>working all sorts of pedophiliac wonders on their SCHMITTS
>soaked brains.
I always thought it was "Schmidts", oh well. . .
Anyhow, anybody can get on TV, you just have to pay for the privilege. e.g., SCCA pays for all its coverage. The current ProRally coverage shows primarily Mitsubyundais because that is who pays for the coverage. The OLN coverage of Laughlin certainly was more representative of the sport as it exists in the US. But that was a buy as well.
So, somebody paid to have ProJumproping televised, big whoop, frankly, I like watching cheerleading competition, sponsored by of all folks, Tampax, to jump roping while I drink my Weidemanns (The True King of Beers, but only buy it in bottles).
If maybe someone in Denver (oops, Topeka), took some of our hard earned money and got a series sponsor (like the Canuks), we could probably be watching coverage right now (and not paying a small fortune to compete in a rally). But instead, we pay to have someone require us to run "sponsor" stickers that do not trickle down to the membership, and other "sponsorships" which are just plain lame, like winning 2 tires if you win the series, but you can only get them from the specified supplier.
Anybody know anybody at Anheuser-Busch? Its a natural hand in hand, and the maybe $250K, $500K, or even $1M that they might drop in the series right now (1) is substantially more than the 3 manufacturers together; (2) might allow for some prize money; (3) might get us some real TV time; and (4) might appeal to Joe Sixpack, because you know our sport appeals to Joe Sixpack, he just doesn't know it yet.
More importantly, if rally is to be run as a business, run it as a business. SCCA Proracing is a separate for profit enitity, and you do get coverage of the Trans-am and other races, but certainly not at the level of NASCAR, or WRC. So put ProRally under the SCCA ProRacing corporate entity (or not, because based on the air-time, the SCCA ain't doing too good a job marketing, which may be due to a bureaucratic government type mindset).
Look at the WRC coverage. Now that is a business. It is all made for TV, and marketed wonderfully. Just think, WRC is NASCAR to the rest of the world. You have personalities who are fan friendly, great exciting competition, wrecks, everything a fan wants out of motorsport. Problem is that our star is eclipsed by NASCAR, and it will probably stay that way.
But, if someone with a true marketing brain, and a true marketing budget got ahold of the series, it could be a whole 'nother story. You have to pay to play, and that is not being done. Run a "pro" series as a "pro" series. If it is marketed right, it will generate its own market, just as NASCAR did. Have the manufacturers involved, have them create WRC level cars and excitement, let the rest follow in the pack. Make their technology available and affordable to the average competitor. Maybe even subsidize this as a manufacturer, so you have a large field of Mitsubyundais competeting (or only those cars competing (like Ford, Chevy, Dodge in NASCAR).
There are 400 license holders or thereabouts in the US. If the manufacturer picks the cream to subsidize, they are not alot out of pocket. Think about it: a free car, and some money to run the season as a "privateer." Ten folks a year, you might not even get to $1M. Or even make a one-make available at an affordable price, e.g., VW. Or a US Spec Super 1600, which without all the bells and whistles probably could be done for less than $50K, or the one-make car, like the Polo ($20K max), 206 or others. There are some great business models out there for rally in the rest of the world, they just have to be followed. A one make manufacture subisidized series is a perfect example.
We're in our infancy, like MX was in the 70's, getting beat by the Europeans. But who is king of the hill now in MX, the U.S.
We're the best nation of drivers in the world. With the right time and investment, we can be the top of the heap in rally, as well as any other motorsport. But we need a visionary and venture capital to lead us. Sell it to TV as a made for TV spectacle. It will sell due to the nature of the sport, and everybody will benefit.
Anyhow, enough of my post-turkey rant. Happy Turkey Day everyone!
Wilson
