Car Shows - Why do exhibitors/clubs pay to exhibit?
Discussion
Exhibitors should not have to pay as the organisers are profiting from their appearance and without them there would be no show. If anything, exhibitors should be given expenses! I'm particularly thinking of the NEC....
Makes you wonder why car clubs don't get together and threaten a boycott.
Makes you wonder why car clubs don't get together and threaten a boycott.
I think it's horses for courses.
Some events need the money from the display cars to survive, some make money from the exhibitors being there.
Two perfectly acceptable examples from Beaulieu.
Simply Ford. 95% + of attendees are in a Ford, so if they got in free, the event wouldn't run.
Supercar Weekend. 95% + of the attendees are there to see supercars so no supercars no event, so supercars get in free.
There are some.poor examples of shows overcharging, but those shows will have to re-think.
I think the Classic (Silverstone Festival) need to re-think. If you go 3 days it's still good value for.money (just) but if you can't make 3 days they really punish you.
Some events need the money from the display cars to survive, some make money from the exhibitors being there.
Two perfectly acceptable examples from Beaulieu.
Simply Ford. 95% + of attendees are in a Ford, so if they got in free, the event wouldn't run.
Supercar Weekend. 95% + of the attendees are there to see supercars so no supercars no event, so supercars get in free.
There are some.poor examples of shows overcharging, but those shows will have to re-think.
I think the Classic (Silverstone Festival) need to re-think. If you go 3 days it's still good value for.money (just) but if you can't make 3 days they really punish you.
sherman said:
You would pay for parking to go to the show as a spectator.
Why should you get in for free to park in the show ground?
Not necessarily "Free" but IMO there needs to be some sort of incentive.Why should you get in for free to park in the show ground?
...and it's not just cost as there's often other strings and unintended consequences attached. Eg: Sometimes you're required to park up and are unable to move your car during show times.
M
I don’t think you should have to pay to go in say a Concours as you are a huge part of the show, you are drawing paying customers in
It needs to be regulated though, you can’t have people turning up in a piece of crap as they want to get in for free
This is why you have to apply with photos
I remember going to a show at the Pod and it was free to display in the show N shine which meant you got to park right in the middle of the event opposed to the other side of the drag strip. One guy parked a car in there with bird muck all over it, walked off and never touched it all day
It needs to be regulated though, you can’t have people turning up in a piece of crap as they want to get in for free
This is why you have to apply with photos
I remember going to a show at the Pod and it was free to display in the show N shine which meant you got to park right in the middle of the event opposed to the other side of the drag strip. One guy parked a car in there with bird muck all over it, walked off and never touched it all day
Perhaps I'm showing my age but we didn't used to pay, in fact we used to get freebies too !
Supercar Sunday - you'd get fee entrance and food and drink
CCC Events at Castle Coombe - free entry and a free 20 min track pass
I've never paid to exhibit but I probably haven't exhibited for 15 years
Supercar Sunday - you'd get fee entrance and food and drink
CCC Events at Castle Coombe - free entry and a free 20 min track pass
I've never paid to exhibit but I probably haven't exhibited for 15 years
It's not just formal car shows but breakfast club type events.
The late, much lamented (Bristol) Avenue Drivers Club was a completely free, unorganised event. Unfortunately, the Facebook crowd took it upon themselves to formalise it - and too many of the wrong crowd started attending, resulting in bad parking, noise and yobbish behaviour.
The Haynes Breakfast Club was a freebie until Covid, when the organisers got some pretty substantial Government Covid grants and tarmacked the car parks and started charging not just visitors but exhibitors..... of the very cars that the visitors came to see.
Obviously, most of these breakfast clubs/shows are commercial ventures ...... and they need a source of funds.
But........ Harry Kane isn't expected to pay to play in the England FC's next little kick-around at Wembley!
I'm not sure how easy it would be to arrange, but perhaps all vehicles should pay in advance, BUT applicants with suitable vehicles could be given a refund at the gate and directed to a display area rather than the general car park.
So, everyone pays.
But if 'YOUR' vehicle is deemed to be part of the attraction, to the paying punters - by being unique, very rare or even just the 'first' applicant of a particular make/model then 'YOU' are part of the show and exhibit for free.
Personally, I'd rather see (say) 1 Porsche 996, then 1 Austin Maxi, then 1 Ferrari 328, then 1 hot rod, the 1 Ford Capri, then 1 Max Power type thing than row after row of near identikit makes/models, differentiated only by colour.
No disrespect to anyone, but row after row of the same make/model is pretty boring ...... particularly for the 'paying' visitors who (presumably) want to see unique and original vehicles on display.
Organisers of these shows need to consider financial viability in the long rather than just the short term. And encouraging an eclectic selection of exhibited vehicles would, IMHO, be the way to achieve this.
The late, much lamented (Bristol) Avenue Drivers Club was a completely free, unorganised event. Unfortunately, the Facebook crowd took it upon themselves to formalise it - and too many of the wrong crowd started attending, resulting in bad parking, noise and yobbish behaviour.
The Haynes Breakfast Club was a freebie until Covid, when the organisers got some pretty substantial Government Covid grants and tarmacked the car parks and started charging not just visitors but exhibitors..... of the very cars that the visitors came to see.
Obviously, most of these breakfast clubs/shows are commercial ventures ...... and they need a source of funds.
But........ Harry Kane isn't expected to pay to play in the England FC's next little kick-around at Wembley!
I'm not sure how easy it would be to arrange, but perhaps all vehicles should pay in advance, BUT applicants with suitable vehicles could be given a refund at the gate and directed to a display area rather than the general car park.
So, everyone pays.
But if 'YOUR' vehicle is deemed to be part of the attraction, to the paying punters - by being unique, very rare or even just the 'first' applicant of a particular make/model then 'YOU' are part of the show and exhibit for free.
Personally, I'd rather see (say) 1 Porsche 996, then 1 Austin Maxi, then 1 Ferrari 328, then 1 hot rod, the 1 Ford Capri, then 1 Max Power type thing than row after row of near identikit makes/models, differentiated only by colour.
No disrespect to anyone, but row after row of the same make/model is pretty boring ...... particularly for the 'paying' visitors who (presumably) want to see unique and original vehicles on display.
Organisers of these shows need to consider financial viability in the long rather than just the short term. And encouraging an eclectic selection of exhibited vehicles would, IMHO, be the way to achieve this.
Edited by alfaspecial on Tuesday 31st January 08:27
alfaspecial said:
...
But if 'YOUR' vehicle is deemed to be part of the attraction, to the paying punters - by being unique, very rare or even just the 'first' applicant of a particular make/model then 'YOU' are part of the show and exhibit for free....
Although you then will get people flouncing when their beloved car doesn't make the cut, especially if they have a Ferrari and it is sent in shame to the public parking when some Austin Maxi gets waved through.But if 'YOUR' vehicle is deemed to be part of the attraction, to the paying punters - by being unique, very rare or even just the 'first' applicant of a particular make/model then 'YOU' are part of the show and exhibit for free....
(Although I would prefer to see a Maxi than a common modern Ferrari
)I guess it’s very tricky to get the balance right. An event has to be profitable to make the organisers/venue time and effort worthwhile. These days you tend to get discounted entry tickets if you want to be part of the event; however this is getting less and less. Sadly I’m having to cherry pick my events this year due to the cost of living. I would have gone to Race Retro but I do not think it offers good value for money this year. It is a shame as it’s a good event but I have been a number of times before. I think traders at events are voting with their feet though. I would estimate that there are well under half the traders at shows these days. Traders need to make money too but if the cost of having a pitch is high there is not point going.
It’s a shame really but it’s the way things are going.
It’s a shame really but it’s the way things are going.
wolfie28 said:
I guess it’s very tricky to get the balance right. An event has to be profitable to make the organisers/venue time and effort worthwhile. These days you tend to get discounted entry tickets if you want to be part of the event; however this is getting less and less. Sadly I’m having to cherry pick my events this year due to the cost of living. I would have gone to Race Retro but I do not think it offers good value for money this year. It is a shame as it’s a good event but I have been a number of times before. I think traders at events are voting with their feet though. I would estimate that there are well under half the traders at shows these days. Traders need to make money too but if the cost of having a pitch is high there is not point going.
It’s a shame really but it’s the way things are going.
I agree. Particularly about traders. I went to the Beaulieu Spring Autojumble for the first time since Covid. Very disappointing. I know a couple of regular traders and they were all saying that they were having reservations about attending in future. And there were so many empty pitches - I doubt it was 1/3 as busy as pre Covid.It’s a shame really but it’s the way things are going.
Everyone buys through the internet. Why pay £000s in pitch fees/hotels/ staff wages food etc - you can run an autojumble / parts business from your kitchen, sitting around in your skiddies.
Pity. I used to enjoy Beaulieu great to enjoy wandering around the car park even. And so many other autojumbles have just stopped eg Shepton Mallet Restoration Show etc
Jap90s said:
Perhaps I'm showing my age but we didn't used to pay, in fact we used to get freebies too !
Supercar Sunday - you'd get fee entrance and food and drink
FYI Supercar Sunday is now the Supercar Weekend, I too have been going since it was the Supercar Sunday (and about 50 of us turned up!), it is still free for the selected Supercars, they oversubscribe so do have to vet a little, but somehow I sneak in most years and usually get to do a demo run. They still do a coffee and biscuit/cake but limit it to once in the morning and once in the afternoon to try to control costs.Supercar Sunday - you'd get fee entrance and food and drink
I've said it further up the thread, but there is a balance to be had and that's based on the exhibitors-Paying public ratio. At the Supercar weekend it's 20% exhibitors 80% Paying guests (guestimate) so it's worth encouraging the drivers to rock up. At Simply Ford it's probably close to the other way around and in Beaulieu's defence they have to open and staff their other attractions on show days too.
I love the way the marshal takes a pace backwards as I approach!
Edited by lezdix on Monday 6th February 22:41
Edited by lezdix on Monday 6th February 22:43
Edited by lezdix on Monday 6th February 22:44
Just took a look at Sywell Supercar Fest.....
To be part of the attraction (all max driver + 1 passenger)......
Supercar Display £25 per car per day
Car Club Owners £45 per car per day
GT Performance and Sports Cars £50 per car per day
Oh and you can upgrade to VIP for £279
The public's also paying £35/day (in advance) now this is wanting their kayak and heating it!
https://www.supercarfest.co.uk/takepart
To be part of the attraction (all max driver + 1 passenger)......
Supercar Display £25 per car per day
Car Club Owners £45 per car per day
GT Performance and Sports Cars £50 per car per day
Oh and you can upgrade to VIP for £279
The public's also paying £35/day (in advance) now this is wanting their kayak and heating it!
https://www.supercarfest.co.uk/takepart
lezdix said:
Just took a look at Sywell Supercar Fest.....
To be part of the attraction (all max driver + 1 passenger)......
Supercar Display £25 per car per day
Car Club Owners £45 per car per day
GT Performance and Sports Cars £50 per car per day
Oh and you can upgrade to VIP for £279
The public's also paying £35/day (in advance) now this is wanting their kayak and heating it!
https://www.supercarfest.co.uk/takepart
I assume there must be takers, but it all seems wrong to me. Ass about face!To be part of the attraction (all max driver + 1 passenger)......
Supercar Display £25 per car per day
Car Club Owners £45 per car per day
GT Performance and Sports Cars £50 per car per day
Oh and you can upgrade to VIP for £279
The public's also paying £35/day (in advance) now this is wanting their kayak and heating it!
https://www.supercarfest.co.uk/takepart
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