TAS from a first timer spectator

[bodywerks]

I liked everything about the Shootout this year, even the wind(wouldn't be TAS without it!), but the food vending was ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!! I hoped and hoped for different food suppliers this year than last year, but after tasting the horrible, lukewarm, oversized, crusty tortilla with some sort of goo in it(I think they were supposed to be burritos), I called my friends and told them to bring me some Macdonalds on their way in for the rest of the week! And I don't particularly care for MacDonalds...
I have no idea how hard it is to find food vendors, and maybe it is not at the top of the contest planning list. But I think that such a quality event deserves quality food vendors, not people that show up with a GMC Jimmy and a Rubbermade closet.
Now that IN-n-Out is in Arizona, they may have their mobile restaurants available. They used to have them in California so it might be worth looking into. They are fully enclosed trailers, too, so you will be less likely to find a "fly surprise" or a bunch of extra grit and sand that you didn't order.
My wife worked for them for several years and still knows some people. I think I will look into it and throw the idea out there to Dave for next year...

[SleepyC]

I don't mean to come off like crab, But...........
if you can't cough up $5 , $10 or freaking $20 to watch the best of the best fly for a day,
then maybe this hobby is not for you.

I've spent $70 on a pile of 3mm depron. I've spent $10 on glue without batting an eye, A freaking servo horn is $10!

I mean.. the costs associated for the pilots to be at the TAS is insane. And yes, most of the invatational pilots have sponsorships, but most of these sponsorships do not cover a weeks worth of housing and travel and everything needed to fly. And most of the other classes pilots are paying all the expenses.

I mean for ME to be at the shootout, it cost me around $1200. And I arrived on Wednesday.

Some of the pilots arrived a week earlier. We are talking $25K plus for the Australian guys to be there. And thats out of pocket!

So $5 - $10 - $20... man.
It seems like a pretty fair bargain to me.

[3ddd]

well i guerentte you sleepy i can afford it but alot of people might might not be able to continue to come out if they don't keep the prices down so if you are referring to my post then you are just a little too tired and don't blame us if price.com screwed you around.i have gone every year for four years and plan to go again .

it is just like every thing else.it gets popular and then they jack the price up and then it is gone..be real and look around and remember what it used to cost to live my freind==== just my 02 cents

[Kitman]

Kudos to those who managed the competition! Very well planned and from a spectator perspective, very smoothly operated. Even enjoyed the MC who did a great job of keeping spectators, like myself, informed and engaged.

Thank you, I was the MC for the event!

Kitman

[BillyGoat]

Kitman, Great Job

	Quote: Originally Posted by rpmrpm
	Some valid points, but if "two guys where one has a marketing education but never worked in the field and the other that lacks the formal education but whose business is very dependent on good marketing" were to approach DA and offer marketing services in return for a portion of the increased $ take.(Note, DA spends $$$$ to make this event happen, no DA, no TAS.) At $5.00 a head even if you could triple attendance DA w/the sponsors help is still making this happen. If I'm not mistaken it is the TIMPA club that gets the spectator entry fee. But still some valid points, I kind of look forward to the "dirt burgers" it's like tradition!!! 3 years in a row for me.

Taking on marketing the TAS would be a possibility if I wasn’t 1,800 miles away from Tucson. My buddy, who built a very successful sales business from scratch, is in Tucson but knows absolute zero about R/C, if you asked him what Futaba made he would have no clue.

Like I indicated in the first post, my buddy really enjoyed the freestyle event (when it took place ) but when I told him the TAS was the Superbowl of R/C competition he was surprised and said it “feels more like Division II college football”. Had to agree with that assessment, but then set him straight that Joe average R/C’er cannot make a plane do that… And have enough pieces left call it an airplane again.

Ideas are a dime a dozen and that’s all I can offer. Just can’t do much without being local and have the ability sit down and meet many times with all those responsible for putting TAS together. It’s modifying the ideas then putting them into practice that matter. TAS organizers need somebody that can put the rubber to the road and I don’t think they want to fly me out to Tucson every few months.

I’m not going to actively peddle my ideas, however if anybody from DA wants to hear them, shoot me a PM. I'm willing to share.

[Simpleton]

I know it's not fair to DA to compare their resources with those of The Sahara when Bill Bennett was the man there, but I remember my first TOC in 1996.

Whole food tents set up, many different kinds of food to be had, and you could sit down and eat in there, out of the weather (if any).

Not just a beer stand, but a friggen bar! Want a Crown and Coke? No sweat. Imported beer? Got 'em.

Shuttle busses from the Sahara ever 30 minutes, all day, even on practice days. No charge (and it's a pretty good haul out to the field).

Compared to the 2002 TOC where there was a burger stand and a beer stand that had 3 different Miller products and Fosters. Shuttle busses on just the last couple of days.

But never a parking or admission charge.

Sadly, I don't think just moving the event to Las Vegas will bring back those good ol' pre-2000 TOC experiences, but man we used to have some fun there.