Goodwood MM postponed

Goodwood MM postponed

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sly fox

Original Poster:

2,220 posts

218 months

Tuesday 17th March 2020
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Just had the email.

I knew it wouldn’t, but it’s my favourite motorsport event of the year,

At least it’s postponed and not cancelled. For now..

No ideas for a name

2,160 posts

85 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
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stellaa9x said:
it will not happen, frown
A bit late to the party with your post, but I see you are a new poster. I won't do the normal PH thing of having a go.... So I will assume you are genuine - welcome.

The 78MM is 'postponed' until next year. There is no certainty that it will happen then.

However, the next Members' Meeting that is run will be the 78th. There was a big gap between 71MM in 1966 and 72MM in 2014... Hopefully we won't be seeing a similar gap this time.

ch37

10,642 posts

220 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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Moving this away from the membership thread, but with the news that sporting events are likely to be off limits until at least March I wonder where that leaves Goodwood?

I'm assuming they can't afford to fully plan yet another event that now has a reasonable chance of being cancelled at short notice, particularly so as they're not likely to be receiving much more in the way of ticket income.

mk1coopers

1,198 posts

151 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2020
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Difficult one, personally I'd look to move it near to the end of August and build the infrastructure for the MM and Revival in one go to keep costs down to changing some signs, it may not be the perfect branded MM event but I'd rather save the cost of setting up for both and (hopefully) move the event further from the point where we could still be under restrictions

ecsrobin

17,018 posts

164 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2020
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The problem will be fitting it round the racing calendar later in the year.

ch37

10,642 posts

220 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2020
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mk1coopers said:
Difficult one, personally I'd look to move it near to the end of August and build the infrastructure for the MM and Revival in one go to keep costs down to changing some signs, it may not be the perfect branded MM event but I'd rather save the cost of setting up for both and (hopefully) move the event further from the point where we could still be under restrictions
Would there be a lot of overlap of cars/competitors? If so that's an interesting idea, run it on consecutive weeks (if said competitors are willing to remain at or near the circuit for a week).

mk1coopers

1,198 posts

151 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2020
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ecsrobin said:
The problem will be fitting it round the racing calendar later in the year.
Trouble is everyone’s calendar will be up in the air so is it better to put a fixed point in (even though some people will not be able to attend) with the cars there will be some overlap and I’m sure Goodwood can plan for there to be more of an overlap if needed

No ideas for a name

2,160 posts

85 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2020
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I would imaging that having it as a block of two weekends together, isn't going to fly.
I think some of the locals who are anti, would be up in arms. To be fair, if you are not in to racing, it probably would be a step too far to have 'your' town/area invaded by thousands of people in a short space of time. Goodwood wouldn't be doing themselves any favours.

I know Goodwood need to run the events in some way, they will need the revenue. Logic says run just the Members' Meeting, and do it at Revival time - it keeps the numbers down. However, that isn't going to fly as I understand that it only just breaks even or thereabouts - so what would be the point for GW.

FoS and Revival are those that bring in the money by bringing in the crowds - but that then creates the problem.

Speaking as a Member, I am not sure where this is going. I will probably renew next year, but I am not in a position just to throw that cash away, I do really want something for my money. GRRC members really need to be having some more benefits after this. Seperate discussion, but over the years, those benefits have been eroded. To be fair to GW, I am not really sure what they can offer. As I mentioned before, is it Platinum GSA badges all round?

AllezWasps

551 posts

165 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2020
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If Goodwood could move the MM to late April/ early May that might work.
We know we are in the current phase of restrictions until March i.e end of winter (most probably) but I would think if we hit April and beyond with no live attendances at sporting venues etc there will be (in the absence of government financial intervention) a large number of professional sporting clubs that will have gone to the wall. I don’t think Government will want to see that happen.
If crowds are back in Stadia you would think MM- maybe with some tweaks and restrictions might be good to go ahead.

ch37

10,642 posts

220 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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Thought of the MM today as my local council (Wiltshire) have started withdrawing permission for events that require sizeable gatherings (even running races for less than 1k people) into next year now.

I would have expected an announcement from Goodwood by now, at the very least postponing it until an as yet unspecified date. I know they don't want to trigger yet more refunds, but as far as I can tell there is not a single indicator that an event for 25k people will be even remotely viable in less than 6 months time.

DeejRC

5,707 posts

81 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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They have only just run Speedweek. Settle the dust from that lot. Then there is the Xmas activities they will be working out.

Next year will be in planning...but what? They will want to hold the provisional dates, but for what? I would not be surprised if something akin to Speedweed is held during the MM weekend. But...I would expect them to be working out how to allow a number of Members in to the event. How many? Who to allow? etc etc.

ch37

10,642 posts

220 months

Thursday 3rd December 2020
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In case people don't check the other thread...

https://www.goodwood.com/grr/event-coverage/festiv...

15-16th May 2021

I have a prior commitment (wedding) so I'm going to have some fun trying to get hold of a refund!

Oldred_V8S

3,714 posts

237 months

Thursday 3rd December 2020
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ch37 said:
In case people don't check the other thread...

https://www.goodwood.com/grr/event-coverage/festiv...

15-16th May 2021

I have a prior commitment (wedding) so I'm going to have some fun trying to get hold of a refund!
Happy to take a ticket off you if you have one for Sunday

ch37

10,642 posts

220 months

Thursday 3rd December 2020
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Oldred_V8S said:
Happy to take a ticket off you if you have one for Sunday
I've had quite a few messages about this smile

After giving it some thought I'm going to hang on to it, there is a) a chance the wedding could move anyway, and b) I'd worry if they have to reduce capacity and somebody ends up with a ticket that is cancelled (which doesn't seem outside the realm of possibility, 20k people in May seems a big ask right now).

mk1coopers

1,198 posts

151 months

Thursday 3rd December 2020
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Goodwood have said that the GRRC members will get the opportunity to by spare tickets for the events first, then the Fellowship, this is assuming that they can run at capacity next year.

willy wombat

906 posts

147 months

Wednesday 27th January 2021
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I see the Chelsea Flower Show has just been delayed from May 18-23 to 4th week of September. Does make me wonder whether MM will be able to go ahead in May.

ecsrobin

17,018 posts

164 months

Wednesday 27th January 2021
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willy wombat said:
I see the Chelsea Flower Show has just been delayed from May 18-23 to 4th week of September. Does make me wonder whether MM will be able to go ahead in May.
I’m amazed they’re trying to push ahead. It’s very obvious it can’t go ahead yet they’ll be throwing money away trying to plan an event. Apparently they lost £1mil setting up for MM20.

ch37

10,642 posts

220 months

Wednesday 27th January 2021
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ecsrobin said:
I’m amazed they’re trying to push ahead. It’s very obvious it can’t go ahead yet they’ll be throwing money away trying to plan an event. Apparently they lost £1mil setting up for MM20.
Even full school reopening is likely to be pushed back to the end of the Easter holidays, how they think an event with 25k people is going to happen a few weeks later is beyond me. I assume by now they would need to actually organising races, filling grids?

Maybe they want to shift all the tickets for the 3 events first, to top up the cashflow, then postpone MM (and possibly FoS) to 2022 and just have all the tickets roll over.

The North Somerset Show in May (20k people over 3 days) has been cancelled already.


Indoraptor

205 posts

38 months

Wednesday 27th January 2021
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ecsrobin said:
I’m amazed they’re trying to push ahead. It’s very obvious it can’t go ahead yet they’ll be throwing money away trying to plan an event. Apparently they lost £1mil setting up for MM20.
The planning is pretty much a fixed cost, considering they’ve not changed much from the 2020 plan, it won’t cost much / any more than was spent already, to plan the postponed event this year. The logistics of actually running the event are likely going to be the biggest ball ache. If ( as the optimistic forecasts ) have it, we are back to the ‘tiers’ system by May, there could well be a way to run the event ‘Covid safe’ given the geography and architecture of the Goodwood track. It all depends on whether the ‘tier’ system is indeed in place, by May, and whether the tier in which Goodwood falls allows the event, in a paired back / modified for Covid safety format. Of course, then there’s the small matter of the willingness of the protagonists / spectators to participate to consider. It’s going to be squeaky bums all round for this event, I feel.

No ideas for a name

2,160 posts

85 months

Wednesday 27th January 2021
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Indoraptor said:
..........
Of course, then there’s the small matter of the willingness of the protagonists / spectators to participate to consider. .........
Key point for me. I have a 78MM ticket, but the way things are going I would rather that roll over to next year.

I spent 9 days in ITU last year with Covid and was not mixing with people, nor the commonly imagined type or age to suffer from it.
No way will I be going to an event the (normal) size of FoS or Revival this year even if it were to run.
Can't risk the chance of bringing anything back to the rest of the household who are shielding.

Difficult for Goodwood, but I assume they are topping up the bank account by selling all available tickets and will then announce a delay.
They are also selling the Memberships - I wonder what the renewal rate was this year compared to last year.