Mid-week Btcc Races?

Andrew Kitson · 14 Aug 2003, 12:23 (Ref:688061)

It is reported that Alan Gow wants to stage some mid- week BTCC races in the future. His argument being to free the crowded weekend racing calendar and the fact that other sports, particularly football have good mid week crowds.

I'm not too sure this will succeed - how about you?
For one, football clubs - the sort that get crowds as big or bigger than Toca meetings - have incredibly loyal fan bases - fans that worship their teams and will go anywhere. You don't get that in the BTCC or if you do, a very small minority. We only came close with Mansell and Damon mania but still nothing like football.

Secondly, most football grounds are in cities - easy for the home fans to get to (and home again) with an early start to get to work next day. A lot of away fans have coaches from their home grounds. A lot travel by train too - railway stations are not a common feature around race circuits. But again, they are incredibly loyal to go and support their teams.

The bulk of the crowd at a Toca meeting are the casual fans who will attend perhaps less than six meetings per year, not just the BTCC. Not only will the fans have to get there after work but also home for an early start the next day - and where will the support races fit in? It will definitely mean an afternoon off - at least - to get there to see all of the action ( therefore your money's worth for the entrance fee). The marshals have jobs too - how are they all going to get the time off?

No it's definitely a weekend sport and a day out for families. Extend the calendar in general is surely the answer. The meetings that principally feature series for the competitor rather than the spectator could start and finish earlier/later in the season ( as they used to, I remember as a kid being at Brands for a clubbie in mid January ) - to free up the amount of clashing events in the summer. I don't know about you, but I get bored in the winter and can't wait for the new season. A few clubbies earlier in the year would be a good thing!

The Bear · 14 Aug 2003, 12:28 (Ref:688072)

I wouldn't be able to go unless I took time off work. Also, what about the curfew at most tracks? If I lived near a track I may be tempted for that one meeting but that would be all.

Andrew Kitson · 14 Aug 2003, 12:34 (Ref:688078)

Quote:

Originally posted by The Bear
Also, what about the curfew at most tracks?

A very good point! Even somewhere as remote as Snetterton has regular complaints from some local residents.

redshoes · 14 Aug 2003, 12:41 (Ref:688087)

You can't compare a football match to a motor-race meeting. A single football is over in 2 hours, in the same time you'd be lucky to get qualifying and a couple of races. I realise the oval-track folks do it but there races only take 10-15 mins with no qualifying.

BootsOntheSide · 14 Aug 2003, 13:13 (Ref:688133)

For this idea to work, a very clear arrangement as to how the meeting would work needs to be set up. Maybe a single one-hour race with the grid decided by championship positions? Adnmission would ahve to be cheap for such a short event, adn I doubt it'd be cost-effective considering that staff have to be hired. They couldn't be on track past 9.30, at the latest, and ocuyldn't really start before 7.30 so as to allow people to arrive. Not all circuits have adequate floodlighting either.

Sim_Da_BTCC_Man · 14 Aug 2003, 13:21 (Ref:688136)

sorry but its not going to work? How many people are going to take time off of work, or even going to get time off of work to go to a mid-week TOCA race meeting?

Choice - Getting paid or going to BTCC. I think in most peoples minds, getting paid would be more important.

Choice - Using your holiday time to go see the BTCC or Using your time off to go on a family holiday everyone can enjoy. Most people would choose family holiday.

How many casual fans, or new fans are going to rearrange a whole day and be inconvinced, just to go see BTCC?

How many loyal followers can actually get time off?

A football match is 90 minutes at about 8 in the evening, after work, when everyone can attend. I know first hand that footie matches are not held before about 7 because they know for well that even they loyal fan base will find it difficult to attend! Football relys on money in much the same way as motorsport, and they would not get the cash from ticket sales if say a football match was held at mid-day, mid week. Some people could take a few hours off in this case, but a whole day would be extremly inconvincing, especialy on a regular basis.

Crowd levels are decreasing at weekends as it is! midweek a miniscule amount of people will attend! Madness.

speedy king · 14 Aug 2003, 13:30 (Ref:688142)

the guy has gone off his head this time. We don't have crowded figures as it is!!!!!!!!

A mid wekk CAR RACE will get about 50 spectators, people are at work and wont want to travel ages to see a car race, it wont be value for money and is going to eb a total waist of TOCAS time and money!

speedy king · 14 Aug 2003, 13:34 (Ref:688146)

Quote:

Originally posted by Sim_Da_BTCC_Man
sorry but its not going to work? How many people are going to take time off of work, or even going to get time off of work to go to a mid-week TOCA race meeting?

Choice - Getting paid or going to BTCC. I think in most peoples minds, getting paid would be more important.

Choice - Using your holiday time to go see the BTCC or Using your time off to go on a family holiday everyone can enjoy. Most people would choose family holiday.

How many casual fans, or new fans are going to rearrange a whole day and be inconvinced, just to go see BTCC?

How many loyal followers can actually get time off?

A football match is 90 minutes at about 8 in the evening, after work, when everyone can attend. I know first hand that footie matches are not held before about 7 because they know for well that even they loyal fan base will find it difficult to attend! Football relys on money in much the same way as motorsport, and they would not get the cash from ticket sales if say a football match was held at mid-day, mid week. Some people could take a few hours off in this case, but a whole day would be extremly inconvincing, especialy on a regular basis.

Crowd levels are decreasing at weekends as it is! midweek a miniscule amount of people will attend! Madness.

And Football, lets take....Norwich City for example (not easing, this is an example) most of their supporters are around NORWICH so wont have to travel any longer than maybe thirty minutes to see the game, now lets take Donington, or Knockhill.......how many Touring car fans are around there? Not as many as the local football so you just wont get the crowd! You will just get what you would expect for a test day.

This is utterly pathectic

**touringlegend** · 14 Aug 2003, 13:50 (Ref:688157)

It wouldn't work at a circuit as we know it that's for sure.

To succeed, the BTCC races would need to be part of a bigger event, say in a city. Easy enough to get to any major town or city in the UK isn't it ? Combine the idea of a street race with a mid - week slot and a night race and hey presto!

Cato · 14 Aug 2003, 15:00 (Ref:688216)

Quote:

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
The marshals have jobs too - how are they all going to get the time off?

Not only marshalls, drivers too!

mark ch · 14 Aug 2003, 15:24 (Ref:688237)

there were remours of Donington having mid weekend evening races this year and they don't have a curfew

Crazy idea gets a thumbs down

SPARK Msport · 14 Aug 2003, 16:37 (Ref:688318)

oh, and me (maybe a few others) being at school...mid week BTCC races are a big NO NO!

Sim_Da_BTCC_Man · 14 Aug 2003, 16:42 (Ref:688327)

Quote:

Originally posted by SPARK Msport
oh, and me (maybe a few others) being at school...mid week BTCC races are a big NO NO!

and in saying that you have highlighted the point that in order to save motorsport in the UK, events are going to have to be more family orientated (such as those events at rockingham), and this is certainly not.

rdjones · 14 Aug 2003, 17:47 (Ref:688377)

Sorry that is a daft idea and it wouldn't work, for the reasons that have been mention above, sorry thats just my view......

Les · 14 Aug 2003, 19:10 (Ref:688455)

maybe that's what they want - no spectators?
How much money would that save?
Hell he has already said he doesn't care if the loyal fans are at the GP or not.

**Craig** · 14 Aug 2003, 19:12 (Ref:688458)

Has 'he'? I must have missed that? :confused:

**touringlegend** · 14 Aug 2003, 19:47 (Ref:688474)

We've already had this discussion about the GP BTCC races next year, and I can see where Alan Gow is coming from on that front.

You honestly think that the guy is going to miss the opportunity to race in front of a 60,000 plus crowd because a few of the regulars can't go ?

**Craig** · 14 Aug 2003, 19:57 (Ref:688482)

Have you seen where 'he' said he didn't care if the 'loyal fans' were not at the GP, Blair?

Super Tourer · 14 Aug 2003, 20:00 (Ref:688484)

IMO this is a typical AG 'sounding out', as has already been mentioned football and the BTCC do not bear comparison due to the difference in the fan base, locations, general transient nature of motorsport fans and length of the overall event.

Sim_Da_BTCC_Man · 14 Aug 2003, 20:05 (Ref:688488)

Quote:

Originally posted by Craig Antill
Have you seen where 'he' said he didn't care if the 'loyal fans' were not at the GP

Official TOCAforums I belive. Don't quote me on that, im not 100% certain.

Les I pass the buck to you

redshoes · 14 Aug 2003, 20:18 (Ref:688494)

No Sim, he's never said that. Suggest you and Les go back and re-read Alan's posts.

Sim_Da_BTCC_Man · 14 Aug 2003, 20:26 (Ref:688501)

Nigel, can you delete the above and this once thats done in that case. Stand happily corrected

Sim

**Craig** · 14 Aug 2003, 20:48 (Ref:688527)

Someone just PM'd me this link and suggested it was where 'he' said he didn't care:

http://toca.forum-host.biz/showthrea...=&threadid=720

Having read through it though I didn't see him say that at all...? :confused:

kimi020 · 14 Aug 2003, 20:52 (Ref:688530)

I think they should have another couple of night meetings in the summer, on sat nights. Does anyone know why they didnt have a btcc race in the dark last weekend?

**Craig** · 14 Aug 2003, 20:55 (Ref:688534)

Apparently the cost of the lighting was prohibitive. Which is surprising given the 2CVs managed to run for 24hours the other week.. just ask 'him' as 'he' was racing in it!

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