Event costs

[tortfeaser]

Costs? A major part of Mark and my ideas involved making all info as available as possible... transparency, if you like. <snip> Why is it that nobody in rallying wants to talk about the REAL costs involved with running an event? Why the mystery? The ONLY info ANYONE has ever offered in terms of what's really involved in running an event was one 5 minute phone call to Matt D during Roc <snip> who's ever going to step up to the plate when its all so shrouded in secrecy? Again, I am open to be corrected, but until I see some cold, hard facts, I am skeptical...

Once again, over to you....

Hi Spac, as promised - here's the event budget for the DELL Classic Stages, complete except for the amount the sponsor is putting in. This budget is for the worst case scenario (I have to plan for the worst to avoid sending the club into debt) and is cost neutral to the BMSC. The best case will be to reduce the cost of trophies (trophy expenditure is an estimate based on last year), reduce the cost of door plates (door plates should be cheaper this year than last, budget based on last years cost), not have stewards costs, not spend as much on course car fuel and reduce costs in a couple of other places.

A couple of comments - if we had a bare bones event, you could do it for a minimum of $155 per car. That would be to lose event photography, door plates, prize money, stewards costs, cheap trophies, food and drink for volunteers, beer for competing crews after the event, etc etc. We have included these costs as we believe they add value to the event, provide a professional 'look' to benefit the sponsor and the club, and give entrants something extra. These extras include two professional photos of their car, beer to encourage them to stay around after the event, a decent safety network (WICEN safety radio, FIV), and basic amenities (food, drink, toilets). Last year we received good feedback about the cost of the event, and this year we have added lots of extras for a cost increase of $10.

I would really like some comments on this budget, and on the inclusions. Do people want a cheap arse event, or are they happy to pay for better safety and a couple of nice extras

[I couldn't get html to work, I've emailed a .pdf to Zenith to upload]

[Daniel]

If the difference between a cheap arse event and a good one is $15-$20 go the extra trimings in my opinion. HOWEVER if we are talking a $100 difference go the cheap arse event.

[Spac]

The answer to this question depends a ****e-load on what sort of event it is. If it is a part of a series, and people are taking it seriously, than option 1 is NOT a preferred option.

However, if it is a relaxed club event, I'd go for option 1 every time - people are much more inclined to stop and make sure other competitiors are OK if there's nothing at stake, which partially renders WICEN redundant... if it is clear that there's no "pampering", people look after each other much better. Similarly, the beer at the end can be supplied by the competitors - I don't see any point in the non-beer drinkers paying money to subsidise those that do...

Prize money? I can only speak for myself, but the only thing I have a hope of winning is ACT clubman - so I spend $500+ on an event and if I happen to win ACT CM, I get $100... whoopdee do.... What do the the outright contenders think? I know they win more money, but they spend a ****e-load more too.

From my point of view, I can only just make it (financially speaking) to 80% of events that I do - and as everyone knows, I never do anything as a no expense spared excercise.... The other 20% usually still involve doing without something or another - free accomodation, for example is considered a HUGE bonus to me.

So, (getting to the point) $30 here or there in the cost of the entry CAN make the difference between me entering an event or not entering one. And I suspect I'm not the only one - look at Bega last year (50 cars) compared to Bega this year (82 cars) - the only difference I can see is the inclusion of a short event, with a reduced entry fee. And before anyone says "but there were less than 32 cars entered in the short event", remember that people often initially baulk at the full entry fee, and then talk themselves up to it. I ended up entering the long event at NatCap last year, but if there was only the long event, I would have said "screw that" and not entered at all. No kidding.

[jem]

As far as a club rally is concerned, I would go for the cheap arse event for pretty much the same reasons as spac. If it were a series event, I'd prefer to pay the extra and get the extras.

I would like to see the inclusion of the cheap arse event with the beer extras. that'd would be the ideal race.