03:08:50pm, Wednesday, May 01, 2024
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Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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fan.....
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Podcast with Slagh, Koester, Richardson and Stevie Jackson
On the No Practice Podcast, guest was Pro Mod racer Stevie "Fast" Jackson, he comes on around 33-34 minutes in. Don't know if he will drive a mini at Chapel Hill or not, but it's neat the way they are reaching out to Pro Mod drag racing fans to broaden the fan base (and likewise with pulling people to drag racing). What are your thoughts about this type of promotion of the sport? |
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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Registered: 01/04/2022 Posts: 93 |
We did the same thing a couple different times with Spencer Hyde and Derek Ward who run pro mods as well, who have been in the world of pulling. |
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Great interview, but I’ll bet it was a hollow promise…
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Registered: 07/09/2008 Posts: 133 |
Stevie’s smart enough to know what he doesn’t know, and he’s not going to go out there and eff it up. So I’m guessing the Chapel Hill thing doesn’t end up happening because of a “scheduling conflict” or something. It was a good interview though; I know I learned a few things. Stevie Fast was 10X more prepared for Tyler’s rapid fire questions than any other guest they’ve had thus far.
I hope I’m wrong, and Stevie rolls out there and figures it out in fifteen minutes like he bragged he could. It’d be great for the livestream. At the end of the day, though, he’s smart enough to know that it takes some time to learn the ropes, and doesn’t decide to risk it. |
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Re: I think the strategy could work, though.
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Registered: 07/09/2008 Posts: 133 |
Left out an answer to the original question…
I do think it’s a good strategy that could work if the implementation was right. |
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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Registered: 11/09/2019 Posts: 18 |
The biggest factor restricting pulling growing as a sport is the inability to embrace change. Look at every single event that tries something different, it’s barely over and somebody is on here crying because it’s not what “they” like. For pulling to ever grow one simple concept has to be understood: it does not matter what we as pullers want. What matters is what the fans want. Everytime someone posts on here about keeping costs down by whatever idea further proves my point. Do you think a single monster truck fan gives two bits how much it cost to run grave digger at a event? No they don’t, and never will. You must give the fans what they will pay for, and then when the stands get fuller and fuller you will see increases in payouts. Every other Motorsport has figured this out but pulling. It’s not a secret why monster trucks used to be filler during a pull, now they pack massive venues for big money with no tractors in sight. They cater to what the fans want! Every single time someone tries to bring something new and beneficial to our sport the masses show up and throw a fit because they don’t like it. We have 2 choices: stay how we have always been and watch the sport we love die, or change to attract the fan base and thrive. Things as simple as the realization that not a single true fan gives a rats tail what engine or rear end are under the sheet metal. You could literally build 12 identical chassis’s and put 12 different sets of sheet metal on them and fans will pick favorites. Weather that’s brand, looks, or just their favorite hometown guy. Don’t believe that? Attend a nascar race! Every one of those cars are as close to the same as can be, they have a brand on the valve covers and grille but they are same shape, same cubes, same bore and stroke, and same fuel system. Yet you still have fans getting bow tie or blue oval tattoos! Just a thought, let the roasting begin |
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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Monster trucks
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Monster trucks ..
The only reason those stands are full because of monster trucks is the kids . Kids love them . It's cheap entertainment for the kids. Kids don't give a rats tail about pulling tractors . Let me rephrase . A select few . Times have changed. I was the kid that my father dragged me to the pull . Don't know if I liked it or not . But I know this , my mother didn't go . We sat there for hours and hours . Kids get what they want today , not what they have to do . I didn't have a choice. I had to go . Best thing my father ever did was take me to a tractor pull. Figure out how to get kids interested in pulling, and there will be a sport . My generation had no choice , we went with the old school generation and learned to love it . |
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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Registered: 11/09/2019 Posts: 18 |
Because they made it fun for the kids. What kid doesn’t love tractors growing up? Even city kids have matchbox farms in the backyard, or play farming simulator on the computer. As for cheap entertainment, have you purchased a monster jam ticket lately? $45 per person isn’t really cheap, then you have to walk by all the overpriced merchandise, most likely getting each kid a souvenir. Add on a overpriced crappy lunch or horrible Nachos, with 6oz of pop and a tall glass of ice for $$$$. I have never left without spending less than 3-400 bucks, for a hour maybe 2 if your lucky. Heck that’s almost as expensive as running a tractor! 
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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Monster trucks
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What drew you to go to monster trucks ?
You mentioned because they cader to what the fans want ? What drew you to it? As for myself as an adult . I grew out of watching monster trucks. They didn't have any from where I'm from .Very little time watching Bigfoot when I was a kid . .That's basically was the famous one when I was kid . In my mind , I find it hard to believe a full grown man going to watch monster trucks . That's why I mentioned the kids love them . And they do . They don't know much about them at10 and under . The parents pay to get in . One thing I would say for my man comment. I'd challenge Bowling greens tractor pull against any monster jam show against #s . |
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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Registered: 11/09/2019 Posts: 18 |
I’ll agree I wouldn’t go see monster trucks if it wasn’t for my kids liking them! However there are plenty of adults who do. It’s all in what you like personally. You have proven my first point during this conversation. You don’t like monster trucks so you don’t care if others do. That’s exactly why pulling doesn’t grow. It’s not about what we want, it’s about what the paying fans want! More fans=more money=better payouts. It’s crazy to think that most of us are toting around $100,000+ tractors in $50,000-$250,000 hauling setups to compete for a couple hundred bucks, yet anytime someone tries to help with that all they get in return is a bunch of crying because someone else doesn’t like change! |
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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Monster trucks
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Understand.i see your point.
Not sure how to help attract people to the sport at the local level. I think if there is a comparison. Esden lehn and Gravedigger draw show#s and attention. Local ppl/ntpa at fair organizations probably don't draw that type of attention. Our local fair people constantly complain about the cost of admissions and grandstand seats . Is the problem we have to many events? My opinion there is . There are to many hooks to keep up with equipment/cost and all summer long. Should there be less pulls and ..like 3-4 big 2-3 day weekend shows so people can camp with family and draw bigger crowds. I think people get pumped when they have to wait for something big to come . Like the kids with monster trucks. They just can't wait . Idk |
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No EFI, too much cheating (random Euro ? also)
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Moderator Registered: 07/06/2008 Posts: 1,347 |
One interesting thing Jackson said is he would be against EFI in pulling. Coming from the drag racing world, that was an unexpected take. If I umderstood what he was saying, the guy that gets EFI figured out could have a traction control advantage. On this board, several have advocated for allowing EFI (including me).
Isn't EFI allowed in Europe? How tightly do they control it? |
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Re: No EFI, too much cheating (random Euro ? also)
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Registered: 03/27/2008 Posts: 1,147 |
Hey Michael - didn't we just recently make a Podcast and therein exactly answer that question of yours? lol
That said and as somebody doing live streams and YT Videos, I have gotten a pretty good idea of what people want to see: Monster and Mega Trucks in front of a sled FWD hot farms with cabins that look like the tractors on a field UNl Modifieds, preferably with aircraft engines The rest combined doesn't draw nearly as much attention as each of those - unless it goes up in flames or breaks in half. Floating Finish - the German Tractor Pulling Web Show and EU Live Streams: [www.youtube.com] Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2024 01:45AM by Sascha. |
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Re: No EFI, too much cheating (random Euro ? also)
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Moderator Registered: 03/25/2008 Posts: 1,446 |
To compare pulling to any other motorsport in not a good metric to go by. You used other motorsports in your post, monster trucks has certainly growing rapidly, however NASCAR on the other hand is shrinking rapidly. Lets take a look at both those shows, monster trucks has marketed their show to appeal to the much younger generation, and NASCAR has made so many bad rules in the last few years it's almost unwatchable. Their drive to have every make of vehicle use the same body has turned out to be a disaster. NASCAR has missed to importance of brand loyalty. Tractor pulling is also making that same mistake. While monster trucks grow NASCAR is taking seats out. If you haven't noticed NASCAR try's very hard to not show crowds shoots in there TV broad casts.
However I totally disagree that keeping cost down is not important, in the higher HP classes the numbers over the last ten years has been on a steady decline. Granted some classes have grown significantly, but by and large that is not the case in all classes. There needs to be enough high HP classes to allow the fans to witness the raw HP that these classes offer. If we want to draw in more fans the shows must fast, exciting, give the fans a show that is fast paced, exciting and ends before 11 pm. The competition director needs to take total control of the event, there are several promoters that understand that, however there way to many that don't understand that when a fan sees a slow, late starting show with some intermission in the middle of the pull it's going to turn the them off. We can blame the national organizations, the pullers but the failure to put on a decent show lays right with the competition director. Dick Morgan www.PULLOFF.com Independent Pulling News Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2024 11:57AM by Dick Morgan. |
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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Badgerfan
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"It’s not about what we want, it’s about what the paying fans want! More fans=more money=better payouts. It’s crazy to think that most of us are toting around $100,000+ tractors in $50,000-$250,000 hauling setups to compete for a couple hundred bucks, yet anytime someone tries to help with that all they get in return is a bunch of crying because someone else doesn’t like change!"
Said perfectly! If you want to get kids involved go talk to the people that run Mackville WI. The crowd is full of kids and adults and they have a awesome time! I have heard Greg Elsing, John Maers, and countless pullers form Badger State and PPL comment about his event. And don't forget the 300 foot beer tent! Yes our sport is watered down with allot of events and so many different classes. How do we change it? Make Grand National the big High horse power classes and the state regional level the smaller horsepower single charger stuff. There is absolutely no difference going to a state/regional event than there is a grand national event other than semis and modified but most state/regional clubs have a form of semi or mod class anyway. Classes are the same, rules are the same, most times the drivers are the same. What other motorsport is that way? If you go to the local drag strip you don't see the pro mods, funny cars, jet cars, or top fuels. You also don't go to a NHRA show and see all the local guys racing. We need all the different levels of pulling but there needs to be difference in the levels to get people excited about different events. We also need more excitement if you look at other events there's fireworks, light shows, and music. But every time we add something like that the few die hards get on here and complain because it is different. Look at the farm show, they have been trying different things and contrary to the complaints here they started selling out! |
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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Registered: 02/27/2019 Posts: 20 |
Exactly!!!! |
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Marketing issue
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Opinion
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When you advertise DSS, 10-12 hook on Friday and due to breakage only 4 can make the Saturday session. |
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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Registered: 03/31/2008 Posts: 762 |
Of the other major motorsports I believe that pulling is closest to drag racing.
I believe NASCAR lost their way when the car manufactures realized that none of them were going to be allowed to dominate no matter how much they put into their racing programs, NASCAR would put their thumb on the scale to even the brands every time someone moved ahead or fell behind. Also, the racing R&D offered very limited value to production engineering, even before COT the cars had very little in common with production vehicles. Monster trucks are built entirely on the concept of a show. The ‘competition’ isn’t as scripted as wrestling, but it’s close. They have had the same blower and CID limits for over 20 years. Some of the vehicles are loosely associated with a manufacturer, but mostly they are associated with their own brand and the value of that brand determined their payout. They haven’t competed directly for prize money in a long time. Even before Monster Jam owned the vehicles, everyone knew exactly what their payout would be before they arrived at the show. I believe we do have a problem with over saturation. Both Monster Jam and NHRA make sure that they don’t schedule multiple events in close proximity. Monster Jam even says that a venue can’t host another motorsports event within a certain number of days before or after the MJ event. That’s why we can’t utilize the dirt for an indoor pull right before or after a MJ event. GN classes need to be unique to GN events and be the focus classes. RN/State classes can be at GN events as time fillers similar to the Sportsman classes at NHRA events. Those are the classes you run at the start or more likely the end if the promoter wants a longer show. Promoters get very little choice in what classes they have. GN show has all or nearly all GN classes. In NHRA, I believe that Pro Stock motorcycle is the only class not contested at all national events. I agree that we need to be more focused on the show and less on the competition. Pullers blow lots of money every year to ‘improve’ their vehicles, but if we are going to fill a 100,000 seat stadium for 3 or 4 shows, most of those folks won’t care if everyone is running the same model turbo as 5 years ago or something slightly tweaked each year. Track is still 300 ft. |
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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Deere Puller, this is a great post and you've pretty much made all the points I was going to.
I've worked for one of the top teams teams in the monster truck world and am still close with many folks in the industry, and there's one thing I'd like to add to the post. What Monster Jam does FANTASTIC (as do many other top "independent" annual promoters of monster truck shows) is START THE SHOW ON TIME. Monster Jam manages their shows down to the minute, and while this is a bit apples/oranges because pulling is a true competition versus show like MJ, NHRA which is more a more apt comparision is really good about keeping everything on schedule. They do their best around weather situations and wrecks/oil downs. As a lifelong hardcore fan of truck and tractor pulling, this is the area where pulling at all levels could improve the most. It is ridiculous how so many shows start late for seemingly no reason. If the time advertised is 7pm, vehicles should be on track no later than maybe 15 minutes after the fact, and that's if there are a pre-event ceremony. Then you have pullers not ready to go when the sled is ready for them. Mechanical issues are understandable, those happen from time to time. I'm talking about guys just standing around and waiting until the sled gets back to then put on the firesuit/helmet/etc. It just makes for a crazy amount of downtime and shows go late. I feel like putting importance on running a timely event smoothly is something that could be improved whether at your local fair or up to the GN level. There are certain shows that are run like this, and they are amazing to watch! Pulling is a fantastic sport when there is always action happening on the track. It can be like pulling teeth when there are 5 minutes between passes, and after it already started late to boot. |
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Re: Marketing the sport to other motorsports fans
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NTPA and PPL missing the boat
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The first pull is a month away. Why does neither group have their pre commits posted, or whatever they call them these days? I don't get it. |
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