Let's try a different approach

[Phantom1]

Financially (income to the sanctioning body), offshore or inshore probably doesn't matter. There is no paid gate.....period.

If I was Carbonell, with a major network on the hook, I would be asking them what they want to film to make the sport "appear to be" more exciting to John Q. Public.

Big Water offshore - go for it....

Tight racing close to shore - you got it....

CBS is in a position to advance offshore right now. Whatever the hell they want is alright with me. It can't get much worse than it has been for the last 5 or 6 years.

[Ratickle]

Financially (income to the sanctioning body), offshore or inshore probably doesn't matter. There is no paid gate.....period.

The paid gate at the worlds has to be substantial. I don't know about anywhere else. St Clair certainly has a setup which would allow charging for the best viewing and the pits.

My guesstimate at the Worlds last year, over $100,000. (WildAzzGuess by the way)

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

What was it 10 bucks a head. I doubt there were 10k people there. My wildazzguess.

[Phantom1]

The paid gate at the worlds has to be substantial. I don't know about anywhere else. St Clair certainly has a setup which would allow charging for the best viewing and the pits.

My guesstimate at the Worlds last year, over $100,000. (WildAzzGuess by the way)

KW is the exception. Back in the mid-90's, US Offshore tried to put on a race off of Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island, SC. I offered to assist Bill Gifford make it happen because it is a gated community and would be a great way to track who is honestly there for the race, and who just happened to be on the beach anyway. Never happened, for a variety of reasons.

It has been the biggest argument against "NASCAR on the water". NASCAR accurately tracks attendance, which gives sponsors a benchmark for return on investment. Not to mention the income from the gate as well. Apples (NASCAR) and oranges (offshore). If there are 25,000 people on the beach during an offshore race......how many just happened to be there? I'm just playing devil's advocate here - trust me, I love our sport.

[Ratickle]

What was it 10 bucks a head. I doubt there were 10k people there. My wildazzguess.

Guest complete event Pit Passes were $75 each. Had to be at least a couple thousand people out on the pier. Only way to get there, or be a competitior/assistant.

[Pete B]

Pete you are correct....but it has to be a leader that has the final say period and everyone has to be willing to play by these rules and stop with the fracturing of the sport!!!!!!!!

correct.

[XtremeRacing]

The only way to save Offshore is TV, you will never be able to make it on the gates. There are only 2 or 3 events that you can charge and control a gate, and that really doesnt help. A event like KW cost over $500,000.00 and with out sponsor and advertisers buying TV time it is almost impossible to come close to braking even. But we all know that already, thats why the things that need to change arent happening fast enough the money isnt there. Everyone has great idea and they are the same ones that we have been kicking around for yrs. It not rocket science, it actually pretty easy to make it all work if you have the money to through at it. That is the direction SBI is taking, and hopefully as it unfolds the changes will follow.

[DAREDEVIL]

KW is the exception. Back in the mid-90's, US Offshore tried to put on a race off of Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island, SC. I offered to assist Bill Gifford make it happen because it is a gated community and would be a great way to track who is honestly there for the race, and who just happened to be on the beach anyway. Never happened, for a variety of reasons.

It has been the biggest argument against "NASCAR on the water". NASCAR accurately tracks attendance, which gives sponsors a benchmark for return on investment. Not to mention the income from the gate as well. Apples (NASCAR) and oranges (offshore). If there are 25,000 people on the beach during an offshore race......how many just happened to be there? I'm just playing devil's advocate here - trust me, I love our sport.

I bet Sarasota,,,,,95 % of the people are there because of the race.
U can't even get a parking spot @ Lido after 8:30 in the morning becasue of the event.
The parade is there becasue of the boats,,,biggest i have ever seen .
Clearwater is going to be big as well,,,maybe not like sarasota but who knows?!
KW is always big but last year the econimy showed ,,the year before allot more spectators where there.
Michigan City i heard will be good ,,all the people up there are looking forward to it,,so most of them will be there for the event.
I also think the citys that are not major boating citys ( like most of them in FL ) are the ones we would need to look at because in FL it realy is a all day thing seeing boats and fast ones aswell,,,not like mine .LOL