RC racing is not a sport!
 

I am meeting my local council in an effort to re-open an old rc track in my town.

Unfortunately, while the council have been so far very supportive, they hinted that because "rc racing is not a recognised sport" they can do little under their "sport & leisure activities" programme to help me.

Has anyone else come across this before, and if so, can you offer any advice about obtaining permissions from councils to open a track & club.

I am meeting with their sub-committee next Wed (29th June) to discuss my proposal.

Thanks guys :)

As Hemingway said,
"There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games."

RC Racing isn't motorsport in the truest sense as your not going to die doing it unless you eat too much food from the trackside burger van.

The BRCA is recognised by the RACSMSA (RAC Motor Sports Association) as a legitimate branch of motorsport - and hence your council are wrong.

If you go to the RACMSA home page and search for clubs using the "Club Finder", under B you'll find the British Radio Car Association listed.

http://www.msauk.org/custom/asp/home/default.asp

@Hog - thats great to know mate, really appreciate that. The more ammunition like that I have, the better chance I think.

@Legacy555 - really helpful as always :p hehehehe. (although Im taking your warning as good advice. Those burger vans are mighty tempting!!)

May be worth signing up to the RACMSA website and contacting them to verify that the BRCA is recognised by them. That would be good to wave in front of the councillors at your meeting (especialy as the RACMSA is affiliated to the FIA!)

@Cardnim - you're very welcome. Keep us posted how you get on.

Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition. MotoSport refers to compitition with a vehical with either 2 or four wheels and includes off-road and on-road racing.....

You could point out that R/C racing is how Lewis Hamilton started out, might not mean too much, but it can't hurt.

I know of at least one club that has had good support from their local council's sports program ....

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions guys.
Im especially interested to hear the likes of RogerM's story about people who have actually got support and/or funding from local councils.

@RogerM - can you give me the details of the club and council? I could then provide this as examples of where the relationship between club and council has worked elsewhere in the UK.

contact Jim Spencer from the BRCA for help

details in the handbook or via o0ple

http://www.oople.com/forums/member.php?u=2144

council issues
 

I work as a community artist and teach in schools and youth centres that are government supported/funded. They all have a strong vision towards expanding the opportunities for young people full stop, not just in my specialism the arts

When you meet the council sub commity, explain to them that rc racing allows young dis engaged people an opportunity to learn new skills, take part in safe and legal competitive activities, and can be seen as a legitimate diversion activity to possible anti social behaviour... They won't know what's hit em :)

They must be educated in the need for facilities for all genorations to use but the link to young people will stand you in very good ground.

And we are not lieing either, how many clubs actively encourage young members to join and race...all of them I bet

Stick it to them mate and open their eyes to how rc gives millions a focus in life

Good luck :)

Something else to mention is that RC racing has a formal and internationally recognised structure.

Local Club Racing.

National Racing, (BRCA)
{Producing National Champions}

European Racing (EFRA)
{Producing European Champions}

World Racing (IFMAR)
{Producing World Champions}

With each linked into each other. So more than just a group playing with toy cars.

I know when you talk to some people about RC cars they just think of toys, But when you then talk about European and World Championships they start to realise that it is a serious sport.

MiCk B. :-)

Our venue here at Watford (Parmiters Sports Centre) is lottery funded with a grant they were awarded a few years back. As a result of this the centre had to show back to the Lottery Foundation just how much "more" they could now do with there facility with the money input they had recieved to build the centre. When we mentioned RC Cars they snapped our hand off since the more "sports" they can now list that they "accomodate" the better for them to justify the grant in the first place, and R/C Car Racing was not on their previous list........ (Although they still charge us a samll fortune each week we race there for hall hire...LOL)

exactly!

it might not be as physically demanding as full-size motorsport disciplines, but it still requires mental discipline and judgement to compete. a bit like snooker.

the fact it isn't as physically demanding opens it up to more people for obvious reasons.

definately a sport IMO! as other posters have said, focus on the benefits of the activity, particularly for kids, when making any pitch to council officials.

Futher info on this..... the BRCA is a member club of the ANWCC (Association of North Western Car Clubs), which is how they fall under the MSA (Motorsports Association) see member clubs here --> http://www.anwcc.org/. Every club or organisation that organises motorsport events (on any scale) in the UK must be affiliated to the MSA via at least one of the regional assosciations that are part of the MSA. ...... Being part of the ANWCC/MSA/FIA means that you cannot be doubted over the legitimacy of this being a true sport.


As a side note, there is the added bonus of you being able to take part in full scale motorsport such as rallying, using your BRCA card (along with an MSA lisence) so long as the event organising club is part of the ANWCC :lol:

rc club
 

one way to make the council see that your trying to do a bit for your community is go and have a meeting with a community's first adviser/officer. thats how i got my local club going.:)

Tell the council half your members bat for the other side and they will throw money at you.

Sorry guys but I don't think showing it is a sport is going to help. See the words I've highlighted from the original post - sport & leisure activities, well that suggests that really the council just aren't interested. Because if its not a sport it is a leisure activity instead - their remit covers both.
Councils are quite happy to help dance clubs, craft groups and other non-sports under the same programme. Most likely they just figure RC isn't big enough for them to warrant paying for.......

Si Coe is right either way councils have no money along with government. whether they reli see RC racing as a sport or not they probably dont think its big enough to justify the funds.

I think you've misinterpreted Cardnim's post Si. I think what he meant is he's approached the council saying RC racing is a sport, not a leisure activity, and as they don't see it as a recognised sport they cannot help right now.

There are funds available - you just have to go the right way about getting your hands on it.