MSTA Forums
Main Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: Patmo on September 13, 2022, 04:41:40 PM
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Just a general question for y’all……
What are your thoughts regarding doing a regional rally during the WEEK…..like from a Sunday-Wednesday/Thursday?
Many venues are more available those days (especially during the summer months) and the rates are generally better.
Less traffic on the roads too. I realize that it might be a deal breaker for some that work, but with enough notice could it be managed?
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I’m retired so it works for me.
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Like Phil I too am retired so it would work for me.
Brick
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While this will appeal to our base, it does nothing for recruitment. I was 51 when I bought the VFR and sought out MSTA. While I haven't made a rally since 2015, a draw for all the rallies I attended is that I did not have to use vacation time for at least some days.
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It depends on the time of the year more than the day of the week for me. I'd be up for a mid-week event.
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Well, as I can see from responses this will work well for the retired folks. Those of us who still have a M-F responsibility not so much. As it is, I already need to use at least one day of vacation to attend MPFB (if work conference timing allows it), at least 2 if not 3 days for FCR. And as someone else mentioned, not gonna do much for recruitment efforts of the younger folks (aka future of MSTA).
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There are A LOT of jobs where people work weekends on a regular basis and have days off during the week. Sure, lots of people work the Monday-Friday office deal, but that’s not true for everyone. In addition, there are a lot more jobs today that work flexibly and where people can choose their days off. Perhaps doing something different and having something happening on days during the week would be attractive to those people? I mean 1 weekday rally a year wouldn’t really matter that much, would it? We already have 16 a year that happen on weekends. How about doing ONE for the people for whom it WOULD be convenient?
We can’t just keep doing the same old things and hope for different results. Perhaps it’s time to try something different?
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As long as you're adding a new event and not changing an existing event I say go far it.
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As long as you're adding a new event and not changing an existing event I say go far it.
^ No harm in giving it a try. Perhaps scheduling it in conjunction with a weekend meet in a nearby region would give folks the added option of attending one or both as their schedules permit. For example, schedule a weekday meet somewhere near the Dragon in NC, and then a weekend meet in Canaan Valley in WV.
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As long as you're adding a new event and not changing an existing event I say go far it.
^ No harm in giving it a try. Perhaps scheduling it in conjunction with a weekend meet in a nearby region would give folks the added option of attending one or both as their schedules permit. For example, schedule a weekday meet somewhere near the Dragon in NC, and then a weekend meet in Canaan Valley in WV.
Whoa… your idea isn’t bad but the two locations you selected are a long way away from each other not near at all.
Just my $.02 worth.
Brick
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I like Skee's idea. Why not give it a try. It doesn't mean it's a revolution, it's just an idea to try something new. TM
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Since you asked for opinions here is mine. Not a fan, weekend events just work better for me with a M-F job. If you already have Sa/Su off, a weekend event may only mean one day off, at MPFB my roommate didn't have much vacation, and left a bit early to ride down Friday. Usually one day is enough, unless I want more riding then I use 2.
I agree with some others, if you're doing a new event great. I think changes to existing events need to be more carefully considered (starting with the organizers and regular attendees).
MPFB is already a week long event any idea how many come just for say the first 2-3 days because it works for their schedule? Do you have some numbers for that?
Are you hearing from members that want weekday rallies, or is it just part of the "lets try something different" plan.
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Both….I have some KY members that have told me that they are tied up on saturdays-sundays and have either free time, or time off work, during the week. I see a lot of posts on FB showing lots of our members our riding during the week. I think that there is a market for weekday rallies, and it is one that almost no one is addressing. We could set ourselves apart from almost every other group if we did offer some weekday events, IN ADDITION to the already established weekend events we have.
In regards to when events are scheduled….that is almost entirely up to the event coordinators. We only have a few stipulations/guidelines and they do not deal with the days of the week that events may be held on. The event coordinators choose the locations and days that work best for them and their event. If any event coordinator would choose to run their event as a weekday event, they won’t get any pushback from the EC.
Personally….I have season tickets for college football in the fall and that means having only a few free weekends in September and October where I could attend a rally. A weekday rally during those months would be ideal for me.
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As long as you're adding a new event and not changing an existing event I say go far it.
^ No harm in giving it a try. Perhaps scheduling it in conjunction with a weekend meet in a nearby region would give folks the added option of attending one or both as their schedules permit. For example, schedule a weekday meet somewhere near the Dragon in NC, and then a weekend meet in Canaan Valley in WV.
Not a bad idea IMO, but might be hard to schedule. Most of our rallies are 2 weeks apart
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I just looked it up and according to the Dept. of Labor…..35% of all full time workers in the US work WEEKENDS. My friends, that’s A LOT of people.
Are we missing an opportunity?
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Not a bad idea IMO, but might be hard to schedule. Most of our rallies are 2 weeks apart
I was not thinking that existing rallies would be re-scheduled (or re-located). Many people - myself included - plan their schedules well in advance based on anticipated events. (For example, Fly-by Week is typically late August - I met you there (or somewhere) while I was riding with a different group. Moving that date might screw-up someone who left some slack time in their vacation schedule for it based on historically anticipated date, if you know what I mean. I missed a Spring meet with another group this year because it was 3 weeks later than normal, and I had already made other plans. That hurts attendance.)
Rather, I would suggest planning a pre- or post event coupled to an existing rally.
For example, this year's Fall Colors is in Lewisburg WV. There are several locations within 1-day's ride (let's say 350 miles, e.g. Johnson City TN or Maggie Valley NC) where a mid-week meet could be scheduled. That allows someone who attends both to ride different areas at each meet, while allowing someone who can attend only one an opportunity to ride in an interesting locale.
Obviously would take some coordination. Schedule the existing weekend meet first, then add the new event.
Right now, I gotta believe existing event meet coordinators are hating me - deservedly so - I know how much effort goes into planning a simple weekend - I've planned several group meets and it is not as simple as it seems - I empathize with their concerns. So might allow the 2 different events to be planned by 2 different coordinators.
If this sounds like I'm volunteering; I might later next year. I'm very new to MSTA - I have no understanding of how this organization works - I apologize to anyone whose toes I might have inadvertently stepped-on.
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Skee
You’re not stepping on any toes, don’t worry. I do think that the events would probably need to be organized by different people. Most of our rallies happen on well established dates and just looking at this year’s schedule and projecting it to next year one should have a pretty good idea of the 2023 schedule. Like I said, they generally happen every 2 weeks, with the exception of June. June has traditionally been when our National event (STAR) happens. Although it’s not forbidden to do so, so far as I know there have been no local/regional rallies scheduled during that month in the past. At least none that were in the same area and at the same time. We generally encourage coordinators to not schedule their event at the same time as another event, however sometimes that does happen. Generally though the events are several hundred miles apart when that does happen. For example with Fall Colors in West Virginia and ByWay Boogie in Arkansas. Same time, but 500+ miles apart.
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I just looked it up and according to the Dept. of Labor…..35% of all full time workers in the US work WEEKENDS. My friends, that’s A LOT of people.
Are we missing an opportunity?
We are probably missing many opportunities. That statistic is a bit surprising to me, mostly since I've been an office worker for almost 35 years and know many others in similar jobs. I do know some who work weekends too, just not a lot.
Nobody is saying "don't do it" you asked for input and we gave it to you. It would have been helpful to know from the beginning that there is already demand for it, and maybe even the potential to add some week day events already being considered. (Sounds like a weekday event in fall would be perfect for you and some others you're hearing from in KY.)
As for weekend commitments with sports, I used to have Browns season tickets and remember how that blocked off about half the weekends for 4 months. Of course by November I wasn't riding much. (YMMV in northern KY.)
Skee,
I just read your post, I doubt anybody here or anybody planning an event hates you, or took the idea that negatively. We're just old and often set in our ways, and for many of us with weekends off those rallies are ideal, requiring only 1 day off (maybe 2-3 depending on distance and days you want to spend at the event). A weekday event means 2 more days off for the same time at the event (3 vs. 1).
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I used to plan my personal vacation travel around weekend meets.
It's actually become harder to do that now that I'm retired.
Weekday meets fit a different demographic.