I understand where you're coming from Chazz. I've seen that too often... At the begining non profit organisations do a great job, run by passionate people often racers themselves... Then beaurocracy sets in...
I don,t know how it is around your parts, but around here, to get local media interested in covering "marginal" events like these, you basically have to do everything for them or they won't do it! i had to write articles about my local mountain bike club, which I,d give to the local paper and they'd print it as their own... or they wouldn't do it... That saps a lot of energy out of people and organisations... Just to get some coverage.
Nevertheless, non-profit organisations cannot make decisions about calendars/ rules and whatever solely based on market related considerations. They need to look beyond that. And having major events like these, in underdeveloped markets does a lot for stimulating local interest (believe me, it does) and expanding the sport. It doesn't bring in big bucks and isn't the best for manufacturers, but thats not what they are about...
I've seen non-profit organisations take the "lucrative route" making decisions based on what will bring in more cash, rather than what is best for their cause... The oranisation basically turns to making decisions that are in their best interest, rather than the causes... Greenpeace comes to mind... It's sad, but it does happen... regularly...
Anyways, I'm kind of glad the IFMARs are small this year. And I hope the fans will "boo" the big manufacturers for boycotting them on such bogus excuses...
Just my 0.02$ (or that would be 1 pence I believe????
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YoungChazz
I want to make certain everybody understands I mean no disrespect whatever for the people of S.A. or Finland, or for their countries. Both are truly among the world's most wonderful and beautiful places -- I could happily live there -- and their peoples are warm, friendly, intelligent. We have a wonderful Dealer in each country, and I would be an idiot to put them or their customers down in any way. My unhappiness is directed solely at the organizing bodies.
Can I think that the worlds should not be held in those places and still think they are great people and wonderful places? Certainly. The fact that those countries have small populations and, in my opinion therefore should not have two WC events so close together while major countries like U.K. have none does not change my respect for those places and people or my desire to sell our products there.
I realize IFMAR is non-profit, Codman, but you said it yourself: "their job is ... to promote the sport." My point exactly.
I have much experience of ROAR, and a bit of IFMAR, and the two seem remarkably similar. I have never been to a ROAR or IFMAR event where they even had a press kit for the local media, and that includes National Championship events where ROAR's Promotions Director was present. I have been to a number of non-ROAR events where the local newspaper and/or TV station was invited to send a reporter, and the result has been two long newspaper articles with pix and two segments on TV, one in the main newscast and one in the weather. Both were repeated twice that night.
A friend of mine is a former morning drive radio personality from the LA market, one of America's biggest. We have discussed the type of promotions that could be run to help R/C grow through free media exposure. An overall organizing group, similar to ROAR or NASCAR has to come up with the promotions and do the leg work. I have suggested this to ROAR on several occasions, and have been completely rebuffed every time. I have even volunteered to do the work for free. No.
If R/C is to grow, especially R/C racing, the sanctioning body, profit-making or not, must do the work. IFMAR and ROAR have completely dropped the ball. In reality, they don't even know the ball exists...
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