What about next years early season stuff? That's just around the corner. With Gorge Roubaix going under, and the conflict of Red2Red being held on the same day this year it sure would be an interesting experiment to see if we could hold a road race in Echo on Saturday and then the Red2Red on Sunday, or vice versa. Conflicting race schedules solved, and personally the Red2Red needs to be bumped up to warmer weather.
But why does it work in Washington? Not sure what numbers they get at
races or how well they are run, but they have races through Dec.
Very few here are criticizing...rather voicing alternative views. Evolving
with the times is a good thing. We can't just sit back and let things
stagnate if there is a better way. I vote by participating and spend lots
of $ at venues, hotels and local shops to support. Seems like we should
have a healthy discussion on why it can't work here, with our thriving
scene, when it does other places?
On Oct 23, 2017 9:38 PM, "Matt Mallet via OBRA" wrote:
> The numbers are actually probably even worse than this. Based on looking
> at the OBRA results, the 2010 races your are citing were in Bend, not
> Portland and this was the year nationals was in Bend. So even to race on
> the course for nationals, the week before Nationals they only get 300
> people to show up. As far as the other races you need to look at other
> variables. If the weather happened to be really good that may bump
> numbers, or for example the 2013 Corvallis race was a GP event, not a
> standalone, so that would bump the numbers. The only viable December race
> I could see is if Cross Crusade added it to the series and that might be
> enough to guarantee a reasonable turnout.
>
> My point being, we have a lot of smart promoters our there. If any one of
> them thought there was an opportunity to put on December races with good
> financial viability it would already be happening. All I see is a few die
> hards asking for more races, without looking at the reality that they
> represent a minority. Most people do not want to race in 40F rain on a
> total mud course (unless the promoter is going to have hot showers, free
> beer, a heated warming tent and include complimentary concierge service to
> wash my bike and service the BB, then yes, sign me up ).
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The numbers are actually probably even worse than this. Based on looking at the OBRA results, the 2010 races your are citing were in Bend, not Portland and this was the year nationals was in Bend. So even to race on the course for nationals, the week before Nationals they only get 300 people to show up. As far as the other races you need to look at other variables. If the weather happened to be really good that may bump numbers, or for example the 2013 Corvallis race was a GP event, not a standalone, so that would bump the numbers. The only viable December race I could see is if Cross Crusade added it to the series and that might be enough to guarantee a reasonable turnout.
My point being, we have a lot of smart promoters our there. If any one of them thought there was an opportunity to put on December races with good financial viability it would already be happening. All I see is a few die hards asking for more races, without looking at the reality that they represent a minority. Most people do not want to race in 40F rain on a total mud course (unless the promoter is going to have hot showers, free beer, a heated warming tent and include complimentary concierge service to wash my bike and service the BB, then yes, sign me up ).
Lots of people are wanting more races, but how many are willing to put money on the line to have it? If you build it, they will come, maybe. Here's a sample of later season races (all but one December):
Portland 12/4/2010: 307 riders
Portland 12/5/2010: 274 riders
Central Point 12/3/2011: 66 riders
Jacksonville 12/17/2001: 38 riders
Medford 12/31/2011: 47 riders
Bend (Crusdade) 12/8/2013: 314 riders (only 34 Master C 35+, compare that to Barton Park about a month earlier that had 146)
Corvalis 12/16/12: 183 riders
Medford 12/29/2012: 50 riders
Washougal 11/30/2014: 156 riders
Corvalis 12/6/2014: 167 riders
Now would the two races in December of 2010 been so high if it wasn't at the USGP event? Yes, some of the races are farther out, but they travel to the races here, shouldn't you return the favor?
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