Guest Authors Sought to Extend Vision

It’s no secret UnlimitedHydroplaneRacing.com has opinions. We all do. Opinions are the first step in forming a vision, and it is the vision that helps set direction.

The sport of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing sure needs direction.

If you have strong opinions about the direction our sport should take, UnlimitedHyroplaneRacing.com wants to hear from you! In fact, you can build upon (or disagree with) our opinion below. Just contact us to submit your story. (You can read more about the Guest Author program here.)

Rule of Three

The Rule of Three is a writing principle that suggests things which come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things.

While there is nothing funny or satisfying (much less, effective) in the current condition of our sport of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing, there certainly is a set of three very important aspects hanging in the balance.

When seemingly random events have occurred in the past, it’s been easy to not notice – or care. During those times, UnlimitedHydroplaneRacing.com has tried to take objective, positive-focused, and at times, even passive positions. However, in the Guest Author introduction, the reference to “turmoil” was accurate, but still much too subtle. The list of concerns to those of us in the sport – from sponsors, to teams, to fans – has continued to grow. It is now time to take a more substantive position.

There have been many controversial events in the near history of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing and there’s no need to go through them again here. However, it bears pointing out that many are natural parts of the sport, but many are not necessarily so. Let’s look at three that if corrected, could improve our morale, as suggested in the Rule of Three.

1. Direction

Based on the recent activities surrounding potential changes to the structure, participation and operation of the sanctioning body, the entire sport is firmly shifted into, well, neutral. It’s understood that at this time of the year, a solid 2014 racing schedule isn’t yet known. However, in the past, there’s been a high degree of certainty there would be an expected number of races, hosting an anticipated number of boats, in the usual (and sometimes new) variety of host cities.

Right now, the collective sport can’t really make that assertion.

Boat teams are in the middle of winter prep, and they don’t have solid information on exactly the picture for what they are prepping. They don’t really know what the season will look like, under what structure, in which cities, and for what level of financial participation.

Quite the Catch-22: time is moving quickly, extensive plans need to be made, but little basis exists on which to build the plans.

2. Financial

One could argue the lack of direction feeds an unknown financial expectation. However, the reverse is true as well. Many teams are challenged financially. Existing and potential sponsors can start to feel uneasy when the sport appears unstable and that feeling adds to the challenges by making them slow to jump on board for the 2014 season. Lack of strength in the sponsorship ranks doesn’t allow confirmation of a full fleet of boats. That feeds the lack of direction by not allowing H1 (or others) to have a strong expectation for the 2014 players.

That feeds the cycle.

3. Leadership

This is a difficult one. Without being a fly on the wall inside HQ or other discussions, I can’t weigh in on specifics. However, I can share my opinions about leadership and how those opinions might play into the future of the sport.

• First, a leader must be consistent. What they say is what they do. Schedules, meetings, broadcasts – they must unfold as prescribed. Sure, things happen, but true leaders minimize the number of anomalies that surface and keep the ship upright and on course.
• Second, a leader must be the right fit for the job. Some of the most successful companies are those whose founders were smart enough to know they weren’t the right person to grow and command the enterprise. As young engineers, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google brought in Eric Schmidt in 2001 to help them grow their “little” search engine that could. The last decade at Google should speak for itself.
• Finally, it’s #1 (Direction) and #2 (Financial) that really shores up #3 (Leadership.)

A leader must have a clear and deliberate direction in mind (and communicate it clearly.) They must also marshal and balance the critical financial picture to ensure funds are available not only for the here and now, but for the future as well.

Things are in flux. How would you proceed?

There are many loose ends floating out there that have a direct impact on the sport today, but also for the very distant future. As fans, our discussion should be how to take the prudent and calculated steps (baby steps) toward sorting out our world.

Taken individually, any of the challenges we’ve seen in the recent past might be considered normal fallout from a very challenging sport making its way in a difficult financial arena. Each are hurdles not unlike many of us face in school, work, home and relationships. We’re adults and we find ways of working through difficult times. However, taken as a group these are very concerning buoys on our sport’s course.

Each of us has our own anecdotal additions to this mix, but UnlimitedHydroplaneRacing.com is not about gossip or sniping. Instead, my intention is to raise concerns, encourage constructive discussion, and seek solutions.

In my opinion, the future health of our beloved sport is in jeopardy based on a trend that is not directionally appealing. Let’s respect the Rule of Three and begin to turn our trend line in a more positive direction and get back to being more effective and having more satisfying fun.

How do we do that?

There’s not one magic answer. It will be up to the collective minds of our sport’s Damn Smart Fans – and hopefully a few visionary leaders – to craft strategies to right the ship. I don’t have the answers, but I’m willing to help in any way I can.

One way I can help is to offer this web site as a forum for your opinions. Weigh in and offer your perspectives. Comment below, or become a Guest Author.

• How would you organize the schedule?
• How would you secure a TV contract?
• Do we need more or fewer race sites as we get our house in order?

(Look, I gave you three questions to prime the pump!)

UHR Dave