I HOPE YOU WROTE YOUR MOANS TO THINK TANK, ERIC ??

We need your response sending it in to them, for what its worth !!

Sorry to be a bit controversial here but why do people think everything done in the isle of man should be aimed at the TT...the IOM hopefully is run as fairly as the goverment can do...putting money into hotels can only be good for the TT and tourist trade , the TT has had its fair share of the limelight over the years and attention to come to that at the expense of other things,,,lets be fair here and dont go over the top in thinking that the TT is the be all and end all of the Isle of Man

Nobody is saying that, Neil.
What they are saying is that the TT is a national treasure, which brings in trade for those establishments and could bring more.
It should be run properly, and with respect for the competitors, the marshalls, and the fans (also tourists and income generators) who put their all into the event. They don't expect to be paid or to have lavish entertainment provided for them, but it seems that those who are involved on the organisation, many of whom are off Island people, expect to be treated like royalty, have all their expenses covered, and seem to contribute little back.
Their organisation is appalling, and their systems and customs are out of date, inefficient and dangerous.
A good example would be their attitude to constructive criticism. Any profitable, healthy, commercial enterprise nowadays has a clear, fair complaints procedure, and spends money on evaluation, to benefit from feedback.
Riders at the TT (and their familes, supporters etc) pay a lot of money for the "service" of organisation provided by the ACU. They are therefore customers. Ever tried complaining, or giving constructive feedback? It usually means, unless you are VERY important and they need you, that you will not get an entry next time, or you will be given a bad number etc etc. Your complaint or point...binned due to lack of interest.
I sincerely hope the Think Tank is genuine, but if it is, they should be inviting, at their expense, those who have years of experience...Ian Lougher, Ian Huntly, Ray Knight you know the sort of people...to come to some sort of major consultation, with a real outcome.
Oh...and I don't mind if they get a slapup meal, too..it would be earned.

I hear what you are saying , and i agree with the points you are making , but and this is a big but , the cancelation of the TT in 2001 was in my opinion of huge significance for the TT in as much it was proved that the TT is not needed in order for the Island to survive...people saw that by pushing other attractions and investing in upgrading hotels etc that the Ilse of Man is something more than the TT races , and this is my point , if people dont start to work together be it racers or organisers and it becomes a war of words every year like this year, the IOM TT races will become in danger of self destructing

You are right that it needs to be a joint effort, but I think the 2001 experience was a mixed one. Many people went because that was a unique thing, and in some kind of misplaced loyalty. I don't know anyone who would go to such an event again. When they got there, many found it pointless and boring.
Many people went to the 2002 TT because it was suddenly a novelty again. Many had bad experiences with expensive, poor quality accomodation, drunken, inappropriate entertainments, and the ferry, of course.
A lot were first (and last)time visitors, who didn't come back, because the new novelty, whatever it was this year, took its place.
However, a large percentage...the ones I know personally, were sickened by the above quoted rip offs.
Notice how the German visitors were down...a lot of them marshals etc, who have come for many years....how do you get them back?
Unless that the Isle of Man can build on ALL its attractions, and they are many, it will lose all its tourists, and when the financial whizzkids find another home, there will be a huge gap.
I am sure I am not the only person who, as a result of attending the TT in the 70s...at a lowpoint in its history...I have revisited dozens of times, and visit outwith racing times...(coming over next weekend!), because I love the Island for itself. I don't go to Jersey, Isle of Wight or any of the countless places I could...I love the Isle of Man, and I found it at TT time.

B****y good letter Helen.We all want the TT to survive---all of us who are interested in real road racing,that is,but these so-called money people seem to gain the upper hand wherever they strike,or at least find a tax haven to leech onto.If I was a big time sponsor who simply loved the sport,I would not need,or want,all this corporate entertainment c**p.A simple "thank you" would suffice,knowing that there had been none of my money wasted filling the bellies of already fat cats.I find it completely deplorable that these huge marquees are erected in prime viewing positions,to entertain these un-interested parties,when the true supporters are relegated to some grassy bank where they are lucky to see half of the action.I would be interested to know Neil's vocation and why he is so keen to see other activities take over from the TT when it has been a good contribution to the island's economy at that time of year for a long time.There is nowhere else in the world that can offer real road racing enthusiasts such a holiday and all we ask is that the showmen ie. the riders,are treated with the respect they deserve,especially by the ACU,who earn a good income from it's simple existence.We are of the opinion that a group of respected competitors,or ex competitors should form a liason team to decide on the format for TT week and how entries should be selected etc.There is no substitute for first hand experience and never will be.How many of the TT committee have this experience?
Basically,there is nothing wrong with the TT,but some new blood,with good old fashioned respect will ensure a healthy future for all concerned.What can you do to improve things Neil,given that the TT will continue survive?

Neil where did you get the information that the non tt event was a success. I read (via steampacket magazine) that it was a complete failure. I will try to dig out the article and post it on here if I can.

How about a Manx-based organising committee, backed by the Governemnt, to pay for the necessary permanent employees, with a Board of Directors formed from committee members of the S100, MMCC and Andreas Clubs, with the winners of the main solo TT, S100, and the corresponding sidecar men as consultatnts (if they were not keen themselves, I am sure the competitors could elect reps...Geoff Bell? Moly? Ian L, Steve Hislop? Current or retired riders would have a useful input, and would listen to other riders too. How about asking the likes of Ian Huntly, Bill Snelling etc, who have been fans for so long for some of their thoughts on what people might want.
Definitely need lots more accomodation at reasonable prices, (and NOT with guests sleeping in the bath, or rotting mattresses out the back, as one place I stayed a few years ago had!)
I've never found the need for other entaertainment, cos I never have enough time to see everyone, but families would like appropriate events....not clapped out rock bands or that dreadful street theatre thing!!
Enough from me...more from the rest of you, and we can send all these to D Cannell or whoever, even if it is a couple of days late.

That does not seem like much for a government to spend on hospitality for one year? Our blokes could get through that in a week.
What Neil is saying is called 'perspective'; without it we become narrow minded and nobody will bother listening to us.

Before i start on this post , can i make it clear that i love the TT (and indeed road racing in general )and wish its future to survive for another 100 years to come , to answer your question on my vocation H & J i own a stained glass company in Wigan UK and therefore the corporate side of things is well known to me and this is something that i think benefits the TT in as much as it does allow people who wouldnt normally go to an event such as this and see for themselves how much of an extraordinary and enjoyable week it is , i know also that in this kind of enviroment you also get free loaders who dont give a monkeys what the event is as long as they got their share of the free stuff , this kind of behaviour is common all over the corporate world and is something that we have to put up with in order to allow the genuine people to have a beneficial effect on the TT. I cannot believe that a course which is 37.75 miles long cant accomodate both corporate and non corporate spectators comfortably. Personally i love to sit in the normal viewing places with everyone else , last year (2002)i particulally enjoyed seeing DJ blast through the St Ninnians crossroads at full tilt , awesome.

In reply to Steve , i never said that the TT festival of 2001 was a success , in actual fact because it was a failure cements my point even further.

To reiterate my initial point , this war of words between racing teams and the orginisers has to somehow be addressed , in my experience ( non racing ) if its not nipped in the bud right from the off it will esculate into something out of all preportion to the point when both parties actually forget what they are fighting for and start to fight each other.