[NCNCA] Women's Races

[Kelly Snow]

Well said, Skot. 

I'm naive on event cost issues and I'm trying to understand. Why can't the overwhelming success of some of the men's fields offset the women's deficit for the good of the sport? All this talk about pre-reg -- how does that fill a field? (We just don't have the numbers.) I get that pre-registration helps you plan. Since a less-than-full women's field happens over and over again (no matter what your pre-reg numbers), can't you plan for a less than full field and recoup costs elsewhere? Is it an issue of cash flow?

Kelly


-----Original Message-----
>From: Skot McDaniel <skotm at sbcglobal.net>
>Sent: May 1, 2008 4:27 PM
>To: ncnca at ncnca.org
>Subject: Re: [NCNCA] Women's Races
>
>Hi Tom,
>
>I'd like to follow your logic a bit farther down the road.  If it's
>simply all about show me the money, then it makes sense that promoters
>would want to fill fields, men, women, giraffes if they pay!  Given
>that, in the guns vs. butter philosophy, I don't understand why there
>isn't more attempt to offer everyone who wants to race an opportunity. 
>This list has been on fire over women's racing these past few days,
>that's good.  Oddly enough, no one seems to notice the 800lb gorilla -
>namely the 35+, 45+ men.  Our races fill up weeks ahead of time with
>most promoters having waiting lists for these men, yes I said the
>dreaded word men!  There's even been suggestions to open some
>clydesdale races, albeit tongue in cheek.  But is not seriously
>considering this option helping anyone, especially the women?  In a
>strictly numbers game, full fields equal a successful race.  The more
>fields you fill, the easier it is to run a couple fields less than
>full.  Lets face it, were it not for the popularity of the sport with
>MEN, there wouldn't be road racing, not for the men, not for the
>juniors, not for the women.  So accommodate more men's fields, which
>are more likely to fill up, and it won't matter if the women don't fill
>their fields.  The promoter will make more money, more people who want
>to race will get the chance, everyone wins!
>
>Or, maybe not,
>Skot McDaniel - Self Appointed President: Clydesdale Faction
>
>
>--- izoard at aol.com wrote:
>
>> Promoters would MUCH rather have pre-entry numbers instead of a
>> surprise day-of-event rush - And that's primarily when poor pre-race
>> weather conditions can affect events. Pre-registration enables
>> organizers to plan and if a promoter ain't got no plan - best advice,
>> brothers and sisters, is to RUN!?
>> 
>>  If expensive-to-operate events like Cat's Hill and Burlingame and
>> Giro and Carrera have poor pre-reg. numbers they still have very
>> significant?expenses that cannot necessarily be reduced or eliminated
>> on race day if small fields enter day-of-event. Police services,
>> medical, porta-potties, permit fees, officials, prizes - they don;t
>> necessarily get reduced if the week prior it's raining and
>> competitors choose to stay home on race day.?Your overall budget is
>> predicated significantly on entry fee revenue, among other sources?-
>> and if you can;t get a firm estimate on minimum numbers of
>> competitors, my Grandpa used to say, "You don;t need to go to Reno to
>> gamble". ?
>> 
>> Organizers want to be able to?provide staff and services?according to
>> expected numbers. When the Golden Gate Bridge had it's 50th
>> anniversary they opened the bridge to pedestrians for just the 2nd
>> time in history. They had no way of predicting how many would show -
>> and then they had the phenomena of the GG Bridge flattening in the
>> center due to the enormously unexpected weight of the gazillions of
>> people who decided they would be part of history. 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Tom Simpson
>> Pilarcitos Cyclesports
>> 732 Fairfield Road
>> Burlingame, CA 94010
>> www.pilarcitos.com
>> info at pilarcitos.com
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Warren Geissert <warren at usvh.com>
>> To: ncnca at ncnca.org
>> Sent: Thu, 1 May 2008 12:19 pm
>> Subject: Re: [NCNCA] Women's Races
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> A promoter won't choose to include, or not include a racing group
>> next year 
>> based on pre-reg numbers. It's based on the number of riders who are 
>> registered before the race starts. If a relatively high percentage of
>> riders 
>> in a group register for a criterium or road race on race-day instead
>> of 
>> pre-registering they pay more in entry fees, and that's better for
>> the race 
>> organizer.
>> 
>> -Warren Geissert 
>> 
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