37 replies to this topic

[dank]

So is anyone thinking of attending next month's Autosport International event at the Birmingham NEC?

Been going for several years but think I might give it a miss this time around. For me the show has been on a bit of a decline and I can't possibly justify £31 for a ticket and a further £8 for parking, plus whatever else on top, for what has become a glorified trade show. Shame really as I think if it was cheaper I'd still consider it to get some sort of motor sport fix during the off-season.

Can't help but think the organisers continue to miss a massive opportunity with this. Ok MacWorld, CES or whatever it's not, but with a bit of effort I'm sure it could be something very good. Entice more teams and participants from a wider range of racing series and lower the price a bit and I'm sure it would be brilliant.

[wewantourdarbyback]

Only actually been once before and that was years ago, if I can get a group of peeps to go I'd like to head down again this year.

[potmotr]

So is anyone thinking of attending next month's Autosport International event at the Birmingham NEC?

I've been meaning to go for years.

When is it?

Also, as a punter can you go during the week?

[dank]

I've been meaning to go for years.

When is it?

Also, as a punter can you go during the week?

http://www.autosport...nal.com/public/

Only the last two days are open to the public. Trade days are the Thursday and Friday.

[potmotr]

http://www.autosport...nal.com/public/

Only the last two days are open to the public. Trade days are the Thursday and Friday.

That's the tricky part for me, as I am usually committed on the weekends but often have days free during the week.

I'd quite like to go though.

[dank]

That's the tricky part for me, as I am usually committed on the weekends but often have days free during the week.

I'd quite like to go though.

Not to deter you, but this is worth a read.

[potmotr]

Not to deter you, but this is worth a read.

Interesting read, thank you.

Reading that it reminds me of the Top Gear Live show I went to at Earls Court the other week.

The Top Gear side of things was OK, but the entire place was filled with displays for super Chav-mobiles, lots of badly dressed tarts and a general atmosphere of pushy people eating overpriced chips and pies.

Not good.

[Imperial]

Not to deter you, but this is worth a read.

Being the OP of the above link I'll put my comments in regarding Autosport International 2010:

I'm not going.

Nobody I have previously attended with is going.

Nobody I know (personally) who has previously attended is going.

The reasons why:

There is not a single driver of worth attending who hasn't been there before, some multiple times, and I'm not interested in seeing them again. Apart from that, rather than justify reasons to not go Autosport are making it extremely difficult to justify going. Take a look at the website, it's rather disheartening that it mostly makes references to what they had last year. The F1 Racing stand has never left it so late to announce what their grid theme is going to be this time round. Maybe they'll pull something amazing out of the bag at the last moment but I doubt it. I think more so than the 2009 show the recession has bitten hard and my gut feeling is there will be very little of worth on display in January.

I've already had my non-race enjoyment for the offseason and that was the Powered by Mercedes Benz event a few weeks back. To be frank that was much much better than any of the Autosport International's I've attended in recent years and I'm not prepared to pay the asking price, petrol money and hotel fees to be even more bored in January 2010 than I was in January 2009.

Maybe in 2011....

[MichaelJP]

There are many of these "shows" in the calendar these days, and I just can't get my head around the fact that people are willing to pay that much to attend.

They're *selling* stuff to us! They should pay us to go - is everyone so gullible these days?

£10 would be fair, including parking.

[y2cragie]

As a poster in the linked thread. I will be attending despite my comments. I am hoping for a much improved show this time round..

[Darth Sidious]

Went last year with Wifey and 8yr old son, full paddock passes or whatever they were called, and didn't think that much of it and I have been a few times over the years since 1998. None of us thought the displays were all that great, and most of it was tuned and performance car related rather than F1. Ok if you're totally into everything related to the automobile, but as far as F1 goes it was a long drive for an hour or so of static displays and five minutes waffle from a test driver. The best part was the radio controlled car track which kept my son enthralled for about 3 hours until it was time for the live show and a nap....

Now we've got r/c cars to race each other we'll miss this year. Haven't told the wife we won't be going, but somehow I don't reckon I'll get fryingpanned for it....

[D.M.N.]

I went about 7/8 years ago. Not been since.

[dank]

I'd only really go if a promotional code becomes available. There's no justifiable reason for me and the missus to spend £70 to attend what is essentially a glorified market, and don't get me started on the 'live' action sessions...

[Talking Point]

I go every year but only cause a mate gets me in for free; I certainly wouldn't pay to attend. The live action arena is a complete joke and I would not recommend that anyone wastes their money on that crap. As for the rest of the show, like someone else said, it basically just a glorified market. If you want last years merchandise with maybe 25% off then great, but there's not a lot more going on.
The drivers are usually the same; Button, McNich, Davidson, Coulthard, Sato, Webber etc... they give fairly uninteresting interviews on the main stage and then are available for autograph sessions for people who can be bothered to queue for about an hour per driver!
The F1 grid is just dull really. Old old cars with last season's liveries.
If I didn't live quite near, and didn't get free entry, I certainly wouldn't bother, and I'd recommend it to nobody.

[dank]

So er, any promo codes available yet?

[MegaManson]

I won't be going, my motorsports interest is F1 and Moto GP couldn't give a damn about anything else so paying stupid money and £40 in petrol from London to hear waffle from Jenson Button has all the appeal to me of contracting herpes

[FlatOverCrest]

I would certainly agree that the show is geared a lot more to the competitor than the spectator. I have been several times and actually find it a great opportunity to catch up with friends and potential sponsors, or simply to discuss series entry opportunities, etc.

[Altitude]

I used to go every year to meet friends there during the off season, but we all agreed that it was a waste of money. I suppose that it is good for those just getting interested in the sport, but it is a total rip off if you have been there before because it is just the same old rubbish every year.
Everyone should save their money and spend it on supporting their local circuit by going to a clubbie meeting or two instead to demonstrate their interest in the sport and support the circuits that often spend money to provide us with our enjoyment, rather than filling the coffers of the NEC and publishers.

[dank]

Decided I'll put my money to better use next year and buy a ticket to Goodwood instead.

[djellison]

So is anyone thinking of attending next month's Autosport International event at the Birmingham NEC?

Too expensive, too crowded. Yes - I know fixing one would make the other worse. But I'm still not going

Edited by djellison, 24 December 2009 - 17:05.

[dank]

For those still trying to decide whether to attend this year, there does appear to be a non-guaranteed way of acquiring two tickets for the price of one.

If you call the hotline (0844 579 3188) and say you have been given promo code "AS04241" and wish to enquire if it is still valid, the operator will probably tell you that because it's last year's code, that it isn't.

The rest is down to you. You'll need use your whatever charm you have, or say how disappointed you are etc. (but don't be a complete git about it) and they'll offer you the same two-for-one offer this year, so £31 for two tickets rather than £62.

Like I say, not guaranteed to always work, but it did for me this morning and couple of the guys and gals over at Pistonheads.

[dank]

Seems that any two for one deals have now disappeared. If you call the hotline number you're apparently presented by an automated message now telling you not to bother enquiring if one is available

Edited by dank, 11 January 2010 - 09:20.

[Rob]

It's nice to go, but very expensive. I went last year so it'll probably be at least another few years before I go again.

[dank]

Does anyone know what this year's show feature is? Last year it was Coulthard's cars, year before that 50 years of the BTCC, but no mention what it will be for 2010?

[y2cragie]

its 20 years of autosport-international.
Or that seems to be the running theme so far.

[dank]

Right, so after much criticism, I've managed to acquire tickets for this Sunday at a much more reasonable rate.

Anyone else going, or any of you managed to worm your way in on one of the trade days?

Also, wonder what this might be in reference to?

Snowing again but need to hit the roads to get to AUTOSPORT International. Big announcement on stage at 10am tomorrow ...

Hmm...

[rm111]

last years was woeful i left after about an hour

[dank]

last years was woeful i left after about an hour

You spent £30+ and departed after an hour? Crumbs...

[Peat]

Im going up on Friday to catch the Watkins lecture and the Brabham Charity Kart race. Looking forward to it.

[dank]

More on this announcement today at 10am:

• It's web related.
• A recently-retired F1 driver will be making the announcement.
• It's not the magazine online.

[Peat]

David Coulthard is announcing he's joining Twitter?

[Rob]

More on this announcement today at 10am:

• It's web related.
• A recently-retired F1 driver will be making the announcement.
• It's not the magazine online.

Got to be DC then surely?

[dank]

David Coulthard is announcing he's joining Twitter?

Perhaps the announcement is 'Autosport find caps lock button, finally turns off caps lock'?

[wrighty]

You spent £30+ and departed after an hour? Crumbs...

Well there's not much to see until they open the oval racing section on Saturday morning ;)

[dank]

Got to be DC then surely?

He's first on stage this morning apparently, so maybe so.

If it's his column on the website (fnar fnar!) it'll be an anti-climax, as it's been on there several times last year.

[dank]

http://twitter.com/a...atus/7743213997

David Coulthard will be on stage at AUTOSPORT International shortly to make a major announcement from Castrol and AUTOSPORT.com

[dank]

It's this:

Hmm...

[MichaelJP]

There are many of these "shows" in the calendar these days, and I just can't get my head around the fact that people are willing to pay that much to attend.

They're *selling* stuff to us! They should pay us to go - is everyone so gullible these days?

£10 would be fair, including parking.

Well, I went on trade days as managed to get a ticket through a friend. Spent 3 hours there which was plenty. Even though I'm not in the business I admit that I found the engineering section very interesting. Apparently that isn't even open on public days!

I stand by my comments though, at £30 it's way overpriced.