It's Everybody's Fault
12-21-2006, 08:01 PM
#46
Originally Posted by McSmooth
Time to wrap-up all these high profile issues into one, nice, ugly, thread.
4/5/6cells? Paid drivers in stock? Battery approvals? ROAR? Nowhere to race? Lack of interest?
Guess what....you're all to blame. The racers, promoters, manufacturers, sanctioning bodies...everyone. You're all in this together, and simply drive the track owners, hobby shops, and casual racers out of the hobby.
Racers: Want everything for free, and don't want to work for any of it. They also want their own specialized class where they can dominate. They want to show up at a track, pay as little as possible for entry and do as little as possible to help the race program. You guys can't even get to your turn marshalling positions on time. How long have you been doing this? Yes, this even includes MYSELF.
Promoters: Contibutes to the downfall of organized sanctioning bodies by using their rules, but changing whatever fits their need. Rather than making an attemp to unify all racing, they are looking for the big, personal payday. Try to pass it off as "just giving the racers what they want."
Manufacturers: Paying drivers in the lower classes for performance. This includes bonuses, free entry, free equipment, and free travel. You are also to blame for continually putting up with the childish behavior of some of your drivers. One company kicks them out, and you're all fallling over each other to sign him up.
Sanctioning Bodies: You're in this too. Another attempt at being pro-active and now listening to the membership? Heard that one before. Same garbage that was going on 10 years ago. Time to start providing results or you'll simply lose more and more people to the aforementioned promoters.
Yes, I know this is going to irritate a whole lot of people. I really don't care. I've mentioned in another thread that there's just too many talkers and not enough do-ers. Anyone that this offends...too bad.
The do-ers are the track owners, hobby shops, and volunteers that have to put up with all of OUR crap...eventually reaching that breaking point (or running out of money) and leaving. These people give of themselves and put forth the effort, you have my utmost respect.
As for the rest of you, congratulations. You reap what you sow.
4/5/6cells? Paid drivers in stock? Battery approvals? ROAR? Nowhere to race? Lack of interest?
Guess what....you're all to blame. The racers, promoters, manufacturers, sanctioning bodies...everyone. You're all in this together, and simply drive the track owners, hobby shops, and casual racers out of the hobby.
Racers: Want everything for free, and don't want to work for any of it. They also want their own specialized class where they can dominate. They want to show up at a track, pay as little as possible for entry and do as little as possible to help the race program. You guys can't even get to your turn marshalling positions on time. How long have you been doing this? Yes, this even includes MYSELF.
Promoters: Contibutes to the downfall of organized sanctioning bodies by using their rules, but changing whatever fits their need. Rather than making an attemp to unify all racing, they are looking for the big, personal payday. Try to pass it off as "just giving the racers what they want."
Manufacturers: Paying drivers in the lower classes for performance. This includes bonuses, free entry, free equipment, and free travel. You are also to blame for continually putting up with the childish behavior of some of your drivers. One company kicks them out, and you're all fallling over each other to sign him up.
Sanctioning Bodies: You're in this too. Another attempt at being pro-active and now listening to the membership? Heard that one before. Same garbage that was going on 10 years ago. Time to start providing results or you'll simply lose more and more people to the aforementioned promoters.
Yes, I know this is going to irritate a whole lot of people. I really don't care. I've mentioned in another thread that there's just too many talkers and not enough do-ers. Anyone that this offends...too bad.
The do-ers are the track owners, hobby shops, and volunteers that have to put up with all of OUR crap...eventually reaching that breaking point (or running out of money) and leaving. These people give of themselves and put forth the effort, you have my utmost respect.
As for the rest of you, congratulations. You reap what you sow.
Everyone always says oval racers were the biggest winers, (i am an oval racer) but i can barely stand coming to this site anymore.. Its total 100% drama.. I use to tell my wife watching soap's will make you stupid.. Its kind how i feel after i leave this site after wasting an hour out of my day reading the crap..
12-21-2006, 08:09 PM
#47
Actually Mike is one of the the guys that try to get things done, and move the hobby forward. He has submitted numerous rules proposals, and is consistantly trying help out.
Not to mention, he and his father have been inthis hobby forever, and have given much more then they take....
Not to mention, he and his father have been inthis hobby forever, and have given much more then they take....
Originally Posted by Speedyjay
Why spend so much damn time bitching? Go help solve the problem, Im sure there is a local club that would love some extra hands to set up. Im sure there is a spare car in the basement you can set up and give to a friend and bring him/her to the track for a taste of our hobby.
Im sure more then 600 of you care more about roar so why not vote??
and if ROAR is that crappy, why not found a competing body and let good ole capitalisim win its way out
Im sure more then 600 of you care more about roar so why not vote??
and if ROAR is that crappy, why not found a competing body and let good ole capitalisim win its way out
12-21-2006, 08:29 PM
#48
I really don't think you got the spirit of Mcsmooths post Juan. Its about personal accountabilty. Your ideas are valid and need to be addressed.I just agreed that there is so much more that needs to be addressed here then just Hobbystores and Roar doing something. We need to start with ourselves personally. This hobby/sport has become so politically motivated sometimes we lose sight of why we do it. So please don't feel I am discounting what your saying Juan. I agree with you too. I am equally frustrated and encouraged at the same time because all of the sudden recently there is alot of talk of a need for something to change.Change for the better.
12-21-2006, 08:57 PM
#49
Originally Posted by jiml
McSmooth, next time you're on Long Island, look me up. I'm buying first round!
Amazing realization, we all make our own problems....go figure
12-21-2006, 09:07 PM
#50
I would just like to say to all the manufacturers looking at this thread. I race stock and I am looking for a full ride to race all the big races this year! Please call me if you are interested!
Oh, I hear the phone ringing.....gotto go for now!
Oh, I hear the phone ringing.....gotto go for now!
12-21-2006, 09:45 PM
#51
Juan - While you make some valid points, the real money maker for tracks is not race fees. My advertizing budget would be far better spent on the hobby shop. The race track is like a lost leader. In most instances it can't make enough money, in race fees to pay for the square footage it takes up.
I've run my own business for more years than I care to repeat. And I've been involved in a number of different businesses. None have the same obstacles as running an RC track does.
You used McDonalds as an example, lets look at why it is a bad comparison. Lets say a local McDonalds Franchise sets up a day for professional eaters to eat in their restaurant. They provide the space and invite local and National hamburger eaters to compete. Funny these guys show up with their own burgers to compete with. The local Burger King offered the pro eaters their product at 1/2 price. Then to top it off the main McDonalds Hq sponsored a bunch of the competitors. So they all may pay an entry fee, but only a few of the local newbee's purchase their product at the counter. Then even these guys learning from the pros, figure out how to save a few cents, and start bringing their own homemade burgers to compete. Just how long do you think a McDonalds Franchise would last under these circumstances. Of course the above senario would never happen, for a number of reasons. The main supplier to the McDonalds franchises would never compete, with their own dealers it would be suicide. And the franchises would never let people in their restaurant with a competitors product.
There is no comparable business to running an RC track. We do it because we love the Hobby. I'm not saying marketing is not an important aspect of any business. But to be in a blanket fashion, blaming track owners for not promoting the hobby well enough is off the mark by a long shot.
I've run my own business for more years than I care to repeat. And I've been involved in a number of different businesses. None have the same obstacles as running an RC track does.
You used McDonalds as an example, lets look at why it is a bad comparison. Lets say a local McDonalds Franchise sets up a day for professional eaters to eat in their restaurant. They provide the space and invite local and National hamburger eaters to compete. Funny these guys show up with their own burgers to compete with. The local Burger King offered the pro eaters their product at 1/2 price. Then to top it off the main McDonalds Hq sponsored a bunch of the competitors. So they all may pay an entry fee, but only a few of the local newbee's purchase their product at the counter. Then even these guys learning from the pros, figure out how to save a few cents, and start bringing their own homemade burgers to compete. Just how long do you think a McDonalds Franchise would last under these circumstances. Of course the above senario would never happen, for a number of reasons. The main supplier to the McDonalds franchises would never compete, with their own dealers it would be suicide. And the franchises would never let people in their restaurant with a competitors product.
There is no comparable business to running an RC track. We do it because we love the Hobby. I'm not saying marketing is not an important aspect of any business. But to be in a blanket fashion, blaming track owners for not promoting the hobby well enough is off the mark by a long shot.
12-21-2006, 10:06 PM
#53
Originally Posted by Josh Cyrul
Just a little info on the advertising thing:
I checked into reasonable forms of local advertising and one that I thought would be great would be a billboard next to the freeway that's only 1 1/2 miles from out track - It cost between $1,500.00 (crap location) to $3,500.00 PER MONTH FOR A 6 MONTH DEAL!!! Tough to advertise in any mainstream form when the $$ amounts are way out of reach for most hobby shops.
I checked into reasonable forms of local advertising and one that I thought would be great would be a billboard next to the freeway that's only 1 1/2 miles from out track - It cost between $1,500.00 (crap location) to $3,500.00 PER MONTH FOR A 6 MONTH DEAL!!! Tough to advertise in any mainstream form when the $$ amounts are way out of reach for most hobby shops.
12-21-2006, 10:08 PM
#54
Originally Posted by RC Pro 1
There are some good deals on advertising in the local markets but it's still a nice chunk of money for a hobby shop. I paid over $5,000 for TV and radio ads that ran 2 weeks for our Nitro Offroad Finals this year.
12-21-2006, 11:17 PM
#55
Originally Posted by RC Pro 1
There are some good deals on advertising in the local markets but it's still a nice chunk of money for a hobby shop. I paid over $5,000 for TV and radio ads that ran 2 weeks for our Nitro Offroad Finals this year.
12-21-2006, 11:31 PM
#56
Originally Posted by TSR6
What is truly sad is that I live just outside the city in which the final took place. I never heard the radio or TV ads. I found out about the race through the newspaperbefore I found it anywhere else ( including R/C Tech ).
I think that explains about how that worked! LOL We did get some people that came because they saw the tv ad or heard the radio ad but it needed to run for more weeks prior to the event but that wasn't in the budget. The tv was about 25 ads and about $1500 plus Joey Christinsen and I went on the morning show and did an interview the monday of the event. The radio was about 120 ads for $3600 Skinny and I also went on the tuesday afternoon drive time show for about an hour.
From all this we did get a 30 second tv ad put together and a 1 minute radio ad. We just have to change the voice over to fit what we're doing. I can go into the local studio here and do that in about an hour for about $50. I'm actually working on a plan to offer these commercials with a generic voice over for rc in general to our RC Pro affiliate tracks as part of what they get for being an affiliate track.
12-21-2006, 11:35 PM
#57
BTW until recently I haven't posted much of anything on RCTech because most of the time when I posted something about RC Pro here I had very little interest shown in it. I just figured it's because this is predominantly a ROAR forum.
12-22-2006, 12:23 AM
#58
Originally Posted by RC Pro 1
BTW until recently I haven't posted much of anything on RCTech because most of the time when I posted something about RC Pro here I had very little interest shown in it. I just figured it's because this is predominantly a ROAR forum.
Plus, it seems all I ever hear are positive things about the pro-series. Can't beat that.
12-22-2006, 12:37 AM
#59
Tech Apprentice
RC Pro,
Any chance of you venturing into electric onroad? I didn't see it located on your site.
Thanks,
Kevin
Any chance of you venturing into electric onroad? I didn't see it located on your site.
Thanks,
Kevin
