As one who has been a member of the BRCA for over 25 years, and a racer for longer, I would love to know what we are doing right!
Every year someone comes up with a list of the usual suspects for making the hobby bigger - get it on TV, go to shopping centres, get into the game market, atend big shows, etc., etc. We've been doing that for over 20 years! Rory Cull and Craig Drescher have been on Blue Peter, Lewis Hamilton likewise, we've been on the Gadget Show, the NEC shows including Autosport, at model shows like the Model Engineer and NEC, at shopping centres like Milton Keynes and Union Square, countless large shows including Stoneleigh and Essex, at model extravaganzas like Old Walden... and the list goes on. Yet...
None of these have been shown to have any relation to numbers at our organised events or Clubs, or membership! As Jim says, we are on the up when others are not, and we haven't done any more of these things in the last few years, some might argue we have done less.
One thing does follow the increase in membership and participation - local clubs being promoted and getting drivers through the door. I am really interested in Lee's comment about the demographics. If that's so then there is a route we haven't tried. Nonetheless, that route still relies on a good local club run well by enthusiastic people who are there to welcome the returning drivers and their offspring.
I am sure I will see a score more of these posts about what we do to get more people racing in RC, and I am sure I will put this post up again and again. The answer to them all is go back to your club, work harder to be part of it, get the local press and TV to come and see you and have fliers in the local model shop. Support and encourage every driver that turns up by giving your time and expertise to them, and come on these forums and tell us about it in your Club thread.
Only one thing has ever been certain about getting more people into RC, hard-working and well-run clubs who welcome and encourage new drivers gets us more people racing. The rest of it? Been there, done that, not seen it make much of a difference compared to the supportive club.
I;m not saying don't do it, I am saying, as is Jim, you do it. If you can get cars into TV, radio, shows, events, whatever, call Jim and tell him and get the BRCA to support it. But the emphasis is on you, not Jim or the BRCA. Go for it!!
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