WHAT DOES EVERYBODY THINK????

[bigrocket]

Hi guys,

i've been reading on another thread about shows starting earlier. i've been thinking the same thing for a while now, and would like to know what everyone thinks about it.

i would like to start our Detonation shows at 5pm, that way the main bout is finished at 9-9.30.

looking forward to your reply

thanks

[roy trajkovic]

Actually yes, I dont mind the idea either.
Even though my next show starts at 7pm, I could go with the notion of starting 5-6pm on future events.
Theres a lot of plusses (my opinion) in getting a show started a bit earlier.
Im not a big fan of having anymore than 13 (lucky number) bouts either.
I like the punters going home wanting more....not leaving because theyve had enough.

[chicano]

Rob, I'm a very big fan of the idea.

If you look at the major sports like Football, Cricket etc nobody is left waiting for the main game until 11.30pm. I think the idea of starting earlier and having the main events at an earlier time means you get just as much action for your dollar without leaving the draw card fights till late when people are getting anzty, tired, drunk and bored.

I also think it is better for the fighters if they dont have to wait till the late hours to fight. Obviously most have come a custom to it, but sleeping patterns, regular training times etc means most athletes (or anyone for that matter) is not used to performing at such a late hour of the day. Earlier times gets people fighting closer to the times they would do their night time training at.

I also think it allows for a better atmosphere, if you are still there at 12am the likelyhood is there are going to be pissed out of their minds and nobody enjoys a moron abusing fghters, booing and carrying on.

And I think it allows for more time after the show to catch up with fighters, trainers etc Often people are travelling interstate and an earlier end to a show allows for more time to socialise, draw raffles etc and all the other things you do at a sporting event that ends at a reasonable time.

It seems to work well for all mainstream sports, major boxing promotions, UFC etc etc

So I think it is definately something worth looking at and giving it a go to see the reaction of fighters, trainers and fans etc.

Cheers,
Martin

[PIRAPIRA]

I'm a fan of 6.00 starts which accomodates the families attending shows as well as many other benefits.

[Steve P]

Fan.

The later the show, the more alcohol in the crowd. Safer for all if it is earlier. By having it earlier you could get more of the fairer sex involved in following the sport. A lot of women wouldn't be that interested in standing around, later at night, inside an alcohol fuelled crowd. Opportunities for the promoter too - at the moment the only money to be made is at the bar. By having it earlier you cover the mealtime and catering is an untapped opportunity.

DD has made the point plenty of times about shows on Friday nights not being the best night. I kind of agree because a lot of guys have commitments early Saturday (kid sport, work etc). Earlier on the Saturday night could be the go.

I have seen some fight cards which "officially" start at the 5pm mark, but have sparring before the gig commences - like interclub stuff.

With less alcohol in the crowd, you might need less security so $$$ come down, and it is easier for everyone left after the fight night - being the clean up crew and those taking away the ring.

[JWP]

I think it is awesome when the show finishes early, then I can get home to the kids. If people want to keep the party going they can go out after.
Angie

[roy trajkovic]

Yep,
Sounds good to me.
All of the above comments are valid. It also shows duty of care and responsibility for all concerned.
My next show will start no later than 5.30pm......but thats a year away.

[The_Muss]

I think it is awesome when the show finishes early, then I can get home to the kids. If people want to keep the party going they can go out after.
Angie

This.

I have always liked attending your guys amateur tournaments for this very reason.

[tryhard]

I reckon Saturdays at 5.00 pm would work for most, those of us with family, or others who work Saturdays, not to mention saving some fighters not needing to jump in the ring after 10PM, allowing for the undercard etc.

Why not set up a survey and get some votes counted ? Like start time, assuming 5 hours of show total max. duration ? :

Friday 5 PM
Friday 6 PM
Friday 7 PM
Saturday 5 PM
Saturday 6 PM
Saturday 7 PM

and see what gets the most hands up ?

[The_Muss]

I reckon Saturdays at 5.00 pm would work for most, those of us with family, or others who work Saturdays, not to mention saving some fighters not needing to jump in the ring after 10PM, allowing for the undercard etc.

Why not set up a survey and get some votes counted ? Like start time, assuming 5 hours of show total max. duration ? :

Friday 5 PM
Friday 6 PM
Friday 7 PM
Saturday 5 PM
Saturday 6 PM
Saturday 7 PM

and see what gets the most hands up ?

I like that.

My husband works Saturdays at 3am, so Friday shows are always a no-can-do for us.

[Steve P]

It is also fair on the fighters and their fight crew. Often the show finishes and many have hours to drive home.

The talk about being kid friendly is valid too. Rather than being knackered the next day, you get to spend a quality day with them. Father Dave did a show in Sydney a few years back, and at the start of the show, he had a few wrestlers do their thing. It made it a bit more family orientated with the kids screaming for the psycho guys.

[AUSSIE JOE]

yeah fridays is hard for alot of people ,work till 4-5 pm then stuck in traffic on the way home weekends for a 4-5 pm start would be awsome

[Voice]

Paul Grima's Pitbull No Bull shows have been starting at around 4:30pm for a couple years now and by all reports are a big success.
Might be worth a call to Paul to ask how it is going.

I think Friday night shows could not start that early due to people leaving work however weekend shows make sense to start earlier.

[Bishnu]

As I said on the other thread I am all for it getting home at 10 instead of 1230 is heaps better

[supermario]

If the show is on a Saturday, as most shows are, I feel that 5:00pm is a brilliant time to start. Those with family commitments (attending birthday parties of friends of your children) or weekend shifts will for the most part be free by then, and an early finish on a Saturday night is good for the family man/woman, and for the single man/woman that wants to hit the town.

[Bushi]

Rob,

What Martin & Neale said.

Fridays wont work for an early start, Saturday & Sunday, go for it.

Last night I commentated a Fightforce Show here in Melbourne, 10 fights, started at 7.03pm, finished just prior to 10.30, with not a lot of early finishes to fights. Last night also had 2 auctions (1 item each) and being an ex (real estate adn promotional auctioneer), secret there is start it and finish it, ASAP, NO NEED for an item to take 5+ minutes, that is the problem and people lose interest...

IMHO, 2 - 5 minutes between fights, and a SHORT, SHARP Auction to "raise funds".

Agreed with all other posts the longer the night, the worse itr is for ALL involved, even the punters putting the $$$ over the bar...

Your fans, sponsors and the fighters followers, will be there irrespective of what time you start.

Good luck moving forward

[Russ]

I will not attend a Friday night show.
Dont start a Sat night show any earlier than 6. Most people now work Saturdays. Its a fact of life. I struggle to get to EVO before the 2nd bout, and it starts at 6.30
I dont really care what time the show finishes, because the show is our night out. Its not something to do while waiting for the clubs to start cranking.

[Adambjjoz]

Saturday with a 6pm start is always ideal, but in my experience for the bigger shows, Sat nights are much harder to find bookings ahead of time at the venues they want. That's why so often you end up with shows on a Friday night.

The issue of drinking at shows is a hard one to manage, too. If you start shows at 5-6pm, people turn up and for the majority, have not eaten dinner. Thus they will tend to drink & fill up that way, as it's one of the few occasions where booze is cheaper than food (due to venue's price gouging food for bigger margins) which leads to problems earlier in the night than usual. If you start the shows later though, they can go on well past 12am-1am easily & people get wasted from drinking too much later on. The two solutions there are to make sure the event is tightly run in a 4 hour time-slot for later starts (7.30-11.30pm), or to simply not sell alcohol at the venue. It's been my experience that the no-booze option makes for an excellent crowd, but that due to the demographic's of the crowds in Australia, the no-booze option is not accepted at all with pro-boxing crowds, not really that well received at kickboxing/MT shows, but there's no issue with it with crowds at MMA shows. In general though, the lower the value of your socio/eco crowd, the harder it is to limit drinking problems.

The Saturday 6pm start is an ideal time, IMO. Allows for weekend workers to finish day shifts, parents to finish up with weekend kid duties, events finish by 10/10.30pm for the single folks to go hit the town & drinking issues are limited with the crowd. Most people will have time to have a light meal before they come so they don't get raped by food prices at the venue & everyone still get's home at a reasonable hour, & those that want to kick on afterwords can.

[roy trajkovic]

I reckon Saturdays at 5.00 pm would work for most, those of us with family, or others who work Saturdays, not to mention saving some fighters not needing to jump in the ring after 10PM, allowing for the undercard etc.

Why not set up a survey and get some votes counted ? Like start time, assuming 5 hours of show total max. duration ? :

Friday 5 PM
Friday 6 PM
Friday 7 PM
Saturday 5 PM
Saturday 6 PM
Saturday 7 PM

and see what gets the most hands up ? Saturday 5.30pm

[The_Muss]

I like a 6pm start, when the show starts on time.

I dislike 7pm starts, then the fights start at 7.30...

[Avery]

i think early starts sounds like a good idea. less time for ****ers to get on the drink and if fathers can bring there kids along that can only be a good thing. they are the future

[Synergy]

i think early starts sounds like a good idea. less time for ****ers to get on the drink and if fathers can bring there kids along that can only be a good thing. they are the future

Agreed

[Kano]

Hi guys,

i've been reading on another thread about shows starting earlier. i've been thinking the same thing for a while now, and would like to know what everyone thinks about it.

i would like to start our Detonation shows at 5pm, that way the main bout is finished at 9-9.30.

looking forward to your reply

thanks

I don't think that 10 - 10:30 is unreasonable. It is a long day and night if the show finishes at midnight and then you have got to pack up and get everything out of the venue that night..

[fryzee]

good idea rob, then we got more time out on the town to celebrate/drown sorrows afterwards ;)