Paying for racing (straight rhythm and beyond)

[checkerz]

After a ton of deliberation - months actually, I pulled the trigger on making the Straight Rhythm a paid event. I wanted to make a few points, and also allow a discussion here versus in the actual race topic.

Does this mean all future events are going to be paid?
I can't speak for all the race hosts, but that isn't what I'd like to see. I want to continue to provide content for the replica series' and believe those should always stay free of charge. In my opinion, those events are the backbone of the community and the biggest way to bring in new players and creators. I'd like to see them retain no entry fee and a small barrier for entry.

Why charge for the event and not the track?
There are a lot of reasons why. One, I was part of rF at the start to help grow the community. I believe content helps grow the community in more ways to list while private/paid content with the current (lack of) structure only hurts the community. I want to continue to create tracks for fun and provide them to everyone. I also respect everyone's work they have released currently and previously and wouldn't want to sell their stuff within my tracks as I couldn't likely compensate them fairly in return.

Where is the money going?
The track creator (myself) and the event host/site/server owner. "Donations" in this community have proved to be less than successful (thanks to the couple who have donated) unless forced as a payment.

Why aren't the racers getting a payout?
They are, just not in the form of money. They are getting a high quality track and a high quality racing experience/event.

Finally, for those who show up to the event, thank you for your support. I hope a couple of these events here and there can be successful to ultimately allow the bulk majority of major events to stay free of charge. For those who choose not to race the event, please still enjoy the track with your friends or offline.

For those who show up to the event, thank you for your support. For those who choose not to race the event, please still enjoy the track with your friends or offline.

[AWood]

In my opinion the high support of paid events from the racing community was strictly because they wanted race payouts, not because they wanted to donate hundreds of dollars to the creators.

[Ddavis]

For this one off event I will consider paying the $5 fee, but I can only see it working out in Supercross/Motocross if the payout is later returned to the racers themselves in some way. I'm not saying all of it should go towards the racers, nor am I against a % of it going to the race host/track maker, but I think it should be split evenly. Without the racers, there would be no race. Without the track, there would be no racers. It swings both ways.

[nickuzick]

For this one off event I will consider paying the $5 fee, but I can only see it working out in Supercross/Motocross if the payout is later returned to the racers themselves in some way. I'm not saying all of it should go towards the racers, nor am I against a % of it going to the race host/track maker, but I think it should be split evenly. Without the racers, there would be no race. Without the track, there would be no racers. It swings both ways.

Maybe in the form of a deposit

[chaseb31]

Retweet^ if racers are gonna pay to race they should get some pay back for a certain top number of racers of each class, and then also have a certain go to "creators" for there work on tracks and hosting

[Wahlamt]

I'm actually liking this pay to race, kind of. You could just as well see it as an invitational. My hopes (the reason I like this) is that you kids (probably) won't be able to make it, due to not really have an option to pay for the race fee and you will miss out on people that are ruining races. I'd be trying to race for sure if the race wouldn't be in the middle of the night for me. I think at least a price for the winner, at least the entry fee back would be nice though.

[SOAB_465]

I'm all for it, as long as the entry fees stay reasonable. I pay $45/class to race classes with no payout in real life all the time. This seems completely fair to me.

[podium1]

When you make the point of a high quality racing experience, would that mean getting a refund should an event turn to crap? I'm meaning equipment failure etc. from your end that is..

[Boblob801]

I just want to put in my small opinion here and I know Checkers is a smart dude and normally takes my opinions into consideration but I feel in all honesty Awood has a point, half of what people pay to race they will want back in terms of a prize pool. So this may flop, not only because it's new but because there is no payout.
Secondly if you charge for an event you can be sure there will be extremely high expectations, if something goes wrong, well I already feel your pain. Someone's going to spam that "I was cheated, refund my money you a**h*le!!!"
You are official on the pedestal of paid events seeing as you're the pioneer. Good luck Chris, you will need it.

[Bubba40]

I've read a little bit of this thread but not all of it but IMO, If Checkerz wants to charge for a race i have no problem but when I see people say oh well there should be prizes 1 threw 5 do you see jay or mason giving the money back for getting 1st hell no. So why is it such a big deal if Checkerz wants to charge for race.
Checkerz has probably spent 50to60 days building tracks for this game, I'm going to donate to Checkerz and Stephen soon as my grandparents get back from there trip. People are probably like 50 60 days that's bs nope just one track I added up the time from his stream and was 8 hours just for one rf national.

[Boblob801]

when I see people say oh well there should be prizes 1 threw 5 do you see jay or mason giving the money back for getting 1st hell no.

...............Um, win what? Win the first to buy it? He is doing a paid event, not selling the track

[checkerz]

I just want to put in my small opinion here and I know Checkers is a smart dude and normally takes my opinions into consideration but I feel in all honesty Awood has a point, half of what people pay to race they will want back in terms of a prize pool. So this may flop, not only because it's new but because there is no payout.
Secondly if you charge for an event you can be sure there will be extremely high expectations, if something goes wrong, well I already feel your pain. Someone's going to spam that "I was cheated, refund my money you a**h*le!!!"
You are official on the pedestal of paid events seeing as you're the pioneer. Good luck Chris, you will need it.

A payout was added last night based on the request of the community.

[checkerz]

When you make the point of a high quality racing experience, would that mean getting a refund should an event turn to crap? I'm meaning equipment failure etc. from your end that is..

If the race doesn't run, that is the only time a refund will be given. Sammy is an experienced event host, so I don't forsee any problems. Definitely don't want anyone to feel cheated, so we'll always do our best to make sure everyone has a great time and feels like they got what they paid for.

[Boblob801]

Good luck, It'll be interesting to see how this unfolds.

[Atom6246]

This kind of sucks for people like me that still want to do races but won't be able to make all of them. Now I got to pay to get smoked by people who try hard this game lol oh well.