Pro Teams Dropping the Ball (Drives me crazy...)

MDM
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MDM 3/6/2017 12:11pm
3/6/2017 12:11pm
HonDawg17 wrote:
Here's where book-smart and common sense aren't shared. Book-smart says 3.5 million followers by the numbers, right? WRONG! And you already know why. For argument, lets...
Here's where book-smart and common sense aren't shared. Book-smart says 3.5 million followers by the numbers, right? WRONG! And you already know why. For argument, lets simplify...most people out there have a Facebook, Instagram, AND Twitter account. So chances are 1 person is following 1 rider on 3 pieces of social media (that's 3 followers?) NO. That same person is possibly following the whole team. (So you count 9 people) when its only 1 follower. I know there's some people who don't have all 3 social media accounts. But you can't add all those together assuming all those people only have that account following someone. I can't say that I know the correct number but you would have to make sure there aren't any duplicates. IF you can get that number then you actually know what you are projecting for your value. Unless you WANT TO use false numbers so you can get your fat paycheck and funding you need for your marketing project. That's why marketing is BS. Nothing calculates correctly.
Actually, you are 100% correct. In a real proposal, data breakdown, there is a thing called "overlap" which is addressed, covering the points you mentioned. I simply used that as an example and didn't have time to dive into it further.
MDM
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MDM 3/6/2017 12:15pm
3/6/2017 12:15pm Edited Date/Time 3/6/2017 12:16pm
lostboy819 wrote:
I hate to say it but if you would give away your expert input for "free" than I doubt what you could do for them would...
I hate to say it but if you would give away your expert input for "free" than I doubt what you could do for them would help. They pay professionals to handle advertising and the fan experience and do a pretty good job considering how much the sport has already changes over the last 30 years, I think it has grown larger than it ever should have because it is such a small sport.
I would donate time because I can. This is something I do now. I help many SMB owners with marketing for free. Little mom and pop shops that don't have huge budgets. Why? Because it is my way of giving back. My agencies don't even offer the services I help with, so nothing to gain.

When I lost my dad to cancer I was in a very dark place and almost ended my life. Thankfully at the last minute I said, "Fuck this, I'm going to kick ass at everything I do and work my balls off because that's what he would have wanted." The day after that I founded my first agency and haven't looked back since then.

My life has gotten really good. I am fucking thankful every single day I wake up and get to have the experiences I do.

So, nothing to sell. I help because I want to.
HonDawg17 3/6/2017 12:16pm
3/6/2017 12:16pm
So back to the OP. I agree 100% that they need to advertise the sport more.

Example: We just got Supercross back in Minneapolis this year since 2013! Which was an amazing race between RD5 and RV2. I've never heard a crowd that loud in that stadium ever. Anyways, so the weeks leading up to the event "normally" you get the commercials on TV at different times during the day with David Lee's epic voice about " SUPERCROSS" so they come on during your regular programing. Instead they only play during the Supercross broadcast on Saturday the week before, which 90% of those commercials for Supercross are spent pumping up Monster Cup 2019...We are already watching supercross and know about the races. If you want new people to watch you need to be pumping the sport up on different channels and during other regular programming. It doesn't take a genius to figure this stuff out.
Even in 2013 I didn't see commercials on TV like I used to. I'm surprised at how many people showed up in 2013 and this year 2017 was almost 10,000 more people! I heard a radio commercial about it 2 days before the race this year...just sad. People already have plans. Even if they were playing it only the week of the race, that's terrible notice for people to attend the race.

BUT YES they need to be pushing this sport more. When is the last time you saw a motocross or supercross add during your favorite TV show. Its been since the late 90's that I can remember seeing commercials almost year round pumping up the local supercross in Minneapolis and Spring Creek in the Summer.
HonDawg17 3/6/2017 12:24pm
3/6/2017 12:24pm
MDM wrote:
Actually, you are 100% correct. In a real proposal, data breakdown, there is a thing called "overlap" which is addressed, covering the points you mentioned. I...
Actually, you are 100% correct. In a real proposal, data breakdown, there is a thing called "overlap" which is addressed, covering the points you mentioned. I simply used that as an example and didn't have time to dive into it further.
That's the word I was looking for. Thanks.

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MDM
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MDM 3/6/2017 12:27pm
3/6/2017 12:27pm Edited Date/Time 3/6/2017 1:12pm
HonDawg17 wrote:
That's the word I was looking for. Thanks.
Welcome. Trust me, in a professional proposal all of that comes into consideration. There are unique followers, probability overlap percentages, etc. A lot more than just a follower count.
mxtech1
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mxtech1 3/6/2017 1:56pm
3/6/2017 1:56pm
I don't feel that this topic is all that complicated. We have to take a step back and realize who is running all of these teams. I don't know the exact figure, but some large % of the entire SX/MX industry is made up of ex-racers and "well-connected" industry insiders. These are, for the most part, the same ex-racers that probably only have a high school diploma at best.

The change has to start within the team structure. They need to go out and hire professionals who understand business, marketing, and media. These professionals need to be responsible for the development and implementation of marketing strategies to boost sponsor exposure. An ex-factory racer who is now the team manager probably has little experience in these fields, other than what they have absorbed over their years of involvement. Not a bad thing by any means, but they are doing things the same way they have always been done.

Katoomey
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Katoomey 3/6/2017 2:24pm
3/6/2017 2:24pm
TXDirt wrote:
I don't think OP is talking about "growing the sport". I think he is more talking about maximizing the viewership we currently have from an advertising/sponsor...
I don't think OP is talking about "growing the sport". I think he is more talking about maximizing the viewership we currently have from an advertising/sponsor dollar perspective.

The teams do a poor job engaging the fans. FELD does a poor job advertising races and events.

If you are a potential outside sponsor these are things you are looking at. How are teams driving fan engagement which in turn drives brand awareness which in turn influences ad dollars.

That has nothing to do with growing the sport in the traditional sense.
I see what your saying. And that makes sense. I dont know anything about marketing.
Matt Fisher 3/6/2017 2:48pm
3/6/2017 2:48pm
Great thread.
The banter has been civil yet informative.

I'd agree 100% with several of the points made here.
-OP is spot on with his analysis of the piss-poor marketing.
-Several others have correctly commented that the lack of simple dirt bike riding is ultimately the deciding factor in the sport's survival.
-The rules that hold back all the teams/riders from direct marketing at events with things like t-shirts is a crime without even considering how that negatively affects the sport as a whole.
Dtat720
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Dtat720 3/6/2017 3:03pm
3/6/2017 3:03pm
mxtech1 wrote:
I don't feel that this topic is all that complicated. We have to take a step back and realize who is running all of these teams...
I don't feel that this topic is all that complicated. We have to take a step back and realize who is running all of these teams. I don't know the exact figure, but some large % of the entire SX/MX industry is made up of ex-racers and "well-connected" industry insiders. These are, for the most part, the same ex-racers that probably only have a high school diploma at best.

The change has to start within the team structure. They need to go out and hire professionals who understand business, marketing, and media. These professionals need to be responsible for the development and implementation of marketing strategies to boost sponsor exposure. An ex-factory racer who is now the team manager probably has little experience in these fields, other than what they have absorbed over their years of involvement. Not a bad thing by any means, but they are doing things the same way they have always been done.

The difference between JGR and RCH. Professionals at JGR, former racers at RCH.
mxtech1
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mxtech1 3/7/2017 7:32am
3/7/2017 7:32am
mxtech1 wrote:
I don't feel that this topic is all that complicated. We have to take a step back and realize who is running all of these teams...
I don't feel that this topic is all that complicated. We have to take a step back and realize who is running all of these teams. I don't know the exact figure, but some large % of the entire SX/MX industry is made up of ex-racers and "well-connected" industry insiders. These are, for the most part, the same ex-racers that probably only have a high school diploma at best.

The change has to start within the team structure. They need to go out and hire professionals who understand business, marketing, and media. These professionals need to be responsible for the development and implementation of marketing strategies to boost sponsor exposure. An ex-factory racer who is now the team manager probably has little experience in these fields, other than what they have absorbed over their years of involvement. Not a bad thing by any means, but they are doing things the same way they have always been done.

Dtat720 wrote:
The difference between JGR and RCH. Professionals at JGR, former racers at RCH.
Great example, 100% agree.

That's a perfect example of how a team that has the resources can make sponsors understand how they can get a return on their investment. One thing you have never heard out of the JGR camp is lack of sponsorship. Sure, they probably had help with the connections through the Nascar programs, but they are doing things right at JGR and it shows.

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