PPL vs NTPA June 14, 2021 02:26AM
It seems in recent years the PPL has over taken the NTPA in certain classes. I'm basing this off of number of competitors on the Grand National circuit and the Champions Tour. The PPL seems to be getting bigger and bigger, and adding new pulls that draw more fans while the NTPA is going backwards a bit. Obviously the NTPA has many of the larger pulls, BG, Tomah etc., however at a pull like BG and Tomah you will see many of the PPL competitors and often at the top of results. Thoughts? Overall it seems the PPL is going to force the NTPA into much needed change.
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Re: PPL vs NTPA June 14, 2021 08:01AM
I remember talking to David P. at Bowling Green a few years ago and he was talking about the other national organizations and he said " I've seen them come and I've seen them go and I never really worry about competing with them". My first thought was when you start under estimating your compitition then you are playing a fool's game. I am not saying that the NTPA is going to fail. However right now they are on a downward trend. Leadership needs to start asking the hard questions. How did we go from having most, if not all the state organizations to just a couple now. Why are there such superior numbers in most of the PPL shows.
. Sure the NTPA still has BG and that alone is a life saver, but if I was the NTPA I would stop taking my compitition so lightly.


Dick Morgan

www.PULLOFF.com
Independent Pulling News
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Re: PPL vs NTPA June 14, 2021 09:28AM
Is this the last year of NTPA/NTPC agreement ? Could we expect BG to sanction with PPL or do something other than with NTPA ?
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Re: PPL vs NTPA June 14, 2021 09:00AM
To add to Dick’s points - which are well made, and I totally agree with - PPL payouts on the Champions Tour vs. Grand National are night and day different. Pulling at the highest level is going to attract numbers for a bigger payout for sure. And fans have a higher quality digital/video feed at their fingertips, oh and much cheaper. I’ve heard that the NTPA has reached out to pullers to help come and support a pull or two. That is a pretty good indication of a problem when you have to actually reach out.

NTPA usually has a very well run and organized show, which that’s where PPL needs to grow and get better. But to a puller, you can probably put up with hiccups here and there for more cash. And we all know they have corporate backing through Lucas but the NTPA has sat on their hands far too long snd left the door open for competition.
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Re: PPL vs NTPA June 14, 2021 09:55AM
All good points but as a promoter I feel something needs to be pointed out about the livestream, yes ppl has a great production but it's only where they have Mavtv on site filming for their station for a later date. The promoter does not get this money it all goes to Lucas. Also the price is cheep, well there is a reason for that did u notice the commercials? There is where the money is coming from thus allowing them to sell it cheep. A promoter going out on his own to livestream their event incurs a lot of expenses, hence the higher price. The bottom line is livestream no doubt takes some fans out of the seat at the event, which hurts the bottom line beer sales, food, etc. If the promoter is not profiting off of the livestream it hurts.
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Re: PPL vs NTPA June 14, 2021 12:21PM
One thing that comes to mind when comparing the two major organizations for me is the simple fact that Lucas could pull the plug at any moment. For those that say "oh no he would never do that", I say this to that; my wife's cousin ran an off road series for Lucas for many years in California. Granted it was a smaller series like some of our state pulling organizations but my point is this...one day Lucas pulled the plug and it was done, gone, history! It seems that her cousin is picking up the pieces and running his own much smaller series but the financial end of it is Way different.

I've run with both organizations and have no major issues with either, I like certain things in one over the other but none are deal breakers. As for the live stream I've not seen them but the NTPA is pretty good about doing live results from almost any event where PPL is sometimes several days out on getting results posted.

When low numbers come up in any organization my first thought is not so much about which organization it is but just how much money it takes to compete in general. Yes PPL might pay more but it still cost WAY more to compete in any organization than you are going to win. I try to look at it like boating, just an expensive hobby.

S'no Farmer
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Re: PPL vs NTPA June 15, 2021 08:58AM
I have the same concern. Yes, Lucas pulled the plug on the short course off road series they ran out west despite being the "slicker," better funded, glamorous series compared to the more working class midwest group. It was quite a shock. Luckily, the midwest series was separate and is still going (and stronger than it has been in a while since there isn't really any competition now). They also dropped drag boat racing a few years ago which was a big blow for that sport. Oddly, Lucas had built dedicated facilities for both racing disciplines as part of their Wheatland complex that were considered some of the best in the nation.

Lucas isn't afraid to up and pull out of sports they no longer want to be in, regardless of how dedicated they appear to be to them or how much of a lurch it leaves the competitors in. Which is one reason I don't care for their tendency to not just be a major sponsor but to actually take part in owning/operating sanctioning bodies. These series can't operate without them- not just in terms of money, but as an organization- and then when Lucas changes their mind, the fans and competitors are left with nothing.
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Re: PPL vs NTPA June 15, 2021 09:46AM
I believe Lucas dropped out of drag boat because of the danger of the sport. A couple drivers died I think.
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Re: PPL vs NTPA June 15, 2021 02:04AM
Quote
Promoter
All good points but as a promoter I feel something needs to be pointed out about the livestream, yes ppl has a great production but it's only where they have Mavtv on site filming for their station for a later date. The promoter does not get this money it all goes to Lucas. Also the price is cheep, well there is a reason for that did u notice the commercials? There is where the money is coming from thus allowing them to sell it cheep. A promoter going out on his own to livestream their event incurs a lot of expenses, hence the higher price. The bottom line is livestream no doubt takes some fans out of the seat at the event, which hurts the bottom line beer sales, food, etc. If the promoter is not profiting off of the livestream it hurts.

I can see why a promotor might feel this way in the short term but I think any media that helps get attention on the sport will be good in the long run. Take Fort Recovery for example. I live in MN and I was not going to travel 13 hours to go watch it in person but I sure paid the $7 to watch it online and I had several other people who hadn't been to a pull before watch it with me. Now when PPL or NTPA come to town they want to go see it. That will no doubt help the local promotor in MN and I bet attendance at Fort Recovery will be bigger next year because of it. Plus even if MAVTV/Lucas make more money off the live stream and continue to make profits they are going to continue to support the sport and the promoters.

Sure, it can draw some local fans to stay home and watch, especially if it's 100* outside but a well developed live stream or national media coverage is going to be good for everyone. The promotors even get some free advertising out of it by MAVTV just talking about the event. I doubt Daytona or Indy is mad when the networks promote the heck out of the race on TV because it means there's more awareness of the race and more fans will likely go in person to be part of the experience.

I wish we knew how many people watched the live stream and went to Fort Recovery versus just showed up at the gate? I bet it was at least double and that's a good thing for everyone in the sport.
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Re: PPL vs NTPA June 15, 2021 05:16AM
To comment on someone's post from earlier I would like to see BG move away from the NTPA. Make it a true National Championship with no sanction at all. Like NFMS for example
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Re: PPL vs NTPA June 15, 2021 02:17PM
I can count a few times NTPA had offers for a better Backing with some $$$ but for some reason they always decline so how many times does it take before it sinks in .. And i also was sitting at a table Near David P and the GM while they were tallkin about some guy named Forrest... I remember hearing " Let Him Have all the events they can grab and he can throw his money at it for a while and he will get tired of it " I herd that about 8 years ago ... Pulling Needs a Major Share Holder like Nascar has to ever be a force in Media to get coverage and attention
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