And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

[Race5]

https://www.crowdtilt.com/campaigns/i-love-the-air-races

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

Was asked for and contributed $100. last year, tried to buy enough food and such to do my part this year.. I'm in for $100. for this, I'd love to see us all help get them over the hump..

This really is make or break time, right wrong or indifferent, the sport DOES need our help....



Update: Threw my hundred in... Let's see if this really happens! Remember, they need $500 grand by Dec 15th!

[Air Boss]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

I'm in for $50, plus the $100 I donate every year anyway...plus whatever my I can convince my group of judges to pony up!

Let's make it happen, guys and gals...

[Coyote Chris]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

I gave $100 last year and Joined RARA and buy my tickets early and I do believe in helping out if I can.
I would be willing to give much more IF I was guaranteed to get the money back if the races didn't happen.
I would also like some recongnition for being a donner. Maybe its only a place out of the sun with some cold water..maybe cheeper pit passes....
As I have said before, it saddens me that there aren't 5000 race fans willing to give $2 a week to make the
races happen. Caught a part of an Automobile F1 race on TV the other day. Stands were packed...money
flowed like water everywhere....what do they have that we don't? Fans willing to spend money? Or promoters who can sell their sport? I have no idea. I got bored after awhile and switched channels.

[Air Boss]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

This "sport" has almost always operated on the margins...everybody knows that, and still we race. There are no guarantees here guys. Either we roll the dice and pony up what we can to help out, or we don't. No issues either way. We all make our decisions based on our own situations. No harm no foul. But it's the essence of how this things survives. Grass roots...and if it doesn't happen, at least you'll know it wasn't because you didn't step up. In some respects, it's nice to know you at least have some control of its future. In almost all other forms of racing, (pick one), you essentially have no control of its future. The recognition comes from the fact that you know you contributed to ensure this sport survives and the thanks expressed by RARA at almost every opportunity they get. Rarely does RARA hold a presser or other press release and not mention the fans...over and over again. It's the reason we're still playing in Wayne's sandbox here. Without you, me, and every other AAFO'er out there, we're not having this conversation.

This isn't NHRA, NASCAR, IndyCAR, or F1. Think about the sponsors there. Huge multi-national tobacco, telecom, alcohol, IT/Tech, auto, conglomerates. RARA is nowhere near that level and never has been. We're a niche "sport" with niche marketing and funding. That's the reality. What F1 has is Ferrari, MB, Lotus, McLaren, etc...huge $$$. NASCAR...auto manufactures, huge retailers, petroleum producers, etc...same with Indy. Long standing, big dollar sponsors whose identity is closely affiliated with the sport itself. Can the average RARA fan name a major sponsor of an aircraft in any class? Not casting any stones here so don't get me wrong... I BLEED Air Racing. But facts are facts...they are unforgiving.

Two other issues...all of those are series racing enterprises at multiple, long-standing racing sites and they all automobile racing. The average fan can identify with the driver because it's a car...granted, it may be highly modified, but it's still a car. Four wheels, rubber, internal combustion engine, steering wheel, clutch, etc. Aircraft...no so much. We're trying to appeal to a select group of folks and maintain that interest throughout a 12 month period...without racing for 51 weeks!

Bottom Line: no guarantees. As a founding father once famously said: 'We all must hang together...or most assuredly we'll all hang separately.

[Coyote Chris]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

Just wanted to add that Air Boss is correct in that my wishes are just that...wishes and pledging money only if the races happen is impractical, I would guess. And yes, I do give money so I can look myself in the mirror if the races fold and say, "Well, I did my part....wish others cared enough to do theirs...." Good luck to RARA in this....

[Pete]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

..remember when 'crowd funding' meant selling tickets...

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

You guys should see how much I spend to do my part!

[Coyote Chris]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

Did your part?! Wow. I spend an average of $500, give or take, every year at the air races. I consider that to be doing my part.
Perhaps if this event cannot survive without resorting to begging online, then it really is time to pull the plug.

Sorry if you misunderstood me...my fault...I did not include the money I spent at the races as far as food, pit passes, admission, program, DVDs, T-shirts, etc....some or all of those purchases do indeed reach RARA. And of course there is lots of money I spend on the sponsors....and in the community. Lots of fans and the casual attendees spend money to.
But with the attendance down, its not enough.
I am not saying anything about anyone personally here....lots of people give in many ways.....I am just saying that I feel better about myself when I give an added $100 + and also my RARA membership fee.
As far as begging on line, or anywhere else, then perhaps many events, causes, charities, religions, etc need to fold.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

Sorry if you misunderstood me...my fault...I did not include the money I spent at the races as far as food, pit passes, admission, program, DVDs, T-shirts, etc....some or all of those purchases do indeed reach RARA. And of course there is lots of money I spend on the sponsors....and in the community. Lots of fans and the casual attendees spend money to.
But with the attendance down, its not enough.
I am not saying anything about anyone personally here....lots of people give in many ways.....I am just saying that I feel better about myself when I give an added $100 + and also my RARA membership fee.
As far as begging on line, or anywhere else, then perhaps many events, causes, charities, religions, etc need to fold.

That's it! Let it all go away and let all the hard work of the folks that have given years of blood, sweat, tears, divorce, health, and bloody knuckles go in vain.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

That's it! Let it all go away and let all the hard work of the folks that have given years of blood, sweat, tears, divorce, health, and bloody knuckles go in vain.

WBK, this has become a far more emotional subject than I'd ever imagined!

For myself, and, I know, many of us, cut us, we bleed air racing. We don't complicate our dreams with the reality of the situation, unless, we absolutely have to.

So, IMHO, that's where a lot of the misunderstanding between the loyal lies.

NOBODY wants to see the races end!

That's a given!

The reality is, it's going to be a tough haul.. which means, we're going to need a lot of positive energy to make it happen.

I guess I'd have to agree with anyone who wants to brand this current online campaign as not only lame, but horribly lame! Yet, I donated $100. even if I had to put it on a personal credit card and just pay it off with my pension! If the races are this desperate, then damned if I'm not going to help however I can!

All of this said!

My mind is still wrangling with us losing the one direct contact that media had, who did her best to keep us appraised, through whatever channel she had open to her. And we're now presented with something that is supposed to be really innovative? S H I T, our media contact had us passing the hat YEARS ago, in our small way, we made it happen... usually on a MUCH smaller scale than saving the entire races! (Rare Bear Fan Sponsor comes to mind) I'm just sort of gob smacked that the announcement indicated changes were going to bring about something innovative, so, OK, we lose a real "face of the races" and, I guess, we're going to unveil something really a whole lot better. I really liked working with Valerie but.. OK, moving on......

... OK, Valerie Miller Moore is gone, we move ahead to better funding options, innovative options.. so.. WHERE'S THE BEEF!

With the new media access situation, which will be what any media entity will encounter at RENO 14, I hope I've not offended anyone to the extent that I can no longer provide the level of coverage I've enjoyed the ability to do in the past... I've just been watching the posts here and there and find it hard to sit back and not say something about the trend of the posts I see that seem to blame someone who got left behind, then ridicule something that is now presented...

So, where the the brains go?

Closin' out my sixer and heading to bed.. hoping that sanity will be in control when I wake up.. I hope that each and every night I go to bed!

Hope my prolific speedtyping fingers don't get me in trouble again! I can type much faster than I can think...

[RichH]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

That's it! Let it all go away and let all the hard work of the folks that have given years of blood, sweat, tears, divorce, health, and bloody knuckles go in vain.

If it does go away, it will have nothing what-so-ever to do with the fans. Sorry, but your comment is misdirected...

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

If it does go away, it will have nothing what-so-ever to do with the fans. Sorry, but your comment is misdirected...

All I'm saying is that I'm a bit tired of all the doom and gloom.

[Kevin]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

I don't often but in to too your conversations, but this is what I think is funny. That a once a year event like Pumpkin Chuckin make good TV, but Air racing has no Commercial TV Interest.

Give me a break.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: And the crowd funding campaign begins.....

I don't often but in to too your conversations, but this is what I think is funny. That a once a year event like Pumpkin Chuckin make good TV, but Air racing has no Commercial TV Interest.

Give me a break.

I believe there are some promising projects, at least, at the discussion stage. Jeff Lee's coverage has not gone unnoticed in the wide world of media... Who knows what tomorrow will bring!

Also, as an asterisk to all this, I've heard that there's a chance that if the funding goals are met, we *could* get the person who has a really good finger on the pulse of coverage at RENO back... That person being Valerie Miller.

Give her the power to go out and bring in the bucks and that fireball will get it done!

Important to note in all of this, the position that was eliminated, had no power to bring in sponsors.. that job belongs to others within the staff at RARA. Bringing in PARTNERS for an event (sponsor is a dirty word, actually) involves a LOT of personality.. I've had some hands on experience with "partners" and funding of events and teams in the past (Las Vegas Air Racing, Tunica Air Races, Rare Bear Air Race Team, etc) It's really like any marketing, or business in general, it's about relationships!

Anyway..

Maybe I'm all wet on this and am talking out my ass.. It just seems like we threw out the baby and kept the bathwater in this case..