As someone who spends all night behind a camera every weekend, "Are you going to be live streaming?" is something that I hear quite often. The majority of the time, that question comes from people who are already at the event who are asking on behalf of someone who couldn't make it for whatever reason (work, health, etc). I don't think that the hole produced by live streaming in the leaking bucket of falling attendance is that large. There are other factors (that I believe are more of a burden for tractor pulling) that need to be taken care of first. From my point-of-view, live streaming is another valuable marketing tool that can be used to help put those much-needed "butts in the seats." But perhaps instead of the live stream offering the entire show for free, maybe just a single class should be chosen in order to provide individuals who are on the fence a chance to see what they are missing at their local event. But what do I know? John Murray Two-time Pedal Pull World Champion Let's Go Pulling, covering the sport of pulling in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama. Watch LGP on YouTube Like LGP on Facebook 
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A lot of good discussion here. Like John I spend a lot of time on the track and I get messages and requests to live stream all the time. I look at it from the perspective that if I have the privilege of standing on the track, I need to live stream in a manner that makes a fan want to come to the pull. So, if the crowd is a little thin on a Friday night I shoot limited stuff to showcase what you can come see in person on Saturday. If the stands are full, then shoot an entire class or more and that still can draw more fans in to see the action. Yes the opportunity for fans in the stands to live stream is there also but unless they are super-steady or use a stable tripod to video off of they're not hurting anyone. There's a difference in the video quality coming out of a camera like John's and an iphone.
As for attendance it seems that there's a converging set of circumstances that kill or cure a pull. It starts from the very moment that the date/time/classes are decided on and how even that initial information is doled out. Every sort of media is important; all forms of print, digital, billboards and displays in the town the pull is in, as well as tv and radio. Whatever you do make it clear and informative and fnd a balance between being informative and beating a dead horse over and over again. I cannot tell you how many times I've been scouting events to attend, having a plan A, B, C, and D in my pocket depending on the weather at each location. I run across message board announcements and flyers that simply tell me there's a tractor pull going on....yeah I know this weekend, but where? what time? They also have to be timely announcements. I write press releases for PPL, and I try to time them on the Wednesday or Thursday before the pull with a reasonable amount of information or links to more info (driving web traffic to the promoter's website/Facebook page). I feel like it's a happy medium to put stuff on the internet because I feel like a Monday/Tuesday release can get lost in the shuffle and of course a Friday morning presser is just plain ol' late. PPL Facebook info is set up by Jesse Post and they're timed for publication per his instructions. Timing, and a fan base that is increasingly narrow in their ability to focus hits the sport from all angles. Focus...a huge issue. What are successful events doing to draw fans in? Once you have them at the track, how do you improve the fan experience and make them want to come back? Moreover, what other events are going on during the pull that can hamper a crowd? I see from my travels that well-established, well-run events with activities for everyone have no trouble with attendance. Events that have fought weather and other circumstances beyond their control get a mixed outcome. As I think about all this, this sport doesn't have a path to failure, you gotta look at much of what is going on as an opportunity for success. The first step to success at this point is for me to quit typing and let someone else discuss. I'll tag back in later with more thoughts. Bryan Lively - 
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Yup, more sponsors would mean more promotion. More promotion would mean a much wider reach. A much wider reach would mean more fans. 
By the way, glad to be a part of this Pulling Forum, newbie here. I joined up in the hopes of learning more about the art of Pulling. Whenever I'm taking a break from this particular hobby and enthusiasm, I'm usually found at home, treating my Pomeranian to his dog treats and watching TV with my wife. Such a simple, yet, happy life. Cheers, everyone! Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2018 01:40AM by TravisDas. |
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Registered: 03/27/2008 Posts: 1,144 |
