North Region Old SKool: What did I do wrong?

[mr_t]

   The class has gone from being one of the biggest in the region 2 years ago to sadly having to abandon the class today at preston.

Why?  What can be done to bring it back?
over to you...... 

[JT Smooth]

Bring back the winter series, it used to be a race every 6 week year round.

The guys in the NE and a few of us in Cumbria, have to travel a ruddy long way.
The inter-region in birmingham was never going to happen for a good few of us.

[OrgasmDonor]

injurys and the clash with MK this year for preston i'm afraid. some new faces shown this year hopefully numbers will be more viable next season. a winter series would keep interestgoing tho 

[Dark Diggler]

This weekend is easy to explain Ian but as for recent turnouts, I suspect the root cause is the license requirement .
People will have their own reasons though. It does seem odd though because it looks like rider numbers are about 50% up on last year (you will know better than me)

[ron burgundy]

It was RADBMX MK12 this weekend. The biggest oldschool bash of the year. Preston just clashed... great track, bad timing.

[midschooljon]

I plan on racing the old school series next year. Just need to buy a bike that qualifies.

[Gish]

theres a few old school riders picked up/ recovering from broken bones/injuries aswell

[motomagII]

yep me back next yeaqr once me leg heals .

[That Swan Guy]

Agree with the licence thing. Work dictates which weekends I could make it and have a go but then licence requirements prevent it happening. 

[Badbaldie]

injury and red tape . plenty people have been hurt . and the license thing just makes the people who can only make the odd race stay away.

[moley]

injury and red tape . plenty people have been hurt . and the license thing just makes the people who can make the odd race stay away.

Injuries prevented me this year and I even renewed my license.

Maybe next year.

License doesn't bother me but in this economic climate then it does put a few people off.   They might only want to race 3-4 times a year or do a one off when they feel like it but why do that when they have to fork out for a license.    I think not having OS at the Brits put a lot of OS riders off.    Why pay for the license to race a novelty class when rider doesn't get full benefits for that.   Fair enough OS lost a lot of riders down south and midlands didn't have many but the North grew and so did the Scots.

If you want to know how to get the OS riders back then make OS class license free.    We are never going to race nationals or the brits and if we are then we'd get a license.

I was told that being license free at regionals wasn't allowed due to insurance and other things but I've seen other novelty races i.e  Fathers day race at Manchester that might have been license free.  So if it was then allow OS to ride license free too.

OS riders dont mind paying the fees to race.    They'll pay the same as any adult/pro etc, etc.

So if North Region BMX is missing our income then maybe thats the way to go.   It might just entice some riders back into the fold.

[Dark Diggler]

I was told that being license free at regionals wasn't allowed due to insurance and other things but I've seen other novelty races i.e  Fathers day race at Manchester that might have been license free. 

Novice dont need a license Moley. At 4x events, they have a class called big fun which has different age catagories, no license required... big FUN

[R Al]

Just work for me stopping me  , been a mad year hope to be back on it next year

[OrgasmDonor]

Just work for me stopping me  , been a mad year hope to be back on it next year

THE BULL "i'll be back!" 

[moley]

I was told that being license free at regionals wasn't allowed due to insurance and other things but I've seen other novelty races i.e  Fathers day race at Manchester that might have been license free. 

Novice dont need a license Moley. At 4x events, they have a class called big fun which has different age catagories, no license required... big FUN

There ya go then.     Make the Old Skool class Novice but we'll still pay top whack race day expert Fees.

That might get the numbers up!! 

[mr_t]

Thanks Guys.  This is not about revenue (other than covering costs) or Brits qualification. The insurance side of things is an issue, Silver membership of BC is a minimum requirement unless you are a not a member of a club and in your first ever race.  BMX has certain privileges to get around this by the way we define Novice.  Unfortunately by definition 'Old Skool' cannot be a 'Novice'
Just in case anyone is buying one - you do NOT need a license to race BMX at regional level.

I'm not the region, I just want to run good events 

I have a vague idea of making old school as an 'exhibition class'.  You would still require silver membership, but then by charging you a lower fee to race you effectively get your membership fee back.  The knock on from this is you loose entitlement to enter Brits if you wanted, and your free shirt (though I don't think there will be any more totally free shirts anyway).  You would need to ride a standard class as well to qualify.

Had this been implemented in 2012, you would pay £36 for membership, then £3.50 a race.  £3.50 just about breaks even (first aid + admin).  Maybe push it to £4 a race and throw in a season trophy.  Or we could charge £5 and give the surplus to the host club in return for you getting a trophy or medals at each event.
Numbers may be slightly different for 2013 but you see the idea.

What do you think?

[OrgasmDonor]

bcs membership is annoying as we are not recognised, but race fees are not the issue, this year the venues have been mainly midwest rather than northern and the date changes messed things up a little along with MK clash. Injuries i think have been the main problem and the main reason peeps aint bought a membership so aint raced. there are signs of some .new blood for next year and returning regular riders. Preston has always been good to us and no one can diss the commitment or enthusiasm of the northern clubs in regarding old school. Just been one of those years. next years numbers will be a truer reflection of the state of the class. i'm optomistic numbers will be well up on this year. i think appreciation of your post should be recognised as its this type of acknowledgement that must make the north region stand out from the rest and preston in particular.

"What did i do wrong?"

"fook all! ever!" 
 
Your club numbers speak for themselves dude, you have obviously consistently done everything right and it is appreciated 

looking forward to the champs 

[moley]

Yep Mr_T,    No one has a problem with the North Region regarding Old Skool racing.   

You've always been supportive and accomodating.

Just been a shit year.  Hopefully it will be better next year!! 

[moley]

Do you need a Silver Membership to race at the North Club Championships?

It isn't a regional................t'is a club meet

[THIRSTYKIRSTY]

think ya still need silver membership mate,,,,i was gonna race but lack of membership means no for me and i aint payin 36 quid for 1 race

[Jon The Bassist]

I hope as many of you as possible will be there for the club champs - I am planning to give the Falcon Pro a run out

[Peter J]

The licence thing is a bit of a BCF rip off 

If "we" pay for a licence then why should we not get the same treatment as the other licensed classes.

[Betty]

Drop the license requirement for the old school class and people will return

I bought a license this year to do one round 

I'm not gonna bother next year, 40 quid for a license to do one or two rounds is hardly worth it 

[Gish]

its not just a case of the license for us guys in the north east

its more the case of travelling to the west coast every other week to race aswell 

if bradford & leeds dont bother holding a regional next year then i dont think i will be racing either 

[Jon The Bassist]

Gish I agree that it's been a very bad year for travelling if you're from the eastern half of the region. I'm sure that there'll be at least 1 regional in Yorkshire next year, my vote would definitely be for Bradford to host a regional next year but I can't speak for the whole club, that's just my opinion.