Quantcast

NMBS offers free entries to women

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtb.php?id=news/2007/mar07/mar07mtbnews

The US National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS) announced a new program to encourage beginner and sport women by providing free race entries.

NMBS instituted a new entry-fee block purchase program for the 2007 series. Series patrons can purchase blocks of five entries in the women's beginner/sport category for the discounted rate of $125. These entries will then be made available on a first-come first-served basis to beginner/sport women entrants for free. To keep things fair, only one free entry will be available per person, per season.

In addition to the free entry incentive, NMBS introduced more women's age group categories. The new categories are Expert Women 40-49, Expert Women 50 plus, Beginner/Sport Women 18 and under, Beginner/Sport Women 19-29, Beginner/Sport Women 30-39, and Beginner/Sport Women 40 plus.

The changes were in response to a February petition presented by women's 45-49 cross country national champion Jane Finsterwald. Over 900 signers supported the petition asking for better representation for women in the NMBS.

The blocks will be available for purchase by anyone - individuals or sponsors.
So they aren't really free in that a sponsor buys them and then those entries are made available for the first how many ever entrants. Am I reading that right?

Seems like a cool program.
 

douglas

Chocolate Milk Doug
May 15, 2002
9,887
6
Shut up and Ride
it would be nice to have more females racing, but I dont see either of those ideas helping much.

why would a sponsor or patron pay for some random persons entry fee? as compared to sponsoring specific riders and paying for their reg or whatever?
 

riverside73

Monkey
Nov 29, 2004
362
0
why would a sponsor or patron pay for some random persons entry fee? as compared to sponsoring specific riders and paying for their reg or whatever?
Simple: it's a stab at trying to rope in more sponsorship. NMBS is desperate. It's a failing series and they know it. Lack of sponsorship=lack of media coverage and vice versa which leads inevitably to the lack of racers. While not a bad idea, this women thing, it seems like they are trying to drum up business from a very small part of the market.

A better idea to get more people involved in the sport: (we do this at a little XC series we run on a Thursday night) If you buy a new bike and want to race it, bring your sales receipt and you get that race free. They get hooled on racing, want to upgrade/buy parts; and they return to be paying customers. it's good for the sport as a whole.
 

DirtDivaDH

Chimp
Oct 16, 2005
49
0
Beautiful Moorpark, CA
First of all, the cracks about Michelle Dumaresque are incredibly rude and ignorant. You are all just jealous because she is way faster than you. And for your info, she tries to enter the men's category each race, and they don't let her.

Second and in regards to the issue at hand, it is pathetic that this is all NORBA can come up with. MSC has been allowing beg/sport women to enter 4X for free for years, and at EVERY race. All NORBA can do is ask for donations so that a few can do ONE race for free. In other words, they still get their check.

Also, many of us petitioned for a semi-pro women's class, and were told there were not enough women. Funny how they now create extra sport classes, when there are 10X as many pros.
 

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,839
15
So Cal
First of all, the cracks about Michelle Dumaresque are incredibly rude and ignorant. You are all just jealous because she is way faster than you. And for your info, she tries to enter the men's category each race, and they don't let her.
I am jealous of many many people who are faster then me. It's not just her. And don't think that people here are rippin on her just cause it's her... she just one of many who get ripped on here. She just gives something easy and obvious to rip on. Yes, it's juvenile, and lacks intelligence but so do most of the posts here. Eventually she's going to be at a race the monkies are at and she'll find us and kill us. Revenge will be hers and it will be sweet.

And they won't let me enter pro men either and I have a penis!!!! (Left it wide open there for ya Jeremy)