Oh dear! This thread seems to have in it every reason why RC remains a minority hobby pursued by people who, when they express a view, tend to the impression that there are two ways to make RC a success - their way and the wrong way!!
As has been pointed out, this venture is being run as a business, not as an amateur club getting like-minded people together for the enjoyment of a common hobby. As of this year, there are more people in the population who are over 50 than under 50. The bike fraternity has driven its sales by people over 40 for the last ten years, not people under 20. Look in any golf course, tennis court, cricket field, footie pitch and you will find that the majority of people who spend their time and money on these hobbies are over 35. Why is it assumed that the target market is kids? Why is it assumed that the newbies are under 20? It seems to me that this new venture recognises that those with the money are not under 20, they are over 40, with 20 good years of potential spend on a hobby left in them! Why don't we recognise that and do something to attract them?
Bob's point is interesting, but look at it another way. MKRCTC is currently a club, run by and for its members. It now proposes to move its venue to the new Moto Arena (and Sundays with a GT10 are looking very attractive to me Dave!). Clubs move venues - always have, always will. If Moto Arena fails, it doesn't take the Club with it, because the Club is its members, not its venue. Dave and crew can always find another venue, but Moto Arena can't find another business. Seems to me that these venues are absolutely tailor made for Clubs, since they will exist long after the business itself has gone away. If there were enough people in the area who wanted to race Off-Road, I'd be down there forming a Club ASAP, because using the Moto Arena facilities would allow me to create a club that could move elsewhere, and outlast the facility itself should it fail. We need more of these, not less IMHO.
As someone said on the previous page, reactions on this thread are likely to be the wrong ones. Ardent is doing very well. Moto Arena is likely to do likewise. Instead of having views on what they will or don't do to our little patch, can we find ways of making them get more members for the BRCA? As an Affiliated Club, MKRCTC will require that new drivers become BRCA members. If an Off-Road Club started up, they too would bring in new members. Isn't getting more members what we are here to do?
I'm looking forward to more details from Dave on MKRCTC's programme for 2010/11, because methinks that a visit or several is in order!! And, while we're on the subject of what we can do to get new drivers into RC (of whatever age!) I for one will be volunteering to help Moto Arena get their new drivers up to speed and enjoying their RC. Any support we can give a new driver makes it more likely they will come to see, and stay. To paraphrase John F Kennedy "ask not what Moto Arena can do for you, ask what you can do for Moto Arena." That way lies the likelihood that we will get more RC drivers. I think that is also what Dave sees in taking MKRCTC there.
Good luck Moto Arena, hope it all works out - for both of us.
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