Thread by @bensanrides

#nebrasummit opens with reminding we are a region of 156 clubs, 2300 license holders, 139 events

SoTU: road rider days, 11,766, down 7%, for 41 events, down from one YoY
cx rider days, 11498, down 22% for 31 events, down from five YoY

#hotlinetake : KMC is looking at Hartford for '19

#nebrasummit comments, CX has peaked, talked about Suckerbrook and White's Park and KMC a part of rider days down for CX, public question on if it's because of unsanctioned events

@JDBilodeau comments at #nebrasummit that license sales are UP, both in region and nationwide

public comment says this is part of the demographic sift (masters 35 cat gone, more juniors, aging) #nebrasummit

#nebrasummit is OFF BRAND and actually got a chunk of the calendar planned for 2019, including a neeeeeeew @NEcritweek line up and dates

re @NEcritweek , part of the shift is for lining up with the National Calendar (read: let the promoters make dat monaaaaay)

#HOTLINETAKE : #NEHOLYWEEK MIGHT RETURN, KMC, GSTAR, NIGHT WEASELS, etc

#nebrasummit JD says theme from last year was communication and transparency, worked hard on that this year, boosting mail chimp and monthly board minutes (survey of me says eff yeah they followed up and delivered on that)

JD says 100% of grants applied from @nebranews , good but says they'd like for more people to apply for more money. Examples include officials getting more resources (v important, because part of that event quality)

shoutout to this #nebrasummit strategy: @JDBilodeau went to 2018 #D2R2 to appeal to fresh blood to join bike racing. Also planning to go to @RasputitsaRide this year!

Goal is to boost outreach to eager riders that might want to try racing

if you want in on the #nebrasummit grants, plan is to release a schedule, both to help promoters plan and to do advertising

@mikeanorton asks if those grants are per promoter, or event. @JDBilodeau says it should be spread out to multiple promoters. Current pool is small, they'd like to increase it

Mike reminds about price increases, comes out to about 25% price increase (someone verify?)

Chris and @ncchilltowns (still best handle name) ask JD about how the streamlining charges from @BikeReg work. Mike N points out the surcharge gets lost for online prereg if the racers don't show (Someone verify and clarify) (am I the only one tweeting at #nebrasumit?!)

Mitch brings up that the dollar surchage values, both for the registrant and promoter, is a factor, but @resultsboy says MARBA hasn't found this as an issue (can we confirm, @FrankCundiff ?)

#nebrasummit public discussion, @KurlyB9 asks Hodges if they have the pregeg vs paid rider days data, Hodges says they do not (read, Colin is still KING DATA) (track your numbers, folks)

#nebrasummit update: Colin has big brass balls and is swapping cables between computers LIVE. Go to the bathroom folks, IT problems hopefully not incoming!?

#nebrasummit : Colin is up, QotD: "I'm the president of @nebranews , I don't know what I'm doing, that's being an adult" #cantbelievetheITswitchworked

#nebrasummit #data : 156 clubs, but ONLY 35 are USAC and NEBRA assoc

clarifier : USAC club is if you pay licensing fees

#hotlinetake : bet there are sooo many that are basically pay-to-play groups (looking at you, Hot Spandex Model Teams)

#nebrasummit public comments on whether NEBRA is reaching out to the 80% of clubs to join NEBRA, Colin agrees membership needs to be worked on, not sure on why they don't want to be engaged

Hodges comments that while an option for reg'ing to be a part of USAC could be a thing, as an IT challenge it's easier said than done

JD reminds #nebrasummit that every region is different for membership requirements

#nebrasummit sticking point: goal is to boost membership engagement (we have riders, but they either don't know or have little reason to care about join NEBRA) (eg., the 30 day waiting period to join and vote is GONE)

Picssss #nebrasumit

#nebrasummit : @resultsboy reminds everyone on the formalized discretionary CX points upgrade, Hodges confirms that USAC is doing the legal-ese to allow people to do similar work (fun story: people will use parents address if it means they can do easier upgrades!?) #statelines

discussion on #NECX calendar, the calendar wrangling was a mixed bag: calendar LOOKED easier, but rider days were down!? #paradox #nebrasummit

public comments on weather and outliers being an issue (eg., @MidnightRideCX went to weekend)

@JDBilodeau reminds at #nebrasummit that the calendar conflicts is less of an issue- dates are open folks, go ahead and Take Me Ouuuuut #songsstuckinmyhead

#nebrasummit comment by meeeee: maybe rider days down isn't bad!? @GatewayHillsCX could in no way cover the rider days of Suckerbrook and White's Park, but it was a still a quality event, so was it a net win/loss!?

race addict here says heres to all three coming back next year

@air9r comments that MTB numbers are going up, so maybe that's another reason: pool of riders is the same, just sifting. JD emphasizes AGAIN that the pool of riders should be all riders in NE, again, go hunting for new interested people

#nebrasummit public comments on YoY good weather and other factors are an issue for CX numbers, positive attitude that the weather is a false indicator that the CX plateau

#nebrasummit public comments on quality matters, and @the_ccap and CT series has CRUSHED it by boosting their Junior Participation numbers and streamlining their advertising engine

#nebrasummit public comment: does @nebranews have a plan for getting more people on bikes!? Are their programs and partnerships planned to get people on bikes (brief answer: WIP)

#nebrasummit public comments that grant money should also go to races, @resultsboy reminds that same meony DOESN'T have to be just races, it can be programs

@KurlyB9 talks about Rock Creek Velo in MARBA boosted membership by stockpiling bikes and creating mentorship opportunities

MARBA is being mentioned enough here that someone should fly out @FrankCundiff or someone to talk more

Moar picsssss, also subtweeting @TheadKbh #ThatThingFromNY

#nebrasummit reminds that NEBRA is NOT an old guard assoc, and they'd the community to have a regular involvement (new blood is good blood)

also Colin can be INDEMNIFIED and theres insurance for that so sue away folks (don't actually do that)

*also #ThatThingFromNY is more related to cleaning up the language is how NE bylaws would affect people Out Of Region

**this is mostly @alanatwoodars

*** #nebrasummit looooooooves you, Alan!

XTRA SPECIAL PIC

#nebrasummit

Moar money and breakdowns, some of the donation money is leftovers from merchandise sales #nebrasummit

Also because @IamMikeOC has a weird love relationship with NEBRA 🤷🏾‍♂️

Mooooooar pics #nebrasummit

@resultsboy comments that he’d “love” for the org to “run out of money” if that meant boosting the sport (eg., smart investing is worthwhile!)

#nebrasummit 32k in the bank currently, if y'all gonna speculate the cash flow (Colin says it's neutral)

#nebrasummit public comments from non-profit experts reminds that BikeReg has non-income tax incentive to have a "not-sponsorship" with NEBRA. Point of the comment is to change the surcharge amounts (% vs flat) and to protect the non-profit status

*i can't believe they're having this conversation in front of Hodges 🙄😅🤣

*if you hate my camera quality reg for #nebrasummit next time! @resultsboy might also release these slides!

Also AIRING OF THE GRIEVANCES TIME

@KurlyB9 and @resultsboy are discussing what are the incentives for clubs to join the national governing body. @JDBilodeau reminds that USAC's goal is create Olympic athletes (not ONLY goal, but it's part of the grand strategy) #nebrasummit

@KurlyB9 draws closer to a big ol' target: does @nebranews have plans to draw in the 'unsanctioned' pool of riders. Hodges says USAC is working on it (eg., working the #1 issue for MTB, license fees)
#nebrasummit

magic word of the year at #nebrasummit is "reciprocity"- what's the incentive to get 'people*' to join the natl governing body

*people is basically @EFTA_MTB . everyone in the room is already savvy to the that particular untapped market

at #nebrasummit , @alanatwoodars asks for where on the website can newbie riders find info to get into racing (JD plans to have physical information [flyers] at events like @RasputitsaRide , go to triathlon conferences, put that on the website)

at #nebrasummit , @mikeanorton drives right at Hodges on why can't they increase the Cat 5 field limit (Mike N is the only one who can complain about this, good problem)

*conclusion of this heated discussion seems to be a waiver to allow this

*mike N might bust an artery here

source of this irritation reveals: Mike N dropped prize money from Quabbin, said that Cat 5 that was the biggest hit, dropping the prize pool #nebrasummit

#nebrasummit Mike N basically wants a better driver to get Cat 5s into the sport. if not prize pool, plus one day fee, how!?

JD reminds that the reg fee should go DOWN to compensate #hotlinetake #notthathot #makescents #puns

@the_ccap re-emphasizes that the waiver form to break the USAC 75 rider field exists, Mike N has already asked for it, hasn't gotten it, pretty sure this is Mike N's big goal today, to lay this down in front of Hodges #nebrasummit

*reposting to main thread

shift of conversation, #nebrasummit , in order to attract more women riders, free entry to MTB races, numbers boosted (Ben J from UMass and @air9r ) confirms

@RasputitsaRide (Heidi) reminds that there are other levers to get women to race

THIS IS WHY YOU INCLUDE HEIDI, FOLKS

at #nebrasummit , Heidi and Laura Summers had strategies- missed some of them, but the general idea is PROPER engagement. Heidi says, "no reg fee but no prize money for women" is a tough long term growth mindset ("Don't make it easier for women!")

Dan K switches back to how @nebranews should drive incentives to get new blood into the sport. @air9r reminds that Day Ofs are a valuable market to cater to (Let New Riders Try It Out!)

Pics as JD recites numbers on rider data, don’t ask me, he should release them later 🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️

#nebrasummit discussion (less heated) on how to get new blood into the racers

cool anecdotal example of targeting female runners to try Cross (S Weigard?) then offering discounted reg

JD tosses out a Club of the Year Award as an incentive

lunchbreak, because Colin actually has his SHIT together in keeping to the schedule and says to e-mail him at [e-mail] and [e-mail] for thoughts

presidency has changed you, yo #nebrasummit

#nebrasummit comments: @LHausle and @efacc aren't on the agenda, yet the room has been relatively more cordial and focused on new rider retention, men AND women, and NEW blood. This was typically their topic, and I'm thrilled it's still something on everyone's mind

from three (?) years of attending, this is the first it's not been a public brawlroom on how to calendar manage and price out entries

whether or not the discussion focuses on quality of events, this is a nice shift towards that as a the driving KPI for events

Lunchbreak done and pic time

I’m blaming lighting in the room , nit my cofvets hands 🖕🏾

New program to lower barrier to promoter entry, @VelocityResults is making numbers available for bulk pricing #nebrasummit

NINETEEN CENTS A NUMBER (basic price, final size pending, options to customize) is a dang good deal

this is HUGE, because John Frey knows specific logistics relevant to bike race events, which is money/time saved

best possible step of @nebranews for being there for promoters

also, regarding the #bikeregreboot , JD had a demo (skipping bc timing) to customize the webpage for your event

also a good #nebrasummit point, continuing the discussion on driving the value and worth of BikeReg/NEBRA "partnership"

Mitch asks about bib numbers, does it matter?

JD says yes, because it's a memento of an event. if you only do a few events and are social media-ing your event, the little extra to customize is a damm good deal

anecdotal story by me, talked about a teammate who has thirty years of numbers (BINDERS FULL OF THEM) as mementos, and how @SunapeeRacing had "Live Free and Race" for the #concordcrit

Gary Kessler showing NEXT LEVEL how to enjoy mementos from #KSR

not sure if the livefeed was on then, but that was @RasputitsaRide 's time slot at #nebrasummit

that along deserves it's own report, it'll get it's own thread, but ohhhhh man, I'll say this:

If you were there, I hope you were paying attention. Because Heidi and Anthony GET IT

*yes I'll actually Tweet about it in a bit, but Hodges has the floor at #nebrasummit

Hodges at #nebrasummit has in a few weeks a new USAC coordinator for events (v important on the permitting side)

@jessedanthony brought up as new CX related job at USAC- lots of responsibilities, grassroots growth, calendar, junior work

Hope you like Twitter, Jesse!

question from meeeee at #nebrasummit to Hodges, re USAC and EF hiring key execs from a running background: how deliberate was that move? Bringing on people with non-bike experience

Hodges say it was a call to Rob, asking if he had references, Rob said, "Why not me?"

*background in retail was also v relevant

#nebrasummit data: *% decrease in membership, all across the board, apparently will go into more detail

Eight percent

#nebrasummit gets an example of a one-off offer a fondo registrant gets at an event

They get a free coupon to a discounted membership code!

*also, Colin's turning the live feed back on. Maybe he had too many beers, generously provided by Heidi and Anthony? 🤷🏾‍♂️🍻🥴

at #nebrasummit , Hodges is fielding the general logistics questions on USAC's system to one day licenses via back to the race

Hodges now detailing the Race Director program

THIS IS IMPORTANT. You NEED an RD to host an event. It is one of the first steps NEEDED to get that USAC permit. Being a part of a USAC club gets you one, you can also get one separately (ask @JDBilodeau how!) #nebrasummit

Mitch now giving feedback on the continuing education and IT issues for event permitting, @alanatwoodars confirms, @JDBilodeau reminds HE is the POC to refer to on this

[e-mail] . This is what he's paid for, get at him #CustomerSupport #nebrasummit

Hodges main driving point at #nebrasummit is USAC would eventually like to go back to SOME community give back requirements for a club. Not necessarily a race, vague for now, but we'll see

#hotlinetake : maybe if not an event, a USAC club could advertise and insure club rides

Hodges at #nebrasummit hints at RD conference, goal is to boost Pro Road Tour, reminds that NE is v special with their LA and enviroment

SUCK IT MARBA #dontactaullysuckit #💕

Hodges admits there's a TON of clean up for the permitting process. Things RD License, results posted, all the requirements that are sort of considered 'basics' for the classic racer but are actually mandatory for hosting a USAC event?

Never heard of it? welcome to promoting

Hodges say new permitting system is coming online this summer (?)

brush up and get ready if you're a last-minute promoter- might be a new UI #nebrasummit

great #CustomerService admission from Hodges: "the process to promote punishes too much. We are working on improving that. Please let me know what we can do." #nebrasummit

discussion at #nebrasummit on the insurance increase:

premiums went up. two claims this year, nothing a 'surprise' if you promote, but so's not crashing your car. It happens, that's why you have insurance, but if you cash in on that premiums go up

Hodges details: TT in a non-NEBRA region, rider goes warm up off course, U Turns and hits a car head on, someone sued

so yeah, that's what happened to insurance increase

#HUGYOURRACEFRIENDS #nebrasummit

second: CA crit, rider warming up off course, rec racer was apparently heckling rider warming up, words exchanged, rubbin' happened, rec rider was a PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY, sues

congratulations, two incidents that drove up USAC insurance

#HOLDYOURTEMPER #nebrasummit

public is now asking about the soups and nuts on how the insurance claims and payouts went, more stories about permitting and catastrophes

it sounds like it's a super gray area, but USAC is on our side. just... don't do things, like ignore a USAC suggestion to not host on a bike path, do it anyways, and deal with a jogger hitting hit #nebrasummit

JD reminds everyone to ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE THE EVENT

fun fact: Hodges used to be a part of the motor cycling insurance and certifications. HE GETS IT. Discussion on how there should more beginner clinics

public question by meeee on what mechanisms are available from USAC for this #nebrasummit

Hodges reminds that NEBRA grant money comes from USAC, and to utilize the 1500 USAC certified coaches for that, who are well versed in that (eg., Laura Summers is asking about the Beginner Road Program for a junior curriculum) #nebrasummit

Hodges reminds that NE is the exception to the nation on a strong lifelong support club system, that he grew up on

"Any other grievances Or did you get that out of your system already?"

*thanks for the leadout, @RasputitsaRide #grumblersgonnagrumble

Hodges at #nebrasummit going on specific examples on insurance payouts

maybe it's the beer talking, but I almost don't want to talk about this, because it's a stomach dropping topic, hearing this stuff. sooo pic time:

#nebrasummit

do you want to know what Hodges does for a living?

he sits on the phone and talks with RD who are crying because a rider died at their event and not only did someone DIE the RD has massive bills now to pay out from insurance claims that will financially break them #nebrasummit

facepalm moment: public question, "can you modify the waiver?"

NO #nebrasummit

Chris De Hahn offers points on proper pre race warnings as a counter point, Hodges reminds everyone he's not a lawyer

soooo glad @SunapeeRacing is locktight with having lawyers onboard the board

great point by Hodges at #nebrasummit, maybe an RD has to close adjacent roads to allow proper warmup. GMSR is a great example off the top of my head (they don't, but also adequately warn to NOT WARM UP on the main road for the TT

I’m quietly retching here #nebrasummit

@RasputitsaRide , we didn’t get to this, but this is the tough blowback/risks promoters face. This is a part of the abrasive attitude

What does Hodges do for a living?

He sits for an hour with this riders family

Then, in his words, he “sits before a jury and explains what happened”

#nebrasummit

Hodges is ON FIRE here:

"This is a risky sport, and we are here to help you mitigate risks"

#nebrasummit

round of applause for Hodges, next presentation, Weigards up

totally didn't go to the bathroom to puke #hugyourracefriends

Weigards at #nebrasummit want to detail how does getting officials work for your USAC event. There's a "tool" that takes the input event, it goes out to all officials

Officials also pool in their event availability. These logistics, this "jigsaw" puzzle, is part of the process

Reminder that EVERYONE has input: promoters can have requests, officials have preferences. It's a job, but also can be fun!

e-mail at [e-mail] #nebrasummit

Weigards remind that there's an Officials Conference soon, talking about growing your event #nebrasummit

Concentration on growing ground officials, not doing a new motor officials class. Open request for USAC C Officials from USAC clubs, send interested members, it's on BikeReg:

bikereg.com/northeast-offi…

public comments seem v positive, Mitch and @the_ccap suggest they'd send and pay for their riders to attend the symposium to become a USAC C Official (weigh in if I'm wrong, @KurlyB9 ) #nebrasummit

*if you want more in depth information on this, go to this!

what's a good hashtag for the NEBRA officials? Truthfully, it's a different pool than promoters. Weigards comment the process is more of an apprenticeship

bikereg.com/nebra-officials

Weigards remind that this is an EASY way to save money at an event #nebrasummit

Really, what better way to save costs than having a team member double up as a USAC Official ? Yeah they'd have to pay to become one, but that's both cheaper and easier to coordinate that booking

another bonus from the Weigards at #nebrasummit :If you're an official, YOU CAN SEE the event assignments. Easy way to get the inside! Don't let event logistics ruin your event

aaaaaaaaand done

planning on looping back through things, at least the @RasputitsaRide session (which covered customer engagement, embracing your #brand , and best social media practices*)

*which was actually legitimately NEW ideas, not just 'gram more

one more thing:
@threadreaderapp , unroll