the problem is that there are no household names within club racing to attract joe public - we need to build up celebrities within club racing, and more than the boring clean cut kids who do nothing controversial for fear of upsetting their sponsors.
There are all sorts of lovable rogues and dodgy characters in club racing that would make a great fly on the wall type documentary, one that focuses on people rather than racing, people doing all the dodgy deals and all night repairs & other stuff.
If there were household names then kids would badger mum and dad to take them to see their favorite characters.
The well known people we have in racing are only well known within racing circles, we need a wider audiance.
Also good racing is only interesting to people interested in racing, we need a spectacle to attract a wider audiance and provide entertainment to those that want more than 20 similar cars droning round - crashes, controvosy, confrontation, wild cars, music, stuff going on all the time, a bar that actually overlooks the track.

[kickstart]

As someone who does not live a million miles from Oulton Park - I can assure you that if the gate increased hugely for club meetings at Oulton, people living nearby (who don't like racing, which is most of them) would be complaining to the council and/or seeking injunctions. This extra aggro is the last thing the circuits want on top of the constant noise problems at places like Oulton.

[Andrew Hornsey]

Kickstart, does this mean the start of the slippery slope for Oulton? How do we ensure that our sport grows, taking into account the local social and economic issues?

If we cannot sort these issues out, we are going to remain an expensive, minority sport. If we want to ensure the future of the sport, surely this problem must be addressed. If not, once the NIMBYS have got the racing shut down, they will start to work on the corporate and track day activities, and then we will be left with nowhere to race.

[gixxer]

Sorry guy's have to say it CASTLE COMBE has got it right then!

they've managed to increase the numbers through the gate nearly every year!

Bring on the BTCC and it'll increase again

superbikes non championship attracted 30,000 can see it being more if they get a round oF the champoinship.

AT LEAST YOU CAN SEE THE CIRCUIT PLOUGHS THE MONEY BACK INTO THE CIRCUIT!

by the improvements they,ve made over the last few years.

[HiRich]

Commenting on a few points raised so far:

Do people actually want to come and spectate?
I have only limited research data, but it, with anecdotal evidence, does suggest that the interest is there. People we have invited to races (and we are the lowest of the low, no motorhomes here) have enjoyed themselves immensely. You say that many circuits are in the sticks, but set a 30 minute drive as your catchment area, and most circuits offer excellent prospects. Consider also that, at Club level, we are not looking for 20 or 30,000 crowds. 3-10,000 would be realistic. Or put another way, at a tenner a head, that's £30-100k gate receipts (almost entirely marginal), plus on-the-day spend (some of which will directly or indirectly reach the circuits/promoters). Excluding marketing costs, what other marginal costs of servicing are there? Not a lot. Put that in perspective - the cost to Clubs of staging an average race meeting is about £25k. The area for potential revenue growth is in spectators.
There are several Club events that stand out as prime targets for a bit of promotion. VSCC, HSCC and some of the other historic series get my vote (I would always recommend fitting in at least one VSCC trip every year).
One way of looking at the proposition of an event is that it is a day out, with the racing almost a bonus. Provide alternative activities, and you widen the appeal (I wouldn't recommend this as an absolute strategy, but it does make you think about what customers want and get). Days of Thunder does this, and it works. Walthamstow dogs does this with their excellent restaurant - high value customers are effectively going to a themed restaurant.
Someone on another thread pointed out how Oulton has significant competition from local footabll clubs. That I accept (though from a huge population), but let's consider a few others:
Brands: Access to Kent and most of South London, Essex. Nearest football - Crystal Palace. No rugby. Summer cricket (but county cricket is dying a death)
Combe: Football, rugby and cricket all compete. Odd then that it is one of the most successful venues.
Mallory, Donington: Huge catchment area (Derby, Leicester, Notthingham). Some football and cricket.
Cadwell: Small catchment, but what are the options? Skeggy? Sheep bothering?
Donington and Snetterton both have Sunday markets competing. Both draw about 10,000. ON THE SAME SITE! Now this might be a bit off the wall, but wouldn't it be possible to convince some of these people (who have already driven out there and committed to a day out) to pop in next door?
I believe that most circuits offer a good proposition, and could be targetting useful, realistic spectator levels, which in turn would deliver very useful income.

Would more spectators anger residents and the council?
Possibly. Though what are the resulting problems? Racecar noise is already there. Parking is on site. Traffic - a bit (though not that significant, given the reasonable targets suggested above). Most circuits I know (and I haven't visited them all) would not create huge problems (Mallory and Oulton excepted, Thruxton marginal)
However, hand-in-hand with any event promotion, there should be a PR campaing with local residents and council. On the one hand, there are local economic benefits - more fuel purchased at the local pumps, potential for more support jobs, capital expenditure for better facilities (e.g. grandstands, reprofiling) placed locally. Do circuits monitor and publicise their value to the community?
Equally, they should build a dialogue (sorry, slipping back into marketing-speak) with local residents. With more income, they can address their needs more quickly (more noise entrapment, maybe revised on-site roadways to get people off the public highways, maybe even a new access road to avoid Kirkby Mallory village?)

[Ian Sowman]

Originally Posted by HiRich

Equally, they should build a dialogue (sorry, slipping back into marketing-speak) with local residents. With more income, they can address their needs more quickly (more noise entrapment, maybe revised on-site roadways to get people off the public highways, maybe even a new access road to avoid Kirkby Mallory village?)

There are already two access roads that avoid the village and neither are used!

[kickstart]

I don't think it is quite that gloomy an outlook Andrew, but some circuits by virtue of where they are situated are not best placed for big crowds descending.
I honestly think club motor racing has always been an expensive minority sport and will remain so. Whilst the contributors on this forum love motor racing, as I do, most people find it rather dull. There are lots of reasons for that but relatively small grids displaying slow, quiet cars on a track where you can only see a small part of circuit from any viewing place - does not make for a fun day for non racing people.

[Andrew Hornsey]

Originally Posted by kickstart

I don't think it is quite that gloomy an outlook Andrew, but some circuits by virtue of where they are situated are not best placed for big crowds descending.
I honestly think club motor racing has always been an expensive minority sport and will remain so. Whilst the contributors on this forum love motor racing, as I do, most people find it rather dull. There are lots of reasons for that but relatively small grids displaying slow, quiet cars on a track where you can only see a small part of circuit from any viewing place - does not make for a fun day for non racing people.

Sorry to sound so gloomy - its hard when you are so passionate and want everyone to enjoy what you love so much - I think that you know what I mean.

As has been said, Coombe is an excellent example of how a circuit with poor access (Havn't been for a few years, so I it has changed, apologies) can have a reasonable relationship with the local populus, and draw good crouds.

Also, I think you are underestimating the number of people out there that would be interested if they knew more.

Just look at the number of cruises up and down the country. They are motor related, and could bring a lot of new, young people to see what is happening. All of these people love their cars, and would enjoy the racing (HiRich has it sussed - what we would consider a side attraction could be just what we need to get people through the gate - and they wouldn't necessarily think of themselves as a side attraction!).

This is just one example of who we could target. Start small, and ensure that the meetings that are targeted are the club meetings with the best racing and grids - HSCC, 750mc (Ecellent for the cruise guys if the hot hatches are racing!) and then these people will want to come back and see more.

Just an extra 10000 spectators (Max 5000 cars probably) will mean an extra £100000 minimum, forgetting the extra revenue from catering, merchandising, and trade stand costs). This must be an incentive to push circuits in that direction.

And the upside for us - the circuits can affoard better facilities, bigger crouds mean better sponsorship potential etc.

It would be great to see our sport as something a bit more than a bunch of toffs playing with their cars (Not my view - one of a freind of mines)

[MikeHoyer]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hornsey

Just look at the number of cruises up and down the country. They are motor related, and could bring a lot of new, young people to see what is happening. All of these people love their cars, and would enjoy the racing (HiRich has it sussed - what we would consider a side attraction could be just what we need to get people through the gate - and they wouldn't necessarily think of themselves as a side attraction!).

I think that should be a last resort... leave them in Tescos carpark until things get really desperate!

[HiRich]

And a bit more

It takes money to make money
Aka, you need to speculate to accumulate. However, there are a lot of things that can be done (certainly on-site) for little or no money. The big, immediate expense will be the advertising and promotion budget for each event. This needs to be controlled. Half the spend should be considered as spend on the actual, single event. The other half is part of a rolling programme of awareness. Start small, but be consistent. As gates rise slowly, use the extra revenue to gradually ramp up the A&P programme. Treat it as a five-year programme, not a five-week activity.

It's a complex issue
Absolutely. Recruitment and retention need to work hand-in-hand. There's no sense in building a fantastic new grandstand if no-one knows about it. There's no point placing full page ads in the press, then have 20,000 people arrive to a windswept bombsite.
This just reinforces the idea of start of small, and grow expenditure in line with rising income. And always, spend smartly, and monitor results closely.
Expensive doesn't necessarily mean better. When London Irish played at Surbiton, I went a couple of times. The facilities were prety basic, but you got a great match, then squeezed into a packed (but warm) bar for a cracking pint (or seven) of the black stuff. The craic was good, and you met the players. Irish had little money, but they knew what their punters wanted. Irish survived, while Richmond and others didn't.

It can be quite hard to attract families with children
Yes. Small children need care, and lots of things to keep them entertained. So give it to them. Days of Thunder may not be exactly club racing, but is hardly high profile. However it draws excellent crowds. You may think that this is entirely due to the music, but there is more to it than that. There are fairground rides, free entry to the Paddock (with the teams giving away old tyres and autographs) - in other words there is always something to do. If you do some fag-packet calculations (25,000 paying spectators, ticket prices on the web, plus on-site spend, less costs of putting on the racing and concert), the figures are impressive: You are looking at a conservative £350k revenue for the circuit on £100k costs, per event, before you allow for any race entry fees or the fee for the acts. Even after the artists' cut, there's a useful profit. On-site spend per head is at least £10 on food, drink, merchandise, rides, etc. and quite possible twice that.
Shops, stalls and fairground rides don't have to cost money to hire. Offer them a decent audience and a chance to make money, and they will pay you. Offer them free space for the first six months, then a rising ground fee or profit share. There are a lot of other retailers and services (not motorsport-related) who would be interested in cheap (free even) access to a captive audience.
- Customers have something extra to do
- Retailers and services have access to a captive audience, possible for free, and an opportunity to make money.
- Circuit gets an audience who will be more likely to come back. They may not get the ground rental, but they weren't going to anyway. So they've gained value at no cost.
- Clubs and competitors get more exposure, good for sponsors and good for competitor recruitment. With the circuit on a more stable financial footing, facilities will eventually improved and perhaps circuit rental costs (and therefore entry fees) will stabilise, if not reduce.

[HiRich]

Wait, there's more

There are no household names in club racing
Now I struggle with the idea of (falsely) creating celebrities. However, there is always a case for a bit of crafty self-promotion. I recall watching a race from the Cadwell grandstand. Half a dozen mates of one driver were cheering him on. Bizzarely, although we didn't now the guy, we started watching him - we had a reason to follow him and the race.
Drivers and teams can 'hustle' in the Paddock. Most Clubbies I've met are quite approachable (provided they're no fist deep in the gearbox), but rather than wait for a spectator to ask a question, go to them. Historics, especially, have a story, so tell it. If they have children, ask if they want to sit in the car. You may not get any sponsorship money, but you can be confident that you've made some kid's day. And you can be sure that they will be watching out for you in the race (and therefore enjoying it more).
Commentators and drivers should work together. Do more interviews (especially in the quiet time), get local drivers into the box. And f course, if you have a character, a trainee Lanfranchi, get him on air!
Series organisers can do a lot at almost nil cost
- Bully drivers to write better briefing notes.
- Get them to put a car description on the bonnet when the car is parked up. £1 for the perspex holder, 30 minutes to write an A4 page.
- Get a volunteer for rep each meeting (there's always one person who can spare the time). They can collect and collate driver briefing notes and present them to the commentary team. They can write a race preview and championship status cover sheet, tailored to the actual race. If there's a computer in the admin office, they can write a practice report and revised race preview. They can volunteer to be on hand in the box for the race (if not on mic, they can point out things and add scribble notes for extra depth). They could write a race report to go on the series website, just to finish the job.

The Clubs do not get a cut of gate receipts, and so have no incentive to spend on publicising a meeting
This is correct of course, but there are a couple of counterpoints:
- Why not? Meeting organisers should consider proposing a split cost-split gate deal, especially for promotable days (VSCC-Ferrari, as an example). A very complex issue, but solvable. The business structure at the moment is divisive. At least be open to an idea that might be gives Clubs and circuits common interests.
- As a rule of thumb, every tenth spectator is a potential competitor, member or marshal. An indirect benefit, but a benefit nontheless. First, Clubs should be open to the idea of doing their bit to increase the gate. Second, once the spectators are there, work to recruit them. Turn potential into membership cheques.
- Also, more spectators means more programmes to sell. Printing has high start-up costs and tiny marginal costs. Once the printer and binder machines have started rolling, programmes cost 20p and sell at £2. You won't make a million, but any profit is good.
- Support needn't be totally financial. Steve Wilkinson compliained earlier of the problems with the problems of drumming up interest in the local press. Of course, you are only there once or twice a year. If the circuit built the relationship with the press, and built a structure for you to feed your contribution, it's much more likely to work.
- We should recognise that the circuits need to take bookings based on the contribution to profit. A track/corporate day and (spectator free) raceday offer broadly similar profits, but on lower costs (for both circuit and organiser). If demand and economics tilt a bit further (which is quite possible), weekend trackdays will be more viable for the circuits. We might see some Clubs unable to find or fund racing slots. Which would be a problem. If Clubs can encourage and assist circuits in bringing in spectators, the economics move back in favour of racing. That might be a nightmare scenario, but it is worth bearing in mind.

[HiRich]

Sorry, this has turned into a rant, so I'll wind up with a positive view. Everyone, at every level has a part to play:
- Marshals, and existing spectators
- Drivers and team members
- Series organisers
- Meeting organisers and Clubs
- Circuits
- The MSA
The big change in approach, though, has to be led by the last three. We have minimal influence on the MSA, less on the circuits, but considerable over the Clubs (though they are the group least likely to be able to see the benefit). All the Clubs (at least those with the foresight) need to work together and with the circuits (or at least one or two) to develop a process that allows everyone to contribute and benefit. Logically the MSA could/should facilitate this, though this is not essential). It doesn't need a big PR initiative (like Racing Ahead or the Series Pyramids), or another talking shop. Just a few sessions behind closed doors to seek better ways of working. I would even suggest that the best way would be to focus effort on one circuit (BARC Midlands/Mallory would be perfect), with Castle Combe offering advice on best practice, and all/most of the renting Clubs for 2005.


Annnd relax...