NZV8s

[socram]

Good post Icarus.

Interesting Mark, that the survey stated only 70,000 in the whole country were interested in motorsport and only 40,000 watching. I couldn't argue with a proper survey.

What were the crowd figures at Ardmore or Pukekohe back when it opened? What is the best figure at any of the Aussie V8 meetings? Top crowd attendances at Western Springs Speedway?

In the days when Targa had 250 cars, how many people spectated (albeit for free) as something tells me that it was one of the highest spectator events in the country.

Granted there were also aircraft, but I seem to remember the Whenuapai Wings and Wheels would get up to 40,000 crowds.

If 40,000 nationwide is to be believed, not to mention 70,000 (say 80,000 for the increased population) then what are the TV viewing figures in NZ for Bathurst?

If overall, figures are so low, then what is the target audience for the one make series', given that most of us are already set in our ways as to choice of vehicles anyway.

Something doesn't quite add up there, but Icarus is right in that for our sport to reach the general public, we need may need higher profile stars - or better media coverage...

Check out the Monday papers and measure the column inches devoted to any form of motorsport - unless there is a nasty accident of course.

[promax]

you guys sound like a bunch of old ladies lol the old boo hoo motorsport doesn't get any attention in this country is a lot of crap! V8SC, F1, Indy Car, MotoGP, Formula Drift, WRC, FIA Rallycross, Red Bull Global Rallycross, Red Bull X-Fighters, 24 Hour Le Mans, FIA World Endurance Championships, NRHA, ANDRA, FIA WTCC, etc , etc , etc are all screened on NZ tv.. along with the so called star classes. motorsport also makes it on to print media and even the 6 o'clock news in this country. anyway it's the digital age.. who gives a **** if Simon Dallow or Wendy Petrie aren't gushing over NZ's many 1 (or 2) make series.

[HProject]

Originally Posted by promax

who gives a **** if Simon Dallow or Wendy Petrie aren't gushing over NZ's many 1 (or 2) make series.

The sponsors who are leaving en mass, the event organisers who deal with copious amounts of stress, etc... Retweets, likes and up-votes aren't a substitute for television viewership.

[Mark Petch]

Originally Posted by HProject

The sponsors who are leaving en mass, the event organisers who deal with copious amounts of stress, etc... Retweets, likes and up-votes aren't a substitute for television viewership.

"Save your breath" HP, in this case your finger tips! Troll's are Troll's.

Truly excellent and incisive posts like Icarus, and your own recent in depth one in this thread will always be be bait for a Troll.

[BlueBlood]

There is more TV coverage than ever, and the good news it that I can watch the premium events live and without adverts.

[promax]

Originally Posted by Mark Petch

"Save your breath" HP, in this case your finger tips! Troll's are Troll's.

Truly excellent and incisive posts like Icarus, and your own recent in depth one in this thread will always be be bait for a Troll.

people in glass houses, eh Mark.? weren't you just complaining about people attacking the poster... rather than the poster?

[raymond]

Originally Posted by HProject

The sponsors who are leaving en mass, the event organisers who deal with copious amounts of stress, etc... Retweets, likes and up-votes aren't a substitute for television viewership.

Interestingly, the major sponsors that I have been meeting with recently actually don't rate TV as much as we think. It is the social media they want to target. As one said "If I want TV advertising, I would pay for an ad to be made and screened....and it would be more cost effective".

[raymond]

Originally Posted by Icarus_nz

Raymond - what is the total number of competing members of MSNZ?
Do you have access to what percentage of those are involved in circuit racing?

Off the top of my head, and will confirm next week, and these are licence holders as opposed to competitors, but about 10,000 give-or-take, of which over 50% are clubsport. An exact figure for circuit racing....I'm guessing about 3000 licence holders that race across all disciplines...but just an estimate

[promax]

Originally Posted by BlueBlood

There is more TV coverage than ever, and the good news it that I can watch the premium events live and without adverts.

people are just moaning... for the sake of moaning lol I'm sure there will be an item on next weekends event from Shaun on Sunday's 3 news.. like there always is The problem with circuit racing ... at this level.. in the country... is the out of date thinking. D1NZ has boomed without the *****ing about lack of news items on TVNZ or 3 news. Speedway also has managed to survive just fine. Circuit racing issues have more to do with the type of classes promoted at the top level and people relying on daddy's money. Lump the classes together.. then circuit racing in NZ might be more newsworthy.. and people might actually turn up... rather than going to the odd one off event.

[promax]

Originally Posted by HProject

Retweets, likes and up-votes aren't a substitute for television viewership.

Isn't the Facebook favorite Mike Whiddett putting on another Drift Shifters event in Auckland this year? Retweets and likes might be more helpful than you think

[Nigel TV3]

Originally Posted by raymond

Interestingly, the major sponsors that I have been meeting with recently actually don't rate TV as much as we think. It is the social media they want to target. As one said "If I want TV advertising, I would pay for an ad to be made and screened....and it would be more cost effective".

Raymond, if Motorsport did not have television coverage the level of involvement by Sponsors would be massively reduced... Social media is a factor in Sponsorship but does not deliver the same value as television... I work on a daily basis with Sponsors and Agencies and while Sponsors want an on line presence they realise Television delivers far more bang for their buck, in particular free to air. As you know the new season of NZV8's will now screen on CRC Motorsport and this is with the support of Air Time we have provided. Also to provide On Line streaming you need Television coverage anyway to provide the coverage.

[promax]

Hmm is that Earl Bamber I see racing a Porsche at Sepang on Sommet Sport? I thought motorsport didn't get any tv time in NZ?

[HProject]

Originally Posted by promax

Isn't the Facebook favorite Mike Whiddett putting on another Drift Shifters event in Auckland this year? Retweets and likes might be more helpful than you think

Yes, because the consumers of drifting (i.e. people my age) are social media wizzbangs and a generally a different breed.

Circuit racing fans however aren't quite so literal with their social media usage. My little social media project based around circuit racing is in its infancy, but has already shown me that circuit racing fans on social media aren't as plentiful or as easy to mobilize.

And it's not for a lack of trying on the part of organisations like V8ST and NZV8's. Their PR people online are some of the best in the country at what they do (well, V8ST's PR people are anyway).

Do you consider motorsport a mainstream sport in NZ, promax? If you had a child and he said "dad, I'd like to become a professional race driver!", would you accept that and support him as much as if he had ambitions to be an All Black or a Black Cap?

[socram]

Originally Posted by promax

Hmm is that Earl Bamber I see racing a Porsche at Sepang on Sommet Sport? I thought motorsport didn't get any tv time in NZ?

You are overlooking one simple fact Promax. TV is just one part of the whole media circus but what we are after here is catching people in the net. Those who can find what's on Sommet or Sky or even TV3, are already converted.

What we are on about with lack of media coverage is aimed more at the daily print media, where the largest circulation daily seems to think that we are all interested in 20 pages of horse runners and riders a week, goodness knows how many pages of rugby, yet cant even print a race report of any of the so called top tiers of racing on a Monday, even if Kiwis have done well.

Unless you put it in front of people, it doesn't exist. We all know that if you are prepared to pay Sky's exorbitant monthly fees, and pay extra for the sports channel, you will indeed get some of what you are on about.

Think back to when you were an 8 year old. From where did you get your motoring 'fix'? Or maybe you weren't passionate about the sport at that age like some of us were?

[Mark Petch]

Originally Posted by socram

You are overlooking one simple fact Promax. TV is just one part of the whole media circus but what we are after here is catching people in the net. Those who can find what's on Sommet or Sky or even TV3, are already converted.

What we are on about with lack of media coverage is aimed more at the daily print media, where the largest circulation daily seems to think that we are all interested in 20 pages of horse runners and riders a week, goodness knows how many pages of rugby, yet cant even print a race report of any of the so called top tiers of racing on a Monday, even if Kiwis have done well.

Unless you put it in front of people, it doesn't exist. We all know that if you are prepared to pay Sky's exorbitant monthly fees, and pay extra for the sports channel, you will indeed get some of what you are on about.

Think back to when you were an 8 year old. From where did you get your motoring 'fix'? Or maybe you weren't passionate about the sport at that age like some of us were?

Great post Ray, could not agree with you more.



.

[promax]

Originally Posted by socram

You are overlooking one simple fact Promax. TV is just one part of the whole media circus but what we are after here is catching people in the net. Those who can find what's on Sommet or Sky or even TV3, are already converted.

What we are on about with lack of media coverage is aimed more at the daily print media, where the largest circulation daily seems to think that we are all interested in 20 pages of horse runners and riders a week, goodness knows how many pages of rugby, yet cant even print a race report of any of the so called top tiers of racing on a Monday, even if Kiwis have done well.

Unless you put it in front of people, it doesn't exist. We all know that if you are prepared to pay Sky's exorbitant monthly fees, and pay extra for the sports channel, you will indeed get some of what you are on about.

Think back to when you were an 8 year old. From where did you get your motoring 'fix'? Or maybe you weren't passionate about the sport at that age like some of us were?

who solely relies on print media these days? people's heads are normally buried in a tablet or phone.. even while driving.

I got my motoring 'fix' live.. I didn't read about it.

[promax]

Originally Posted by HProject

Yes, because the consumers of drifting (i.e. people my age) are social media wizzbangs and a generally a different breed.

Circuit racing fans however aren't quite so literal with their social media usage. My little social media project based around circuit racing is in its infancy, but has already shown me that circuit racing fans on social media aren't as plentiful or as easy to mobilize.

And it's not for a lack of trying on the part of organisations like V8ST and NZV8's. Their PR people online are some of the best in the country at what they do (well, V8ST's PR people are anyway).

Do you consider motorsport a mainstream sport in NZ, promax? If you had a child and he said "dad, I'd like to become a professional race driver!", would you accept that and support him as much as if he had ambitions to be an All Black or a Black Cap?

your target audience looks to be mainly V8SC and ST.. to which there are plenty sites/pages reporting on V8SC. maybe the competition

to be blunt.. these PR people you speak of are very poor. general public don't normally get to find out who is actually racing.. until a couple of days out from meeting.. or at the actually meeting. simple things like car liveries are leaked out in dribs and drabs.. or if at all. if you didn't actually attend the meeting or the race wasn't televised.. sometimes you don't even know what all the cars look like until a week or two later.. when who ever runs the series site or team sites finally gets around to posting photos. likewise with results. the drifters know who to promote themselves and their sport. they know how to create interest.. which their circuit counterparts sadly lack. looking at the NZV8 page just now.. I see the typical "the new season is going to be exciting" press release.. and that's about it. they're not selling their product. the page should be full of new car liveries and they should be promoting their drivers. even the TLXs seem to have taken a backseat to the TKR TL.. which makes no sense at all.

[promax]

the NZ V8 Utes page isn't much better!

[Mark Petch]

Originally Posted by HProject

Yes, because the consumers of drifting (i.e. people my age) are social media wizzbangs and a generally a different breed.

Circuit racing fans however aren't quite so literal with their social media usage. My little social media project based around circuit racing is in its infancy, but has already shown me that circuit racing fans on social media aren't as plentiful or as easy to mobilize.

And it's not for a lack of trying on the part of organisations like V8ST and NZV8's. Their PR people online are some of the best in the country at what they do (well, V8ST's PR people are anyway).

Do you consider motorsport a mainstream sport in NZ, promax? If you had a child and he said "dad, I'd like to become a professional race driver!", would you accept that and support him as much as if he had ambitions to be an All Black or a Black Cap?

Sadly Social media does not put bum's on seats, even in the entertainment business, just ask some of the so called Rock Star's with huge likes etc, they regularly use social media to try to get more bums on seats, but simply being a key-board fan does not translate into spending money.

The last time I talked to Ray Noonan, CEO of SuperTourers, he agreed that getting FB fans mobilized has not worked for them. Drifters, maybe because its a cult culture, but even they don't get big numbers in terms of making it a business proposition.

Free to Air TV is the only way to promote motor racing in most countries and New Zealand is no exception.

[chevyfire53]

I believe that we could get a much better Motorsport community if people stopped trying to line their own pockets. People in charge should have the best interests of the people watching and also the people putting on the show for them.

This would make Motorsport much more enjoyable.

[Icarus_nz]

Originally Posted by chevyfire53

I believe that we could get a much better Motorsport community if people stopped trying to line their own pockets. People in charge should have the best interests of the people watching and also the people putting on the show for them.

This would make Motorsport much more enjoyable.

Perhaps you're on to something!

Mind you, if it were so hugely profitable why aren't more people involved?

[chevyfire53]

Originally Posted by Icarus_nz

Perhaps you're on to something!



Mind you, if it were so hugely profitable why aren't more people involved?

Because the people who do it get found out pretty quick and then people go else where. I guess if they wanted the best for the people watching Motorsport and the ones competing then the costs of Motorsport would come down getting more bums on seats and more bums on seats watching bigger fields.

It's a bit like the "franchise" costs of a V8ST.. What does that get you? And what common 40hour working person on an average wage who has a passion for Motorsport can afford costs like that? It's for the ones who have parental financial backing and for V8 Supercar drivers to fill in their spare weekends.

I wonder how many amazingly talented drivers in NZ don't get their chance to shine but the person with rich parents get to go out and go round and round till they get bored.

The way to bring Motorsport back to its best is by making it more cost effective and get more people the opportunity to go racing. Big fields means big crowds means more interest from sponsors. Win win all round.

[HProject]

Originally Posted by promax

your target audience looks to be mainly V8SC and ST.. to which there are plenty sites/pages reporting on V8SC. maybe the competition

to be blunt.. these PR people you speak of are very poor. general public don't normally get to find out who is actually racing.. until a couple of days out from meeting.. or at the actually meeting. simple things like car liveries are leaked out in dribs and drabs.. or if at all. if you didn't actually attend the meeting or the race wasn't televised.. sometimes you don't even know what all the cars look like until a week or two later.. when who ever runs the series site or team sites finally gets around to posting photos. likewise with results. the drifters know who to promote themselves and their sport. they know how to create interest.. which their circuit counterparts sadly lack. looking at the NZV8 page just now.. I see the typical "the new season is going to be exciting" press release.. and that's about it. they're not selling their product. the page should be full of new car liveries and they should be promoting their drivers. even the TLXs seem to have taken a backseat to the TKR TL.. which makes no sense at all.

The issue has nothing to do with the amount of 'exciting content' on their websites and social media pages. The issue is getting people to click onto those pages in the first place.

Even if the NZV8 website was filled to the brim with new liveries and colour-schemes, it's for nothing if nobody clicks onto the site in the first place.

On a positive note, I understand that the SuperTourers have a lift-out in the Herald this coming Wednesday, which is pretty cool from a 'delivering the sport to the people' point of view.

[chevyfire53]

Originally Posted by HProject

The issue has nothing to do with the amount of 'exciting content' on their websites and social media pages. The issue is getting people to click onto those pages in the first place.



Even if the NZV8 website was filled to the brim with new liveries and colour-schemes, it's for nothing if nobody clicks onto the site in the first place.



On a positive note, I understand that the SuperTourers have a lift-out in the Herald this coming Wednesday, which is pretty cool from a 'delivering the sport to the people' point of view.

Come on who reads the paper theses days? Surely that money would be better spent on getting more cars out at the track, surely they are targeting the wrong demographic? How many young people do you know (generally the ones who have weekends free and want to sit trackside unlike the business owners who work weekends) that read the paper?

[socram]

Originally Posted by promax

who solely relies on print media these days? people's heads are normally buried in a tablet or phone.. even while driving.
I got my motoring 'fix' live.. I didn't read about it.

Agree with HP.

Sorry Promax, but when I look at our street, I see papers delivered daily and at the weekend, plus the two or three weekly free newspapers. To read about motorsport on line, you are assuming that the people are already hooked. We are not on about preaching to the converted.

Just for the record, the only Facebook or series websites I look at are our own!

If there is a lift out in the Herald Wednesday, as there was at the last round, then even the rugby and racing followers will get it delivered to their door - and that also means the kids in the family may well see pics of cars.

You might not have read about motorsport when you were a kid, but unless you had motorsport on your doorstep - which we certainly did not have - then where or how did you feed your interest? TV was in its infancy for us; the written word, such as Dad's books by Bira, Dick Seaman C. A. N. May, Tim Birkin, or his prewar copies of Speed magazine plus the Daily Mirror, were the only options and later, the local library.

I'll accept that much of the tech age is now passing me by (I can't even be bothered with a smartphone) but I can still leaf through a car book with a grandchild and I still have 5 monthly motoring magazines - every month. Maybe these days, kids don't pounce on the daily newspaper, cut out race car pics and stick them in a scrapbook. Maybe they don't collect a modern day equivalent (if there is one) of Dinky Toys for pocket money, because what we get nowadays are $80 collectors models instead? Maybe slot car racing isn't what it was, despite the resurgence of Scalextric with stunningly accurate models?