BRDA Press Release

[RoyG]

Press release just received -

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September 19 2004

MSA BRITISH RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

Market leading position of MSA British Rallycross Championship defended

The British Rallycross Drivers Association (BRDA) _ the organisation that holds the rights to promote the MSA British Rallycross Championship _ believes that recent announcements about a potential new Rallycross championship are creating confusion among competitors, commercial partners and circuits and could have a significant negative impact on the sport.

The BRDA is currently in the second year of its three year contract to organise the MSA British Rallycross Championship and intends to take up the option to extend this agreement beyond the end of 2005. The BRDA is committed to maintaining the development of Rallycross in Great Britain, not only through the MSA BRC but also the Junior Rallycross Championship and the Clubmans Rallycross Championship which it runs on behalf of the British Trial and Rally Drivers Association (BTRDA).

"The BRDA developed the championship from nothing," says BRDA Chairman Mike Dresser. "We regained MSA status, introduced a stable TV package, promoted events that have growing spectator attendance and increased the number of circuits used by Rallycross. There are more developments to come and we will continue to work on them."

"It could be an indication of the progress we have made in rebuilding the reputation and image of Rallycross that an outside group is attempting to cherry pick the best of the sport," he concludes, "but these proposals are already having a destabilising effect on the people involved in the sport and that is in no-one's interest."

Current MSA British Rallycross Champion Dermot Carnegie backs the BRDA position: "The BRDA pulled Rallycross back from the brink and did a hell of a job to resurrect the sport. Reintroducing the MSA British Championship has helped raise the level of the sport and the championship is now very competitive."

"We have a duty to consider the best interests of the sport," confirms MSA Chief Executive, Colin Hilton. "The BRDA has created a very successful operation, including the introduction of a junior championship, but the current speculation is not assisting preparations for next year. The MSA has no intention of jeopardising the development of Rallycross in this country and, as with all disciplines, any potential new championship would have to demonstrate that its arrival would be in the best interests of the sport."

Notes
The British Rallycross Drivers Association (BRDA) was founded in 1975. Run by a unique mix of drivers and event organisers, it has become the leading force in running events and promoting Rallycross in Great Britain.
It introduced the Junior Rallycross Championship (for 14 to 16-year-olds) in 2003 and also administers the BTRDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship which is aimed at new competitors and those who do not wish to contest the high-profile MSA BRC.

The MSA British Rallycross Championship was founded in 1976 and was run annually until 1996 when the title was withdrawn. Stepping in to revive the sport that had been badly damaged by a failed commercial championship the BRDA breathed new life into British Rallycross. After the BRDA, made a successful case for its return, the MSA BRC was reinstated for the 2003 season.

The MSA British Rallycross Championship has television package negotiated by the BRDA. In the UK the championship is broadcast by Men & Motors, Sky Sports and Channel 5. Additionally the championship reaches a global audience of 340 million viewers via 31 broadcasters in 49 countries.


Reproduction free images are available on request


MSA British Rallycross Championship Media Contact
Tim Whittington
T 01325 484829
M 07973 215449
F 01325 266379
tim.whittington@virgin.net

www.RallycrossUK.com

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[Cryos]

it depends very much from what prespective that you look at that article, if you look at the organisers point of view it has put a bomb under their bottom, so they are going to have to counter it somehow.

from my prespective (me being a driver )

I dont think countering it with Media Updates is gona help to be perfectly honest, i see no problem with two championships running at once, sure there are mutiple rally championships in each of our contrys, it might bring more cars out of the wood work, the likes of the abandoned 106 Cup cars, 206 Cup Cars, the countless 306 Maxi's that are scattered around the place...

I fully support the RSS when i see what they are trying to achive it makes me think well at least someone is trying to better the sport, sure look at the website the majority of comments are from irish drivers!! and if we go into rallycross in the uk it might be the penetration most irish drivers need to go compete on different soil.

Im not sure what grid lineups are being done, i prefere the european ones myself its much more fun and un-predictable.

I for one hold my hand up and say when i get my entry form for the First event of the RSS ill be there no questions asked.

[Cryos]

Additionally the championship reaches a global audience of 340 million viewers via 31 broadcasters in 49 countries.

That is a pile of ****. I dont know a single person outside the uk or ireland thats seen british rallycross on tv, 340 million THEORETICAL viewers the acctual figure is only probably around 100,000 because i know i dont whach it, so that leaves another 3,999,999 irish people to whach it and im nearly sure my brother, sister, dad and mum dont whach it either!

So i have emailed back something and await a responce, those figures cannot be factual and i refuse to belive them. they must of looked up the population of every country in europe and came up with that . Its Preposterous, the DTM gets 200,000,000 viewers and that is a more reconisable sport than rallycross!!!!!

[chunder]

Not too sure what to make of this ot be honest.
Sounds like Peyter and his buddies have stirred up a lot of trouble without really managing to come up with anything concrete. You have to say their presentation and pacakge looks better and I guess if the truth be told the MSA championship is very tired now even though you have to congratulate them on keeping rallyrcoss alive.
My problem is as is always the case there are too many people with vested interests, they all know it and they will fight their hardest to keep those interests.
My only real problems with this scenario are that there are not enough drivers to suppoort the new series. There are very few supercars drivers running that spec in the UK and no other Euro spec cars from the otehr divisions. And I can not see that we have enough cars to cover two championships! Maybe the BRDA series will become like a clubmans series if the new one cherry picks the best drivers.
I just think the two sides should get their heads together and come up with a compromise, coz what we have now is plain stupid

[bigted]

That is precisely what is going to happen, chunder. And when the RSS goes wrong, with no cars whos going to be there to pick up the peices?

The BRDA again? or should we just let the sport die

[Cryos]

its highly unlikely that it will go wrong.

It has been done very professioanly so far, i belive that will transfere threw.

[emailed tim.w and theres still no reply]