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Post by Tim Lewis on Jun 24, 2008 17:22:34 GMT -5
With gas above $4 and airfares climbing and since travel is inevitable part of the sport, how do you think this will affect numbers of entries at tournaments.
This poll is about how the current economic situation may change the number/types of tournaments you attend each year, NOT how many you did before.
For example if you went to 3 tournaments a year before that did not involve flying at all but you still plan on doing that, then your answer above would be No Impact.
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Post by Jeramie Towle on Jun 24, 2008 17:43:34 GMT -5
I can say that it has really affected my travel plans. I will not be attending as many tournaments that I would have liked to this year. I just hope that it is not a major impact on all the tournaments of the future. The sport really seems to be heading in the right direction, I would hate to see this force it to take a step back.
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Post by Chris Kaufman on Jun 24, 2008 17:49:31 GMT -5
I've actually been to more tournaments this year that I didn't go to previously. The gas and such sucks, but I just try to budget more to compensate for it.
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Post by Jim Wagner on Jun 24, 2008 18:28:32 GMT -5
Tim- will you be back in PA in August? We would like you to come to the tournament here man.
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Post by Tim Lewis on Jun 24, 2008 18:45:06 GMT -5
Jim,
I've been back since mid-May. Went to Big Apple Grapple in NYC on Sunday. Your tournament is the day before I go back to Denver for the school year so I should be there. Good timing I guess or maybe just luck.
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Post by Gary Roberts on Jun 24, 2008 19:42:37 GMT -5
This is an important topic and one that I was going to be bringing up very soon. The gas prices tied with every thing else will severely impact our lives and not just in the way of armwrestling.
the impact of inflation tied with a contracting economy, rising unemployment, and a housing depression is going to probably put armwrestling on the side burner for many. It will really be a gut check for our entire country.
The answer for this sport is probably going to be more local armwrestling to sustain the fix through the downturn.
Good topic Tim.
Any promoters who are tied to sponsors of hotels and need a high body count to maintain contracts may need to plan ahead and brace for the sport to take a step back.
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Post by Chris Gangi on Jun 24, 2008 20:22:31 GMT -5
I think you will see more people traveling in groups to cut down the cost of expenses.....at least to local tournaments.
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Post by Bob Brown on Jun 24, 2008 22:57:12 GMT -5
I think it will absolutely affect the traveling. This is why promoters have to get back to the grassroots of recruiting new armwrestlers. Put flyers out in Gyms, Markets, newspapers. Don't rely on the current Armwrestlers to show up. Go after the local new guys and gals. Plaster everything withing a 30 mile radius.
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Post by Leonard Harkless on Jun 24, 2008 23:01:56 GMT -5
Bob is right about the extra effort that needs to be put out for the armwrestlers to come. We had our second best result for numbers at our National in Lake Tahoe and that extra effort paid off. A event like the Unified National has become "THE" tournament to go to. If you don't go to the Unified then you just haven't gone to the best. ;D
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Post by Gary Roberts on Jun 25, 2008 0:07:01 GMT -5
excellent points.
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Post by Chris Kaufman on Jun 26, 2008 18:51:46 GMT -5
Bob is right about the extra effort that needs to be put out for the armwrestlers to come. We had our second best result for numbers at our National in Lake Tahoe and that extra effort paid off. A event like the Unified National has become "THE" tournament to go to. If you don't go to the Unified then you just haven't gone to the best. ;D I really thought about skipping Unifieds this year because of gas and whatnot, but then I realized that I dropped 60 pounds specifically for this tournament. So I figured screw it, I'll manage, and booked my hotel. ;D I've put way too much work in this year to not go. Plus I want to see how I fair in the 220s as apposed to the supers.
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Post by Leonard Harkless on Jun 26, 2008 19:06:39 GMT -5
Bob is right about the extra effort that needs to be put out for the armwrestlers to come. We had our second best result for numbers at our National in Lake Tahoe and that extra effort paid off. A event like the Unified National has become "THE" tournament to go to. If you don't go to the Unified then you just haven't gone to the best. ;D I really thought about skipping Unifieds this year because of gas and whatnot, but then I realized that I dropped 60 pounds specifically for this tournament. So I figured screw it, I'll manage, and booked my hotel. ;D I've put way too much work in this year to not go. Plus I want to see how I fair in the 220s as apposed to the supers. Good for you Chris. That is what I am talking about. Yes we are paying extra for gas and what not but really putting your head in the sand and staying home is not what being a athlete is all about. We need to compete and challenge ourselves against the best. The Unified is the place to do that.
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Post by Alper Cosar on Jun 26, 2008 21:20:53 GMT -5
just paid $535 for SLC tickets----- OUCH!!!!! I hope I place in top three..... Watch out Dan Fortuna and James Battles----I am coming.....!!!!
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Post by Gary Roberts on Jun 26, 2008 22:01:11 GMT -5
just heard a factoid that is quite disturbing. In 1970 GM was the largest employer in the United States and the average wage was 17.50. THATS 1970 in 2008, the largest employer is WalMart, and the average wage is 9.50 Holy buckets...what was the cost of living in the 70s? ?? versus today and the wage is almost halved.. we are in deep doo doo if we don't reverse that trend.
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Post by James Battles on Jun 26, 2008 22:40:09 GMT -5
You couldnt smell it? Hell that was several years back . I guess the stinky part dries up and the oppurtunist come by and spray lysol on it so much that it was hardly noticed. You know it is that new Lysol scent they use. It's called denial
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