Autosport show 2024

Author
Discussion

Kev_Mk3

2,779 posts

96 months

Saturday 20th January
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flatlandsman

764 posts

8 months

Saturday 20th January
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It depends whether you think 38 quid and 18 or s to park is worth... that. If you do fair enough, I fear for your bank account monthly but its your money, if you dont, well that might be coz you can remember when the cost WAS justified

anonymous-user

55 months

Saturday 20th January
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Kev_Mk3 said:
Looks deserted, like they have had to deliberately space the cars out so it doesn't look so empty.

We used to go every year as my brother used to race, but I haven't been for nearly 15 years. Back then the Demon Tweeks stand was massive and there were interesting cars everywhere, usually with attractive models draped all over them.

The live action arena was always good, I can still smell the stench of tyre and clutch smoke as we left.

I stopped going as it was the same thing every year, but in hindsight it was amazing back then compared to this video.


24lemons

2,652 posts

186 months

Saturday 20th January
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Wow that video is bleak. I remember going in the 90’s and early 2000’s and it was bursting with modern racing cars and personalities. There were memorabilia retailers everywhere and it was crowded. I thought about going this year as I haven’t been for about 15 years. I’m glad I didn’t.

flatlandsman

764 posts

8 months

Saturday 20th January
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As I said earlier, a post here said people were at the show and admitted to trying to take it in a new area, more drifty modified stuff.

that pushes a lot of traditional motorsport people away as the crowd is less them.

I see the logic in trying to find new interest, but it kind of stinks to me of "we cant make any money out of this lot, let's try and tap into a new revenue stream"

Instead of reading the reviews and places like here about pricing, the boring show aspect, stall space, pathetic joke parking fees.

For me a new arena, a fresh start and somewhere where you can get proper smaller stalls back because they WILL come of you make it worthwhile, and the only way is cheaper space and cheaper prices for fans, then you will get real footfall, all they have done for the past 1- years is cream as much as they can out of a dwindling crowd.

The issue is if a show is a success the hosts realise and charge more and more, then the promoter needs to do so and it becomes an ever shrinking circle. because of the usual thing, blind, pathetic greed, and eventually no-one wins.

Sebring440

2,023 posts

97 months

Saturday 20th January
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Will all the hand-wringing and moaning on here have an effect do you think?

Are the organisers reading this thread?

freedman

5,419 posts

208 months

Sunday 21st January
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We went on the Thursday, Pretty poor all round, IMO

We ended up driving to GPR at Silverstone to buy some Racewear/Helmets

61GT

579 posts

181 months

Sunday 21st January
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GlobalRacer said:
Shame that Thursday and Friday are trade only days now. I used to always go on a Thursday to avoid the worse of the crowds.
I thought that Thursday and Friday have always been designated trade days?

flatlandsman

764 posts

8 months

Sunday 21st January
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The only a change comes is if people stop attending, stop the stupid over paying.

These companies have social media people who will say anything positive to you to make sure you go (because they know how easily manipulated people are on socials) and say nothing about criticism, but take it on board.

The only way you affect change is to act by not going, and sadly enough people are bored after Xmas that it always gets a crowd.

So it will just carry on being a rather damp squib.

GlobalRacer

241 posts

14 months

Sunday 21st January
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61GT said:
I thought that Thursday and Friday have always been designated trade days?
They were but they always let MSA (MSUK now) licence holders attend those days. Now they don't and you have to be in a connected business. I tried to get a ticket via my business but, as there's no motorsport connection, I was refused.

flatlandsman

764 posts

8 months

Sunday 21st January
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When you see things like that you just facepalm! It is such a badly run thing.

Anyone any ideas as to hoe you could make it better? I have given my fourpenneth

freedman

5,419 posts

208 months

Sunday 21st January
quotequote all
GlobalRacer said:
They were but they always let MSA (MSUK now) licence holders attend those days. Now they don't and you have to be in a connected business. I tried to get a ticket via my business but, as there's no motorsport connection, I was refused.
We aren’t in the trade, as such, just licence holders, and got tickets for Thursday without issue

GlobalRacer

241 posts

14 months

Sunday 21st January
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freedman said:
We aren’t in the trade, as such, just licence holders, and got tickets for Thursday without issue
Interesting. They always explicitly said on the ticket booking page that license holders were allowed on trade days but this year they didn't and when I phoned to query it they said it was for motorsport related business people only on those two days. Just another example of how poorly run it is I guess.

freedman

5,419 posts

208 months

Sunday 21st January
quotequote all
GlobalRacer said:
Interesting. They always explicitly said on the ticket booking page that license holders were allowed on trade days but this year they didn't and when I phoned to query it they said it was for motorsport related business people only on those two days. Just another example of how poorly run it is I guess.
There was even a drop down on the ticket application page asking for your licence number


GlobalRacer

241 posts

14 months

Sunday 21st January
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freedman said:
There was even a drop down on the ticket application page asking for your licence number
Must have been a different page to the one I looked at that then. The dropdown for the license number there was for a discount for the public days.

covboy

2,577 posts

175 months

Sunday 21st January
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If its still organised by Haymarket - They are not the force they used to be (not only in Motorsport) Notice teh BRSCC gave it a miss this year after being strong supporters since its inception

flatlandsman

764 posts

8 months

Sunday 21st January
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Hayshed were bought out years ago by the woeful motorsport network, or I think they were.

614-HSO

1,329 posts

49 months

Sunday 21st January
quotequote all
flatlandsman said:
As I said earlier, a post here said people were at the show and admitted to trying to take it in a new area, more drifty modified stuff.

that pushes a lot of traditional motorsport people away as the crowd is less them.

I see the logic in trying to find new interest, but it kind of stinks to me of "we cant make any money out of this lot, let's try and tap into a new revenue stream"

Instead of reading the reviews and places like here about pricing, the boring show aspect, stall space, pathetic joke parking fees.

For me a new arena, a fresh start and somewhere where you can get proper smaller stalls back because they WILL come of you make it worthwhile, and the only way is cheaper space and cheaper prices for fans, then you will get real footfall, all they have done for the past 1- years is cream as much as they can out of a dwindling crowd.

The issue is if a show is a success the hosts realise and charge more and more, then the promoter needs to do so and it becomes an ever shrinking circle. because of the usual thing, blind, pathetic greed, and eventually no-one wins.
Why would normal motorsport be pushed out by drifting for example?

I don't think a new arena is the answer either, the NEC is easier for every one to get to people moan about the cost of parking, well if its held at Earls Court there wouldn't be any cost for parking because there isn't any.

I am not sure what the answer is, I didn't go this year after going for about the last fifteen or so years.

61GT

579 posts

181 months

Sunday 21st January
quotequote all
GlobalRacer said:
They were but they always let MSA (MSUK now) licence holders attend those days. Now they don't and you have to be in a connected business. I tried to get a ticket via my business but, as there's no motorsport connection, I was refused.
Thanks for clarifying.

flatlandsman

764 posts

8 months

Sunday 21st January
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To be brutal with you, you and people like you are the reason it stays there, you keep going despite it being smaller and smaller every year! They rely on that. I am being harsh but this is the reality for so much modern stuff, more and more money from less and less people. The last two shows have been panned pretty much, yet it will be 40 quid next year 19 quid to park and less stuff than this year AGAIN. That has been the trend for over 15 years.

NEC is a great venue, but read a few other comments, awful people to deal with for people who want to display, floor space is 4 or 5 times the price of any other show, even at the same sodding venue, it is just a massive, colossal cash grab by the people running it.

That is why they do not cover parking as they probably get some take from it.

I hope fora reset, but I cannot see another venue, there are some great places but probably further away,