Post by homebrewer on Aug 9, 2011 9:07:17 GMT -5
Hello Everyone,
This is Andy with the Dg. Co. Fair Board. I just wanted to pop in here and tell everyone thanks for attending this years derby and for giving Rob a chance. It seems like he had a nice welcome. I also want to clarify a few things on how things worked between R&R Promotions and the Fair Board.
I don't normally think its right to give details about contract agreements, but in this case I think a explanation on a few points is warranted. Tickets. Pit passes and gate access. Our agreement with R&R is we pay them a set Fee. On top of that Fee, R&R receives all monies from car entries and all pit passes. The Fair Board receives ticket money from the gate only. In the past, a pit pass would allow drivers, friends, and families to go into both area's. This means each party must protect their own ticket sales in order to repay themselves for any expenses. So what this means for the Fair Board is that since gate money is our only source of income we have to have it in order to pay the R&R Fee plus adding in any additional prize money, trophies, and other operating expenses. R&R has to pay the officials, prize money, and other expenditures. That is the reason for the separation of gate and pit pass entry. So NO, the Fair Board was not pocketing $30 for pit pass and gate entry. We never saw a dime of that money other than gate ticket sales. It is something we want to look into for next year to make an improvement for you drivers. I have a few ideas.
R&R and the Fair Board had a difficult time in finding sponsors to aid in additional prize money. Rob found this out first hand. A few of us board members pushed hard to find the extra $2,500.00 that upgraded the payout. Yes, the Fair Board came up with that money, but in order to get it something else had to suffer in our Fair budget. But it needed to be done.
The Fair Board matched all of our budget for the derby this year as compared to past years. The main bulk of this money was used to pay R&R's Fee plus the additional prize money. And remember, we only got ticket sales from the gate. So our income is limited. But we felt it was worth it to get a change in the officials, specifically in a fair inspection. No favoritism.
As it stand's, the Fair Board will be working hard to find other avenues to aid in additional prize money. We would like to be one of the highest, if not the highest, pay out derby in the area. Using a third party promoter will make this more difficult but with some hard work we feel it can be done.
R&R and the Fair Board realize there are some additional changes that need to be made from both parties to continue to improve this derby. I think these issues can be dealt with in a easy manner. If you noticed, there was not a Fair Board member in the pits at any time. We felt under the circumstances that removing ourselves completely and let R&R handle the derby was the proper decision. It was after all a strong change you drivers wanted. In hindsight, I now feel a Fair Board member should of sat at the check-in table with R&R representatives to answer any questions that may of popped up. It was the first year working with a promoter so there is obviously some growing pains to be worked out.
And finally, and certainly not last, we need to communicate better. A lot of our problems are magnified because drivers and the Fair Board have no real avenue of communicating other than using this forum or you drivers coming to a Fair Board meeting. We meet the first Tues of each month at 7:00 at the extension office on the Fair Grounds off Harper St. The board is not a two headed monster and would very much like to hear your input. Trying to fix things just by what is heard through the rumor mill is not a good way for improvement. You may also call me personally at my home with any questions or idea's. If I don't answer, leave a message and I will try hard to get you called back as soon as possible. My number is listed in the Lawrence phone book. Let's work together to make Lawrence the best daym derby around.
Thanks for listening,
Andy Booth
Dg. Co. Fair Board
This is Andy with the Dg. Co. Fair Board. I just wanted to pop in here and tell everyone thanks for attending this years derby and for giving Rob a chance. It seems like he had a nice welcome. I also want to clarify a few things on how things worked between R&R Promotions and the Fair Board.
I don't normally think its right to give details about contract agreements, but in this case I think a explanation on a few points is warranted. Tickets. Pit passes and gate access. Our agreement with R&R is we pay them a set Fee. On top of that Fee, R&R receives all monies from car entries and all pit passes. The Fair Board receives ticket money from the gate only. In the past, a pit pass would allow drivers, friends, and families to go into both area's. This means each party must protect their own ticket sales in order to repay themselves for any expenses. So what this means for the Fair Board is that since gate money is our only source of income we have to have it in order to pay the R&R Fee plus adding in any additional prize money, trophies, and other operating expenses. R&R has to pay the officials, prize money, and other expenditures. That is the reason for the separation of gate and pit pass entry. So NO, the Fair Board was not pocketing $30 for pit pass and gate entry. We never saw a dime of that money other than gate ticket sales. It is something we want to look into for next year to make an improvement for you drivers. I have a few ideas.
R&R and the Fair Board had a difficult time in finding sponsors to aid in additional prize money. Rob found this out first hand. A few of us board members pushed hard to find the extra $2,500.00 that upgraded the payout. Yes, the Fair Board came up with that money, but in order to get it something else had to suffer in our Fair budget. But it needed to be done.
The Fair Board matched all of our budget for the derby this year as compared to past years. The main bulk of this money was used to pay R&R's Fee plus the additional prize money. And remember, we only got ticket sales from the gate. So our income is limited. But we felt it was worth it to get a change in the officials, specifically in a fair inspection. No favoritism.
As it stand's, the Fair Board will be working hard to find other avenues to aid in additional prize money. We would like to be one of the highest, if not the highest, pay out derby in the area. Using a third party promoter will make this more difficult but with some hard work we feel it can be done.
R&R and the Fair Board realize there are some additional changes that need to be made from both parties to continue to improve this derby. I think these issues can be dealt with in a easy manner. If you noticed, there was not a Fair Board member in the pits at any time. We felt under the circumstances that removing ourselves completely and let R&R handle the derby was the proper decision. It was after all a strong change you drivers wanted. In hindsight, I now feel a Fair Board member should of sat at the check-in table with R&R representatives to answer any questions that may of popped up. It was the first year working with a promoter so there is obviously some growing pains to be worked out.
And finally, and certainly not last, we need to communicate better. A lot of our problems are magnified because drivers and the Fair Board have no real avenue of communicating other than using this forum or you drivers coming to a Fair Board meeting. We meet the first Tues of each month at 7:00 at the extension office on the Fair Grounds off Harper St. The board is not a two headed monster and would very much like to hear your input. Trying to fix things just by what is heard through the rumor mill is not a good way for improvement. You may also call me personally at my home with any questions or idea's. If I don't answer, leave a message and I will try hard to get you called back as soon as possible. My number is listed in the Lawrence phone book. Let's work together to make Lawrence the best daym derby around.
Thanks for listening,
Andy Booth
Dg. Co. Fair Board