attendance, and the slow agonizing death of RC
07-19-2011, 12:01 PM
#1
attendance, and the slow agonizing death of RC
every single track thread Ive been through has people asking "when are we racing?" The problem I keep seeing is this leads to low attendance and people who dont show up even when they want to go to the track. It's Wednesday (for example) and Racer#1 says he's not coming out until Friday. #2 wants to go now but he wants to go run with other people, so he waits until Friday. #3 reads this on the thread and thinks that since #1 and #2 aren't going, he's gonna wait too. It goes on and on, and eventually the tracks that have anywhere from 80-120 for club races and upwards of 300 entries for larger events, now have 8 people showing up. The tracks, for the most part, aren't the ones deciding which day is race day. Attendance does. When the people show up in masses we race, but who's to say it only has to be one or maybe two days a week? Attendance is what drives the hobby, it's what keeps the lights turned on, and it's what drives new people to keep coming back. So why wait to come out? It seems to be some weird high school type of attitude that snowballs until your local track becomes a ghost town. I think I have 6-9 tracks within 2 hours of me, plus all the others nationwide, but most seem to go through the same thing. How can we change this? Just show up. Lets face it, we ALL need the practice, and if enough people come out for practice, just say "hey we wanna race". Whats a track owner gonna say..... NO? We drive the hobby, and for the most part, they do what WE want. Comments, questions
07-19-2011, 12:05 PM
#2
The slow agonizing death of rc? I was around when rc died which was in the early 90's. It's back but it's nowhere near the same. There is far less ingenuity or individuality today. Everyone has the same thing and copies the same people. The 80's were the best times in rc.
07-19-2011, 12:15 PM
#3
really i havnt notice any diffrence from last year here in the northeast at least.
if anything why tracks have lower turnouts is because of how the race program is run and the attitude of the racers etc.
its not just the ecomony i heard that excuse to many times.
also to if there is lets say four tracks around in the same state at least one is going to have lower turnouts or close.
well one thing that could help all tracks have better turnouts, is to have a agreement with each other that one will not race if there is a big race etc.
but a lot of times that backfires and does not work out usually duded to weather etc.
if anything why tracks have lower turnouts is because of how the race program is run and the attitude of the racers etc.
its not just the ecomony i heard that excuse to many times.
also to if there is lets say four tracks around in the same state at least one is going to have lower turnouts or close.
well one thing that could help all tracks have better turnouts, is to have a agreement with each other that one will not race if there is a big race etc.
but a lot of times that backfires and does not work out usually duded to weather etc.
07-19-2011, 12:15 PM
#4
every single track thread Ive been through has people asking "when are we racing?" The problem I keep seeing is this leads to low attendance and people who dont show up even when they want to go to the track. It's Wednesday (for example) and Racer#1 says he's not coming out until Friday. #2 wants to go now but he wants to go run with other people, so he waits until Friday. #3 reads this on the thread and thinks that since #1 and #2 aren't going, he's gonna wait too. It goes on and on, and eventually the tracks that have anywhere from 80-120 for club races and upwards of 300 entries for larger events, now have 8 people showing up. The tracks, for the most part, aren't the ones deciding which day is race day. Attendance does. When the people show up in masses we race, but who's to say it only has to be one or maybe two days a week? Attendance is what drives the hobby, it's what keeps the lights turned on, and it's what drives new people to keep coming back. So why wait to come out? It seems to be some weird high school type of attitude that snowballs until your local track becomes a ghost town. I think I have 6-9 tracks within 2 hours of me, plus all the others nationwide, but most seem to go through the same thing. How can we change this? Just show up. Lets face it, we ALL need the practice, and if enough people come out for practice, just say "hey we wanna race". Whats a track owner gonna say..... NO? We drive the hobby, and for the most part, they do what WE want. Comments, questions
Everyone wants the big turnout and the big raceday feel. If they dont think thats gonna happen, they stay home, if they get there and there arent many people, they either get upset - claim RC is dead, and/or maybe go home.
If everyone that wanted a large turnout but didnt know if it was gonna happen or not went - it would be some great racing always.
07-19-2011, 12:25 PM
#5
RC popularity is a delicate balance. If RC gets more popular in an area, more guys develop the enthusiasm to open tracks. Once a couple of new tracks open the crowd thins. With luck, one track will become the more popular and the others will close, strenthening the winner.
07-19-2011, 12:34 PM
#9
I must have missed this. But then again i liven socal....
07-19-2011, 12:35 PM
#10
Tech Initiate
What you should have said was the "slow agonizing death of RC racing." For every RC "racer" there are probably 10 bashers who never see a track. I for one am the latter, why, too much BS at the track. Oh, I've gone to the track with friends who race, I just don't like the hassle. So many "racers" think you need to invest thousands of dollars to be competitive. Then there is the prep time, the waiting between qualifiers and so forth. No thanks. I 'd rather bash on my schedule and have FUN. The truth now, how many of you "racers" have experienced "burn out" at one time or another?
07-19-2011, 12:36 PM
#11
I'd go to every race I possibly could but my work schedule doesn't allow me to attend the races which are usually sundays (only practice days). I have to work to b/c the bills gotta be paid. There's only 2 tracks near me which are about an hour away so It's a full day to get out there.
@ TC5MAN-Dude I'm from fallsington-lol. I live in the pocono's now though.
@ TC5MAN-Dude I'm from fallsington-lol. I live in the pocono's now though.
07-19-2011, 01:09 PM
#12
What you should have said was the "slow agonizing death of RC racing." For every RC "racer" there are probably 10 bashers who never see a track. I for one am the latter, why, too much BS at the track. Oh, I've gone to the track with friends who race, I just don't like the hassle. So many "racers" think you need to invest thousands of dollars to be competitive. Then there is the prep time, the waiting between qualifiers and so forth. No thanks. I 'd rather bash on my schedule and have FUN. The truth now, how many of you "racers" have experienced "burn out" at one time or another?
i still dont understand why some people think you have to spend thousands of dollars to be competive espially just club racing
after a while you will want to race again rather than bash trust me.
its the driver geez.
rcnutjob: thats cool man yea im from levittown pa ponoco is about 1 hour + from me.
07-19-2011, 01:28 PM
#13
However, the $40 1200mah NiCds were true...and $100 1400 NiCds that were "matched" (oooooooo...aaahhhhhhhhhhhh...and they weren't "pushed", just "matched") weren't too fun either.
As for inginuity...agree here too. I remember we use to have R/C monster truck races...like the big boys. A bunch of car bodies (that you couldn't GIVE away as raffle prizes usually or racers would donate their old junk bodies) lined up with sand bags or something underneath and you'd race heads up with turn, and race back in the other lane. They also did R/C tractor pulls with a working slead. Figure eight races and demo derbys (Last car standing wins...no turn marshals..
) Miss those kinds of races.I'd bet that if you're track has a "slow" night, doing an event like these would help...a lot.
07-19-2011, 01:55 PM
#15
Tech Initiate
I win everytime I go to the track.....no one can beat me.....because im the only one there. and I suck, i just pretend im in some big race. I put some cattle decapitation in my ipod, drink a few monsters and party. If this keeps up i'll probably end up getting sponsored.