Sanctioning Bodies' Responsibilities: Fans or Pullers? October 20, 2021 02:56AM
Do sanctioning bodies (PPL, NTPA, Outlaw) have a bigger responsibility/ mission to the fans or to the pullers/ equipment owners/ drivers? In other words, what is their grandest purpose? To bring an amazing show to spectators who then pay for that show, and in turn allow these organizations to turn a profit? (Are they in the entertainment industry) or Are they a unified organization meant to stabilize competition between enthusiasts with similar interests? In other words, are they more like a club that gives drivers and owners a safe and fair place to participate in a sport that they love?

In other words, if we were to grow pulling, do we need to grow a sport that is better for fans to watch, or a sport that is more vision driven for driver participation, development and fairness.

Obviously they go hand in hand, but if we had to pick one, do we pick driver first or fan first?

Re: Sanctioning Bodies' Responsibilities: Fans or Pullers? October 20, 2021 03:29AM
Sanctioning organizations serve to unify and normalize
a sport through a set of rules and standards by which competition plays out. It doesn't matter if we are talking sports or motorsports it's the same. Competitors travel to competitions with the understanding that an established set of rules will be in play at those events....which encourages competitors to compete.. That rule set will in turn play out in the field of competition with close, exciting action...engaging fans and observers.

Lucky for us, pulling has not seen any true earth-shaking changes beyond an incremental movement of track length that's taken 25 years to happen...which is good for the casual fan. Think about how NASCAR continues to try to fine tune their cars with a series of new and different car programs that seem oblivious to keeping the racing exciting and that's just the tip of the iceberg. By far the dumbest thing I've seen happen is the PGA making a rule change on the fly to keep long hitters like Bryson DeChambeaux from using their full athletic ability to alter how to score low. Like him or not that dude can hit a golf ball and that generates fan engagement. He and others of his ilk make you stop and watch a ball go in excess of 400 yards.

Sanctioning bodies are the glue that holds things together, and the rest, when given a thoughtful eye to the puller and the fan, plays out in everyone's favor.



Bryan Lively -

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Re: Sanctioning Bodies' Responsibilities: Fans or Pullers? October 20, 2021 03:38AM
So, in other words, the sanctioning bodies first and foremost make sure they have everything they need in line to create an ideal sporting atmosphere and earnest competitive fairness for the drivers. Then, the fan experience falls in naturally as we are able to watch a top tier sport created by the sanctioning bodies.

How do they turn a profit? Is it more from drivers' fees or from fans' tickets and merchandise purchases? Or equal collaboration of both?

Re: Sanctioning Bodies' Responsibilities: Fans or Pullers? October 20, 2021 04:42AM
The one component that neither of us brought up is the promoter, and without the promoter pulls do not happen. Most promoters seek the services of a sanctioning body to make events happen in an orderly and fair manner. An orderly and fair event draws fans in that buy tickets which contributes to the bottom line. and determines if an event continues from year to.year. Promoters are the gatekeeper in many respects be it revenue, event interest, fan/puller engagement...you name it.



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Re: Sanctioning Bodies' Responsibilities: Fans or Pullers? October 20, 2021 05:10AM
That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for your input.

Do we feel any organization puts slightly more interest on one side than the other? To cut to the chase it seems that PPL pulls I have attended really look out for the driver and create a very inclusive sport for drivers, while NTPA pulls I have attended I have found to much more entertaining as a fan, almost as if they are prioritizing entertainment over ensuring that every last potential puller is included. OR as your last post indicates, are these more reflections of the groups/ individuals who promote these pulls? In other words a pull that happens to be PPL is less of a reflection of the organization as a whole, and more reflective of that promotor's goals, and just the traditions of the pull itself.

Re: Sanctioning Bodies' Responsibilities: Fans or Pullers? October 20, 2021 06:02AM
I only speak to the events I attend regularly but my comment is that they all appear to cater to fans and pullers well. The common thread is that they all act in a proactive manner to make the experiences for all participants better by making changes sooner than later to retain attendance. Obviously as a PPL guy I'm going to be at more of those events and have more observations, but I also attend two exceptional NTPA events regularly, BG and Brandenburg, KY. I don't think there's a better arena than Brandenburg in the sport. It's a unique experience and is great for the fan. That doesn't mean that other events need to put a track in like Brandenburg is but they are doing things to make the experience better for everyone. On the PPL side Hillsboro is the playhook to play by and places like Springfield TN and Mound City MO are making improvements every year observing the standard that Don Slama and Co. have set for success. A longstanding PPL venue, Evansville Indiana added more seating to improve the fan experience...Altamont IL added a bunch of seats too. And....BG is BG. It's a pull and an experience beyond the definition of any other pull. I hope this answers your questions.



Bryan Lively -

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Re: Sanctioning Bodies' Responsibilities: Fans or Pullers? October 20, 2021 05:45AM
Theoretically, the sanctioning body should be zero sum. If there is any residual earnings, that should go back into the points fund.

I agree with Bryan's definition of it. The "Show" part is the promoters responsibility. Where it gets muddy is MAV TV and NTPA's medial outlets. In a sense, yes they are engaged in that aspect, but it is a side operation.

I hope pulling never goes down the road Nascar has. They had a great thing going and in '03 they went to work on fixing it until it was truly broken.

CP

Re: Sanctioning Bodies' Responsibilities: Fans or Pullers? October 20, 2021 11:57AM
Along the same line of thought how about insurance how does that work lets say a county fair i know the fair has to have insurance since they are the promoter but does OUTLAWS PPL NTPA have insurance also and do the sled guys have there own insurance i ask this because i have been at pulls where someone has been hurt one from a flying part from a tractor and one from a sled malfunction when its all said and done how would those scenarios work out insurance wise

Re: Sanctioning Bodies' Responsibilities: Fans or Pullers? October 20, 2021 01:16PM
everybody has liability insurance - that's the simple straight answer. Promoter, puller, sled guy, sanctioning body...everybody.



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