Heading back to UK later today ... for me there's far too much going with the increased amount of races which isn't reflected in the amount of potential sessions available including contingency sessions and this year it has been very disjointed and hectic....i've heard chat that the Mountain Rd might be closed much earlier or later on previous day to negate the session losses and delays due to RTC's on open roads, for the life of me I can't see how those poxy parade / legacy laps add anything apart from corporate coin income to the event and there was a 2hr+ gap in between sessions while the Arai thing was going on and having promo / video laps at end of sessions when you're up on the Mountain doesn't add anything to enthusiasm - all these type of laps should have an allocated spot at end of each week so they can all go out together if there's free time with the qualifying / race sessions prioritised.
Having said that and to add balance to discussion the people I've met on my travels every session out in the response car and during down time who are relatively new to the event are quite happy to see any action over a period of 4/5 days or less - this was possibly reflected in the bigger number of signed on marshals available from the very start of practice week.
The whole event has to change / evolve and be marketable etc as we all age as for me there's one very important critical thing outside of insurance and H&S these days which will stop the TT happening very quickly and that is when the Govt Bean Counters decide moneywise it isn't worth doing as a business model.
The racing itself and the physics of it still excite me in the very same way it did many decades ago as a spotty 70's cub/scout on the scoreboards and as others have happily mentioned when out marshalling and for me in response car seeing a variety of new flag stations / specs nothing beats getting close to bikes travelling at speed having serious arguments with the laws of physics and momentum.
Looking forward to The Manx now after what is looking like a bumpy ride this affy on Manannan.