We're working on our staffing plan as we speak. I hope to have that information soon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Snyder
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We're working on our staffing plan as we speak. I hope to have that information soon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Snyder
Perhaps with a slightly higher fee and working with a promoter COTA could be added. It's sad that we have the premier track in the nation but yet have been unable added to the schedule. Dave Wonder likely could broker a deal for CMRA with COTA. It would be a good PR outreach move from both RideSmart and COTA toward CMRA members who're regular clients of both RideSmart and COTA.
George - There have been several threads on this, and while it sounds great, is not financially feasible at this time. CotA would have to give the CMRA one hell of a discount to make it work.Quote:
Originally Posted by GEORGE SCHAGAR
Don't hurt him too bad Steve, He only has 1 post:jawdrop: :deadhorse:Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven Smith
That's why it be an outreach move from COTA same as when NRG or ATT Stadiums have hight school football games. I'm sure they do so at a lost. COTA wouldn't lose money they just wouldn't profit as much. But I do understand that's been a long discussion.
Some things to consider:Quote:
Originally Posted by GEORGE SCHAGAR
- To what extent would increasing fees at 1 round to cover its expensive "nut" discourage attendance at other rounds throughout the year?
- Is it fair to those Sprinters and Teams chasing Championships to require payment of those higher fees at one round to keep their chances alive for the year?
- What big ticket sponsors are out there to chase that could achieve an ROI by subsidizing a CMRA round at COTA?
- Who would oversee tackling the unique challenges and obstacles involved with producing such an event? It could easily be a full-time job.
- How have other "one-off" events operated and how did they fare at COTA, like MotoAmerica and X-Games?
I can picture a one-off National Invitational with a big name sponsor to attract racers, reaching out to C3 Presents to run concerts each night for local spectator draw, and then hoping enough people show up for concessions and merchandise sales to support the bottom line, all of this could possibly break even assuming everything worked perfectly (rain!). But it's so far outside what the CMRA does and does well, and it would require neglecting significant aspects of the full CMRA season, that I don't think the risk/reward warrants dropping a proven business model honed over decades for the limelight.
Just my take on it.
You're right about not increasing the fee for CMRA members for a COTA venue, but there're alternatives. Pair up with a concert weekeend (often at COTA) which will translate to bigger revenue for COTA, there's always ways alternatives. My dad use to own a hotel and he had a saying an empty hotel room brings in 'NO' revenue. The room you thought cost 80 dollars back then at the right time we let you have it for 30 bucks or less. An empty COTA weekend not revenue.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Phillips
George why do you not come up in any searches under that name? No FB, No Google, No Google+, No Physician finder hum perplexing indeed....are you Dave Wonders in disguise? or are you Juris Zagars in real life
I'm curious and inquisitive by nature :biggrin:
An empty hotel room brings in no revenue, true. So why can't I book hotel rooms for $1? Oh, because there are fixed costs. Security, corner workers (COTA supplies its own corner workers), fire crews, track wear and tear, and insurance for both the facility itself and the people in it. You mention that many large stadiums host things like high school football games, possibly at a loss. Well, most big-time stadiums are built with state funds, and part of that contract is that a certain number of public events (e.g. high school games) be hosted. If you like, you can lobby the state legislature to lump CMRA races in the state's "major events" fund that helps cover the cost of the MotoGP/F1 races. Other stadiums host smaller events because giving a 16-year-old kid the chance to play for a state championship under the lights is quite a bit different from giving a 40-year-old car salesman a chance to get 7th in a race that 12 people entered.
Also, COTA is not empty as often as you seem to think. There are actually private events out there most weekends. BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Ducati, and many other brands host demo days out there. And they probably pay a lot more than we can offer.
COTA would have to cost us $150+ per sprint, with the same level of participation as the opening round (if not more) all while drawing paid public viewing, concessions and much more to have a prayer at breaking even. While I would be the first to jump on the COTA band wagon as a racer (24 mins door to door from my house), I would not be willing to do so at the individual sprint entry fees I suspect would be required to make the numbers work. All of this, coupled with the face that the top riders would be almost forced to participate regardless of the cost to maintain their standings is not an overall intelligent decision for the club to make. Perhaps a shootout round, but then we go right back to individual rider cost..the never ending circle of death.