[WEC] WEC Motorsport Survey

[chunder]

I would imagine the reason some tracks have WEC races is the same as other series, they are being tendered out by the WEC organisers to the highest bidders.

Every sport these days is trying to be like the Olympics and take the sport to new areas. But this is mainly due to them bidding more and being sought out by aggressive series marketeers pushing for more money from tourist boards.

It can work with some racing, notably MotoGP where the huge funding given to the Asian scene is seeing huge crowds in places like Malaysia and Thailand, simply because there are riders involved and they have won races.

But going to China with WEC seems great on paper. Until you realise there is no real interest. It's the same as F1 going to Korea, India, Singapore. The crowd at Singapore is largely ex pats as it is for MotoGP in Qatar and F1 in Abu Dhabi.

Nothing wrong with that, but to hide it behind a veneer of spreading the word is wrong, for a series that struggles to engage anything more than a few thousand uber fans other than for once a year, they need to go where there is support. The series, especially now, is struggling as it is, so spreading wings is not the thing to do right now

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by AoB Special Stage

Doesn't the government plummet the costs of tickets to get butts in seats at Shanghai?

Qatar hired Spanish fans for a IHF Handball World Championship...

[MaskedRacer]

A lot of pointless questions I think. The survey was too large. They are going to get junk answers to a lot of them.

I think the big question was which class interests you the most. I responded with GTE pro.

[Brake dust]

Thought the survey was good. Anytime we can be heard - that's a good thing. Liked the questions on classes and tracks. Also there were questions with free text responses. I too would like Adelaide. My favourite is GTE Pro but something has to be done to move away from BOP - but not sure how. The cache is with the LMP1 hybrids - but the 2020 rules are contrived. They had it right for 2014.

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by Brake dust

Thought the survey was good. Anytime we can be heard - that's a good thing. Liked the questions on classes and tracks. Also there were questions with free text responses. I too would like Adelaide. My favourite is GTE Pro but something has to be done to move away from BOP - but not sure how. The cache is with the LMP1 hybrids - but the 2020 rules are contrived. They had it right for 2014.

100% in agreement.

[TRuss]

I'm thankful for the chance for my thoughts to be heard, but that was one of the most frustrating things that I've done in a long time. That survey seemed to really hate my iPad.

[TzeiTzei]

I liked the open feedback part at the end of the survey. I just hope that they actually read them, and don't concentrate solely on the graphs they get from other questions.

[Coach Ep]

Gave 'm my two cents, not sure they'll gonna like them though.... (I 'demanded' the return of Road Atlanta, Nurburgring and the addition of Monza for instance.)

The current P2 joker saga more-or-less confirms the ACO have some serious issues managing their 'product' on a bigger stage than LM, seems to me they're trying to 'over-manage' a lot of things instead of letting demand-and-supply taking its course.

[S griffin]

It’s a shame, as the series still has life left in it. We’ve got a couple constructors in LMP1 in 2018, so I don’t think meddling is really the answer. Keep as it is, with a few changes

[TF110]

The WEC's twitter account said they will announce the survey results in Bahrain next month!

[deggis]

Results: http://www.fiawec.com/assets/ressour...dia_Report.pdf

[NaBUru38]

Many charts are incorrectly ordered, it's hard to read them.

Specialist websites, not TV, are fans #1 source for content

Of course, why would any TV channel mention the FIA WEC except for a heavy crash? It's a niché sport, get over it.

[Akrapovic]

It's not a "get over it" situation - it's a recognition that the WEC needs to embrace the smaller outlets more, as they are critical in delivering the product.

Another similar recognition is that although TV is still more popular and streaming, TV is trending downwards whilst streaming is trending upwards. So They need to be sure that their streaming product is improving - right now it's just a bit ropey feeling.

A lot of this report is quite obvious to most of us, but sometimes it seems like the ACO needs reminded of the obvious stuff. Hopefully this will keep things in perspective again.

[Deleted]

Asia-Pacific likes LMP1 as much as Europe and NA, but the other categories not as much

They know the good stuff

[Number4]

Originally Posted by deggis

Results: http://www.fiawec.com/assets/ressour...dia_Report.pdf

The whole continent of Africa just does not exist as far as the FIA is concerned.

[Coach Ep]

Very curious not to see IMSA mentioned at all either.

[Coach Ep]

Originally Posted by deggis

Results: http://www.fiawec.com/assets/ressour...dia_Report.pdf

THE SPECTACLE OF WEC
Headlines
- WEC’s diversity is a key differentiator for fans; the range of categories, formats, manufacturers and events is a major attraction.
- LMP1 is most followed individual category but nearly 80% of fans actively follow GT classes
- Fans want an 8 – 10 race WEC season
- Races at Le Mans, Fuji, Sebring, Silverstone and Spa have global appeal

Originally Posted by Chiana

Gerard Neveu also confirmed that the FIA WEC is likely return to the Bahrain International Circuit in the 2019/20 season, Neveu and circuit owner Sheik Salmand revealing the desire for the WEC to hold races in the Middle East once again after the 2018/19 ‘Super Season’, in which Bahrain didn’t make the cut.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2017/1...er-season.html

We all know Bahrain should have been included in that illustrious list... What an idiots.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

We all know Bahrain should have been included in that illustrious list... What an idiots.

If Bahrain pay for it and it helps the WEC, I don't see it as a bad thing. Another track somewhere else would be great, but who's offering?

[Coach Ep]

When you look at it that way, I suppose it makes sense.

The simple fact that the WEC is a world championship doesn't make it great - it's a shame the ACO/FIA doesn't have the ambition to combine a bunch of great events/tracks in a championship.

Plenty of possible venues available in winter time that would fit the calendar requirements (mainly good weather). How about Kyalami, Daytona, Sepang, Australia, etc.?

[Deleted]

Kyalami probably would've made the cut if Porsche had not pulled out, but now there's no reason for them to want them there unfortunately

(yes I know the GTE team is still there, but that's pennies)

[S griffin]

That's a shame that Porsche pulled out, as I feel a race at Kyalami at some point would have been likely. C'est la vie

[deggis]

I don't remember any rumors about Kyalami. Did they even start holding any races there yet or was it just reopened for trackday use?

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

When you look at it that way, I suppose it makes sense.

The simple fact that the WEC is a world championship doesn't make it great - it's a shame the ACO/FIA doesn't have the ambition to combine a bunch of great events/tracks in a championship.

Plenty of possible venues available in winter time that would fit the calendar requirements (mainly good weather). How about Kyalami, Daytona, Sepang, Australia, etc.?

Who would show up to those races? Bahrain has low attendance, but they pay for the race. Sepang just dropped F1 because the price. Daytona is a can of worms. Kyalami is operational? Australia is a good idea, but where and on what day/package? They all need something, mostly support. Either support from manufacturers, local money, other race series etc. I'd like to see some in the Southern hemisphere like South America and Australia but are they possible? I guess we'll see in the future.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by deggis

I don't remember any rumors about Kyalami. Did they even start holding any races there yet or was it just reopened for trackday use?

I think the whole point of the revamp was to get more international series racing there again