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If you could buy the WRC…..

Here's my personal recipe:

- CALENDAR
Total of 18 events, with 4 Sprint events (super-compact routes to allow 1 day recce, 48h-format).

Calendar fees the Local promoters will be required to pay WON'T be fixed at 1M euros, but will be depending on the slot allocated (clash avoidance with F1 or MotoGP, season finale, etc.).

Monte Carlo (WRC)
Sweden (WRC)
Mexico (WRC Sprint)
USA (WRC)
Kenya (WRC)
Croatia (WRC)
Portugal (WRC)
Italy (WRC Sprint)
Greece (WRC)
Latvia/Estonia/Poland (WRC)
Finland (WRC)
Central European Rally (WRC)
Chile (WRC)
Paraguay (WRC Sprint)
Japan (WRC)
China (WRC Sprint)
Australia, Perth (WRC)
Saudi Arabia (WRC)

- LOGISTICS
In order to help reducing the cost and standardize the required infrastructure, I would reach an agreement with DHL as done with WTCC (no money sponsorship, just providing a heavily discounted price for the teams) as well as signing an agreement for all the European rounds with AMG Events Service (which supplies now Hyundai) for "garages" and hospitality services.

TV PRODUCTION
Immediate implement of Command Center, Team Radio, new opening titles, new graphics, helmet camera and double stage-side cameras, reshuffled and new commentators/stage-end reporters.

TV PACKAGES & DISTRIBUTION
Deplete the 26' daily Highlights as TV-rights package, keeping 26' pre-event and 52' wrap-up.
Online free HS: 10 minutes after each day of action on YouTube, Facebook, Twitch.
Online free LIVE: Shakedown, Opening Ceremony, Saturday morning pass on the Super Stage, End of Days talk, Wrap-Up show.
Free-to-air TV pack: Friday EOD Superspecial, Saturday's [Title Sponsor] Super Stage in the afternoon, Sunday's [Title Sponsor] Power Stage.
Pay-TV small pack: Thursday's Superspecial, 2 stages each on Friday/Saturday/Sunday.
Pay-TV full pack: all RallyTV stages.

TV-SERIES
Launch a collaboration with Netflix to create WRC's own "Drive to Survive" series (giving TV rights for free in order to have the budget only for the very production).

SERVICE PARK
FREE fan-oriented activities: simulator, pit-stop challenge, giant screens to follow the stage action on the SP's "central square".
PAID fan-oriented activities: food courts, lounges, walk-through and VIP experiences, full-fledged merchandising (with new licensed products like car parfumes, car sunshades, stickers, RC cars, model cars, bed sheets, umbrellas, home accessories, phone covers, RallyTV gift cards, etc.)

ENTERTAINMENT
End-of-day concerts/DJ sets, Meet&Greet (with top-drivers and local heroes), sponsor's gadgets.
Opening ceremonies on a led-screen, firethrowers-equipped standardized stage in central squares.

STAGE ARENAS
Selected areas on each day will be equipped with VIP decks and lounges, food and merch areas, maxiscreen, chemical toilets, sponsorship activations and dedicated parkings. Access to the arenas will be available with shuttle busses from the Host City.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep working this way, is doing good! But add a Twitch account!

ANCILLARY REVENUES
Licensed videogame, E-Sports World Championship, Memorabilia (mirrors, aero elements, body parts, etc.), themed Hotels (see the VIP experiences), co-driver rides during Shakedown, NFT collectibles, etc.

I didn't discuss (on purpose) about tech regulations, budget cap, point system etc. because it won't be in WRC Promoter's hands as they are handled by the FIA. The WRC has a lot of commercial potential to be explored and exploited, but needs a rich investor to develop it all.
 
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would it be possible to impose something like "the big haulers and vans transporting teams/crews/machinery around europe need to be electric"? cuz that would cause an actual impact on the green thing. it would force some change on the hauler industry too, maybe? (haha the next version of the euro truck simulator coming with electric trucks haha)
 
They claim that their carbon footprint is mostly due to logistics, around 80%, so better to work in that field, instead of in front of cameras and rally cars.
 
This is a fantasy thread, you can have as much environmentalism, carbon accounting or greenwashing as you like if it's important to you. No point suggesting if it you don't care for it though.
 
I see the argument for the online vs live stage side viewer numbers, but if you gonna catch people it will be when they see a pass of a properly driven car stage side.

Yes focus on the online product, but don't by any means make it purposely difficult to spectate live. I'm into rallying and follow the sport, but even I who really really want to attend a certain event find it difficult to get the right information and even a chore sometimes to plan a schedule and route.

From my point of view, if someone is only mildly curious about rallying and wants to go to a local/international event I can easily see them give up on the plan due to the difficulty.
 
I'm revamping this topic, because I see that in many other topics we're discussing about why the Manufacturers and events should invest in WRC.

The issue here is that no Promoter has been announced yet, but here's the key point. If you have a Promoter that brings a strong return of investment, everything will align eventually, both in terms of drivers, teams, events and sponsors.

Few posts ago here I wrote my recipe and I'm glad some of them have been implemented (like More Than Machine, Superspecials in stadiums-arenas for "casual" big crowds, etc).

So, my question is: how much the WRC Promoter should reshuffle the format of a WRC event, in order to be catchy enough for a new, money-spending young fanbase?
 
Most of people here and probably fans too will not agree with me, but let's face it.

Nobody has so much time to follow WRC for straight 3-4 days for a whole day. I have a problem with that now, when there is 8,9 or 10 cars on grid. Probably will watch only highlighrt in future if that number will increase and nothing will be done in that part.

I know it's not the right way to decrease rallies in lenght, but in today's world we have so much other stuff to do, that simply this kind format doesn't make a sense.

I simply think that if a rally should last 2-3 days (friday evening), whole saturday and end on a lunchtime in sunday would be more than perfect for most, drivers and fans. Even drivers complain that it's too much. Maybe they could not decrease actual racing too much, just non-sense liaison. I know that the hosting countries do have big influence in this as they want to do it on as much land as possible, but it's freaking exausting format if you ask me.

What we see today, some people are actual doing quite opposite and try to bring marathon format back. But I see that those rallies are usually most boring, as times on table are with too much difference and most of guys damage their tyres too often.
 
I really don't understand why a Rally runs on Friday morning (let's assume you are in the same time zone as the rally). Since.. people have to work there? And ends Sunday lunch... after people would have the most time to watch it?

Friday evening, Saturday from lunch until evening, Sunday from luch until evening, thats how it should be
 
WRCStan said:
Do young people have money to spend?
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They do.

Let's put this way: how much unexploited watchtime has the WRC both on Social Media and YouTube? A lot.
How much money can build on e-sports, gaming and microtransactions (just this last one is a 80B$ market)?
How much money can develop the WRC with eye-catching merch?

Millennials and Gen Z spend A LOT of money, but the WRC is seen "too old" for them. It was the same issue F1 had before Liberty Media targeted that audience.

Young people have a very small attention span, they're not looking to follow a whole weekend event. Do smaller events-in-event: Power Stages with rewards at the end of the broadcast and Superspecials are what you need to do.

I totally get that Superspecials are something completely ignored by the hardcore fans, but should become the pivotal moment of a rally weekend. It's exactly where you can set up a big show.

F1 under Ecclestone management was elite, far from people, too technical and complicated, barely human.
Now with Netflix, Social Media, single-use content (TikTok, YouTube, Sprint events, fanzones, etc.) gathered a lot of female public (attracted by the human "heroes" rather than the new aero update) and young fans who are actually SPENDING.

WRC imho can't continue work the way it does, just with TV, tickets, few low-profile sponsors and calendar fees. The ancillary revenues are TOTALLY unexplored at the moment. Hopefully the Rally US can get a slot in the calendar to show how to make an event a "weekend show".
 
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WRCStan said:
Do young people have money to spend?
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A lot of them have and are obsessed with all kinds of things that they spend money on. That WRC is not one of the obsession is the fault of the WRC and not the jung people. Since what has WRC ever done to attract new fans in recent years? Last time was most likely 2017 with a big push on socials and a very cheap new and shiny (at the time) WRC+?
 
This year’s Rally Estonia will be completed in less than 48 hours. The event starts on Friday afternoon and finishes at its usual time but the total is less than 48h. Let’s see how it works. I agree that starting on Thursday, full Friday is too much in today’s world. Make it more intense and in less time would be good for everyone.
 
Ferranis said:
A lot of them have and are obsessed with all kinds of things that they spend money on. That WRC is not one of the obsession is the fault of the WRC and not the jung people. Since what has WRC ever done to attract new fans in recent years? Last time was most likely 2017 with a big push on socials and a very cheap new and shiny (at the time) WRC+?
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Exactly that! I have an example at work, I'm 38, my colleague is just 20 and he just came back from Barcelona for F1 and will now go to Rally Acropolis. He's living with his parents and he's spending his salary on trip and experiences. He doesn't give a ! at work and he lives like it's his last day on Earth. They're VERY impulsive on what they spend, just if you're good enough to trigger their senses.

Acropolis this year is doing a Superspecial in Athens in the Ellinikon area (where they're building casinos and skyscrapers) and he booked the ticket for that, combining with a weekend in Athens. He's not going to the stages in the mountain, but wanted to experience the event there. And I'm sure that he will come back once again with merch and stuff bought there. I can bet on it.
 
Plus, let's be honest: how many hardcore fans are booking potential hotel packages with amenities? All hardcore fans I know they camp overnight on the stages and they bring basically everything from home. It's money lost for the championship, it's missing revenues.

Doing a compact event is just ONE part of the holistic package. You need to monetize the whole weekend and all the aspects of the events, that's the only way to grow as a championship.

I completely understand that this looks like: "this way you want to screw all spectators of their money", but that's how capitalism work. And what Boards are asking for to Manufacturers, Sponsorships and Event companies.
 
Have people learnt nothing over the last 20 odd years. Having one single format is not what the WRC should have.....each event should choose what best suits their country. If an event wants a Friday evening to Sunday afternoon 250km event, that's fine with me.
Similarly, if an event wants a Thursday midday start to finish Sunday afternoon with 450km, that is also fine. I also think a Saturday evening finishes are worth looking at......

The 'cookie cutter' WRC format is where it all started to go wrong - and has never really recovered.
 
typhoon said:
Young people have a very small attention span, they're not looking to follow a whole weekend event.
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Neither do old people.

But did you consider, anybody new or old, doesn't have to watch the whole rally live? Very, very, very, few people already do. Not even I do. Nobody should be expected to. It's a daft notion so changing the entire format of the participation sport side to suit it is suicidal.
 
AndyRAC said:
Have people learnt nothing over the last 20 odd years. Having one single format is not what the WRC should have.....each event should choose what best suits their country. If an event wants a Friday evening to Sunday afternoon 250km event, that's fine with me.
Similarly, if an event wants a Thursday midday start to finish Sunday afternoon with 450km, that is also fine. I also think a Saturday evening finishes are worth looking at......

The 'cookie cutter' WRC format is where it all started to go wrong - and has never really recovered.
Click to expand...

It's 2026, not 1986. On a commercial aspect, the WRC needs to see what's the trend. All new success stories in motorsport are based on "compact" events. Either it's F1 with Sprints, copy-paste in MotoGP, GT World Challenge and also Formula E. F1 is pushing even forward, by trying to convince the FIA to scrap whole Friday action.

Let's be honest. Doing marathons events will keep hardcore fans or "WRCaholics" tuned in, but the vast part of the public will simply shut the TV off.

There's more: run those events are more expensive than short-compact events, if 70% of the fans won't follow the whole event it's again lost revenues.

It's not anymore about making enjoy the few remaining hardcore fans, it's about growing the fanbase and the viewership. Endurance is not the answer. Rally raid are for them. Sorry not sorry.
 
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