On Manx Radio there has been a report which says the Budget for the TT in future will be substantially reduced in favour of corporate sponsorships.

Any more news on this please ?????

Ah, yes, like the Coca Cola NW200, as was...and then when they go, you're desperately scrabbling for another sponsor.
The Offshore Gambling Senior TT???
The Fly by Night Supersport...
Oh, cynic...

I agree with you Helen, "we" are in danger of having tasteless, unrelated sponsorship for the sake of having the races supported financially.

Looking at some of the advertising hoardings at the Formula One and other race circuits lately makes me wonder what is happening in sport just now.

Maybe its time to go back to condoms, sex toys and the like ??

But I object to the on-line betting !!!

With the demise of cigarette adverts, some other dodgy ads have started creeping in.

I trust that the IOM TT will not fall into this trap !!

ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR TASTEFUL TT SPONSORSHIP ?

Is it Sovereign wot is involved with TONY BLAIR ??

See todays TIMES

I think we should at least give them a chance. It is going to be a very steep learning curve for Signature with a unique product with poor sale-ability in the corporate world.

The TT needs a couple of years, at least, of good, positive publicity, then we may find major sponsors prepared to link their product names to the TT and invest the sort of sums envisaged.

Let's all hope we have a safe and successful TT this year with loads of positive publicity and then Signature may have a product that the real big players will want to be associated with. 8)

At the moment the TT is almost an untouchable because of all the negatives over the last few years. If that can be turned round the "Sky" :wink: could be attainable.

Can you imagine live television using the existing commentary points, cameras at the Start, Ballacraine, Rhencullen or Ballagh, Gooseneck and the Creg.... along with a live helicopter feed. If we could get that on Sky....

What an acheivement that would be the money Sky generates for every sport it covers is enormous 'cos the advertisers link to their own sports.

Duke would never let SKY in anyway?

Duke run the show as it is now, if their Chopper cant fly the races dont happen, I am sure the riders and supporters would soon get cheesed off with delayed and cancelled races for sky as well.

I think the quality of the TT has been in decline since all of the video coverage anyway, the on the ground and on bike footage is great but for all the trouble the chopper shots cause they are never worth it.

Greenlight Television do the filming now and they sell footage to Men and Motors the BBC and many other television companies around the world as well as the all the footage which goes to Duke Marketing.

From RaceGuard's conversations with Signature Sponsorship, ALL contracts, advertising, sponsorship etc around the whole of the course. have now run out or have been cancelled and Signature Sponsorship started with a totally clean sheet.

This means that they will be in the position to develop a co-ordinated strategy for TV rights, and advertising contracts around the course.

The sheer magnitude of the TT course will create challenges that Signature' have never encountered before and as I have said before "It's going to be a steep learning curve, but let's give them a chance"

This is always going to be a problem with many people as their own moral standards are always going to be impacted on. Whats ok to some will be regarded as obscene by others. This is always going to be the case. After the loss of the smoking brigade, everyone thought it was going to be the end and where will all the coffers come from now? The way I see it is their biggest challenge to get sponsors is making sure that their names are visable. You may find that certain corners that are covered by TV cams being totally taken over advertising hoardings to make sure that the sponsors get the coverage that they expect. This might bring alot of complaints from the spectators as they may not have that many places to sit in the more popular areas. Then there is also the saftey implications associated with the hoardings themselves. Bail bag sponsorships and air bag sponsorship maybe one of the ways they can increase exposure for the sponsors and also increase safety for the riders. Maybe even product placement such as drinks companies like Redbull, placed in the winners hands straight after. I think that they will probably have a tough job but I think that the number of opportunities for corporate sponsorship definately out weighs the problems. I also think that sponsorship from other events will be an opportunity and with Signture already having contacts in other sporting areas will definately be an advantage.

The future might be bright but I am a little worried about what will happen after 2008.

My god its not like me to be positive.... hang on there are my tablets ... ummmm... then end is nigh!!!!!!!!!!!!.... thats better....

Not strictly TT but I am in direct negotiations with RED BULL regarding sposorship for our Saudi Arabian Motocross Club. They are also talking to the Saudi Supreme Commission for Tourism (headed up by Prince Sultan Bin Salman - the Saudi astronaught) in conection with with Saudi Youth Motor Sport.
Red Bull seem to have "Megga Bucks" to spend on sponsorship. They are also sponsoring the all new Saudi Aviation Club.

Some good points DC... but let's not put problems in the way, before the first faltering steps have been taken.

As I understand it Signature' have a 'blank canvas'. If a major sponsor want TV coverage on particular corners that's totally understandable as long as the actual names, of corners, remain untouched (ie. the "Fosters Ballaugh Bridge"Yuk!).

Sponsorship can and will we hope, remove much of the financial burden from the Manx Government. Please don't start on about the profit the Isle of Man makes unless you understand the total financial picture.

If the TT can become more self supporting you also get rid of the objectors who bregrudge money from the Manx Exchequer being used to support the races.

For to long the TT and MGP organisers (as a whole) have appeared to be reactive rather than proactive and the races on the mountain course have suffered. "That's the way it's always been done"

We have now got a proactive team who are working hard to raise the profile of the TT again. Bringing in new riders, improving safety and developing a system of continuity that can see the TT; and hopefully the MGP; grow and prosper into the next decade and beyond.

Not to many years ago the Northwest 200 was under serious threat but Mervyn Whyte and his team bit the bullet and addressed "The Future" and look at the Northwest now. Change is inevitable, and to the traditionalists I would say that not all change is bad. The TT has stood still for too long, without real change, and was in danger of becoming a dinosaur....

....The dinosaurs didn't change and what happened to them ?

Come on, lets support the new regime and trust that TT 2006 is the first stage of the re-birth of the Greatest Road Races in the World.

Well said Charlie my sentiments exactly , the organisers are trying to be proactive & push the event into the limelight & gain more exposure for it through all the different medias available , lets not forget the BBC coverage last year which was excellent & showed the Island in all its beauty as well as excellent race coverage , when was the last time any of us ever would have even dreamed of coverage on the beeb not in my time anyway ( black & white was going out when i was young ) , i think they are doing an excellent job , sure there are going to be teething problems , in some ways its like Arthur pulling the sword out of the stone evrything fixed , but we have to move or we will go under no doubt .
Think also it is an excellent idea to go for a major sponsor as well , the potential for advertising here is enormous , & lets put it this way if say Coca Cola for instance came in & ( as you mention Ballaugh Charlie ) wanted to pay a vast amount of money to call Ballaugh Coca Cola Ballaugh Ha Ha ! it would still be Ballaugh to us .
If the event is successful & generates good publicity & is run proffessionally as the new wave of organisers are trying to do sponsorship will not be a problem .
And as you rightly say the less financial burden put on the Manx taxpayer to subsidise the TT races by the IOM gov the better , beacause hard as it may be for you overseas people to believe not everyone on the Island is a fan of the TT races & the less we give them opportunity to whine about it the better .
Think the next couple of years are going to be testing , but i am sure that all the enthusiasts like myself & all you nice folk on the forum will get right behind the organisers . Thanks Shaun