OT: Rockingham sponsor BTCC car

[JDPower]

From Crash.net:

As well as returning to the calendar for the coming season, Rockingham Circuit is to back Nick Leason during the 2007 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season.

The circuit will sponsor the newly signed BTC Racing driver into his first full season in the BTCC and will also offer the Northamptonshire-based driver and his team-mate Chris Stockton valuable track time with the two Lexus IS200s ahead of the coming season – which starts on 1 April at Brands Hatch.

“Establishing a career in any form of motorsport, let alone the UK's premier saloon car racing series, can be very challenging, and we're thrilled to be able to nurture local talent in this way, Rockingham's director of sales and marketing, Charlotte Bushby said. “BTCC always offers a lot of drama on the track and we're hoping that Nick will be in the thick of the action throughout the season.”

Leason added that he was proud to be working with the Northamptonshire circuit for the coming season.

“Rockingham's fantastic support has helped to attract other sponsors and so progress my racing career to the next level,” he said. “It's great to be working with such an excellent circuit that is not only local to me, but is also one of the UK's best facilities.”

[acorn]

posted by me on the btcc forum on 13th march:

"is there an obvious reason why the lexus are the only ones with circuit sponsorship ie rockingham?"

wonder why it took so long to get it in the "media".

[Jamie Brown]

no idea

[F150pickup]

posted by me on the btcc forum on 13th march:

"is there an obvious reason why the lexus are the only ones with circuit sponsorship ie rockingham?"

wonder why it took so long to get it in the "media".

NO JEFF

[turn 4 mad]

Is it just me or was rockingham purpose built for champ car/ scsa/ or other oval racing?, didnt they allways say the only purpose built oval in europe since brooklands? so why is it that they are backing btcc cars and not scsa or even pickups? as much as i support any type of racing at rockingham it just appears to me they are trying to sweep oval racing under the carpet.

[cos]

posted by me on the btcc forum on 13th march:

"is there an obvious reason why the lexus are the only ones with circuit sponsorship ie rockingham?"

wonder why it took so long to get it in the "media".

Because if they put out a release on the BTCC media day it might get buried among all the other news?

[pickup]

Is it just me or was rockingham purpose built for champ car/ scsa/ or other oval racing?, didnt they allways say the only purpose built oval in europe since brooklands? so why is it that they are backing btcc cars and not scsa or even pickups? as much as i support any type of racing at rockingham it just appears to me they are trying to sweep oval racing under the carpet.

Exactly what i was thinking especially with Alf Buller (correct spelling i hope) being a big oval race fan.

[corbygal]

I think it's mostly to try and attract road course fans to Rockingham to experience oval racing.

[Abo]

It'll be more likely to promote their business to a large audience. Pointless sponsoring a stock car because all the fans are already at the track...

[pickup]

I doubt there will be much on the car advertising Rockingham as an oval and certainly wouldn't think anything about SCSA/Pickups, at this moment in time with the SCSA on the up two more cars on the grid would certainly have been a bonus improving the racing and drawing more spectators that way.

[acorn]

I doubt there will be much on the car advertising Rockingham as an oval .

the only Advertising on the car was the website address as far as i could see.

[jeffmr2]

I personally think thats taking the piss big time considering the problems with the grid sizes for scsa racing.

[Abo]

But Rockingham has nothing to do with SCSA, other than the fact they race their cars there

[Jeff Carter]

Can I just say that if Rockingham are to put their name on a car this year then BTCC is the correct choice NOT SCSA.

For three years Rockingham has been devoid of mainstream motorsport and in 2007 BTCC AND British F3 are returning, which is good news for British Motorsport and Rockingham as it gives credibility to the venue.

BTCC represents the biggest motorsport audience in the UK, therefore it makes sense to A) publicise the facility to that audience and B) let everyone know that Rockingham is proud to have BTCC back at its venue.

Taking these factors into account putting 'Rockingham' on an SCSA car would be pretty pointless.

The fact the news came out a week after the media day was good planning because there are a lot of bigger stories that get announced to the media all in one go and therefore a lesser story such as this would have got lost in the rush. Better to keep it a week and it will get a bigger showing in the media. That's exactly what I would have done!

Jeffmr2 - How is this taking the pee? As Abo quite rightly points out, Rockingham has nothing to do with SCSA apart from the fact it is a series that uses it facilities.

When BF3 and BGT visits a venue (including Rockingham!) I work with the circuit marketing and PR people to get the greatest publicity in the local area. SCSA needs to do the same, it can't expect Rockingham to back the series as it has in the past just because Rockingham is the only large oval in the country. I'm sure Duane and the BRSCC have been talking to Rockingham about this. Remember Iain Brown is now MD at the BRSCC and knows Rockingham and SCSA pretty well!

Jeff

[JDPower]

Thanks Jeff, said everything I was thinking (and a damn sight more succinctly too). I post what I thought was positive news and yet people still whinge about it :rolleyes:

[pickup]

Can I just say that if Rockingham are to put their name on a car this year then BTCC is the correct choice NOT SCSA.

For three years Rockingham has been devoid of mainstream motorsport and in 2007 BTCC AND British F3 are returning, which is good news for British Motorsport and Rockingham as it gives credibility to the venue.

BTCC represents the biggest motorsport audience in the UK, therefore it makes sense to A) publicise the facility to that audience and B) let everyone know that Rockingham is proud to have BTCC back at its venue.

Taking these factors into account putting 'Rockingham' on an SCSA car would be pretty pointless.

Jeffmr2 - How is this taking the pee? As Abo quite rightly points out, Rockingham has nothing to do with SCSA apart from the fact it is a series that uses it facilities.

When BF3 and BGT visits a venue (including Rockingham!) I work with the circuit marketing and PR people to get the greatest publicity in the local area. SCSA needs to do the same, it can't expect Rockingham to back the series as it has in the past just because Rockingham is the only large oval in the country. I'm sure Duane and the BRSCC have been talking to Rockingham about this.

Jeff

I understand your argument but surely the fact that the BTCC and F3 are again visiting Rockingham shows that the circuit has gained recognition and credability.(without advertising on a car)
I wouldn't say putting Rockingham on an SCSA car "would be pointless" it would show that they were trying to help the series and its success would return the investment by bringing back the spectators.
From an advertising point then the BTCC cars carrying Rockingham logos probably makes more sense but the original main concept of Rockingham was the 1.5 mile oval and the associated fastest racing series in the UK "SCSA"
the fact that the MSA have put the SCSA on a yellow card due to the lack of car numbers means for the series to survive it needs all the help it can get and an extra bit of sponsorship on a car or two might just make a difference.
OK Rockingham has nothing to do do with SCSA but neither does it have anything to do with BTCC and SCSA do race there 5 times a year (normally 6)as opposed to the ocassional visit from BTCC.
I wasn't suggesting that Rockingham back the series you are right the SCSA marketing and pr people must sort this out for themselves but there's nothing stopping Rockingham sponsoring an extra car or two for the season to help to recreate the fastest race series in the UK and attract a better audience for every event.

[acorn]

The fact the news came out a week after the media day was good planning because there are a lot of bigger stories that get announced to the media all in one go and therefore a lesser story such as this would have got lost in the rush. Better to keep it a week and it will get a bigger showing in the media. That's exactly what I would have done!



that'll be why i'm not in marketing or pr then. :)

[Jeff Carter]

I understand your argument but surely the fact that the BTCC and F3 are again visiting Rockingham shows that the circuit has gained recognition and credability.(without advertising on a car)
I wouldn't say putting Rockingham on an SCSA car "would be pointless" it would show that they were trying to help the series and its success would return the investment by bringing back the spectators.
From an advertising point then the BTCC cars carrying Rockingham logos probably makes more sense but the original main concept of Rockingham was the 1.5 mile oval and the associated fastest racing series in the UK "SCSA"
the fact that the MSA have put the SCSA on a yellow card due to the lack of car numbers means for the series to survive it needs all the help it can get and an extra bit of sponsorship on a car or two might just make a difference.
OK Rockingham has nothing to do do with SCSA but neither does it have anything to do with BTCC and SCSA do race there 5 times a year (normally 6)as opposed to the ocassional visit from BTCC.
I wasn't suggesting that Rockingham back the series you are right the SCSA marketing and pr people must sort this out for themselves but there's nothing stopping Rockingham sponsoring an extra car or two for the season to help to recreate the fastest race series in the UK and attract a better audience for every event.

Let's look at the potential audience for BTCC and SCSA. BTCC - up to 30,000 per meeting PLUS TV coverage on ITV and Setanta. SCSA - 3000? per meeting plus no TV coverage (though this may change I will put money that this still wont match the coverage BTCC receives). So Rockingham backs a couple of SCSA cars for the season, where is the return? You are advertising to converted. Putting your name on a BTCC car you're talking to a different audience. The benefit to SCSA is that some of this new audience may come to an SCSA meeting, especially the ones visiting in April for the first time.

I'll give you an example. In 2001 I set up a deal for Rockingham to sponsor Derek Hayes in British F3 at the British GP support race and the next round at Donington. The car was plastered with Rockingham 500 - date and ticket number and this car was a front runner in the race in front of the GP race crowd. Good bit of advertising I would say. Now you could argue that Rockingham should've done this at the first ASCAR race in August but that would have been pretty 'pointless' wouldn't it?

You also have to remember the history with BTCC when in 2004 Rockingham 'lost' the meeting to Knockhill after staging two of the best races of 2003. AP gave Alan Gow a hard time over this and things were said that came back to haunt Rockingham in 2005. NOW Rockingham is cementing the new relationship with BTCC by hosting the media day and backing a car in the series.

I also think Rockingham has 'sponsored' SCSA in the past quite substantially don't you? Rockingham want SCSA to succeed because it needs an oval formula on the only large oval in the UK, but they also have other priorities!

I'm not being negative I'm just saying I understand the reasoning behind Rockingham's decision and I for one back that decision.

Jeff

[pickup]

Let's look at the potential audience for BTCC and SCSA. BTCC - up to 30,000 per meeting PLUS TV coverage on ITV and Setanta. SCSA - 3000? per meeting plus no TV coverage (though this may change I will put money that this still wont match the coverage BTCC receives). So Rockingham backs a couple of SCSA cars for the season, where is the return? You are advertising to converted. Putting your name on a BTCC car you're talking to a different audience. The benefit to SCSA is that some of this new audience may come to an SCSA meeting, especially the ones visiting in April for the first time.

I'll give you an example. In 2001 I set up a deal for Rockingham to sponsor Derek Hayes in British F3 at the British GP support race and the next round at Donington. The car was plastered with Rockingham 500 - date and ticket number and this car was a front runner in the race in front of the GP race crowd. Good bit of advertising I would say. Now you could argue that Rockingham should've done this at the first ASCAR race in August but that would have been pretty 'pointless' wouldn't it?

You also have to remember the history with BTCC when in 2004 Rockingham 'lost' the meeting to Knockhill after staging two of the best races of 2003. AP gave Alan Gow a hard time over this and things were said that came back to haunt Rockingham in 2005. NOW Rockingham is cementing the new relationship with BTCC by hosting the media day and backing a car in the series.

I also think Rockingham has 'sponsored' SCSA in the past quite substantially don't you? Rockingham want SCSA to succeed because it needs an oval formula on the only large oval in the UK, but they also have other priorities!

I'm not being negative I'm just saying I understand the reasoning behind Rockingham's decision and I for one back that decision.

Jeff

If Rockingham could reproduce the popularity of former years i'm sure you would agree the audience was far greater than the 3000 you would expect this year (i think i have demographics for 2003/2004 and the average was 12000 per meeting + tv coverage)
As i said previously Rockingham backing a couple of cars may mean (IMO) the difference between success and failure surely keeping the series alive and increasing spectator attendance throughout the season is a good return.
I believe the ammount of coverage Rockingham will get on a BTCC will be minimal especially if it's just a website ad (as has been previously suggested)
the benefit will come from people attending the meeting and seeing the magnificent facility.
When you sorted the sponsorship on the F3 car as you said the car was plastered with "Rockingham 500-date and ticket number and the car was a front runner in front of a GP audience" i don't think Rockingham will get that sort of exposure on the Lexus.
I whole heartedly agree Rockingham have substantially sponsored SCSA in the past to the previous owners detriment but if the new owners want oval racing to succede i think it could have just helped it along by perhaps increasing car numbers.
I too am not being negative just expressing my views on this subject.
I also don't consider this a whinge just a difference of opinion which i consider to be neccessary on a forum, after all if everybody had the same opinion wouldn't be much of a forum.

[Jeff Carter]

If Rockingham could reproduce the popularity of former years i'm sure you would agree the audience was far greater than the 3000 you would expect this year (i think i have demographics for 2003/2004 and the average was 12000 per meeting + tv coverage)


Pickup

I know how many people came to the circuit to watch ASCAR / DoT in 2003 / 2004 because I was the one who worked on collating and publicising the figures for each of the meetings.

That average figure you quote was obtained by spending a lot of money on high visibility marketing and PR, a top line music act and lots of extras like stunt displays, a funfair, air displays etc. The music acts alone were, for the most part, in excess of £30K each, with Blue costing £70K (and 50Cent cost WAY too much!), and that's without the stage, lighting, sound system etc. The TV production costs was around £300K per season for the Channel 4 and Motors TV programmes.

As you can see Rockingham ploughed a lot of money trying to make ASCAR work but without a main sponsor for the championship, which was the aim of all this investment, the money finally ran out. The result for SCSA was very little promotion and small grids, with small crowds in 2006. I'm not having a go because I have a lot of admiration for Duane and Co for keeping SCSA going last year but the series still has to prove itself in 2007 (MSA yellow card still in force) but I'm sure it will. However it is highly unlikely that it will ever get back to the 20,000+ crowds we saw in 2003/2004 in the short to medium term.

How, when Rockingham spent so much money the first time around without getting the desired result, is sponsoring one or two SCSA cars going to make things right?

One other thing. I don't know what the deal is with Thunder Sundays this year but if it is the same as last season Rockingham don't get the gate money, they hire the venue to the organisers and they take the risk. With BTCC it is Rockingham who get the gate money and also take the risk. Now which meeting do they need to push to get people to attend?

As I see this Rockingham wants to promote the venue, its corporate facilities and B2B opportunities. BTCC has the credibility with lots of big name sponsors and manufacturers which Rockingham will want to 'wow' in April. SCSA doesn't come close at this present time. Sorry.

For the record I didn't consider your post a whinge I just wanted to give my point of view - free speech is wonderful! ;)

Jeff

[inamo]

Good points well made Jeff. Will be very interesting to see what happens this year.

[pickup]

Pickup

(MSA yellow card still in force) However it is highly unlikely that it will ever get back to the 20,000+ crowds we saw in 2003/2004 in the short to medium term.

How, when Rockingham spent so much money the first time around without getting the desired result, is sponsoring one or two SCSA cars going to make things right?

One other thing. I don't know what the deal is with Thunder Sundays this year but if it is the same as last season Rockingham don't get the gate money, they hire the venue to the organisers and they take the risk. With BTCC it is Rockingham who get the gate money and also take the risk. Now which meeting do they need to push to get people to attend?

As I see this Rockingham wants to promote the venue, its corporate facilities and B2B opportunities. BTCC has the credibility with lots of big name sponsors and manufacturers which Rockingham will want to 'wow' in April. SCSA doesn't come close at this present time. Sorry.

Jeff

That's why i'm thinking longer term, with SCSA under the yellow flag the one or two cars could make a difference, if the car numbers are not there then there won't be a series at all.
Agreed they need to push the BTCC meeting it makes more sense financially but i just don't see that the amount of advertising they will get on the Lexus is going to make that much difference where as two more cars on the SCSA grid could be significant.
As for your last statement again i totally agree but i think your'e looking at it from a financial pr marketing perspective and i'm just an SCSA and oval race fan who would like to see this series successful.

[inamo]

Rockingham has previously supported putting more cars on the grid, clearly the return from the investment wasn't sufficiently great to keep it going. Rockingham is a business and must make money to survive.

As I understand it race meetings are now run by BRSCC, the circuit itself is paid by the BRSCC for the hire - it is up to the BRSCC to decide what series should run there. To be a success the series needs to be attractive to teams and drivers - if there aren't enough then at the end of the day the series will die - would it be a shame? Absolutely, but that's the hard world we live in.

None of us know the exact details of the deal that put the sticker onto the Lexus, but providing it gets some TV coverage the chances are that some specators / viewers will visit the site and may come to other meetings too.

[pickup]

Pickup

For the record I didn't consider your post a whinge I just wanted to give my point of view - free speech is wonderful! ;)

Jeff

That reference wasn't aimed at you, i appreciate and respect your views without necessarily sharing them carry on speeking freely!

[JDPower]

if the car numbers are not there then there won't be a series at all.
And if the circuit went bust and wasn't there - how healthy would SCSA be then?

[Nick Brad]

One other thing to consider, SCSA has I believe a guaranteed slot at Rockingham for the next couple of years, does BTCC?

I can't blame Rockingham for doing this, it shows that they are interested in BTCC and hopefully will win some points with Gow to help secure a round for future years to come. That helps SCSA by keeping the track open, giving SCSA a stable base to grow on with the potential benefit of drawing people in to SCSA through Rockingham's website.

Had I got the money then obviously I'd pump it into SCSA directly by putting a couple of cars on the grid, but I'm not a business and I'd know that next year I'd need to put the same amount in again for no financial return.

[acorn]

One other thing to consider, SCSA has I believe a guaranteed slot at Rockingham for the next couple of years, does BTCC?



the only way to maximise the possibilty of a continued return of both series/packages is for them both to put on a show that will draw the punters in in such numbers that cannot be ignored.
this would seem to apply more to scsa than btcc (if the assumption that rockingham takes all the gate money at the btcc meeting is correct), as how successful the circuit is at drawing crowds doesn't appear to be the main criteria for getting a slot on the btcc calendar(geographical spread and good tv seeming to be the overriding consideration)

[acorn]

Pickup

One other thing. I don't know what the deal is with Thunder Sundays this year but if it is the same as last season Rockingham don't get the gate money, they hire the venue to the organisers and they take the risk. With BTCC it is Rockingham who get the gate money and also take the risk. Now which meeting do they need to push to get people to attend?


Jeff

which category does the f3/gt meeting fit into? as there's no scsa presence, to me it's not a "thunder sunday".

[ascarmarshal]

Rockingham are also sponsoring a T Car. That car looked like it had done a few laps at Bristol on Saturday at Brands with a heavily modified rear end

[acorn]

and of course the fact that the driver's name bears an uncanny similarity to that of rockingham's owner has no bearing on the fact at all ;)