-- The world’s moved on, but why haven’t cycling clubs?
I’m told clubs in many sporting codes struggle to attract and retain members.
One theorist attributed the problem to the casualisation of sport. People would rather participate on their own terms, avoiding seemingly pointless club codes, diktats and invisible benefits.
Why complicate access to something as simple as weekend bicycle racing?
Perhaps this is why rides like ‘Round Taupo’, K1/2 and so on are so popular. Pay the entry fee and participate. Simple.
But not so for club racing. First, you must join the club before enjoying the privilege of paying individual race fees (though I understand Counties Manukau, for example, allows cyclists to participate in three races before membership is required).
What’s wrong with keeping things simple and paying an unfettered race entry fee? Like triathlon, a runaway success, which, as far as I know, bar NZ rep level races, lets anyone with an entry fee race. Lord knows, given the logistics and health and safety issues that come with policing three sporting disciplines in a single race, they could do with the extra money ‘club’ membership brings in.
But simple cycling is not.
One recent race enquiry served to illustrate the self-defeating anachronism club cycling administration has become. A flyer for Cycling Auckland 2009 Open Road Champs (and good luck trying to find online information about it) appeared in my email inbox.
Great, I thought. I’d like to race that weekend. $20 entry. Fine. But I have to stipulate my club. Don’t have one, nor do I have a CNZ license. So I ring the organiser, who impatiently tells me that I need to cough up $160 for a CNZ license, which will, in any case, expire in November. “Makes it an expensive race,” he said. I agreed and asked if there was a workaround. There wasn’t.
Cycling has never been so popular. ‘Clubs’ could do themselves a favour if they for a minute stopped obsessing about administration and took the time to understand the needs and habits of the many thousand enthusiastic cyclists who would happily pay an entry fee to a weekend race, if only it were that easy.
Or have I missed something? A marvelous additional benefit of club membership?
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3 comments:
As a one time club member I can tell you for a fact the big problem is that road cycling clubs are very much focused on racing. whereas the huge growth in cycling has been in leisure riders and those doing things like Taupo for personal achievement and fun. You don't get that in a race-oriented club. Tri clubs are very good at running social 'races' as are MTB clubs. Roadies clubs could do better by pushing their leirsure rides, eg the sunday morning groups.
Sure, agree. But if the club problem is attracting new members then aren't they most likely to come from the ranks of leisure riders. In which case clubs need to make themselves more accessible and less elitist to tap latent members. Or have I got this all wrong and clubs are happy continuing as they are, involving the hardcore only?
Dear Chopper,
Couldn't agree more.
Thought your readers may like to know that membership to the Glendowie Bicycle Club is $3.49.
Sterling value for a lifetime of cycling panache, don't you think?
For this you get access to a range of fairly well organised 'events', including the forthcoming Tweed Run;
http://glendowiebicycleclub.blogspot.com/
Or perhaps the slightly more demanding Overlander?
http://glendowiebicycleclub.blogspot.com/2009/04/im-just-going-out-for-ride-i-may-be.html
Best rgds as always,
Chairman Mike.
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