Ferrari Only Concours d’Elagance - The Future

IMO we are at this precipice now and the change will unfortunately be inevitable.

The next generation lives for the style and cares not for substance. I see it in Miami and it’s spreading like a cancer.

 

You clearly need a differentiator....like tortellini.

sjd

 

Some comments here are maing it sound lie when the FCA does the Annual Meet/Experience there is some big pot of money to underwrite the event. Not true. The club will provide a "seed" amount so some commitments can be made before any revenue stream starts. Each event is expected to at least break even, and they do. But, to achieve that one has to be looking at the financials carefully and work real numbers not inflated dreams.

I would say that more important that the money side is ensuring that there is a committed group of people that will organize and execute the event. Start organizing as early as possible and actively manage it. There are some people inside the FCA that have done this exceedingly well.

To make the event under discussion in this thread work it will be imperative to have the right connection (singular or plural) to the get the great cars to attend. The show stopping cars are what will make the event not a longer line of Dinos and 308s (nothing wrong with them but they are outdone by one 1950s race car).

Sponsorship money is out there to be had but don't get too greedy or over promise.

Former FCA National Sponsorship Chair 2013-2019.

 

Have a real plan, have a well thought out repeatable format and incrementally evolve to improve.

 

And, you're right. Focus on the cars. If you can get the cars, the rest might happen.

 

While every event tries to be profitable, if an FCA event happens to lose money be it because of weather or other circumstances, (it does happen). Who covers the loss? Does it come out of the pocket of the individuals organizing the event or the FCA regional treasury?

There’s a very BIG difference on how you run an event when any potential loss comes out of your personal pocket.

 

No **** sherlock. Milton Friedman said it best. There are four ways of spending money.

1. You spend your money on yourself. You're very concerned about price and quality.

2. You spend your money on somebody else. You may not be concerned about quality, but you damn sure care about price.

3. You spend somebody else's money on you. This is corporate America. Screw the shareholders. I want the best regardless of price.

4. You spend somebody else's money on somebody else. This is the government. Who gives a flying frig?

So, if you're spending your own money, the details count.

 

It is commendable that people look start an improved event, but as some have said it takes a lot of effort. Or as was stated so eloquently in the movie Blazing Saddles -

Reverend Johnson: Oh Lord! Do we have the strength to pull off this mighty task in one night...or are we just jerking off?

 

They are designed to be profitable and usually are. The national club provides a great deal of assistance and advice as well as a template of sorts. For that they get a percentage of the profit. Some of what that is used for is to cover shortfalls if the event loses money, an insurance policy of sorts. The regions profit is used for operating costs and in some cases subsidize or just outright pay for other events.

 

The only way that works is as a for profit event. The club events are all volunteer and that can work year after year for a local event. The massive effort and manpower required for a national level event really burns out your manpower and to do that year after year I just don't see as being possible. We all know for most clubs 90% of things needing to be done are getting done by 20% of the people. For a single annual event you can sometimes get that number up but not on a regular basis.

 

BBQ is a better idea.

 

that’s exactly my point, there’s a safety net there in the form of the FCA treasury if there’s a loss in a club event. This thread is a call to organize a Ferrari only Concorso from individuals not happy with the direction of Cavallino. That’s fine build a better mousetrap, but don’t let the enthusiasm cloud judgement.

Doing an event on the scale of Cavallino is a Risk/Reward proposition for the individuals organizing the event. With a Club event there isn’t the personal financial risk that John Barnes took, that Bill Warner took, that Frank Manderano took, that I took and we did it year after year.

 

Of a couple of people I know seriously considering it have the experience and contacts to make it happen as a commercial enterprise. But Canossa had a good turn out. If it is repeated trying to compete may not be a good idea. All the outrage in the world by some people does not assure the market place is wide open. There are no doubt other well meaning people that are the Ferrari equivalent of Spanky and Our Gang saying "Hey, lets put on a play". Here is to hoping they don't spend a lot of energy or money yet.

 

Next year will be the one to watch. Everyone was willing to give this one a chance.


BTW. Get in touch when you have a chance.

 

Cavallino is basically a trade show for billionaires and restoration shops. if Canossa doesnt come around those two groups(resto shops and billionaires) can make big changes and upset the apple cart.

 

If that were true Ferrari would not be involved and as we know, they are. Considerable attention is given to prevent promotion by any of the restoration people in attendance. They are there to support their clients in transporting, preparing and sometimes showing their clients cars. A few years ago we caught a restorer doing that and he has never been invited back.

As we also know Ferrari is in the restoration business and has been for a number of years, hence their policy. At the Ferrari 70th in Maranello restorers were banned by name from attending. I made the 1st draft of that list and I spent some time proving I was not a restorer so I could attend. Adolfo Orsi assisted because he really needed an F40 judge.

As far as being a trade show for billionaires I guess I missed that for the last 10 or so years. I know several who are principles for very well known and high profile companies and have never once seen the name of the product anywhere.

 

I think that's wise. If it can't happen organically, it probably won't work. Without the cars and the people, you'll be swimming upstream.

 

I'll bring the tortellini!

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when I attend events after having done them for years, I tend to look at things differently than the average participant. Be it Pebble, Cavallino, Amelia, Villa d’Este etc. For the most part they are all the same except for scale with some variations on the formula.

And then there is Goodwood, specifically the Revival. While not a Concorso focused event, operationally it’s a jaw dropper there are so many moving pieces it’s unbelievable. It’s not a car event, it’s a military operation. I would encourage everyone to attend, especially if they are considering doing an event. I personally stopped doing Monterey weekend and go to The Revival instead. As one friend said to me before I first went to Goodwood, “Monterey wishes they got the cars that appear at Goodwood!”

From the Northeast, the travel is pretty much the same as going to the West Coast, room prices are slightly less, and the food is just as bad.

 

So you don’t think someone can do this as a part-time gig? [emoji6]


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

...............I'll do the cooking honey,
I'll pay the rent,
I know I done you wrong

 

I used to live an hour and a half away and I quit going to Monterey. It was a victim of its own success. Quit being an event and became a destination.

The current problem at Monterey is the local government agencies micromanage it. It is an very upscale area and and except for a minority that operate tourist oriented businesses virtually every other resident hates everything about it including the politicians. I know a lot of people who live there. I have had the discussions and they are either oblivious or do not care about the economic windfall it is. It is an invasion, it is a nuisance and they hate everything about it.