Closing Ceremony

[BLACKHAMIV]

Thanks for a great time! Yes, HOT as all heck and Iraq in 2005 was more comfortable at times! My 1985 K100RT with 62K on her ran like a true BMW machine and averaged 40 MPG during the short 545 mile weekend.
As far as closing ceremonies go- flaming cars are "cool" but one pass would have been just fine... No need to keep it going around & around.. Would have been more fun watching old rigid airheads do laps on the oval track for a trophy!
Yes to many of the suggestions posted- post the results on the web & in the magazine. Encourage folks to join our BMW-ON & MOA. "We are family"... Don't drag things on and certinally there should have been water passed out or maybe even sprayed our way. Once you said "You don't need to be present to win this bike" there were 5,000+ heads raising up and heading for the exits..
You'll never please everyone & thats what is so unique and amazing about a collective group of folks that ride & enjoy BMW's. All walks of life coming together to have a good time. You pick the events, lectures, bands and roads YOU want to enjoy. So many roads, so little time!
Again- Thank you & I had fun at my 4th National!
Semper-Fidelis,
George J. Blackham IV
1stSgt, USMC (Ret) 82'-07'
Johnstown, Pa
LHBMWRC- V. Pres.
MOA # 88408

[R80RTJohnny]

jim......well written input.

+1

[markmacrae]

I'm glad that we got some feedback after my comments. I certainly did not disparage the GS Giant concept, ONLY the AMOUNT of time spent on it relative to other worthy topics:

To requote myself: "GS Giant was a big time-waster and didn't deserve the amount of program time it took."

Roast beef consumption mentioned several times, etc., we got it.

The Emcee/producer tight "live TV" format is now on the table.

Great feedback, I hope they are listening!

Mark

[Fletch66]

I really felt sorry for Vance and the crew up on stage. I would like to volunteer to do the closing ceremonies if Vance and Mari decide not to next year.
I have a few suggestions, that I would like some from the members of the organization.
First, what do you guys, and gals want in the closing ceremonies?
A few suggestions I have:
If awards are to be given out, possibly start a half hour early for awards, then give the prizes out after the 30 minutes or set time. That way if a person wants to see the award portion, they have that option. But if you are coming in for the prizes only, which i understand completely, be courteous to others and don't distract from the ceremony in progress.
I think the vendors who donate the prizes should be allowed to speak. They are giving away a good chunk of money, and should be given a few minutes to plug their product, store or business.
Here is another idea. The MOA gives a bike away every year, how does the group feel about bringing the bike to the rally? If someone is there, that wins the bike, they rarely can take the bike with them, so it gets hauled back to the moa office. Seems like a waste of time and energy, just to look at a bike. If you win the bike, whether you are at the closing ceremonies or not, you can make arrangements to pick the bike up at the office after the rally.
These are just some ideas. You can reply to this or email me at ffd95@att.net
Thanks,
Brad Doyle
the truck driver

[lbarbee]

We decided to skip the closing cermony, expecting a long drawn out affair. We were having dinner and some cold drinks about that time.

Why did we skip it? As with other rally's I've been to, it seems the organizers want to hold you hostage for a chance to win a prize. Enduring too much self-aggrandizement.

So here are my comments in an attempt to help:

1) What is the purpose? Is it to thank the volunteers? Is it to make on last vendor advertisement? Is it to put on a show? I think some thought into the purpose might help to streamline it.

2) If you hold people hostage for prizes, the whole thing starts out with a bad taste. Award the dang prizes ahead of time, find the winners and have them there to receive.
I actually felt a little cheated, where my dues and rally fees not as "valuable" to the organization as those who endured the ceremony? I was not there by choice, what about the folks who had to leave sat am to make it home?

The earlier comments about making it about the attendees and not the vendors and volunteers makes sense to me. Have a volunteer hour at the beer garden and shower them with praise (they deserve it). The vendors are there to make money, if they are there for their ego's, I question their intentions. It's simple advertising, product placement, and name recognition for them, and that's what they pay for. Can't see as they need to be "thanked" so much, almost resembles begging to me.

I say all this with absolute praise for the rally organizers and in an attempt to make next time even better. We had fun!

[lbarbee]

Based on what I have seen at other rally's, why does everyone feel so obligated to the vendors. This is a business transaction. You don't owe them anything.

I think you undervalue what you sell to the vendors.

MOA provides an advertising venue to put their name and products in front of a very tightly targeted group of potential customers. To the vendor it's the top 10% of their target audience.

That is extemely valuable to them. Having been on the vendor side, it's a business deal to them and it's perfectly targeted marketing which has a tangible benefit to their bottom line.

No need to take the role of the begging for or pandering to sponsors, if you do, you are undervaluing your product (the venue).

We are not asking them to sponser a little league baseball team here (which has little value to them), we are offering them product placement to their target audience.

[Newstar]

There were a few vendors that ponied up alot of $$$ in support of the rally, and the GS Giant in particular. While they may or may not recoup in sales, they were supportive to the overall effort and deserved to be recognized. In addition to their money, they also gave their time and efforts and for that, I feel they deserved their moment.

With that said, there is nothing wrong with asking them to limit their speeches. i don't think anyone was particularly long winded as much as the heat and number of participants made it seem that way.

[beemeup]

Good feedback Jim, hopefully your suggestions will be taken seriously this time. I agree with your contention that the ceremony should be designed from the perspective of the audience. As the old saying goes "The mind can absorb only as much as the seat can endure" applies here and with the added issue of the heat this becomes a safety issue for the audience. Although I was saddened by the booing of the crowd, I think that they were making it known that their needs were not being taken into account at this ceremony. I appreciate the efforts of everyone who worked on the rally and the sponsors who contributed to make this such a great event. Thanks to all, I had as good a time as was possible under the circumstances. Don

[rlitavecz]

i don't think anyone was particularly long winded as much as the heat and number of participants made it seem that way.

Someone WAS longwinded or we would not have sat in the hot sun for 2 hours!!
This is the 12th closing ceremony that I have attended and it was the longest!
There are lots of suggestions in this thread. I don't think we want more excuses or rationalizations. I personally am hoping that some changes will be made so that future closings will be more entertaining and time efficient. This is the reason that I felt the need to start this thread.
Rob

[sheridesabeemer]

I think the vendors that donate prizes deserve recognition. Having them speak at closing ceremonies is not the way.

Here is an idea. How about giving away some major prizes between sets during evening entertainment? It would let the vendor talk to a friendly audience. Give people tickets to drop in upon arrival, if it's a must be present to win prize, then people should drop off tickets when they arrive!!

[WDPittman]

First rally for me and quite an adrenaline rush Thursday through Saturday. I loved the location and the people in the greater Bloomsburg area, the Fairgrounds worked great, the vendors were outstanding and a highlight of my trip, lots of wonderful entertainment, enjoyed the good food and reasonable prices.

We road bikes on the back roads for three days prior to the event, visited Gettysburg and thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Topped our touring off by riding a new 1600 GT for one smooth and powerful experience.

Many farkles I need/want and meeting and talking with vendors in person will make purchases over the internet/mail easier, and I loved seeing and touching so much equipment in one place. All the eye candy such as bikes, tents, gear along with the educational events kept me happy and busy from 8:00 AM till dark.

Closing ceremony waaaay too long. I also heard someone say it was too hot but who noticed. See you in Missouri and recommend that everyone "volunteer" to do something as it made the Rally more enjoyable.

[amiles]

It seems ironic that those who are at the Closing Ceremony to be honored most likely end up feeling dishonored when a frustrated crowd starts to vent their irritation & dissatisfaction. Being hot and sitting through a slow moving overlong program will do that to people.

I believe that Mr Shaw was correct when he indicated that the "show" should be for the audience.

When the audience starts heating the tar & gathering feathers it's time to speed things up.

[Visian]

I didn't need to see a video AND hear about seven minutes about the GS events, even if they did consume 100 pounds of roast beef. Handing the emcee's microphone to anyone not scripted is your best chance of boring the audience, BMW Bob notwithstanding.

check your watch, jim. my talk lasted just a few seconds over the allotted two minutes.

many, MANY people came up to me after the show and thanked me for keeping it short.

ian

[wmubrown]

There were a few vendors that ponied up alot of $$$ in support of the rally, and the GS Giant in particular. While they may or may not recoup in sales, they were supportive to the overall effort and deserved to be recognized. In addition to their money, they also gave their time and efforts and for that, I feel they deserved their moment.

With that said, there is nothing wrong with asking them to limit their speeches. i don't think anyone was particularly long winded as much as the heat and number of participants made it seem that way.

The grand prizes are just that... grand. The vendors should be allowed a little recognition and advertisement of their generous gifts. Bob (Bob's BMW) has been a regular contributor, and he cut his presentation short in recognition of the audience's mood to keep things moving along.

I'm curious... how many people waited for the end of the ceremonies to hit the road? Would it have been terribly bad to delay the ceremony until dusk? It cculd have been announced over the grounds PA system, or by cart/shuttle drivers as they rode around. We'd have been a whole lot more comfortable in the grandstands and those flame shooting cars would have been a whole lot more interesting as darkness fell...

[JIMSHAW]

check your watch, jim. my talk lasted just a few seconds over the allotted two minutes.

many, MANY people came up to me after the show and thanked me for keeping it short.

ian

We have noticed: even when you are incorrect, you are right. You do a lot of good here. A reality check is in order. Read what's been written. Go forth and do briefer.