Fuel Team Boycott - your opinion? (2 Viewers)

[PJ]

NHRA and PRO have a number of issues on the table at any given time. They may not get resolved tomorrow, but they are working on them. When you call for a boycott. Think about the parties involved. For the average fan, a guy that can afford to have a Funny Car doesn't really rate much sympathy from a guy who saved up to take his kid to the Drags.

Just making up names. My favorite driver is Alan. I buy his oil, from the store on his fender and even wear his sunglasses. After waiting all year for Alan to come back to town so I can get an autograph on the picture he took with me last year, I find out that he's not running this week, because of a dispute with NHRA. I will now buy a different brand of oil, from the parts store accross the street. And I won't come back to the races next year.

Does that sound like a winner to you?

Before you decide that a boycott is the answer, does anyone other than me remember the Baseball strike?

Let the parties involved resolve the problems, they have a vested interest in getting it done. And they're working on it.

Alan

As always this is my opinion, I am NOT speaking for NHRA

I do hope that they are. The only thing that makes me wonder is over the years we've heard many drivers make comments about being smacked by nhra for speaking up. Now maybe they just mean speaking up in public or to the media but it makes me wonder how open they are to listening and more importantly correcting the problems when those that we know have said something seem to get in trouble for it.

 

[FABMAN]

NHRA and PRO have a number of issues on the table at any given time. They may not get resolved tomorrow, but they are working on them. When you call for a boycott. Think about the parties involved. For the average fan, a guy that can afford to have a Funny Car doesn't really rate much sympathy from a guy who saved up to take his kid to the Drags.

Just making up names. My favorite driver is Alan. I buy his oil, from the store on his fender and even wear his sunglasses. After waiting all year for Alan to come back to town so I can get an autograph on the picture he took with me last year, I find out that he's not running this week, because of a dispute with NHRA. I will now buy a different brand of oil, from the parts store accross the street. And I won't come back to the races next year.

Does that sound like a winner to you?

Before you decide that a boycott is the answer, does anyone other than me remember the Baseball strike?

Let the parties involved resolve the problems, they have a vested interest in getting it done. And they're working on it.

Alan

As always this is my opinion, I am NOT speaking for NHRA

Alan, i agree a boycott would hurt everyone, you say they are working on issues and thats great. Some issues need to be addressed now, such as the racing surface, another week like Vegas and the fan base is going to disapear.
Are they going to find a fix for that, and what do you think about getting the NHRA officials coming into the chat room and talking to us. If they would it may clear some of the frustration and leave us with a better understanding of NHRA and where they're going.

 

[none]

I don't ask permission from anybody to express my opinion. Nor do I need it.
My family has been in drag racing since the 50's. There are 2 world championships in the lineage plus many many race wins. I worked on fuel cars in the 70's and in the 80's(when they stilll had that lil Cajun race).
All that aside, it doesn't take a lot of intelligence to see a bad deal when you have had your nose rubbed in it.
Yea .....they are working on a deal, like Alan says, but they are always working on a deal and you can see where that has gotten everything so far.
Lemming?? that would be the guy that gives up before the fight has even started because he knows so much more than everyone else about what is going on...........
Oh yea....it would only get to point of cars not showing if the leadership of NHRA thought everyone felt like Paul

 

[Rajunz]

Mel, I can't believe that you even took a minute of your day to answer that useless post?

 

[FABMAN]

There are many here who are fans-in-the-stands and nothing wrong with that, but they should not be demanding anything from NHRA or the racers.

Besides buying their seats, beer, food and whatever else, they have no monetary investment in the sport. Anybody who has ever built a car will tell you the dedication and financial strains, fans don't go through that.

As for me, I'm building a car to race, not for the fans, but for me. I really don't want some fan telling me how to run my car or my business and I will gladly tell them so.

Paul, I've been racing and building cars for 30+ yrs. In order for tracks to survive they need the fans. Look at what ADRL is doing, free tickets to come to their events, fans spend a lot of money on shirts, concession, etc. They have a right to ask for a good show. They are the reason you have a place to run your Hot Rod.

 

[Wes]

Each and every sponsor involved with a team that chose to forego an NHRA event and attend an IHRA event instead would recieve MORE exposure by doing so. It would be piss-poor business as usual if they were to contiue to volunteer their efforts by showing up and playing the same, dull game. Rock the boat and head to Martin, Milan, Rockingham, or another good-market event and the attention would be drastically increased. IHRA would welcome them with open arms, local and national media would cover the "movement", and the teams would promote their sponsors to a brand new audience...both in person and on television. Can you imagine the fervor and anticipation of the IHRA/SPEED broadcast of the hypothetical race?

True, any team under a written, legal, and binding contract (this in an industry of handshakes and promises) would need sponsor approval to do such a thing. But if it were presented as a win-win, who can lose? Sponsors get the media attention and a new demographic. And, hopefully, it would spur the needed change in Glendora making their long-term investment a better return as a result.

To make this scenario even more effective, a new coalition of professional teams could start putting out press hinting at a boycott or temporary switch...the internet and mainstream media would definetly pick up on that lead. The key to making it work best would be to inform the public that the event they intend to boycott would be unannounced and random. Can you imagine how revenues from advance ticket sales, hospitality, and vendors would stagnate at ALL national events? The uncertainty of which event would be boycotted would be far worse than saying, "We're going to skip XXX-race in Anytown, USA." That in itself might be enough to get NHRA's attention.

 

[PJ]

True the threat of a boycott may be more powerful than an actual one

 

[clwill]

Before you decide that a boycott is the answer, does anyone other than me remember the Baseball strike?

I do, and the research shows that in the 10+ years following the strike, average players salaries have more than doubled, team revenues have more than tripled, the number of teams increased, the highest individual salary quadrupled, the highest team payroll was up 5x, and attendance per game average is about what it was before the strike.

I think boycotts are silly, and rarely have any effect other than drawing attention to the very thing people are trying to squash. And in this case it's a meaningless idea since neither the teams nor the fans are remotely organized enough to pull it off. But perhaps the baseball strike isn't the best analogy.

 

[Draw 3D]

Paul, I've been racing and building cars for 30+ yrs. In order for tracks to survive they need the fans. Look at what ADRL is doing, free tickets to come to their events, fans spend a lot of money on shirts, concession, etc. They have a right to ask for a good show. They are the reason you have a place to run your Hot Rod.

Jesse, I totally disagree, go any track where there is only brackets, "Super" classes or the like running and the stands are pretty empty except for other racers or family and friends. The tracks run that all the time with more racers than spectators and they are doing ok. Most tracks are there for the racers not the fans.

If the track doesn't put up a good show, racers won't show up.

Mel, I don't understand your permission statement, and, my lemming comment means to follow a group blindly without knowing where it's headed, you've got that confused with defeatist.

If anybody here thinks that they can belittle any group, including NHRA, and then expect them to listen to them is in for a big surprise.

Lance, you think my post is useless, and that's your prerogative, do you think "fans" telling racers what to do because they perceive NHRA is treating the racers badly is useful?

 

[clwill]

To make this scenario even more effective, a new coalition of professional teams could start putting out press hinting at a boycott or temporary switch...the internet and mainstream media would definetly pick up on that lead. The key to making it work best would be to inform the public that the event they intend to boycott would be unannounced and random. Can you imagine how revenues from advance ticket sales, hospitality, and vendors would stagnate at ALL national events? The uncertainty of which event would be boycotted would be far worse than saying, "We're going to skip XXX-race in Anytown, USA." That in itself might be enough to get NHRA's attention.

Remember when the flight attendants did that a few years ago? They called it "chaos" (can't remember what the acronym stood for). Who was the public mad at when they showed up and their flight was randomly canceled? Not the airlines...

 

[The Counterfeiter]

Whoa! I started this to get some opinions and we got 'em! I hope teams will stand together and demand changes from Glendora. It's interesting to hear that NHRA and the teams are working on issues - unfortunately, I like many others, have zero faith in the NHRA being commited to any other issue than filling their pockets.
I'll sit back and wait until after Atlanta to see if NHRA does anything to improve racing and provides teams with an answer to obscene Nitro prices.
After that - if it's the same old S$$$ - PARK 'EM !!!!

 

[Nitrohaulic]

There's an ugly side to "boycotting" that I wonder if anyone's thought about. I think the term is usually used when consumers agree not to buy a product.

Since the different teams are businesses that compete against each other, I think you get into big trouble if they cooperate for each others' mutual benefit (collusion) in withholding their services in order to get higher rates (price fixing). I bet NHRA's lawyers understand this well.

If they all happen to have a "cold" on race day?

 

[Nitrohaulic]

People are against monopolies and price fixing among businesses (unlike the "collective bargaining" that employees sometimes engage in, LOL) until it's businesses in a sport they love? You can't have it both ways.

 

[FABMAN]

Jesse, I totally disagree, go any track where there is only brackets, "Super" classes or the like running and the stands are pretty empty except for other racers or family and friends. The tracks run that all the time with more racers than spectators and they are doing ok. Most tracks are there for the racers not the fans.

If the track doesn't put up a good show, racers won't show up.

Mel, I don't understand your permission statement, and, my lemming comment means to follow a group blindly without knowing where it's headed, you've got that confused with defeatist.

If anybody here thinks that they can belittle any group, including NHRA, and then expect them to listen to them is in for a big surprise.

Lance, you think my post is useless, and that's your prerogative, do you think "fans" telling racers what to do because they perceive NHRA is treating the racers badly is useful?

Paul, we have been talking about NHRA naional events. Thats where the fans come in, now for local tracks they are for the racers i will agree on that.

 

[.]

Jim Head should the head of PRO.

I'd love to see somebody like him in charge. Add Larry Morgan and Bill Miller too. All 3 of guys really know their sh!t and don't beat around the bush.

 

[FABMAN]

People are against monopolies and price fixing among businesses (unlike the "collective bargaining" that employees sometimes engage in, LOL) until it's businesses in a sport they love? You can't have it both ways.

Ron, i understand what your talking about but it doesn't fit here. Racers pay for the privilege to compete, most pros have gold cards to pay for entry, if they don't enter they don't have to show up. Besides NHRA is expected to provide a competitive venue and they haven't done so. I just don't see a legal issue here.

 

[D]

The easiest thing in the world to say is, "What THEY should do is...".

I doubt anyone is ready to organize fuel teams into any kind of boycott. It could be professional suicide. People, think before you type.

And what the hell does this mean, "drug addict nature of racers "?

That's just wonderful.

It means they'll race under any circumstances no matter how unfavorable. Racing is an addiction why do you think after folks quit they rarely go to the races any more. I hope the two sides are working on things, but it doesn't/hasn't appeared to be the case.

S/F
D

 

[PDQ]

has anyone really determined if nhra is under preping the tracks? this one lane race tracks seems the worst it has ever been but it seems if they were both lanes would be totally bad. if there was a boycott I would really feel for the fans that show up drive a long distance or fly in then no show.

 

[Nitrohaulic]

Ron, i understand what your talking about but it doesn't fit here. Racers pay for the privilege to compete, most pros have gold cards to pay for entry, if they don't enter they don't have to show up. Besides NHRA is expected to provide a competitive venue and they haven't done so. I just don't see a legal issue here.

Businesses that compete against each other due to having the same customer(s) can't cooperate for their mutual benefit.

Could a team owner say that NHRA isn't their customer? I know their sponsor is a customer but, with NHRA paying money to them?

 

[TJ]

Fuel teams do not pay to participate in an NHRA event in most cases..