GRRC 2021 Membership

GRRC 2021 Membership

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No ideas for a name

Original Poster:

2,403 posts

93 months

Sunday 20th September 2020
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I see from the latest newsletter, there is mention of renewals for next year. No comments about anything being other than normal, just an advance heads-up that they want another £250 ish.

Not sure what I was expecting, but I fear it is a bit optimistic to assume that next year will actually be back to normal. It must be almost impossible to plan for an event that might get cancelled.

They have had our £240 + donations this year, which though not exactly happy about, I am prepared to 'give' since I enjoy the events and what them to continue. If the same happens next year, not so tollerant.

Ideas, thoughts or options?

ecsrobin

17,826 posts

172 months

Sunday 20th September 2020
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I’m with you it’s ok to help bail them out once but as a rolling agreement it will be harder to swallow. Also one of the coats is the yearbook which I imagine is not cheap to produce. So will there be something to replace that or will we pay the same for less as is quite often the case?

No ideas for a name

Original Poster:

2,403 posts

93 months

Sunday 20th September 2020
quotequote all
I suspect the yearbook will just be all about 'Speedweek' - if that goes ahead.
I understand that it is supposed to be behind closed doors, with only participants present, but who knows what dim government rules might be in place in the next few weeks.

As as aside - I believe that Bonham's are having an auction at Speedweek. If this is physically at the event, and I have been (sort of) invited, does this make me a participant? It is an academic point as I am not going anyway, but just a thought.

I think there could be a lot of annoyance created if it turns out that 'participants' turn out to be rather more than drivers, mechanics and TV crews.






stevewak

506 posts

137 months

Monday 21st September 2020
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No ideas for a name said:
I think there could be a lot of annoyance created if it turns out that 'participants' turn out to be rather more than drivers, mechanics and TV crews.
See https://sniffpetrol.com/2015/11/27/2015-abu-dhabi-... and note last line.

stevewak

506 posts

137 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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stevewak said:
No ideas for a name said:
I think there could be a lot of annoyance created if it turns out that 'participants' turn out to be rather more than drivers, mechanics and TV crews.
See https://sniffpetrol.com/2015/11/27/2015-abu-dhabi-... and note last line.
Maybe a more apposite Sniff creation is Freddie Bulliard who writes the Gas Dandy column, who will no doubt be on social media throughout: https://sniffpetrol.com/2019/08/06/the-return-of-t...

ch37

10,642 posts

228 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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No ideas for a name said:
I think there could be a lot of annoyance created if it turns out that 'participants' turn out to be rather more than drivers, mechanics and TV crews
I can only assume they know what they are doing, but I imagine they are getting a bit nervous about even this behind closed doors event now. If it's happening to keep external partners happy, I imagine that will involve a certain amount of hospitality. The numbers in attendance are quickly going to add up and it's more than likely that it won't look great when broadcast (a a time when BTCC, for example, is a closed event)

I have serious doubts about the MM next year, which will be interesting given they presumably have 15-20k tickets 'live' where people haven't asked for refunds. It seems incredibly unlikely that an event with those sorts of numbers will be ok by then.

NickUSA

806 posts

174 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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ch37 said:
I can only assume they know what they are doing, but I imagine they are getting a bit nervous about even this behind closed doors event now. If it's happening to keep external partners happy, I imagine that will involve a certain amount of hospitality. The numbers in attendance are quickly going to add up and it's more than likely that it won't look great when broadcast (a a time when BTCC, for example, is a closed event)

I have serious doubts about the MM next year, which will be interesting given they presumably have 15-20k tickets 'live' where people haven't asked for refunds. It seems incredibly unlikely that an event with those sorts of numbers will be ok by then.
It's relatively easy to manage your own TV feeds and to advise visitors not to post of social media with the caveat being caught will result in 'positive action' against the poster. But I am sure no matter how hard they try a police the various feeds any crowd shots that look more than just participants would result in a loss of goodwill from the membership and those that have chosen to role forward their tickets into 2021.

The only effective way to manage this is to not have any additional attendees

Krupp88

595 posts

134 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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ch37 said:
I have serious doubts about the MM next year, which will be interesting given they presumably have 15-20k tickets 'live' where people haven't asked for refunds. It seems incredibly unlikely that an event with those sorts of numbers will be ok by then.
I'm no events management specialist but you would think that planning for the 2021 MM would need to be underway now, with todays update from the Prime Minister there is now more uncertainty and I wouldn't be surprised either if it was cancelled before significant money is sunk into the event....

Krupp88

595 posts

134 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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NickUSA said:
The only effective way to manage this is to not have any additional attendees
And the only way to ensure they are not caught by legislation. Sadly there are plenty of local detractors who would very much like to see Lord March in trouble and the main Goodwood events permanently cancelled.......

mk1coopers

1,299 posts

159 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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As far as I'm aware there will be no one there that isn't directly involved with the event, running it to honour sponsorship commitments will be more a case of online viewers and TV viewers when it no doubt goes out as a highlights show, there should be no need for corporate hospitality as I'm sure that the large firms involved would not want to be associated with putting people at risk and the potential bad publicity from an outbreak being traced to a gathering they weren't supposed to be having ( especially with todays changes to the guidance)

Ed Moses

656 posts

127 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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Goodwood have strict limits on the number of people on site for the event - to the extent that the number of marshals has been reduced to the safe minimum to run the event. I know a number who were upset last week when they got the email from BARC saying they are not needed for Speedweek.

Ed

No ideas for a name

Original Poster:

2,403 posts

93 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
quotequote all
We should probably have started another thread as this one was intended to discuss 2021 GRRC membership, but discussing SpeedWeek is good...

I feel Goodwood have been a bit optomistic in thinking they can 'get away with' this. I understand it is supposed to be to minimise losses, and probably opens them up to receive payments from sponsors, but I think there must be some doubt that it will happen.

Quoting BBC News this afternoon (for what that is worth) "A full lockdown is highly unlikely, but more significant steps such as closing hospitality venues, leisure facilities and curbing everyday activities from playing sport to travelling around the country remain options."

As another poster said, there also has to be serious doubt about MM78 in 2021.
I don't want to be a doom-monger, but I just don't see how a venue can go ahead and invest so much time and money in planning with no certainty that it will go ahead. I wonder what the rates being offered for event cancellation insurance are.

To return to the original point of the thread - 2021 renewals. Another year where events might not happen - I can't see members being that tollerant of another full price year. Just as an idea - not that I expect Goodwood to read this - is maybe bundling in basic entry only tickets to at least one of the events in with the membership. I suppose they would just put up membership fees by say £200 though.

A bit of motorsport isn't that important in relation to the current situation - there are other threads for political or statistical argument - but it does seem the country has lost the plot a bit.

mk1coopers

1,299 posts

159 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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Membership next year will be interesting, there was the perceived value for the GSA membership that was given to those that have remained / maintained their membership for next year at the £200 level with the associated brass plaque, so perhaps next year if the events can't go ahead for any reason (let's all cross everything that they do) then maybe something else of value or not open to the public at all will happen / be given as an offset (tickets as mentioned above etc) I'm going to renew, if nothing happens in 2021 then I'll think about 2022.

As to the events if numbers are limited then perhaps the fairest way forward is to ask for people to voluntarily roll over to 2022, then see where they are numbers wise, no doubt it would then be a case of refund if you wanted one / a random selection to establish names to get 2021 entry or go 2022

Edited by mk1coopers on Tuesday 22 September 21:41

ecsrobin

17,826 posts

172 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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Coronavirus: Fans may not be able to return to sporting events until at least end of March https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/54246745

I just can’t see Goodwood planning a members letting knowing that there’s potential for no spectators at sporting events until a few weeks before the event.

No ideas for a name

Original Poster:

2,403 posts

93 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2020
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ecsrobin said:
I just can’t see Goodwood planning a members letting knowing that there’s potential for no spectators at sporting events until a few weeks before the event.
Much as I want to be there, I have to agree. Also, the sooner Goodwood realises this and makes an announcement the better.
There is a huge knock-on for the area too (such as hotels). The sooner decisions are made, the more that people can prepare.

I fear the reality here is another year without much in return for our memberships. Platinum GSA badges next year?

andylaight

179 posts

133 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2020
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If Goodwood want me to pay in full for membership for 2021 and they're no events I'll say no thanks and that's after being a GRRC member for
10 years plus

NickUSA

806 posts

174 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2020
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ecsrobin said:
I just can’t see Goodwood planning a members letting knowing that there’s potential for no spectators at sporting events until a few weeks before the event.
GW wont let anyone know until after the annual membership dues have been collected.

No ideas for a name

Original Poster:

2,403 posts

93 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2020
quotequote all
NickUSA said:
GW wont let anyone know until after the annual membership dues have been collected.
I hadn't thought of that - but I expect you are 100% right.
Carry on as normal with the newsletters and renewals, then sometime in early February... some announcement.

No ideas for a name

Original Poster:

2,403 posts

93 months

Tuesday 13th October 2020
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Just had my renewal info come through... prices held from last year £235 adult/£340 family.
GW say thay are planning for all of 2021's events.

Realistically, I don't see an event with 20k people taking place (MM78) let alone 150k for Revival.
Surely, there is a point where a decision has to be made if it is worth continuing to plan. If the situation is unchanged by January, I doubt they will continue with an event in March.

It clearly isn't Goodwood's fault, they are dropped in the middile of a mess - but I don't think pretending all is normal is helpful.

mk1coopers

1,299 posts

159 months

Tuesday 13th October 2020
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What else can they do though ?, if no planning goes ahead then the events definitely won't happen, if they can't perhaps Speedweek could really be that next year, one event, 5 noisy days, limited numbers each day to fit in with the current (at the time) guidelines?, I know several people involved in some high profile events, they are not planning for 2020 outdoors until July, indoors November, whilst having only a skeleton management framework in place to keep plans moving.