The Isle of Man TT has gone full circle. From the biggest race in the world, to a struggling to survive annual, and now it is back on top seeing record numbers of fans worldwide.
In this story, Asphalt & Rubber talks with Paul Phillips, the TT & Motorsport Development Manager for the Isle of Man Government, about the revival of this iconic fortnight of racing.
At the turn of the century, the Isle of Man TT was at a crossroads. The most unique and historic event on the motorcycle racing calendar was under pressure with a lack of coverage and dwindling interest in the event.
With the TT now back at the height of its power, the event has drawn in a new generation of fans and the future looks brighter than ever.
Paul Phillips has been largely credited with being central to the renaissance of the Isle of Man TT, as the Manxman has overseen the revival of the TT to the biggest fortnight of the British biking calendar.
“It is growing in just about all measurable ways,” said Phillips. “In terms of the amount of people that come, in terms of the media coverage it gets, in terms of the TV audience it gets, in terms of the commerciality [sic] that surrounds the event it’s growing every year.”
“That’s the aim of my job and the good thing is: it’s growing in a manageable way. It’s not turning into a monster that can eat itself, so it still has room to grow, but there’s a level of satisfaction at the moment because of the growth that it’s gone through.”
“If you went back ten years, it was probably unimaginable for some people that it could have arrived to this point.”
Ten years ago, the TT really was on the endangered list. It was an event that was in danger of losing its place on the calendar, and one that was facing more and more scrutiny.
Entries were down, and so was interest, but a combination of a superb TV package and movies helped to breathe new life into the world’s most historic race.
“Honestly, the TT had to change. There was a point in time around the turn of the century where the TT was not in a good place. The event was getting smaller and smaller, and it was possibly unimaginable for some that we could get back to this point.”
“The biggest thing is that the TT is cool. It’s special. It’s got a viable history. It takes place in an amazingly beautiful place. What happens on track is special. It’s a cliché, but it is unique. It was probably just a sleeping giant previously.”
“With the local government, they know that it’s important for the economy. They also know that the TT has got to be done in a good way, in an appropriate way. It needs to be run in a way that doesn’t damage the island’s national identity.”
“You’ve got to be responsible, sort of risk-manage. It’s got to be defensible, and it’s got to be commercially and economically viable. They’re the reasons why it’s solid right now.”
The event might be on a solid footing once again, but it’s still a very small team that runs it. Talking with Philips, he makes it clear that finding a viable future for the TT has been the all-consuming goal for his team in recent years, but now they are starting to look at the future.”
“There’s a lot more that can be done with the TT, from a marketing point-of-view. We do what we do with a very small marketing spend. I think we’re lucky, we’ve just got such strong content.”
“Without that, it would be a much harder job. We can do more marketing. We can definitely bring more people. We can give people a better experience at trackside and off-track in terms of what’s going on with facilities and those sorts of things.”
One of the biggest question marks about the future is the television package, and whether the TT will eventually transition to the live TV model.
“Sooner or later, whether that’s in my time or somebody else’s, that’s going to get dealt with, because it’s just inevitable. The TV product we have right now is really good and really strong. Punches above its weight.”
“In the UK, you can compare our package to WorldSBK or BSB, and we’re far, far, far stronger in terms of our numbers. Which is great, however if we come a step back and look at sport globally, big sport events, there’s a reason they’re on television live.”
“The TT, if it wants to sit alongside those global sporting events – not even sporting events, just events – certainly personally I feel that the main event, the main races ought to be available live.”
“There’s a shift in television. TT will definitely be part of that. I’ll follow what happens there. Personally, I’d like to be part of the team that puts the TT on television live. It would be a good challenge.”
That TV package is key in trying to grow the sport, but also a key reason why many road racers are now able to work solely on their racecraft, rather than take on a trade to pay their way.
In the past, the leading TT racers were forced to work full-time jobs to supplement their racing income, but there has been a shift in recent years due to the explosion of interest that has been seen in the Isle of Man TT and its competitors.
“In terms of fame, and earnings, and all those sorts of things in the UK, there are for sure more full-time professionals in this paddock than there are in the BSB paddock, without a shadow of a doubt.”
“And a lot of those guys who are full-time professionals in this paddock are doing very little motorbike racing, it’s built around the TT. In some ways it’s a bit like pro cycling, where riders are geared towards the Tour de France. We’re an event in itself like the Tour.”
As another successful Isle of Man TT draws to a close, one has to wonder how this Manx spectacle will grow and change in subsequent years. Unlike this fortnight’s recent weather, the future looks bright for the TT.
Photos: © 2017 Steve English – All Rights Reserved
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Be sure to follow all of our 2017 Isle of Man TT racing coverage this fortnight.
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