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Is inflation impacting Nationals Attendance? |
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KazRob
Far too distracted from work Joined: 22 Oct 16 Location: Scotland Online Status: Offline Posts: 245 |
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Topic: Is inflation impacting Nationals Attendance? Posted: 27 Jun 22 at 11:54am |
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I was watching the D-Zero Nationals over the weekend as I had quite a few friends going down for it and noticed their attendance was right down in numbers with 27 entries at Brixham compared to last year's 56 at Largs. I would have thought that Brixham would have attracted a good turnout from a currently active class like the D-Zs and that would have compensated in some way for the effects of inflation / cost of living crisis etc, and I'd say it's unusual too see such an attendance drop the year after a Nationals in Scotland (even as a Scot I recognise that travelling north of Watford has it's challenges for some ). This is really a follow on to the Open Meeting thread, but are other classes expecting significant disruption to their major event attendance this year from the rising costs of fuel etc? PS- Kudos to the 7 Scots who stepped up and made the 1000+ mile round trip to attend and support their class, even if it was largely blown off.
Edited by KazRob - 27 Jun 22 at 11:57am |
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423zero
Really should get out more Joined: 08 Jan 15 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3406 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jun 22 at 12:27pm | |
Bound to have some effect, would be interesting to compare ages of entrants last year to this year, see if a particular age band kept away.
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Robert
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Grumpycat
Far too distracted from work Joined: 29 Sep 20 Online Status: Offline Posts: 497 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jun 22 at 12:54pm | |
I think your most likely right about costs putting some people off, but I think we will have to wait until we have more class nationals before we can call it a trend.
I think some of the things that effected the attendance were class and venue related. Last year the class were a little concerned ( in my view) about Largs so went to a lot of time and trouble drumming up support for the event . This year I felt they thought Brixham would sell its self and then suddenly realised with a few weeks to go that it hadn’t but it’s too late by then . People had arranged other things. Also re costs at nationals there is more than just fuel costs. Last year once you got to Largs , you could camp on site or just park up your motor home job done . This year at Brixham , no camping on site, cars and motor homes have to pay to park in public car parks. You weren’t even allowed to leave your road trailer on site , you either had to find somewhere else to park it or the club would arrange for it to be stored at a local rugby club for a fee. It all seemed a bit of a ball ache to me , looking in from the outside side and maybe it put regulars off too , who knows. It makes no difference to me , I won’t be doing the D-zero or any nationals ever again but maybe the D-zero should look at venues that are a little more cost and sailor friendly going forward . In their defence, being responsible for choosing a venue for any nationals is a c@@p job because where every you choose, someone will not be happy
Edited by Grumpycat - 27 Jun 22 at 1:03pm |
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Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jun 22 at 2:13pm | |
I suspect it is as much to do with a covid hangover as cost of living pressures. Many people have postponed weddings, holidays and other major events and are now busy catching up on that. Next year that backlog should be cleared, but we will all be feeling the pinch financially.
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Sam.Spoons
Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3398 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jun 22 at 3:14pm | |
The Blaze Nationals was less well attended with only 43 boats this year compared with 73 in 2021*. I doubt the venue had much to do with it, Stone SC on the Blackwater estuary this year, Paignton last. Both events were very well organised and both delivered superb conditions (we got lucky I guess ) and racing. Cost-wise the parking on the prom at Paignton was offset by a lower entry fee but there was onsite camping at Stone SC had I chosen to live without electric hook-up.
* I wonder if £300 off a new sail helped boost the numbers last year ? Edited by Sam.Spoons - 27 Jun 22 at 3:14pm |
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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
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The Q
Posting king Joined: 07 Feb 22 Location: Norfolk Broads Online Status: Offline Posts: 121 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jun 22 at 3:37pm | |
I think last year Because were were coming out of lockdowns, more people though *** it we'll go to a big event this year..
What were the numbers at those events Pre Covid?? |
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Still sailing in circles
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Mozzy
Far too distracted from work Joined: 21 Apr 20 Online Status: Offline Posts: 209 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 28 Jun 22 at 7:59am | |
The 800's are struggling this year, only 23 boats entered and entry closes this week. This will be our worst entry for a nationals, except 2020, when we only had 21... but that was a late venue switch in a year where many hadn't been able to sail.
Open meetings have been well down too. I think there are several factors: 1) Other postponed life events (one wedding is taking out 3/4 boats) 2) Cost of accommodation has gone up dramatically 3) Cost of entry has risen 4) Our calendar is from loaded this year with a Euro's in June and Nationals in July, but nothing in August or September 5) This will be the 4th time in 5 year we've been to Weymouth (once at Castle Cove). It was great that WPNSA stepped up in 2020 last minute. But unfortunate that the RS Games chose Weymouth this year. 6) There doesn't seem to have been much effort to sell the RS Games this year, at least in the 800 class. No social advertised. Very little in the way of prizes advertised. RS taking the event centrally can work, as you have cross over with lots of other sailing mates... but this time it feels a little bit tame compared to 2011 and 2018... also the 200's and 400's are doing their own thing 7) Crews now have to be class members (response to covid drop in membership). I think this just makes finding a crew harder. The 200's currently have 135 pre-entered for their Nationals at HISC. That's already the 2nd biggest Nationals they've ever had and will probably end up being the biggest two person dinghy Nationals of this decade.
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turnturtle
Really should get out more Joined: 05 Dec 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2538 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 28 Jun 22 at 2:49pm | |
Yep, yep, ditto, yep |
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RS400atC
Really should get out more Joined: 04 Dec 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3011 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 28 Jun 22 at 4:26pm | |
I'm not ruling out doing a Nationals again, but I might well wait for the event to come to me. Don't most of the nicer venues decide what classes they're having years in advance? So the blame for choosing the venue is normally obscure by the time the event happens. |
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NickA
Really should get out more Joined: 30 Mar 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 783 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Jul 22 at 8:59pm | |
We managed a (recent) record of 12 Javelins at last year's nationals; people wed not seen for years or never seen before showed up. Despite a hefty entry fee and very poor camping provision. I think it was a covid "over", let's get out there response.. This year I'm not even sure it will happen.
Ospreys, 48 boats last year... there was a big push to hit 50 and loads of publicity and nags to pay up CA fees. This year .... silence, we shall see. |
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