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Boat Racing Now this is how we need to do it
- Thread starter boatme
- Start date
Wrinkleface
Founding Member
Sit'n in Nebraska at 15-20 below windchill right now, that looks like a blast!!! About X ya posted sump'n worthwhile Marc!!!!!!:biggrinjester:
Matt Trulio
Contributor
Two things worth noting about Powerboat P1:
1. One exceedingly wealthy person owns and controls the circuit.
2. The circuit has only two classes.
1. One exceedingly wealthy person owns and controls the circuit.
2. The circuit has only two classes.
Wrinkleface
Founding Member
Two things worth noting about Powerboat P1:
1. One exceedingly wealthy person owns and controls the circuit.
who dat??????????
Matt Trulio
Contributor
Asif Rangoonwalla owns Powerboat P1.
I believe he also owns the largest group of bakeries in England.
Clarification: When I say he controls the Powerboat P1 circuit, I mean he has people running it who answer directly to him. He is a businessman, not a boat racer (though he does seem to love the sport).
I believe he also owns the largest group of bakeries in England.
Clarification: When I say he controls the Powerboat P1 circuit, I mean he has people running it who answer directly to him. He is a businessman, not a boat racer (though he does seem to love the sport).
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jayboat
Banned
I think he sold the bakeries.
That's what I heard, anyway; as I was being told this great news the other night. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
It's also my understanding that when speaking of the gentleman's wealth, the 'B' word is appropo.
Sounds like just the kind of guy to pull this off.
here's more
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Matt Trulio
Contributor
Jayboat,
Yeah, reportedly the "B" word does apply in this case. Here's the the thing:
Powerboat P1 appears to have figured out the competition and presentation models. If you like powerboat racing (and we all do) it's compelling, proving that you don't need the fastest and bestest (such as UIM Class 1) to have a good show. And if you don't give a crap about powerboat racing, there's enough of a sideshow to keep indifferent spectators hanging at the venue for the weekend.
The bad news, or at least the big challenge moving forward, for Powerboat P1 and all of offshore boat racing? The "business model," meaning how to turn a buck on it, just isn't there yet. Mr. Rangoonwalla has spent more money on Powerboat P1, by a large margin, than he has made. He told me that several years ago, and I don't think, at least from what I've been able to find out, that anything has changed.
But I am guardedly optimitic for 2010.
Yeah, reportedly the "B" word does apply in this case. Here's the the thing:
Powerboat P1 appears to have figured out the competition and presentation models. If you like powerboat racing (and we all do) it's compelling, proving that you don't need the fastest and bestest (such as UIM Class 1) to have a good show. And if you don't give a crap about powerboat racing, there's enough of a sideshow to keep indifferent spectators hanging at the venue for the weekend.
The bad news, or at least the big challenge moving forward, for Powerboat P1 and all of offshore boat racing? The "business model," meaning how to turn a buck on it, just isn't there yet. Mr. Rangoonwalla has spent more money on Powerboat P1, by a large margin, than he has made. He told me that several years ago, and I don't think, at least from what I've been able to find out, that anything has changed.
But I am guardedly optimitic for 2010.
jayboat
Banned
It was nice
As I understand it, one of the ideas that has been put forward is to anchor a cruise ship in the center of the course and sell VIP suites for the event.
Gotta say that I like the way these people think. :cheers2:
MarylandMark
Charter Member
Spectators are customers. Sponsors dont' care about boat races, they care that they generate customers off their sponsorship dollars. ROI, without it you have well, "racing" in it's present state.
Thanks Marc for bringing this forward. Happy Holidays.
Exactly. In theory what I was thinking. Bring the spectators to the race course. Anchor and tie off together a couple dozen barges in the center of the course. Don't know if the barges could remain stable. But you get the picture. Have a race course around an island. Broadcast the race on a given radio channel and a fan can not only see the race (from his/her place on the lsland), but listen to the entire race. You can move around the island for different viewing area's, etc. Here in Detroit, I bet that a clever promoter can find such an island to stage a race. Just an idea.
boatme
Charter Member
They used to put a barge out on the race course back in the 890s here in Michigan Was a BIG draw and lot’s came out to party the barge was full and this was in the days when the race itself only went by maybe 4 times (true offshore event) I have said it before it has to be about a total event and oh by the way there was a race
If a sled dog race can be televised or a horse race like Kentucky Derby (3 minute race 1 week affair) then why can’t a boat race be part of a bigger event. Kids on rollerblades with piercing tattoos and bad attitudes get more coverage than a boat race does
boatme
Charter Member
here are a few pics from the 80s races in Grand Haven Michigan
1) Popeye, Gentry Eagle, Swiftsure
2) Spectator Barge with Spuds McKinsy
3) Spectator Fleet
Keep in mind this was a NON Roundy Round Race
The race boats blew by maybe 3 or 4 times the entire race they ran a South North Course for what i think was 60 or 70 miles a lap on open Great Lakes water (Lake Michigan)
1) Popeye, Gentry Eagle, Swiftsure
2) Spectator Barge with Spuds McKinsy
3) Spectator Fleet
Keep in mind this was a NON Roundy Round Race
The race boats blew by maybe 3 or 4 times the entire race they ran a South North Course for what i think was 60 or 70 miles a lap on open Great Lakes water (Lake Michigan)
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MikeyFIN
Competitor
Spectators are customers. Sponsors dont' care about boat races, they care that they generate customers off their sponsorship dollars. ROI, without it you have well, "racing" in it's present state.
Spectators that doesn´t pay any entrance fees aren´t worth much for the sponsors either and that´s a global dilemma in offshore racing among others.
It´s easier when negotiating for a Sponsor to tell them exact numbers and facts than assumptions.
If there´s good racing the spectators and sponsors will pay and as we speak offshore racing is even among motorsport a marginal sport.
It´s not the sponsors job to dish out money for people to race it´s the Racers job to work and get the sponsors and raise their interest in what you ask money for.
boatme
Charter Member
Fans and spectators do not mean those who watch the actual race at the moment of the event
At our Poker run (Smoke ON The Water) we had thousands of people come out just to see the boats and the activities. And thousands more watched the boats go out and come back into Grand Haven Harbor The event running was many miles out of the sight of most people and this was just a Poker Run yet there were 10 of thousands of people that came to an event that was mildly publicized to the general public
At our Poker run (Smoke ON The Water) we had thousands of people come out just to see the boats and the activities. And thousands more watched the boats go out and come back into Grand Haven Harbor The event running was many miles out of the sight of most people and this was just a Poker Run yet there were 10 of thousands of people that came to an event that was mildly publicized to the general public
MarylandMark
Charter Member
I beg to differ... and bet the 700,000 fans in the below videos along with Geico who sponsors the Miss Geico Race Team do as well. Can you believe they let them all watch that for FREE- all 700,000 of them!! ROI- $1M was turned in to $31M in a single day!
http://www.seriousoffshore.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6213
http://www.seriousoffshore.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6040
Matt Trulio
Contributor
The "gate" is awfully tough to control at an offshore race. Plus, people have been conditioned to not paying admission, for the most part, to offshore races for many years. Charging for something you've given away forever is the toughest of tough sells.
I believe APBA Offshore, back in 2000 at the Key Worlds, enabled spectators to get a day pass on a cruise ship to watch the races. Not sure how that went, but it seemed like a good idea. I do know that there were plenty of cruise ship passengers watched the Norwegian UIM Class 1 Grand Prix from their ship in Oslo Harbor a few years back, because I was there to cover it.
The idea of a floating grandstand, though not new, remains intriguing.
My point about Asif Rangoonwalla and the two-class field in P1:
I. He can afford to "lose" racers when they get unhappy because, frankly, he has the bank roll to do that. And some of his racers have seriously big bucks. In short, his circuit managment is not beholding in any way to any racer. If they don't like a ruling or a rule, they can walk. A well-heeled autocratic ruler can be a good thing in offshore racing because he can make decisions independently (like NASCAR's France family) of his constituency. Otherwise, the inmates run the asylum.
2. Two classes are easy to understand, even for the rookie fan. You could explain P1's Super Sport and Evolution classes in one sentence each.
I believe APBA Offshore, back in 2000 at the Key Worlds, enabled spectators to get a day pass on a cruise ship to watch the races. Not sure how that went, but it seemed like a good idea. I do know that there were plenty of cruise ship passengers watched the Norwegian UIM Class 1 Grand Prix from their ship in Oslo Harbor a few years back, because I was there to cover it.
The idea of a floating grandstand, though not new, remains intriguing.
My point about Asif Rangoonwalla and the two-class field in P1:
I. He can afford to "lose" racers when they get unhappy because, frankly, he has the bank roll to do that. And some of his racers have seriously big bucks. In short, his circuit managment is not beholding in any way to any racer. If they don't like a ruling or a rule, they can walk. A well-heeled autocratic ruler can be a good thing in offshore racing because he can make decisions independently (like NASCAR's France family) of his constituency. Otherwise, the inmates run the asylum.
2. Two classes are easy to understand, even for the rookie fan. You could explain P1's Super Sport and Evolution classes in one sentence each.
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