Bobby Bennett: Please, somebody do something (1 Viewer)

[Nitrohaulic]

Unfortunately, NHRA would have a legal option if BUSINESSES cooperated for their mutual benefit. BUSINESSES that share the same customer(s) can't boycott. They can collude, which is illegal.

Kind of like how a group of people engaging in price fixing is collective bargaining. Businesses that engage in collective bargaining are price fixing.

People want different rules for businesses when it has to do with something they want, then want the rules changed.......for something they want. Can't have it both ways. NHRA could have stopped PRO based on this years ago. You can't pick and choose, having socialism when it benefits you, then have capitalism when it benefits you.

What should teams do? Try to bury a provision in future contracts that allows them to sit out one or more races if the owner perceives that the payouts aren't enough? Pro rated budget cuts? What if the payouts are the same as when the contract was signed? How are you going to have a point person who says "The teams sitting out demand this...." AND say "....but, they're not cooperating against you."

I think the only thing that can legally happen here is market forces at work. The problem is that teams are parking because of advertiser loss. Who is parking while saying "We have a sponsor available but, have decided not to run until NHRA ups the money"? When would that ever happen? Don't think so.

The owners allowed this sport to become advertiser dependent. The first time the biggest thing on the side of someone's car was a sponsor instead of a nickname. That person lowered the bar for everyone. That person created an edge for themselves at the time but, caused everyone to eventually have to be corporate wh**es. The teams are having to sleep in their own beds now.

Maybe if it weren't for all that, the sport would still be where it was 20 years ago. E.T. gains would have come more slowly and it would all still be relative to all the hardcore fans. We wouldn't be this close to the wall. I'd be happier if the first four hadn't even been run yet. This is NOT where you want to be when the money runs out, huh?

 

[sdwarf36]

The owners allowed this sport to become advertiser dependent. The first time the biggest thing on the side of someone's car was a sponsor instead of a nickname. That person lowered the bar for everyone. That person created an edge for themselves at the time but, caused everyone to eventually have to be corporate wh**es. The teams are having to sleep in their own beds now.

Maybe if it weren't for all that, the sport would still be where it was 20 years ago. E.T. gains would have come more slowly and it would all still be relative to all the hardcore fans. We wouldn't be this close to the wall. I'd be happier if the first four hadn't even been run yet. This is NOT where you want to be when the money runs out, huh?


I couldnt agree more if Randy wrote it. Maybe everyone needs to go find shieks who arent worried about a return on their investment.

 

[Draw 3D]

Because people on public forums have not been asked for their most unqualified opinion, they think nothing is been done.

Doom and gloom are for those not willing to adjust and take it as an opportunity.

 

[Nitrohaulic]

It just seems obvious that the costs go up exponentially with the ETs. Just how close to zero do people think it needs to be for their entertainment and, what does it matter? I think small tracks put too much weight in the opinions of very few who cared about ETs a long time ago and that it's what killed nitro match racing. Like Frank Oglesby said, if a nitro funny car doesn't do it for you? The biggest attraction of the show, IMO, is what you can't convey to someone with numbers. It's what you feel.

 

[camaro]

Maybe the Teams need to plan for a boycott. Plan to only race 23 of the 24 events. Choose the race that has the most people in attendance and skip that race. Then the teams would have an advantage maybe???

I don’t think the owners or PRO should boycott a race because even though the intent would be sending a message to the nhra, it would also be a slap in the face to the fans. Instead they should just sit out on a Friday. There’s no tv or round money to be made and with so few cars racing, anyone attending will still qualify. Just let it be known to the public ahead of time what and why they are doing this and perhaps they might get some action.

 

[Nitrohaulic]

I don’t think the owners or PRO should boycott a race because even though the intent would be sending a message to the nhra, it would also be a slap in the face to the fans. Instead they should just sit out on a Friday. There’s no tv or round money to be made and with so few cars racing, anyone attending will still qualify. Just let it be known to the public ahead of time what and why they are doing this and perhaps they might get some action.

To do what? "Send a message"? What's the message?

Again, otherwise competing BUSINESSES can't get together and make demands of NHRA. NHRA could have their leaders facing prison time. Collusion and price fixing makes you eligible for the RICO Act which is only there to guarantee minimum amounts of time for certain offenses.

 

[Rajunz]

Yep, I was one of the fans that showed up in Baton Rouge one year for the Cajun Nationals, only to find out that there were NO FUNNY CARS on the grounds. That sucked the big one as a fan dishing out my hard earned cash..............

 

[clwill]

I don’t think the owners or PRO should boycott a race because even though the intent would be sending a message to the nhra, it would also be a slap in the face to the fans. Instead they should just sit out on a Friday. There’s no tv or round money to be made and with so few cars racing, anyone attending will still qualify. Just let it be known to the public ahead of time what and why they are doing this and perhaps they might get some action.

So to all the people who brought Friday tickets... you'd say...??

I'm with Ron here. What's the "message" people want to send? Like that guy on SNL? "Just Fix It!" "Fix IT!" "FIX It!"?

And a boycott would help this how? I'm confused...

 

[Bobby Bennett]

For the record, we never called for a boycott. We merely challenged the management to make adjustments to program so that we wouldn't keep losing teams. Even if it meant those adjustments meant dropping races and shortening qualifying to one day.

They were just suggestions and maybe those were suggestions that had no more of an affect in terms of relief to the teams than you or I skipping a meal, but they were suggestions instead of pure criticism.

Just wanted to make that point straight.

 

[clwill]

Bobby, I get that -- it's people here who are saying PRO should arrange a boycott. That, I don't get...

 

[Mooseman]

I think I either worded my original post wrong or people misinterpreted it something but I did use the word boycot in my original post but I didn't mean it in the way some of you are emplying . I did not at all mean to emply that the teams go out and say "Give us more money or we wont race" I was saying that if the teams maybe skipped a race on a financial hardship basis it might make the Head Honcho's at NHRA "Think hey we have a problem here" and work with everybody and say "Hey we are all in a bit of hardship how can we work together to make things easier for everybody" . Sort of like what nascar is doing how that are going to the teams and the sponsers and saying "Hey we are in trouble lets work together to make it easier on everybody"

Thats what I was trying to imply initially but I got a bit too excited when someone finally came out and said something I have been thinking in my head for ages . Sorry IF anything was misinterpreted .

 

[rocketman]

Nice editorial Bobby. I wasn't going to mention this but i overheard someone report that a team didn't make payroll in October. Don't know who and wouldn't say if I did. But go to the bank and try to get a business loan for a nitro team. I think there could be some more shockers before Pomona.

 

[kd]

Because people on public forums have not been asked for their most unqualified opinion, they think nothing is been done.

Doom and gloom are for those not willing to adjust and take it as an opportunity.

...ALAN....Is that you...?

 

[PJ]

I'm hoping to see some of these teams partner up for match race series. i think with 2 teams going around they could make some money that way, plus keep up expsoure and tuning while still making a few nationals. They could hit areas that don't get national events and hopefully increase the fan base. Plus roll through areas that do get natioals just because its generally near larger cities.


I really wish the racers had an organization that spoke for the group, maybe had some stones to speak up. Hey they could call it PRO even.

I would like to hear something from nhra and some moves made to help teams but in the end its not fair to blame them for all of this. Yes they have chased away way too mnay sponsors and while that does play a roll in this the tough economic times are really what is driving this mess. I hope this season ends up good, but right now I wonder.