Motorcycle Live 2012 was.................. seriously shit. Worst show since I first attended 35 years ago and this was my last time.
Looking at BSB 2012 at Donnington this year which cost the same to attend, I can tell you how Donnington bust a gut to make us feel welcome !!! Remember how crap access to Donnington used to be? Wow ! They have certainly changed that ! An awesome day !!!!
I know BSB is nothing like the NEC bike show, but like most people we are having to cut back on the number of bike events we attend each year. So we have to pick and choose what represents value for money and the NEC have lost all sense of the value of their visitors. The cost of everything was obscene and the service was shite.
Same with the 2012 FIA summer Finals at Santa Pod, the Pod crew were amazing and you just feel so bloody welcome !! Best day out this year in fact !!
A few years ago there was 11 halls rammed full of great stands and the bike show was shoulder to shouldler with bikers. Now its 3 small halls and no one there. Even the exhibitors were saying they had never seen it so quiet on the 1st weekend.
The same old boring format and same old lack of facilities needs to radically change or the bike show will find itself flat on its arse next year. The low turnout says it all. There is a lot of competition in this recession from other bike events where they work very hard to get people in the doors, the NEC has still got its dont give a fuck attitude, same as the last 35 years.
I didnt feel valued at all at the NEC, infact it was dead. I know that more people are going to the Milan show in preference. NEC needs to up its game a 1000% or face losing visitors to other venues who are trying hard.
The same old probems at the NEC have been present from year dot. Everyone knows that those basic problems are. The NEC has its work cut out with some outstanding competition for bike events next year, with even less money in peoples pockets. The NEC bike show is certainly off the list for 2013 in our house.
Adapt and survive or just die.....
