Whats going on with The Jock?

[Eina!!]

Route is awesome...but in my opinion the food has deteriated &organization not exceptional. I love the Jock &can afford it, but I don't like being ripped off!! I think I'm also going to Kremetart next year instead of Jock

[Mavro]

The organizers will try to maximize on the entry fee. At the end of the day it is our choice whether we are prepared to pay that price or not.

 

Events like the argus (I am from JHB) jock, ofm, amashova, etc. to me are not worth riding. The logistic and accommodation costs does not justify riding a 100km race, jock 150km. I personally prefer doing the panorama tour has that is 4 days of quality riding and probably costs less than the races mentioned above.

 

There is no use in complaining, just don't enter the race. It is a simple choice, but we cyclists choose to ignore them. Yes, I was/am a victim of this (more than once).

[ivr32]

The Jock is one of my favourite races.

But if everybody is going to stick together and rather do Kremetart then I am in.

[djsam]

Kremetart is a fantastic event... did this year for the first time would recommend it to everyone....

[2 X 2]

Only a small percentage of cyclists are Hub memebers. For a real boycott to work everybody here need to give the link to this post to their clubmembers of their respective clubs, so that people can log on and read all the replies and suggestions.

Edited November 19, 2013 by 2 X 2

[Pieterg]

Ek wou volgende jaar die jock weer ry maar dis nou net te duur

 

Uitgawes vir naweek

Diesel R1500 thanks ANC

Inskrywing R720 thanks AnG sorry ASG

Verblyf R1000

Kos R500

Totaal +-R3500-R4000 vir naweek

[hayleyearth]

Ek wou volgende jaar die jock weer ry maar dis nou net te duur

 

Uitgawes vir naweek

Diesel R1500 thanks ANC

Inskrywing R720 thanks AnG sorry ASG

Verblyf R1000

Kos R500

Totaal +-R3500-R4000 vir naweek

 

 

it is more expensive than a week in Mauritius (comparing a weekend to a week)

Edited November 19, 2013 by hayleyearth

[ASG]

Hi Guys,

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and to choose to support an event or not – we appreciate that but some of the 'facts' being thrown around here are so devoid of the truth it makes your head spin….

 

We have in previous replies to similar posts along the same lines (most recently posted by 'AG U SUCK') replied and explained our position – some of the main points include the following:

1. ASG EVENTS presents more than 50 different races during the year of which most are sponsored by ASG. Only a small portion of events are sponsored by outside companies and finding sponsors in this tough economic climate is proving a huge challenge for all race presenters. Even the Grape Escape fell victim to this reality last week when it got cancelled.
    
   
2. In the total portfolio of events ASG Performance Solutions (a separate software company) has paid more than R3m just to keep all these 'supposedly lucrative' events up and running. Most of these events will only turn a profit when sponsored properly and certainly only after a few years of investment.
    
   
3. Entry fees are a function of costs less sponsorship revenue. As sponsors come and go entry fees are effected – the alternative is simple – drop the event/s.
    
   
4. Comments about 400% markup by ASG on products and eyewear is ridiculous to say the least – wouldn't that be fantastic! This is an especially crazy statement considering the Rand has devalued by more than 40% against the EURO (where most of ASG's suppliers are based) in the last 12-14 months. It is obviously impossible to pass all of this on to clients which results in incredible pressure on margins of any importer/distributor.
    
   
5. The reality is that we love the Jock – it is an awesome event with awesome history but in the absence of a big sponsor we cannot continue to run this event at a loss. We are already committed to the 2014 event despite this and ASG will cover any shortfall (as we do with almost all the other events). In addition we will try our very best to provide much more value ito goodie bags, catering, etc to make it an awesome experience for all participants.
   

We appreciate that consumers have choices in which events they enter and what they pay or not pay to do something – with this in mind the pressure is on us to try and improve the events we present despite a seriously challenging financial environment. At the same time we are doing our utmost to secure more sponsorship for these events (which sadly is made so difficult with this kind of feedback on a public forum). As and when we secure more sponsors, we can hopefully include more events in our portfolio that will be perceived as great value for money for all our participants.

 

We can only ask that you think twice before drawing the kind of conclusions that have been 'thrown' around as 'facts' in this post. There, that is the thruth – you have a choice to believe us or not and we certainly did not have to share some of this information but we did. No doubt some will jump all over this again and read statements into this reply that's not intended – I hope our intentions are clear.

 

For the record, with our sponsorship into events, numerous cycling teams and academies, cycling development, etc we think it is fair to say that ASG is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) sponsor of cycling in South Africa (despite serious financial pressures and ever diminishing incentives) – that in itself makes some of these comments very hard to swallow but again we have to acknowledge that everyone has a right to their own views and opinions.

 

Regards

AG

Edited November 19, 2013 by ASG

[Agteros]

I did not do the Jock this year (time/fitness constraints) however I did it the year before and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has some of the toughest road racing routes available to us Joe Public/Average as cyclists.

 

People who want a boutique/full service event should rather venture towards rides geared specifically for that.

 

Also, the route was different from the "normal" one this year which could have added to issues (if there were any)?

[Greybeard]

Ek wou volgende jaar die jock weer ry maar dis nou net te duur

 

Uitgawes vir naweek

Diesel R1500 thanks ANC

Inskrywing R720 thanks AnG sorry ASG

Verblyf R1000

Kos R500

Totaal +-R3500-R4000 vir naweek

Tolhekke? Dit is een van die grootste uitgawes om Laeveld toe te gaan.

[Cycling Major]

Hi Guys,

 

 

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and to choose to support an event or not – we appreciate that but some of the 'facts' being thrown around here are so devoid of the truth it makes your head spin….

 

 

 

We have in previous replies to similar posts along the same lines (most recently posted by 'AG U SUCK') replied and explained our position – some of the main points include the following:

1. ASG EVENTS presents more than 50 different races during the year of which most are sponsored by ASG. Only a small portion of events are sponsored by outside companies and finding sponsors in this tough economic climate is proving a huge challenge for all race presenters. Even the Grape Escape fell victim to this reality last week when it got cancelled.
    
   
2. In the total portfolio of events ASG Performance Solutions (a separate software company) has paid more than R3m just to keep all these 'supposedly lucrative' events up and running. Most of these events will only turn a profit when sponsored properly and certainly only after a few years of investment.
    
   
3. Entry fees are a function of costs less sponsorship revenue. As sponsors come and go entry fees are effected – the alternative is simple – drop the event/s.
    
   
4. Comments about 400% markup by ASG on products and eyewear is ridiculous to say the least – wouldn't that be fantastic! This is an especially crazy statement considering the Rand has devalued by more than 40% against the EURO (where most of ASG's suppliers are based) in the last 12-14 months. It is obviously impossible to pass all of this on to clients which results in incredible pressure on margins of any importer/distributor.
    
   
5. The reality is that we love the Jock – it is an awesome event with awesome history but in the absence of a big sponsor we cannot continue to run this event at a loss. We are already committed to the 2014 event despite this and ASG will cover any shortfall (as we do with almost all the other events). In addition we will try our very best to provide much more value ito goodie bags, catering, etc to make it an awesome experience for all participants.
   

We appreciate that consumers have choices in which events they enter and what they pay or not pay to do something – with this in mind the pressure is on us to try and improve the events we present despite a seriously challenging financial environment. At the same time we are doing our utmost to secure more sponsorship for these events (which sadly is made so difficult with this kind of feedback on a public forum). As and when we secure more sponsors, we can hopefully include more events in our portfolio that will be perceived as great value for money for all our participants.

 

 

 

We can only ask that you think twice before drawing the kind of conclusions that have been 'thrown' around as 'facts' in this post. There, that is the thruth – you have a choice to believe us or not and we certainly did not have to share some of this information but we did. No doubt some will jump all over this again and read statements into this reply that's not intended – I hope our intentions are clear.

 

 

 

For the record, with our sponsorship into events, numerous cycling teams and academies, cycling development, etc we think it is fair to say that ASG is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) sponsor of cycling in South Africa (despite serious financial pressures and ever diminishing incentives) – that in itself makes some of these comments very hard to swallow but again we have to acknowledge that everyone has a right to their own views and opinions.

 

 

 

Regards

 

AG

 

1. You have to remember also that even if you sponsor a million teams and youngsters in cycling it still does not help my pocket ito race fees.

 

2. Another thing everybody know that cheaper events attract more people. The jock has been growing over the last 3 or 4 years again because of good organizing and the word is still spreading. You WILL get your money back with increasing entries. Now you almost double the entry, do you really think that the substitute for bulk entries is higher fees??? How does that make sense in a financial standpoint

 

3. Your brand image has got nothing to do with the people giving you a hard time on this "public forum" and this is the result of your dealings.

How could races all over be run in previous years without a loss and now all of a sudden, with your increased race fees, it results in losses.

You have to understand that we cannot be hold responsible if you lose money because of the exchange rate on your imported products. Because it looks like you compensate your losses by making it back in race fees.

 

I do understand that you are a business and are out there to make a profit. But keep that separate from the race scene.

 

Obviously you would not have taken over A LOT of the races in the country if they were making losses??? That would not be good business so I am struggling to see how you could have driven it into the ground?

 

Please just remember that if cycling dies in SA because you try to bleed us dry, you will not have a business...!!!

[Guest Latent Blue]

Why doesn't the hub have races?

[ivr32]

 

Regards

AG

 

ASG I am not saying I do not want to do the race, I love the Jock.

All of the above boils down to the high entry price.

Make it cheaper and you will get more entries.

 

I convinced 5 of my buddies to join me, when they saw the price they all pulled out

[Li Mu Bai]

Thanks for the reply.

So lack of a sponsor has increased the entry fee so significantly.

I dont wish to comment on ASG product related posts etc, that was not my original question and in terms of this post, quite irrelevant.

In reality it is sad.

Since ASG has become involved, the entry fee has risen significantly. My salary doesnt unfortunately grow at a rate of 50% in 2 years, and in all honesty R720 for this day event is quite exceptional. Sponsored riders and professional teams may be the only ones doing this event if this trend continues, and as far as I can tell, they form the minority of participants.

 

What worries me more is that with the multitude of events creeping into the calendar, the classics like the Jock end up suffereing as people take advantage of cheaper, more accessible, events. Their choice sure, but perhaps you ASG are taking on too much in your portfolio and instead of making whats good out there already even better, you are adding to its demise.

 

I hope you have a rethink on this, or get a sponsor on board to help absorb your costs whatever they are.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Li Mu Bai

[Slowbee]

 

ASG I am not saying I do not want to do the race, I love the Jock.

All of the above boils down to the high entry price.

Make it cheaper and you will get more entries.

 

I convinced 5 of my buddies to join me, when they saw the price they all pulled out

 

OK, so I am not sure I understand the logic of how dropping the price makes the event cheaper ?

 

If you look at the figures posted above R4000 for the weekend. Your entry is R720. So 18% of your cost is entry.

 

If they drop the price to R500 (saving you R220), that means your entry is 13% of your cost ? If your ability to do this event depends on R220 saving then I would hesitate to say there are bigger issues at stake for you.

 

To me it seems that blaming the price of entry fee is a way of blaming the high price of everything else, and it is not just the entry price that is stopping you from going. And besides, with 5 friends I am sure you can divide accommodation costs and fuel by 5, and save lots of money and still get top do the event.

[Zeffer]

 

ASG I am not saying I do not want to do the race, I love the Jock.

All of the above boils down to the high entry price.

Make it cheaper and you will get more entries.

 

I convinced 5 of my buddies to join me, when they saw the price they all pulled out

 

Think ito economics.

 

500 entries @ R720 or 1000 @ R360?

If they can fill 500 entries (which they will, its an awesome race) they made their money and less work, less food, less T-shirts, less everything.

 

Think 'Epic'...