As another career marketeer (well from the techie side - fiber optic
communications since 1980) and having been involved in sports car racing
since about 1960, I may look at the status of historic racing a bit
differently.
(BTW, check out the tag line of my signature to set the stage for this
contribution on the subject.)
Demographics:
Those who participate in vintage/historic racing are mostly those who
were exposed to it in the 50s and 60s. My casual survey says I'm at the
top of the Gaussian distribution in age @ 51, the oldest are in their
70s and they were racers in the 50s and the youngest are 30+ who went to
races with their fathers in the 60s. Gender is 98% male. Average income
$100,000+.
Spectators fit essentially the same profile, except cut the income in
half. Or less. If more, they'd probably participate.
Hmmmm. Looks like ideal demographics for advertisers, doesn,t it? Except
the numbers. Drivers total count is probably under 5,000, spectators
under 500,000. That's a mighty small audience!
And it's unlikely to grow. This is not a sport that spectators can
easily identify with. Modern racing series build spectator interest with
drama: driver championships, marque rivalry, which IRL driver will land
inthe hospital with a concussion this time? If you don't think the
crashes are a major pull for contemporary racing series, I have a bridge
between Booklyn and Manhattan I want to talk to you about...
The current sponsors of vintage racing are supremely aware of this. Many
not only like the target audience, but have principals participating
themselves. You can sell a lot of Jags, Rolexes and investments to this
crowd, but they ain't no detergent or snuff users!
The "BIG" events are big because they have the cache of "see and be
seen" among the racer crowd, but I bet the TV coverage is mostly shown
at 3AM or 1PM, hardly prime time.
Any attempts to make historic racing mainstream would kill it for those
of us who enjoy it now. It's a fun place to be! Lets keep it that way.
(Remember what happened to the marketing analysts in "The Hitchhikers'
Guide to the Galaxy"?)
PS: Do you think it will exist 30 years from now? Think about the
dynamics...
--
Jim Hayes Winchester, MA, USA
hayes@mediaone.net http://www.fotec.com/jim.htm
jeh@fotec.com http://www.fotec.com/
All generalizations, with the possible exception of this one, are false!
|