Serious letter regarding our sport's future....
07-29-2003, 05:48 PM
#1
Creater/Founder
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: OKC, OK
Age: 48
Posts: 8,508
Serious letter regarding our sport's future....
I am here to throw rocks in a few "calm blue oceans"!
Item #1) Regarding Teams that don't attend competitions, but say that they do to attract sponsors.
Item #2) Adding value to the sport and your individual program.
Without event touching on the fact that some idiots feel the need to trash hotel rooms and talk trash to event security personnel when they know that they are just doing their jobs... because that is a whole other issue for discussion.
I would like to express the displeasure of knowing that there are several teams out there who call themselves professional and use the existence of a professionally sanctioned national championship freestyle series to help them obtain sponsors and event bookings. However they never show up at competitions, never compete, and feel comfortable talking trash about the series and those who do compete in it... the very entity that facilitated their support in the first place. But, I'm not talking about that either, that would also take too long.
Now for those riders who are afraid, or resist competing because they may not win... I will address that? The Cincinnati Bengals still play football on Sunday, and the Seattle Seahawks still compete. They never win... but they both still compete... WHY? Because they are professionals, and there is always more than the results or performance record. Just like the NFL there is a national sanctioning body willing to work with teams to help increase their marketing abilities, increase team exposure, as well as build on its own marketing program within the strength of the combined teams, which ultimately helps the individual teams to be affiliated with the sanction. Value, value, value!
How do you increase your team or individual value. By acting like or actually being a professional. Don't bank on purse money to make a living. NFL teams bank on their own team marketing, merchandise, and television rights. So what is so different? Ok... there aren't 50k screaming fans at the local drag strip watching you. But why? Maybe because the shows are not very professional, or promoters cannot get enough professional teams to show up to put on a decent show for the fans, or when the fans do show up, they are put to sleep by the 50 entries for the slowest wheelie.
Show elements and quality entertainment. People can only sit still for 4 hours at a time and be entertained. Think of that the next time that you want to include slowest wheelie in a competition. Someone even had "longest wheelie" on an event flyer, can you imagine? Where is the value in the spectators ticket or the competitors entry fee? That is also why the purses are lower, you never know who will show up, how many spectators will they actually reach to help pay the bills. Where is the value for a sponsor? Do you think that the promoter is really any different than your team? Can you travel and perform if you don't get paid enough to do the show? Of course not. And neither can the promoter. They have to make sure that their expenses are covered too. Insurance, track rent, security, staffing, hotels, purse money, announcer, facilities, marketing, etc... that ads up. $10k - $20k? Insurance alone can be $5k. So the promoter needs 1000 people through the gate at $20 each to just pay the bills. What is the national average now for a stand-alone events, less than 1000? Where is the value for regional and/or national media, sponsors, spectators, competitors?
So there was a national sanctioning body, working for the riders to promote them and the sport as a whole, providing $10k in rider medical insurance on top of liability insurance in case a rider is injured at an event, a rule book and regulations for all other promoters and event coordinators to use as a guide, bringing in contingency awards, purse money, and placing the events into other national championship events (which has provided more single event marketing and media than any other event to date), built autograph stock for top riders to use for fan autographs, made a video to promote the sport in a clean professional image to the rest of the industry as well as outside industry companies that would listen... yet the riders don't show up to support the series, nor the video which promotes it. How does that help the sport grow? Is there a better plan in place, is there another group taking the risks, and spending the time to increase the team's and sport's value to the industry? If a complete program only costs $5,000 to facilitate with the $2500 purse, then even with an entry fee of $100 it takes 25 riders to pay the purse. So let's not even talk about risk or investment of time or money at this point...
Value has been created through a national championship series, where points can be awarded, and rankings attained by riders adding value to their team or individual programs. Yet only a few participate in these events, which appear to currently pay the highest amount of money for a win that we have seen, and spreading the winnings back to 5th place. Where are all of the enthusiasts that write in all of the time, asking what they can do to help the sport grow? The riders that say that they support the series and it's goals. They are waiting for it to take off before they participate, and ride the coat tails of those who have put in the hard work and sacrifice to professionalize the sport and built it to a successful business for everyone? How about compete once in awhile, and put your clutch where you mouth is...
Of all the events to choose from, the national industry media is in place, along with dozens of potential sponsors, and limited numbers show up to compete. The paddock is full of other professional athletes, with a built in spectator base of people who have never seen street freestyle, local television stations and national sports TV is into place at most events, and none of whom have purchased your videos or t-shirts before (unlike the standard industry stunt show, where only the 500 enthusiasts attend along with other teams, who already have your video and t-shirt). Teams show up without a tent to or plan to sell merchandise, they show up to watch, and never enter the competition. You're missing out. And for those who are waiting for that knight to come riding in on a white horse and save the street freestyle industry, put on tons of events, and pay your mortgage... you still have a wait ahead of you. As an industry, there needs to be an awakening, and everyone needs to stop making excuses. Value has been created for you, with the only expectation of you taking advantage of it. If you want to be a professional... act like it.
Less popular or less skilled rider's shouldn't worry about competing against other top riders like Thew, or Jackson, or Teach, or Nick Hill, or Jason Britten, or Darius, etc... You should come out and compete for the love of riding, the regional and national fan exposure, regional and national media exposure, regional and national industry exposure, and to increase your value to potential sponsors. It is worth it at the end of the year, when you can tell potential sponsors that you compete in front of 50k fans, in 10 different national markets, and are ranked in the "top ten" in national points competition (with the only world sanctioning body for street freestyle). Look for ways to increase your team's value to sponsors, by developing a regional and national a fan base for selling product, meet national media reps, sponsor reps, and other professional athletes or team owners that may help positively influence your future. If you stay local, you limit your sponsors and your fans. Compete nationally, (regardless of your finishes), and expand both prospect areas. I can go on for days... but those would be my initial comments regarding the non competitive, so called, professionals...
Another thing... regarding ranking as Professionals or Amateurs. We currently issue a competition license to those who compete in our freestyle series. The reason that the licenses are a key to the success of this sport is two-fold. It can rank riders annually, qualifying them for amateur or professional status, and secondly to allow a complete database of those eligible to compete to exist legitimizing the series and sport.
The series database is important to keep all of a riders competition finishes, and tally them versus the number of sanctioned events in which they participate. This creates a performance index, (or batting average), to use along with series point standings to rank riders within their specific classes. My suggestion has always been that anyone with less than a .500 (or 50 % performance index) can remain an amateur throughout the performance season. However, if a rider finishes the season with more than .500, then they must be bumped up to Expert or Pro status. All three can exist. In select events, Pro-am competitions can exist where amateurs can compete against pro riders, but amateurs can also have their own classes without compromise from cherry-pickers. Note example: 10 event national series is in place. Dan Jackson wins the first event beating Thew, Chauncey, Darius, Teach, Lonchar, and Kyle. His performance index is 1000, and he leads the championship points standings by 5 points. Easy enough right? However he doesn't compete at any other event that year. So he slips to 20th in points. Should he be ranked an amateur or a pro? Pro of course, but how do you regulate that by using points? You cant. You need performance index. Those with above average compete as an expert or pro, those below the .500 mark can remain an amateur. Nobody with above .500 can compete as an amateur. For teams/riders who do not compete and achieve a ranking.... you are on your own to market your abilities and prove that you are a better rider than the others. Value, value, value.
Is it more valuable to be ranked 25th with a nationally / world recognized sanctioning body, or not at all? Is it more valuable to be at an event selling merchandise or sitting at home doing nothing? It is more valuable to show up at events with a professional looking machine, or a ratty piece of junk? What will your next sponsor, or more importantly, what would the next championship series sponsor rather see? Is it more valuable to be at an event and have your finger on the pulse of the industry and see the innovative tricks being pulled, and networking with other teams, or get together with your riding buddies and think that you own the world because you "just got 12s on lock". Sounds like selling out? Maybe it sounds that way... but in my eyes it is job security. Let me say this in closing... you either support the sport, or you don't. You either have value, and help add value, or you don't. So, if you are not down for supporting the sport helping it grow by participating in events, and adding value to the different series that were put together to help you and the sport grow and succeed, including you and your team... stop wasting everyone else's time and patience, and more importantly stop the trash talking. Later.
Rainman
Item #1) Regarding Teams that don't attend competitions, but say that they do to attract sponsors.
Item #2) Adding value to the sport and your individual program.
Without event touching on the fact that some idiots feel the need to trash hotel rooms and talk trash to event security personnel when they know that they are just doing their jobs... because that is a whole other issue for discussion.
I would like to express the displeasure of knowing that there are several teams out there who call themselves professional and use the existence of a professionally sanctioned national championship freestyle series to help them obtain sponsors and event bookings. However they never show up at competitions, never compete, and feel comfortable talking trash about the series and those who do compete in it... the very entity that facilitated their support in the first place. But, I'm not talking about that either, that would also take too long.
Now for those riders who are afraid, or resist competing because they may not win... I will address that? The Cincinnati Bengals still play football on Sunday, and the Seattle Seahawks still compete. They never win... but they both still compete... WHY? Because they are professionals, and there is always more than the results or performance record. Just like the NFL there is a national sanctioning body willing to work with teams to help increase their marketing abilities, increase team exposure, as well as build on its own marketing program within the strength of the combined teams, which ultimately helps the individual teams to be affiliated with the sanction. Value, value, value!
How do you increase your team or individual value. By acting like or actually being a professional. Don't bank on purse money to make a living. NFL teams bank on their own team marketing, merchandise, and television rights. So what is so different? Ok... there aren't 50k screaming fans at the local drag strip watching you. But why? Maybe because the shows are not very professional, or promoters cannot get enough professional teams to show up to put on a decent show for the fans, or when the fans do show up, they are put to sleep by the 50 entries for the slowest wheelie.
Show elements and quality entertainment. People can only sit still for 4 hours at a time and be entertained. Think of that the next time that you want to include slowest wheelie in a competition. Someone even had "longest wheelie" on an event flyer, can you imagine? Where is the value in the spectators ticket or the competitors entry fee? That is also why the purses are lower, you never know who will show up, how many spectators will they actually reach to help pay the bills. Where is the value for a sponsor? Do you think that the promoter is really any different than your team? Can you travel and perform if you don't get paid enough to do the show? Of course not. And neither can the promoter. They have to make sure that their expenses are covered too. Insurance, track rent, security, staffing, hotels, purse money, announcer, facilities, marketing, etc... that ads up. $10k - $20k? Insurance alone can be $5k. So the promoter needs 1000 people through the gate at $20 each to just pay the bills. What is the national average now for a stand-alone events, less than 1000? Where is the value for regional and/or national media, sponsors, spectators, competitors?
So there was a national sanctioning body, working for the riders to promote them and the sport as a whole, providing $10k in rider medical insurance on top of liability insurance in case a rider is injured at an event, a rule book and regulations for all other promoters and event coordinators to use as a guide, bringing in contingency awards, purse money, and placing the events into other national championship events (which has provided more single event marketing and media than any other event to date), built autograph stock for top riders to use for fan autographs, made a video to promote the sport in a clean professional image to the rest of the industry as well as outside industry companies that would listen... yet the riders don't show up to support the series, nor the video which promotes it. How does that help the sport grow? Is there a better plan in place, is there another group taking the risks, and spending the time to increase the team's and sport's value to the industry? If a complete program only costs $5,000 to facilitate with the $2500 purse, then even with an entry fee of $100 it takes 25 riders to pay the purse. So let's not even talk about risk or investment of time or money at this point...
Value has been created through a national championship series, where points can be awarded, and rankings attained by riders adding value to their team or individual programs. Yet only a few participate in these events, which appear to currently pay the highest amount of money for a win that we have seen, and spreading the winnings back to 5th place. Where are all of the enthusiasts that write in all of the time, asking what they can do to help the sport grow? The riders that say that they support the series and it's goals. They are waiting for it to take off before they participate, and ride the coat tails of those who have put in the hard work and sacrifice to professionalize the sport and built it to a successful business for everyone? How about compete once in awhile, and put your clutch where you mouth is...
Of all the events to choose from, the national industry media is in place, along with dozens of potential sponsors, and limited numbers show up to compete. The paddock is full of other professional athletes, with a built in spectator base of people who have never seen street freestyle, local television stations and national sports TV is into place at most events, and none of whom have purchased your videos or t-shirts before (unlike the standard industry stunt show, where only the 500 enthusiasts attend along with other teams, who already have your video and t-shirt). Teams show up without a tent to or plan to sell merchandise, they show up to watch, and never enter the competition. You're missing out. And for those who are waiting for that knight to come riding in on a white horse and save the street freestyle industry, put on tons of events, and pay your mortgage... you still have a wait ahead of you. As an industry, there needs to be an awakening, and everyone needs to stop making excuses. Value has been created for you, with the only expectation of you taking advantage of it. If you want to be a professional... act like it.
Less popular or less skilled rider's shouldn't worry about competing against other top riders like Thew, or Jackson, or Teach, or Nick Hill, or Jason Britten, or Darius, etc... You should come out and compete for the love of riding, the regional and national fan exposure, regional and national media exposure, regional and national industry exposure, and to increase your value to potential sponsors. It is worth it at the end of the year, when you can tell potential sponsors that you compete in front of 50k fans, in 10 different national markets, and are ranked in the "top ten" in national points competition (with the only world sanctioning body for street freestyle). Look for ways to increase your team's value to sponsors, by developing a regional and national a fan base for selling product, meet national media reps, sponsor reps, and other professional athletes or team owners that may help positively influence your future. If you stay local, you limit your sponsors and your fans. Compete nationally, (regardless of your finishes), and expand both prospect areas. I can go on for days... but those would be my initial comments regarding the non competitive, so called, professionals...
Another thing... regarding ranking as Professionals or Amateurs. We currently issue a competition license to those who compete in our freestyle series. The reason that the licenses are a key to the success of this sport is two-fold. It can rank riders annually, qualifying them for amateur or professional status, and secondly to allow a complete database of those eligible to compete to exist legitimizing the series and sport.
The series database is important to keep all of a riders competition finishes, and tally them versus the number of sanctioned events in which they participate. This creates a performance index, (or batting average), to use along with series point standings to rank riders within their specific classes. My suggestion has always been that anyone with less than a .500 (or 50 % performance index) can remain an amateur throughout the performance season. However, if a rider finishes the season with more than .500, then they must be bumped up to Expert or Pro status. All three can exist. In select events, Pro-am competitions can exist where amateurs can compete against pro riders, but amateurs can also have their own classes without compromise from cherry-pickers. Note example: 10 event national series is in place. Dan Jackson wins the first event beating Thew, Chauncey, Darius, Teach, Lonchar, and Kyle. His performance index is 1000, and he leads the championship points standings by 5 points. Easy enough right? However he doesn't compete at any other event that year. So he slips to 20th in points. Should he be ranked an amateur or a pro? Pro of course, but how do you regulate that by using points? You cant. You need performance index. Those with above average compete as an expert or pro, those below the .500 mark can remain an amateur. Nobody with above .500 can compete as an amateur. For teams/riders who do not compete and achieve a ranking.... you are on your own to market your abilities and prove that you are a better rider than the others. Value, value, value.
Is it more valuable to be ranked 25th with a nationally / world recognized sanctioning body, or not at all? Is it more valuable to be at an event selling merchandise or sitting at home doing nothing? It is more valuable to show up at events with a professional looking machine, or a ratty piece of junk? What will your next sponsor, or more importantly, what would the next championship series sponsor rather see? Is it more valuable to be at an event and have your finger on the pulse of the industry and see the innovative tricks being pulled, and networking with other teams, or get together with your riding buddies and think that you own the world because you "just got 12s on lock". Sounds like selling out? Maybe it sounds that way... but in my eyes it is job security. Let me say this in closing... you either support the sport, or you don't. You either have value, and help add value, or you don't. So, if you are not down for supporting the sport helping it grow by participating in events, and adding value to the different series that were put together to help you and the sport grow and succeed, including you and your team... stop wasting everyone else's time and patience, and more importantly stop the trash talking. Later.
Rainman
07-29-2003, 06:03 PM
#3
Creater/Founder
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: OKC, OK
Age: 48
Posts: 8,508
Originally posted by dark lotus
damn......is all I gotta say.........whos talkin smack???---
damn......is all I gotta say.........whos talkin smack???---
07-29-2003, 07:01 PM
#7
Regular StuntLifer
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: edgefield, sc
Age: 47
Posts: 251
OK, time for my 2 cents, he is right, very right. Listen to him. I'm no pro stunter, hell I can't pull more than a tiny (in my book) wheelie. I don't have the skills to compete, at all. Those of you that do, and that is most of you on the board need to listen to this guy.
James.
James.
07-29-2003, 10:49 PM
#12
I'm Getting Used to Posting
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: St.Petersburg, Fl.
Age: 61
Posts: 96
Bravo
Very well said! Look I'm not a stunter, but I try some stunt's because I want to learn how to do them. I love this stuff, and go to any show or comp within a few hour's drive. Even though I'm not one I may have a few good point's to go along with that post.
I make my life in the field of drag racing, been around the sport my whole life. I have a good name for myself for tuning car's and helping people with their car's. You gotta represent yourself in a professional manor. I have personally seen great racer's or tuner's land big sponser's due to their performance, only to lose them due to their attitude and mouth. You can't blame this or that all the time. It's not the judge's fault because he dosn't know what he looking at, or how hard a trick is. It's not because you've been riding a year, and the person who won has been riding ten. And the biggest one is you can't complain about thing's if you do not enter a event. Putting other people, event's or organization's down only put's bad press out there for all.
It seem's to me half of the stunt community want's to stay the bad boy's or rebel's, tearing up the highway. Maybe they think their the purest form of street freestyle. The other half want's it to be mainstream, x-games stuff. If you ever hope to make a living at this you will need patience, respect and give prop's to everyone you can. There will never be big corporate money in this until it can get t.v. time. If some of you people want the reward's you need to put forth even more effort than you are now. That could be as simple as putting on free show's at your local drag strip or road race track. If you have several rider's approach the track owner, show him some pic's. If they seem interested, tell them you do it for free entry at that race. make sure you give them info with your team name, or member's name's. What do you have to lose, if it goes well maybe you can take it to the level of having a stunt event.
I'm not setting anyone on blast, and I have entered a stunt event (stuntwar's) on my quad. All I'm saying is that some of you may be able to make a living doing something that you love, and that my friend's is more than most of us deserve. It just require's some effort and patience from us all to make this a real deal. It took freestyle mx longer than a lot of people think to make it where it is today. Hopefully this sport will follow in their footstep's to get there, then we'll do a burnout to smoke them out.
I make my life in the field of drag racing, been around the sport my whole life. I have a good name for myself for tuning car's and helping people with their car's. You gotta represent yourself in a professional manor. I have personally seen great racer's or tuner's land big sponser's due to their performance, only to lose them due to their attitude and mouth. You can't blame this or that all the time. It's not the judge's fault because he dosn't know what he looking at, or how hard a trick is. It's not because you've been riding a year, and the person who won has been riding ten. And the biggest one is you can't complain about thing's if you do not enter a event. Putting other people, event's or organization's down only put's bad press out there for all.
It seem's to me half of the stunt community want's to stay the bad boy's or rebel's, tearing up the highway. Maybe they think their the purest form of street freestyle. The other half want's it to be mainstream, x-games stuff. If you ever hope to make a living at this you will need patience, respect and give prop's to everyone you can. There will never be big corporate money in this until it can get t.v. time. If some of you people want the reward's you need to put forth even more effort than you are now. That could be as simple as putting on free show's at your local drag strip or road race track. If you have several rider's approach the track owner, show him some pic's. If they seem interested, tell them you do it for free entry at that race. make sure you give them info with your team name, or member's name's. What do you have to lose, if it goes well maybe you can take it to the level of having a stunt event.
I'm not setting anyone on blast, and I have entered a stunt event (stuntwar's) on my quad. All I'm saying is that some of you may be able to make a living doing something that you love, and that my friend's is more than most of us deserve. It just require's some effort and patience from us all to make this a real deal. It took freestyle mx longer than a lot of people think to make it where it is today. Hopefully this sport will follow in their footstep's to get there, then we'll do a burnout to smoke them out.
07-30-2003, 12:47 AM
#16
I Chose to No Longer Post
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: milton, wi
Age: 43
Posts: 10,865
i thought it was interesting about the slow wheelie comment, he's got a good point, it would be boring as **** to watch 4 hours of slow wheelies, but i would love to compete in it......guess you have to look at it from a fans perspective....i think freestyle events are the way to go....everybody has 5 mins out there in the spotlight, give it what you got!!
07-30-2003, 12:59 AM
#18
back in the saddle again
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: terre haute, IN
Age: 41
Posts: 7,322
well, a lot of that end part there i didn't understand. It used too big of words for me and was over my head so i'm going to touch on what i know:
I suck and yet i have spent so far this summer thousands on going to shows and competing and now hosting my own show late august....again, i still suck, but i love it and i like the people so i like to support it. and it's fun to compete. Someday i might be good enough to hold my own iwth the pros, or even be one of those pros.
I suck and yet i have spent so far this summer thousands on going to shows and competing and now hosting my own show late august....again, i still suck, but i love it and i like the people so i like to support it. and it's fun to compete. Someday i might be good enough to hold my own iwth the pros, or even be one of those pros.
