Lack of Crawler Coverage in RC MAGS.

[TURTLE]

Originally Posted by team3six

Xtreme RC Cars Magazine already has a small section dedicated to crawlers written by Dave Palacios whom is also a member here as well as a crawler.

Driver has a couple good crawler guys that do stuff for them. They used to cover crawler stuff in damn near ever issue for a long time, seems just recently they are starting to slip...

[JIA's Dad]

To me it just seems that there should be some guys here that, If they really wanted to rapidly grow this sector of the market could swing enough advertising to put out a small magazine. And I think they would be able to put out a much better magazine than what is available now. RCD has defiantly gone down hill lately. IMO!!!

And I have to say, I don't, never have and never will read Car Action or what ever is the name of that other magazine.

[jason]

Originally Posted by JIA's Dad

To me it just seems that there should be some guys here that, If they really wanted to rapidly grow this sector of the market could swing enough advertising to put out a small magazine. And I think they would be able to put out a much better magazine than what is available now. RCD has defiantly gone down hill lately. IMO!!!

And I have to say, I don't, never have and never will read Car Action or what ever is the name of that other magazine.

There is a reason that all of the magazines are owned by multi million $$$ companies. It's VERY expensive to have a magazine published.

[team3six]

Originally Posted by jason

There is a reason that all of the magazines are owned by multi million $$$ companies. It's VERY expensive to have a magazine published.

X2 on that. It is true that there are alot of talented people here that could put the magazine together. Some very talented photographers, some excellent write ups on crawlers. and some awsome vendors that bring it time and time again.

I do think its possible, but it would take one hell of an outta the gate first run issue to sell it. The best part is this community would support it. at least the star holding members anyways. But if you or whom ever did it could throw out 3 top selling published magazines. I cant see why someone couldnt get a publisher to take it up. there are a few small pubications that are always looking for a magazine that will generate business for them. The down side is that there most likely wont be any money in it for awhile. and the dedication to meet deadline takes someone who can throw all their time into it.

I know the guys at XRC are always busting azz to make deadline every month. and it seems like crunch time X3 for them with a small group of staff.

[romulus22]

i'll tell you right now i wouldn't buy a crawling dedicated magazine.
why would i need to when everything is right here. but i'm not saying a crawling magazine on the shelf wouldn't attract more people into the hobby.

[thumper68]

Originally Posted by jason

There is a reason that all of the magazines are owned by multi million $$$ companies. It's VERY expensive to have a magazine published.

I have published 1 mag in the past, and the first issue was awesome, (if you count a circulation of 200 awesome) The issue I ran into was not advertisers it was distribution, finding a mag whole saler to take on a new mag is almost imposable unless you are willing to give them guarantees that would break you the first month. The one I found who was willing to work with me wanted 10,000 copies and 100% buyback of all unsold issues. I ended up shutting it down after 2 years, I did get subscriptions up to 1200.

As suggested, I would love to see a monthly or bimonthly news letter here. It would be great to learn about the history of some of the great builds and builders.

One other board I belong to does a 20 questions thing with one member each month. The way we do it is to use a random number generator to pick a member, then they have to fill out a questionnaire, something like this is easy to do.

[Greatscott]

Originally Posted by romulus22

i'm usually finished with a magazine after one pooping session. RCC is an all night thing

X2... It seems like such a let down after you are done too...

A crawling mag would be cool if they told me something I didn't read here first, they just pretty it up with glossy pictures...

[some87]

im sure when the xr10 comes out ever mag will be talking about it none stop. but really the big thing i think is 1/8

[Twiztid Metal]

Well looks like RC DRIVER is doing some work in this months issue with some crawlers.

Heres the content picture from their page:


looks like i see a Bettle Juice chassis, and the DMG chassis

[Frankenwheely]

I don't get RC Car Action. They have a BOAT section in the mag. You could totally replace that with crawler articles. They are closer to cars than boats are.

[losilover]

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

Untill you see dedicated crawler courses popping up across the country, you won't see too much media coverage. There's not enough $ in it for the magazines to put too much effort into crawling.

The "ROX BOX 2.0" Indy's Premier 5,000 sq. ft. Indoor Crawling Facility

[JasonInAugusta]

With this comment I'll say that I refuse to comment.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by losilover

The "ROX BOX 2.0" Indy's Premier 5,000 sq. ft. Indoor Crawling Facility

Gonna need way more than that. I said "across the country" not "across 5000 sqft".

[team3six]

what are you saying? there should be crawler events all over the US before the magazines start covering the events?
90% of the coverage on anything is west coast events (where the magazines and manufacturers are! not too far to travel.) Crawling is larger than 1/10 anything right now and has been for sometime now with Touring and oval taking the last of the line right with mini's and micro's. The only thing that I can say that is the big sellers now adays is Shortcourse and 1/8th trucks. I would also go as far to say that a big reason for not covering events is basically editors choice. some of these guys grew up old school and like to stick to thier brood. believe it or not, not too many like to go slow.

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

Gonna need way more than that. I said "across the country" not "across 5000 sqft".

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by team3six

what are you saying? there should be crawler events all over the US before the magazines start covering the events?

There already are events all over the US, problem is, most people aren't aware of them if they aren't already in the hobby or a member of the local club. Imagine how racing would be if all the tracks were tucked back and more or less hidden from the public eye. Sure, there are some comps in parks and public areas but if you weren't aware of the when and where the odds are mighty slim that you'd stumble across them. You drive by a rc track with signage in a permanent location, you know where to find it again.

This is still for all intents and purposes still an underground genre of rc's. Yes there is good manufacturer support, but its not yet a mainstream thing. Ask any magazine publisher if they are willing to send someone schlepping around looking for local comps each month. They aren't, otherwise they'd be doing it and keeping their readers up to speed like they do with racing.

How many ads do you see for crawler parts each month in any given magazine? Half a dozen, at best? Compared to pages and pages and pages of car and truck stuff. There's another clue for ya.

[traxxas4fun]

in my opinion, the problem is there isnt enough "activity" for crawling i guess i could say.
I go into my lhs and asked them about a pair of crawler tires. He goes what size, i say 1.9. He goes, theres no such thing, im like uhh nevermind then. I wasnt gonna explain, here in indy theres only 1 crawling place around i know about. The rock box

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by traxxas4fun

in my opinion, the problem is there isnt enough "activity" for crawling i guess i could say.
I go into my lhs and asked them about a pair of crawler tires. He goes what size, i say 1.9. He goes, theres no such thing, im like uhh nevermind then. I wasnt gonna explain, here in indy theres only 1 crawling place around i know about. The rock box

lol...thats the other problem. Most lhs workers don't give a damn about anything that isn't in the parts book on the counter or what they personally run. Its just a crappy paying job for them, why should they care? If someone comes in who has never owned a crawler before, they are going to be sorely disappointed

[team3six]

This isnt the magazines fault. All any manufacturer or holder of an event has to do is pay for an add to be placed in the magazine. None of them adds for the comps for any other Rc event isnt thrown in there free of charge, nor is the adds for products. And I assure you that all anyone has to do for thier event to be covered in the magazine with a write up and some pictures is to submit it to them. If its written well and has good quality pictures that cover the event. then it will make it in the magazine. But mind you these are the better of the bunch comps that bring in a few hundred competitors. Not the small time 20 guys comps. Axial and Proline comps are in the magazines I have read. even quite a few pro racers whom now work with these companies are well aware of RCC and the competitions. But in order for a magazine to sustain an audiance, it needs to sell advertisements. Now I am telling you this because I have been through the whole process from begining to end to hold a comp. first thing is getting a comp started and selling the idea to partisipants if you can show a good turn out before the event is legal, youll be good to go for the sponsors. If you get enough sponsorship and a big name to host it, It starts to fall into place. the next step is securing everything for the comp such as a site, presentors, awards, trophies, the courses. ect, ect. after that its a big headache, but you have to get your advertisement in 3 months before the selling of tickets, Because it takes 3 months before a mag will have it in thier pages. I can assure you that hosting an event in the magnatude such as the size of MSD is a real pain in the azz. It takes alot of planning and pursuation to get it all to click together without a hitch. and even that rarely happens. Host enough good events and it is easier and easier to host and event. But getting it in a magazine and youll get notice. but it all costs money. and after hosting it for 3-4 years when you have a reputation, it brings big names to the show and lures interest.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by team3six

This isnt the magazines fault.

So that rc car magazine that is now featuring boats couldn't have put that energy into diving a little deeper into crawlers and help promote something that actually has wheels?

[team3six]

its an RC magazine. Its not a Crawler magazine. so your saying they should pick and choose on what form of RC they adveritse?

I suppose Guitar magazine should stop advertising trojan condoms because it has nothing to do with guitars!