Schoey is correct and so is Harvey. I know from sitting in on TMBC meetings that when we have to cancel due to rain it costs the club a lot. Busses and trucks have deposits, the SES set aside their day for us and want some compensation, first aid guy, the toilet people, the food the list goes on. Yes all of that can be got back next time but deposits are lost, and it does cost the club a lot of money to postpone an event. If you know the history of Toowoomba rounds you know that its frequently cancelled. I agree that there is costs that a club with lose out, I hate that as much as anyone! I will admit I don't know the history of Toowoomba.
The other point about the business and its customers. Thats true, a business runs for profit and its main motive is to make moeny, to make money it keeps the customer happy. A Club is run by members for the benefit of members. There is no bottom line to hold up. It is run purely for people to enjoy the sport. I belive any business, wether it's for profit or not for profit(which all clubs are?) they both must make enough turnover to cover costs. This is the most fundemetal business ideal and although a club is not there to get rich they need to make enough money to cover all costs or are telling my that clubs make/ should make a peputal loss?
As I said its a catch 22. A question for you. If there were more races and events would you feel the need to volunteer more and buy a yearly membership? Or since it was already happening without you anyway would you simply sit back and attend?
Thats a very fair question, and It caused me to think for a while. Ill answer it in sections:
I would happy volunteer more if the clubs rewarded me. I'm not talking about anything amazing, A thank you and a sausage sandwich and a coke and ill dig all day every day and the ability to be the first group to ride the new track I have helped build/ repair/ maintain etc. you could even have a rego of sorts for them and ask for a gold coin donation for food. I know from experiance how much it costs to cater for 50 people with drinks and sausages and its not that much. 2 sausages each and 1 can each. it should be around $110-150 depending on where you get them from.
I would buy a yearly membership as soon as its possible to make it economical to do that, which means 2 club races and the state rounds, so that we can have 1 wash out.
Not to give you my life story but the first time I got my membership i ended up racing amost 12 races. the year before I raced 4. for me and alot of younger people its the economics.
Can you answer me this, if you stop them from having a punt on a state round and to this year no club rounds(that I remember) how are we going to attract new people?
For me personally it dosn't matter if its already running. I would want to help out, even if its only marsheling. Saying that Ourimbah had an amazing idea, compensating you for missing a round with = first points.
I'm far from a patron saint myself, I haven't been helping out as much as I could. But after seeing how the sunny series is spiraling away lately due to lack of involvement, I'm more keen than ever to help. Agree, while I'm probly coming across as a gaint douche. I only want racing and riding to improve in Brisbane, I belive whole heartedly that NSW has alot of things we can learn from them,I think they are a good 5 years into our future and we have alot that we can learn from their sucesses and failers, but I think before we implement them we need to look at our situation and see the differences and simlaraites and see if it is benifital to the sport, even at the cost of short term pain.